From a Political Junkie: Justice Stevens’ Retirement

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Mon, Apr 12, 2010, 4:55 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Justice John Paul Stevens
Quick Public Disclosure: I have never been one to think worse of someone for being biased. Everyone has his or her own personal bias, that’s life. However, my concerns  come when they conceal their attachments. Just as commentators on the news should declare their paymasters; I would like to fess up now. I have been hired to run Jean Melious’ campaign for Whatcom County Council. I will note this in any future articles about the County Council, but I think it's fair everyone knows up front. Thank you.
 
Justice John Paul Stevens is the oldest member of the Supreme Court, so it came as no shock when he announced his retirement recently. Appointed by Gerald Ford, Stevens had a conservative track record before arriving on the Supreme Court. He voted to reinstate capital punishment and against affirmative action.
 
However, once he was appointed, and in more recent years, he has been voting in favor of abortion rights, gay rights and free speech. For this he has been frequently dubbed “the most liberal Supreme Court justice,” but a careful reading of his judicial philosophy will find that he is a true libertarian, leaning toward personal freedoms and limiting the authority of the police state.
 
His opinions frequently cited World War II, American values and Shakespeare. Law clerks tell stories of the numerous collections of Shakespeare’s works that litter his office and personal library. To wrap up the hagiography, he was by far one of my favorite Supreme Court justices. Yes, see up above where it says, “From a Political Junkie?” That means I get to have favorite Supreme Court justices.
 
With Stevens retiring, President Obama has a chance to move the court in a firm legal direction. One of President Bush’s most lasting effects was appointing Chief Justice Roberts and Associate Justice Alito. These two joined Justices Scalia and Thomas to form a solid, near impenetrable conservative bloc that has voted to expand corporate power and the police state several times in the last couple of years. The swing vote became Justice Kennedy, who usually sides with the conservatives on issues of corporate power and faith.
 
When the confirmation process starts, we will hear cries of “Activist judges!” This is a red herring and painful every time I hear it. It seems only to apply when more liberal judges make a ruling conservatives do not like. When the Roberts court overturned fifty-plus years of election law with the Citizens United decision, we did not hear cries of “legislating from the bench.” Yet if they offered up a ruling preserving a woman's right to seek a perfectly legal medical procedure, we would hear, “Judicial activism!”
 
Let me let you in on a secret: No judge is without political leanings; no case is above the consideration of our values and ideology. Does that mean there is no rule of law and all issues before the court are just political votes, like in Congress? No, not at all. What it means is that the Supreme Court interprets the law of the land. The very nature of interpretation means they are using their values and viewpoints to see how the law should be applied. So when it comes to considerations about who to appoint as our next Supreme Court justice, ideology is extremely important.
 
So, whom will he pick? His last pick, Justice Sotomayor was reasonably liberal but more a legal nitpicker, often using obscure clauses and deconstructing arguments down to the word. She is very sharp, and very smart, but not really a true progressive. There is much talk about his solicitor general and about other judges. There is talk about race, and gender, and background. There are questions about whether the appointee will be Jewish, Catholic, Protestant. But very rarely do the discussions come down to judicial outlook and values. So here is my recommendation for the president.
 
We need an openly liberal justice. Someone who sees government as a tool to help the people, not to control the people. We need someone who sees government as people coming together to solve problems bigger than themselves, not as a collection of corporations and employees. We need someone who looks forward to the future and is not hindered by religious dogma. We need someone who values individual liberty and sees the damage caused by unfettered corporate influence. We need someone who sticks up for the little guy and those who do not have a voice at the table. In short, we need a flaming liberal.
 
With the conservative bloc firmly entrenched, we need someone who will keep the balance of the court where it is. Scalia, Thomas and Roberts are all relatively young and healthy. They aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. We need someone who will push for our values for many years to come. This decision will have echoes far beyond your term, Mister President; I am hoping you pick someone based not on the ease of their confirmation but on the strength of their convictions.

The Big Business of Breast Cancer

Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 8:14 am  //  Guest writer

There’s no profit in searching for causes, and we know there's no real cure. But there's big money in the detection and treatment of breast cancer.

2 comments; last on Feb 11, 2012

An inexpensive way to save children’s lives

Tue, Feb 07, 2012, 1:41 pm  //  John Servais

Bellingham is slowly installing flashing yellow lights for school zones. This is far better than trapping drivers with speed zone cameras. But, no city revenue.

