July 16, 2016
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is being castigated collectively by the editorial boards of The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. Connecticut’s liberal Democratic Senator, Chris Murphy stated “We all know that the justices on the Supreme Court have political views. I’m not sure we’re well served by them airing them out in the open.” Her crime: telling the truth.
The trouble began when she stated that if Trump won, she would consider following the presumed advice of her deceased husband and move to New Zealand. When asked why, she replied she would not like the judicial philosophy of the justices he would appoint. Trump responded “Her mind is shot – resign!”
The august editorial board of The New York Times wrote “All of which makes it only more baffling that Justice Ginsburg would choose to descend toward his [Trump’s] level and call her own commitment to impartiality into question.”
What The New York Times is really upset about is that Justice Ginsburg has let the cat out of the bag. Anyone with a passing knowledge of politics knows that the liberal wing of the Supreme Court believes the Constitution is “a living document,” meaning that it is meaningless. Because of the Supreme Court, porn and filth pollute our televisions and internet (Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition). Because of the Supreme Court, abortion is legal for nine months (Roe v. Wade), gay marriage is legal (Obergefell v. Hodges) and corporations can confiscate the houses of working people for corporate interests (Kelo v. City of New London). Because of the Supreme Court illegal immigrants have the right free health care and free education (Plyler v. Doe).
A mindless Supreme Court decision (Dred Scott v. Sandford) caused the Civil War by saying blacks were not human beings. Another senseless decision (Plessy v. Ferguson) encoded segregation. Supreme Court justices do not interpret the law. They make it up. This is why Supreme Court choices are more important than Presidential elections in determining public policy.
Justice Ginsburg admitted as much when she said ““I don’t want to think about that possibility [Trump winning], but if it should be, then everything is up for grabs.” She further added “I’d love to see Citizens United [the case that allowed corporations to give large amounts of money to political candidates] overruled.” She also stated, “I thought Heller was a very bad decision.” District of Columbia v. Heller was a 5-4 decision that vindicated Second Amendment rights. For a sitting Supreme Court justice to comment on potential cases is considered to be a violation of judicial ethics. But liberals who support Justice Ginsburg have no interest in judicial ethics. They are merely concerned that her honesty will make rule by judicial fiat more difficult politically.
I never liked Justice Ginsburg because I disagreed with her judicial philosophy. But when she told the truth, I became a grudging fan. At least she was honest. But according to famed political pundit Michael Kinsley, “A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth.” Justice Ginsburg is nothing more than a politician in judicial robes. She told the truth and now she has given a groveling apology for doing so.