Ashcroft statements = scary

Post by **SonomaCat** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 5:37 pm

It appears that we have been operating in a dictatorship and didn't even know it. I'm glad we no longer have an Attorney General who doesn't believe in the Consitutional powers of the Judicial Branch of government.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/ ... index.html

BozoneCat · Post by **BozoneCat** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 7:33 pm

While I never put too much credence in anything coming out of the CNN mass media, I have to say that I never liked Ashcroft. He is just too far out there... WAY too far out there. Seriously, how can anyone respect a guy who lost an election to a DEAD man... not only that, but the voters made the right decision! Good riddance, we don't need a government with unlimited and unquestioned power, I don't care if it is wartime or not.

'93HonoluluCat · Post by **'93HonoluluCat** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 3:03 am

What Ashcroft is trying to say is absolutely true: the judicial branch of the government is not there to make policy as it has been doing recently.

Look it up in your Constitution. Making laws is the legislative branch's job. But Ashcroft is being maligned in the media by bringing this power play by the judicial to light.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 12:46 pm

You're playing the right wing semantics game -- the courts are there to interpret the constitution and the laws made by the legislative branch (and determine if the laws made by the legislature fall outside of the parameters of the constitution). Whenever those interpretations don't jive with what the right wants, they claim that the courts are trying to "make laws." This isn't something new -- parties have been making this claim for generations. It's just that the Republicans are currently the ones trying hardest to assert their will on people at the moment. The Democrats weren't thrilled with the courts during desegregation or during the New Deal, either. It's a good thing the courts have been there the entire time, or we'd really have one messed up country right now. The oppressive government flavor of the moment would have dominated absolutely and without a check with each successive administration.

Our system had the wisdom to have one branch that was appointed for life and thus immune to the fickle nature of the poll-minded short thinking elected official, allowing it to make correct decisions regarding consitutional matters that might not even be popular. This was a brilliant move.

'93HonoluluCat · Post by **'93HonoluluCat** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 8:38 pm

Call it "right wing semantics" or not; it doesn't change the fact that the courts cannot make policy. They have been for forty years now--since June 17, 1963--regardless of which party controlled the White House and Congress.

The Attorney General is only drawing heat because he's stating the facts.