2 comments; last on Feb 09, 2012

Now linked to NEW website. Check it out.
Open House on Feb 5

UPDATE: City of Bham Moonlighting Issue - More Documents

Mon, Jan 30, 2012, 10:58 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley updates us on the latest facts coming to light about City of Bellingham employee moonlighting

2 comments; last on Feb 01, 2012

Compliance, Noncompliance and Invalidity in Whatcom County

Sun, Jan 29, 2012, 10:16 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County's rural planning actions have not just failed to comply with the GMA...they have contradicted the goals of the GMA.

3 comments; last on Feb 05, 2012

A Worm’s Eye View of our local WorkSource Center

Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 9:42 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley visits the local WorkSource center and interviews the regional director

0 comments

Watch out for basement flooding

Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 9:03 pm  //  Paul de Armond

Stormwater surge may back up sewers

5 comments; last on Jan 21, 2012

The Political Junkie interviews Kathy Kershner

Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 4:29 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley discusses the Jail, Jack Louws, and an impartial council with our new Council Chair

1 comments; last on Jan 20, 2012

SOPA - A Step in Destroying Democracy

Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 12:17 am  //  John Servais

NWCitizen.com went black for Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012, as a protest against proposed legislation, SOPA and PIPA. Here is what was posted.

1 comments; last on Jan 19, 2012

Why SOPA is so terrible

Tue, Jan 17, 2012, 6:28 pm  //  John Servais

On Wednesday, thousands of websites will go dark to show opposition to SOPA. I will be posting a single article explaining who SOPA is so bad.

0 comments

Planning Commissioner Mocks Environmental Concern For Coal Terminal

Sat, Jan 14, 2012, 11:06 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Planning Commissioner Onkels should recuse himself from review of environmental impacts at GPT.

3 comments; last on Feb 08, 2012

Jack Petree, Olympia, the Whatcom Council and Obama’s Inner Circle

Wed, Jan 11, 2012, 8:04 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Latest from the Political Junkie on a variety of subjects

7 comments; last on Jan 15, 2012

Commmunity Governance at its Best

Mon, Jan 09, 2012, 8:27 pm  //  Tip Johnson

We have a new mayor!

4 comments; last on Jan 10, 2012

Property Rights Protected Under Lake Whatcom Stormwater Proposal

Sun, Jan 08, 2012, 11:02 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County's proposed stormwater regulations for Lake Whatcom will increase development without improving water quality

2 comments; last on Jan 20, 2012

Riley Rouses Row Over Domestic Violence

Sun, Jan 08, 2012, 1:21 am  //  John Servais

Issue is County Council member Kathy Kershner and how our social service programs are funded.

3 comments; last on Jan 08, 2012

Some thoughts on the Occupy Bellingham issue

Sun, Jan 01, 2012, 12:05 am  //  John Servais

A third note on Jan 1 about the Herald photos with links. And previous thoughts on the trivia around the militarized evictions.

9 comments; last on Jan 10, 2012

Kelli Linville has taken oath as mayor

Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 2:07 pm  //  John Servais

Kelli assumes office of mayor at midnight Dec 31

6 comments; last on Jan 02, 2012

Bellingham Herald removes comments

Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 11:59 am  //  Wendy Harris

Decide for yourself if this blog comment, posted under my own name, should have been flagged and removed from the Bellingham Herald Online Edition.

1 comments; last on Dec 30, 2011

Herald Permits Censorship of Pro-Occupy Bellingham Comments

Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 11:14 am  //  Wendy Harris

Anyone can "flag" a blog posting, resulting in immediate removal of your comment, regardless of merit. This is occuring for comments supporting OB.

