Sorry… had to be done!
Supreme Court
A turning of the tide?
Leftists are in full meltdown over the announcement Justice Anthony Kennedy will step down from the Supreme Court July 31. This action provides President Trump an opportunity to nominate yet another Constitutionalist like Neil Gorsuch to the court. Should Trump serve two full terms, it is likely he will nominate the replacement for Ruth Bader Ginsburg as well.
The enemies of our Constitutional system are in abject terror over the possibility, now increased, the Court will undo decades of judicial activism. Unable to enact their agenda through the ballot box, the Left sought to impose it instead by abusive judicial fiat. But just as unconstitutional executive orders by Obama could be undone by corrective orders from Trump, the shredding of the Constitution can be reversed by a Supreme Court made up of Justices who respect it. The impact of these nominations on the next 20 to 30 years cannot be overstated. It’s vital to elect America First Constitutionalists (sadly, only a subset of the GOP) this fall, and ensure Trump’s reelection in 2020. Things are going well for patriots lately, but as Glenn Reynolds frequently channels Han Solo, “don’t get cocky, kid.”
On other fronts:
-The Supreme Court, even with Justice Kennedy still on it, has issued a couple of key rulings, freeing pro-life crisis pregnancy centers from being forced to provide information on how to obtain an abortion, and denying unions the ability to force payments from non-members (which usually ends up in liberal political campaigns).
– The reputation of the FBI is hardly helped when Peter Strzok answers a Congressional subpoena to testify in a classified forum, but reportedly refuses to answer the most germane questions by claiming “it’s classified” or declining to answer “on advice of counsel.” What are the FBI’s lawyers encouraging him to continue hiding?
– A former Hillary 2016 Campaign officer has been indicted for soliciting sexual access to children as young as two years old. And from the “you can’t make this up” files, he was also chairman of the International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict charity. As they say, fishermen go where the fish are.
– Without Obama propping them up with pallets of cash, the Iranian regime is suddenly experiencing a popular backlash again. The previous administration’s failure to support Iranian dissidents was inexcusable. Worth noting: “Q” indicated a week ago Iran was about to get interesting again… another tick of credibility for those keeping score.
– The GOP seems to have a few more members with spines lately, as the latest attempt to pass an amnesty for illegal immigrants has been soundly defeated. Eternal vigilance is required on this issue, however.
Keep praying hard! If God can resurrect His Son or an army of dry bones, He can certainly revive our nation! Let’s seek daily to have our nation bless Him, that He may show favor to us even at this late hour.
Sauce for the goose…
Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit has some sage advice for those on the Left who both want to have a “living Constitution” and block the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch: “Be careful what you ask for, because you won’t like it if you get it.”
He has a point. One reason for Leftism’s steady march to ascendancy is that they play fast and loose in the courts with the meaning of the Constitution (even its most clear sections), whereas Conservatives (so far…) are loathe to use the judiciary as activists for change. Reynold’s point is that Gorsuch is an ‘originalist’ when it comes to the Constitution, not a proponent of a “living document” that changes over time, and the Left should be glad for that.
Otherwise, they potentially would face a swift judicial rollback of their most cherished victories over the Framers’ original intent during the past 50 years:
During the New Deal era, the Supreme Court — after being threatened with “court packing” by FDR — endorsed a massive expansion of governmental power on the ground that it would lead to greater efficiency in the economy. Instead, we got a bloated bureaucracy with serious accountability problems, and a disastrous expansion in spending, regulation and federal debt. Based on this experience, I can imagine a conservative justice who sees the Constitution as a “living breathing organism” that must be kept in tune with the needs of the day deciding that the New Deal Court’s decisions were mistakes that violate the Constitution, and must now be rolled back.
To be honest, there is one point about this with which I disagree with the Instapundit. A truly “originalist” court would indeed roll back much of the New Deal, because it was recognized even at the time as a fundamental transformation of the relationship of the Federal Government to the States and the People… one that clearly violated the Constitution on several grounds. Rather than fight activist legislating from the bench with more of the same, however, it would be far better to undo these poor decisions via Congress, so long as the judiciary would let stand changes clearly rooted in the original meaning of the Constitution.
Reynolds’ main point is sound, though: the Supreme Court needs to get back to a strict constructionist view of our charter, rather than blow hot and cold (or Left and Right) with the prevailing political winds. If Gorsuch is confirmed and succeeds in tacking the court that direction, it will bode well for the future.
With great power…
…comes great fear of what those in charge will do with that power. This excerpt from a column four years ago is even more pertinent today than it was then:
The mere fact that presidential elections matter this much is not a sign of national health but of national dysfunction. The more the federal government gets involved in every aspect of our lives — for good or ill — the more people will feel that their livelihoods, lifestyles, even their actual lives are at stake in a presidential election. If the federal government didn’t have so much leverage over your life, politicians wouldn’t be able to scare you into the voting booths…
The rule seems to be runaway executive power is good, so long as my guy is in power.
