Getting political for a moment

[far_wanderer]

Today there was a story on NPR that prompted me to do a little digging, because I thought what they said couldn't possibly be true. I was wrong.
There was a case before the Supreme Court, this case is controversial, and it is not the point, so I won't bring it up. The dissenting opinion is the point. The important bit is on the bottom of the

Comments

[zimboptoo]

See, this is a problem that I've had with the justice system for a long time. The fact that there are people out there who care more about winning the case than coming up with the truth, and that these people are participating in or even in charge of our judicial system and thus in control of people's lives and freedom, is scary as hell. The truth is pretty nebulous already, without factoring in a prosecutor who deliberately hides exonerating evidence, or a star attorney who defends someone who he knows is guilty. There is something seriously wrong with that.

[zoogeek]

Lemme guess. Scalia?

[resplendant_sun]

yup, me and my mother were listening to NPR when this came up, it is probably the only time I have heard my mom swear at the radio. Scalia really doesn't seem interested in the spirit of the law or fairness eh?

[zoogeek]

The problem with Scalia is he's absolutely, undeniably brilliant. Fantastic at what he does and a staunch supporter of one interpretation of constitutional law.

Of course, he's also a complete wacko nutjob on top of it. He's an Agnus Dei, who wears the full spiky thing around his thigh so that he feels the pain of Christ with every step he takes. Nut. Job.

In another recent case, he argued that one should never go back on the precedent that the court had previously agreed to. So, you know, the court in general would be unnecessary as it's all written already (unless it's a case without precedent, meh). Or, you know, that the Court can't be an institution of change to follow the bends and twists of societal ethics.

Or, you know, we could just stick with the interpretation of the constitution from the 1820s. Hands up, anyone else up for that?

*looks around*

[far_wanderer]

I think that's the primary downside to being a relatively young nation. The countries that have been around longer have realized that founding principles are capable of going obsolete. I wonder how long it will take us?

[greengryphon]

Scalia and Thomas. The rest of the court voted the other (sensible) way.

[far_wanderer]

And that is the main reason I'm not suddenly moving to Canada after hearing this. At least a majority of out justices are still sane.

From my very special dictionary

[mythic]

That's pretty effed up, right there. I hate politics.

Politics: from "poly", meaning many, and "ticks", meaning bloodsuckers.

Re: From my very special dictionary

[far_wanderer]

I find that definition both amusing and appropriate.