1 comments; last on Dec 30, 2011

City Exceeds Scope of Occupy Bellingham Eviction

Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 8:26 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The City infringed on the public’s right to peaceful assembly in a public park by enforcing an inappropriate public safety law

2 comments; last on Dec 30, 2011

Dan Pike Issues Order to Evict Occupy Bellingham

Tue, Dec 27, 2011, 11:55 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley questions Pike's timing, and Occupy's choice of tactics

2 comments; last on Dec 28, 2011

Updates from The Political Junkie

Tue, Dec 20, 2011, 2:19 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Where Riley provides more info on the City of Bellingham employees moonlighting issue and Crawford's ethical troubles

0 comments

Dock Increases Risk of Invasive Species on Lake Whatcom

Sun, Dec 18, 2011, 8:43 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Relocation of a dock to Bloedel Donovan Park underscores failure to protect Lake Whatcom from invasive species

0 comments

Sam Crawford Faces Ethical Concerns . . . AGAIN

Thu, Dec 15, 2011, 12:44 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Local blogger Shane Roth files ethical complaint over Crawford's sweetheart deals

3 comments; last on Dec 16, 2011

Planning Commission Fails to Remove Cherry Point From Birch Bay Mitigation Plan

Wed, Dec 14, 2011, 7:05 am  //  Wendy Harris

Claiming it is unfair to treat large property owners different than small property owners, the Commission refuses to remove industrial areas from buffer mitigation proposal.

0 comments

Rick Perry, Can We Talk?

Tue, Dec 13, 2011, 9:58 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley has a conversation with Rick Perry

2 comments; last on Dec 16, 2011

For Gift Ideas, Think Beyond Parker Brothers

Sat, Dec 10, 2011, 9:32 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley discusses his love of board games and some good gift ideas

2 comments; last on Dec 11, 2011

The Political Junkie needs your input

Thu, Dec 08, 2011, 12:47 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Please take my reader's survey, I'm planning 2012

0 comments

Loophole Benefits SSA and Undermines Birch Bay Mitigation Proposal

Wed, Dec 07, 2011, 7:00 am  //  Wendy Harris

Tell the Planning Commission to eliminate this loophole

2 comments; last on Dec 14, 2011

Washington United for Marriage: It’s Time!

Tue, Dec 06, 2011, 11:12 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley attends a public meeting on equality

0 comments

The Cole Train: Loads of BS

Sun, Dec 04, 2011, 4:53 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein the sooty prospect of economic necessity rears its ugly head

2 comments; last on Dec 04, 2011

Update on Cherry Point Buffer Mitigation Proposal

Fri, Dec 02, 2011, 1:08 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Planning Staff's recommended revision will not prevent SSA from reducing wetland buffers.

0 comments

UPDATE: City’s response focused on favoritism, not lost revenue

Wed, Nov 30, 2011, 5:51 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

More on the city employee moonlighting issue

0 comments

TPJ Exclusive: Little Documented Oversight for City Employee Moonlighting

Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 4:29 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

The Political Junkie breaks a story of employee moonlighting within city of Bellingham

7 comments; last on Nov 30, 2011

Deer me!

Sat, Nov 26, 2011, 3:30 pm  //  Tip Johnson

O.K. Who's in charge of all these ungulates?

14 comments; last on Dec 01, 2011

County Proposal Includes New Cherry Point Buffer Mitigation Requirements

Tue, Nov 22, 2011, 9:29 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County's new mitigation proposal is unlikely to be adequate for Cherry Point's industrial impacts to habitat buffers

3 comments; last on Nov 24, 2011

CameraGate:  Red-light safety or city revenue?

Mon, Nov 21, 2011, 1:00 am  //  Guest writer

With budget woes, Bellingham passes on safety in favor of cash. Starting in 2008, Bellingham officials were coached by ATS on how to get Red Light cameras through…

26 comments; last on Nov 29, 2011

Cameras, not coal, decided the election

Sat, Nov 19, 2011, 8:24 pm  //  Paul de Armond

Looking at the numbers for the Bellingham elections

11 comments; last on Nov 22, 2011

Election Analysis: What does it take to win a county seat?

Fri, Nov 18, 2011, 12:28 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley examines Maginnis/Crawford and Kremen/Larson

0 comments

Election Analysis: Dropoff, Lynden Suburbs and the “Buys Bounce”

Thu, Nov 17, 2011, 5:20 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley looks at Lynden and coins some new phrases.

0 comments

Political Junkie Election Analysis: Louws/Ericksen

Wed, Nov 16, 2011, 12:31 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley takes a look at Louws/Ericksen in the search for moderate Republicans

1 comments; last on Nov 17, 2011

Kelli Linville is elected Mayor of Bellingham

Tue, Nov 15, 2011, 5:21 pm  //  John Servais

Results are posted as of 5:21 pm. Use links at top of right side column.

2 comments; last on Nov 15, 2011

 

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