That’s a dangerous principle.
Read the whole thing here. If Trump wants a truly honorable legacy, he needs to be the one who starts sending power back to the States and the people, where the bulk of it belongs.
Overt deception in overdrive
Ever since the Supreme Court’s official attempt last month to override the Creator’s definition of marriage, I’ve seen an endless barrage of editorials propaganda designed to get Christians to abandon the orthodox and historical position of the Church on the issue. This one, however, is one of the most over-the-top and keeps showing up in my news feeds, so I thought I would break down the absolute falsehoods the writer is trying to get the undiscerning to swallow:
Claim: “The word “homosexuality” didn’t even show up in English translations of the Bible until 1946, so why do we say the Bible condemns it?”
Answer: because anyone reasonably educated realizes there are synonyms and contextual clues that don’t require use of a specific word that was not even coined until the 1880s — well after the Bible was written. It’s clear from reading scripture, however, that not only does this behavior date back to Biblical times, but that God had specific views of it:
“Thou shalt not lie with the male as one lieth with a woman: for it is abomination.” Leviticus 18:22, Geneva Bible translation of 1599 A.D. (Unless the writer of the linked editorial wants to claim that “lying with a male as one lies with a woman” isn’t a direct reference to homosexuality, whether by the modern name or not, I think this one verse alone suffices to show a lack of diligence by the writer — or an agenda.)
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantons, nor buggerers, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor 6: 9-10, Geneva Bible translation of 1599 A.D (considerably before 1946!).
Next, according to the writer: “Franklin, son of Billy, even goes on to make the Biblically inaccurate comment that ‘The One who created marriage defined it as between a man and a woman.'”
Answer (the words of Christ, God incarnate):
The banner is unfurled
The earlier part of last week all we could hear was how wrong it was that a Confederate Battle Flag flew over a Civil War monument on the capitol grounds in South Carolina. The argument was that no government facility should be flying banners other than the Stars and Stripes; that symbols which offend and divide have no place on official grounds.
And yet, this was the White House Friday night:
And this was the U.S. Embassy in Munich, Germany (which display the State Department saw fit to highlight on their official Facebook page, complete with a “rainbow-ized” State Dept. logo):
This was a none-too-subtle stick in the eye for those who believe in the Biblical definition of marriage. Those who splashed color across the Federal Government (and many businesses) know full well how offensive this “spiking the ball in the end zone” would be. And despite their earlier talking points, they didn’t care. It goes to show: you cannot trust anything a Leftist says. Language is but a means to an end — the sympathy they demand for their causes will certainly not be shown to those they oppose. That is why “live and let live” is never going to happen… whatever concessions are made to them on any issue will never be reciprocated.
I expected many people I know to celebrate this ruling (though I was disappointed at just how many did). I did not expect so much overt official celebration, and that it occurred merely underscores what time it is in America. But I take solace in this: the culture war was not declared against me (though I suspect that like many Christians, I may well be part of the collateral damage before it’s over). It was declared against God. The rainbow flag itself is a misappropriation of the symbol of one of His promises. It’s almost as if these activists are daring God: “you said you wouldn’t flood the world again, so whadya gonna do about it, huh?” In essence this week we traded the banner of rebellion against Federal authority for one that represents rebellion against God’s authority. All I can say is that shaking one’s fist and one’s sins in the face of a Holy God is not a wise thing for any of us to do.
“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” — Thomas Jefferson
This-n-that
The Supreme Court has once again rescued Obamacare from itself, prompting Justice Scalia (who dissented) to remark the law should probably be known as “SCOTUScare.” Note that in both cases Chief Justice Roberts–nominated by REPUBLICAN George W. Bush–has been a deciding factor. The GOP often reminds its base to vote for Republican presidents in order to avoid getting the “wrong” kind of justices nominated to the court. Yeah, how’s that working out for us? A more honest slogan would be “vote GOP: for wars without end, a surveillance state at home, and all the other stuff you normally expect from Democrats but that we’ll push for just as hard without saying so!” See why I hate the Republican Party even more than the Democrats now? At least the Democrats are honest about being in opposition to everything I stand for…
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The avalanche of knee-jerk reaction spawned by the Charleston shootings and fueled by the usual suspects has now reached Orwellian proportions: Apple has pulled all apps from its store that feature a Confederate battle flag… including historically accurate wargames! This is pure 1984: a Two-Minutes’ Hate during which a period of history is being flushed down the Memory Hole. Once again Apple shows its fascist tendencies, which is why no matter how good their engineering is, their products will NEVER be in my home.
