Posted on 07/13/2009 10:56:10 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
Sen. Dianne Feinstein's opening statement in the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor indicated she thinks much of what is said and promised by nominees in Senate confirmation hearings is a bunch of bunk.
Feinstein is an easy yes vote on Sotomayor, but she used her statement to take a swipe at Chief Justice John Roberts, who in his confirmation described judges as umpires whose job is to call balls and strikes, not play the game.
Feinstein's words could be read as part justification for her partisan votes on Roberts and Alito and part concerted strategy by Democrats to swat down GOP complaints of judicial activism by liberal judges. [snip]
"So I do not believe that Supreme Court justices are merely umpires calling balls and strikes. Rather I believe that they make the decisions of individuals who bring to the court their own experiences and philosophies."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
a.k.a. making it up as they go along.
Now you all see what us Californians have to deal with, idiots like this running our state
“Rather I believe that they make the decisions of individuals who bring to the court their own experiences and philosophies”
If I understand correctly, I guess we are no longer a nation of laws, rather we are ruled by subjective experience and philosophy. Goodbye, social contract. Nice to know you.
DiChiFi have done well profiting from playing the game of conflict of interest for years; dealings with China, federal gubamint programs.. game? No harm No foul thereHuh, Di? oh yeah she’s game.. but we’re not talking about odor here.
One man’s ox is another man’s stew.
does feinkenstein know what an umpire does? the closest thing that they have to baseball in SF is the giants, so it’s possible that she just doesn’t understand the metaphor. ;)
And, she has such a compelling personal story.
.
Could this be the beginning of the “meltdown”.....
Rivals Boxer for the dumbest member of the Senate...well with Franken added maybe one of the three dumbest members.
Yep, a story about a compelling racist, so darn compelling
All they need are togas *shudders* and laurel crowns.
Just how is getting preferential treatment overcoming adversity? Seems like the opposite...
“....I believe that they make the decisions of individuals who bring to the court their own experiences and philosophies.”
And if they are Latina experiences the judgements will be “better” than a white guys, right senator?
Or did you forget THAT assertion by the nominee?
Thanks for posting the article.
I don’t recall the Judge stating it as “merely”. He was using it as an analogy. A very logical and concise description of what a Judge does, in lay person’s terms.
Feinstein: “Rather I believe that they make the decisions of individuals who bring to the court their own experiences and philosophies.”
So an umpire is not an individual?
Besides, judges are supposed to leave their ‘personal experience’, and ‘philosophies’ at home, and follow the law when in court.
Wonder what Feinstein would have to say if Sotomayor had said “if they are Latina experiences the judgements will be “better” than a white woman’s.
“So I do not believe ... Rather I believe ... and don’t call me Shirley. Call me `Barbarella’.”
This is no different than the UNELECTED bureacrats using the courts to make the laws the legislators refuse to give them.
anybody surprised SHE would talk like that????
re: 9 unelected individuals sitting in high judgment of us all
Don’t forget to add that they’re in that position for life.
In the America I grew up in judges were indeed umpires. They knew the rules and their job was to point out when they were broken. It didn’t matter if their kid had trouble hitting a curve ball or now, a curve that made it over any portion of the plate, regardless of tiny, was a strike. Their personal feelings were not supposed to have anything to with their rulings. A strike is a strike, a balk is a balk.
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