***
The Two-Minutes’ Hate also provided a convenient smokescreen behind which the Senate could regroup and browbeat out the 60th vote required to hand King Obama yet more power, this time to ensnare the United States into a proto-Pacific Union. Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama was very vocal in opposing this measure, and his response to its passage yesterday is worth noting:
Americans increasingly believe that their country isn’t serving its own citizens. They need look no further than a bipartisan vote of Congress that will transfer congressional power to the Executive Branch and, in turn, to a transnational Pacific Union and the global interests who will help write its rules.
The same routine plays out over and again. We are told a massive bill must be passed, all the business lobbyists and leaders tell how grand it will be, but that it must be rushed through before the voters spoil the plan. As with Obamacare and the Gang of Eight, the politicians meet with the consultants to craft the talking points—not based on what the bill actually does, but what they hope people will believe it does. And when ordinary Americans who never asked for the plan, who don’t want the plan, who want no part of the plan, resist, they are scorned, mocked, and heaped with condescension.
Washington broke arms and heads to get that 60th vote—not one to spare—to impose on the American people a plan which imperils their jobs, wages, and control over their own affairs. It is remarkable that so much energy has been expended on advancing the things Americans oppose, and preventing the things Americans want.
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Meanwhile, the IRS is acknowledging new ‘mistakes’ that resulted in the erasure of backup tapes containing emails sought by investigators over the past two years. The IRS is clearly either a thoroughly criminal enterprise, completely incompetent, or both at the same time. Congress should erase this agency from the face of the earth (along with the entire income tax system) and bar all of its employees from any future Federal employment. In the words of an ancient Roman, “IRS delenda est.”
***
And finally, a supposed political ‘misstep’ by Hillary Clinton tells you everything you need to know about those who claim they are for “inclusiveness” and “diversity.” Because apparently, ONLY “black lives matter” to the political class. After all, if we truly believed “all lives matter,” how ever would they continue to divide and rule us?
Government giveth, government taketh away
As if the annual fleecing process known as filing your taxes wasn’t already opaque, painful, and a ridiculous exercise in government control:
Half of the households that received subsidies to help pay health insurance premiums last year under the Affordable Care Act will probably have to repay some of that money to the federal government, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
If the Supreme Court ever wanted to earn back some respect from the productive, independent-minded part of the electorate, they would finally kill this Obamanation once and for all during the current term. It’s bad policy, badly written law, and a prime example of government arrogance run amok these days.
And never forget: even the architects of it admit it only passed because of a lack of transparency and “the stupidity of the American people!”
It’s none of your business, except to pay for it…
That’s the basic logic behind criticism of the Hobby Lobby ruling by the Supreme Court…
This-n-that
It’s been one of those weeks where I’ve had just enough time to sort of keep up with the broad brush of the latest shenanigans, but not a lot of time to comment on them. Sadly, just pointing out all the shenanigans at this point would be a full time job. There’s an idea: what if we had people whose occupational purpose in life was to report on new developments, to include ‘naming names’ for those who have been up to no good. We could even call such people who reported such information ‘reporters.’ They could keep the average citizen, who has plenty of other things to do besides dig through webs of deceit and subterfuge, informed on what their government is doing.
So… in the interest of augmenting what the Associated Press, local newspaper or 5 o’clock report might not have seen fit to add in recent days:
– Uncle Sam’s motto seems to be morphing from “E Pluribus Unum” to “The hard drive ate the email.” One would think that if multiple Federal agencies are having so much trouble preserving records they are legally required to preserve, that heads would roll. Not so much. (Note that link is from TWELVE YEARS AGO… and it doesn’t seem to have gotten any better in the accountability department since then. It’s enough to make you wonder if anything is a firing offense.)
– We may be under invasion, but our elites want to remind us that “it’s for the children.” As always. (Except when protecting them is considered less important than enabling predators, of course.)
– Still think there are really two different governing perspectives in Washington? There is *only* the pro-government party, which wears “home” and “away” jerseys as convenient. So who’s looking out for us, instead of the power of the ‘national parties‘?
– …and as the power of the ‘national party’ and its ruling class grows, so does the police state to support and protect it. (What… you thought the police ‘served and protected’ YOU?)
– Current US foreign policy in a nutshell: keep throwing money at various fighting groups in the hope one of them might turn out not to be the planners of the next 9/11. Isn’t there something better we could be doing with half a billion dollars? Haven’t we “helped” that part of the world enough yet?
– Homeowners associations: breeding grounds for petty tyrants. And where’s the justice in a compact (or legal system) that can lead to a lien and foreclosure for a display of the nation’s flag? Seriously?
– Too bad Obamacare ‘snuck’ by the Supremes. Hopeless Change, indeed…
A True Progressive 