But no–they actually have a philosophical underpinning to “justify” their actions, to wit: the average citizenry is composed of morons who need an intellectual elite

that is how aristocrats see it - everywhere and everytime: the elite is the great mastermind, benignly leading the brainless underlings

bodo

Since the Pope’s teaching against capital punishment in Evangelium Vitae was not given ex cathedra, Scalia said, he is not obligated as a Catholic to accept it but only to give it serious consideration.

+

When the next contraception, stem cell research or abortion case… because the idea that a fertilized egg should be considred equivalent to a born human being IS an ex cathedra teaching of the Catholic church..

interesting kind of faith - you can always choose your “sins” and “teachings” like meals in a restaurant…

very useful - i guess, that’s the reason why so many powerful people love religion: there is always an argument for or against everything - combine that with Renards post, and you see, why the “elite” dares to offend our intelligence

He obviously needs to recuse himself in cases where he can’t separate his religion from his duty to be an impartial judge.

The April/May issue of Free Inquiry magazine has an article by Paul Kurtz which points out that “There is a statute of long standing that governs these cases: 28 USC 455(a) states that, ‘Any justice, judge, or magistrate in the United States shall disqualify himself in any proceedings in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.’”

The article goes on to tell how Scalia was questioned about his pro death penalty stand at a panel discussion. “Asked why he favored capital punishment when the Catholic Church opposes it, Scalia replied, ‘This doctrine is not one that the Christian church has consistently maintained.’ Since the Pope’s teaching against capital punishment in Evangelium Vitae was not given ex cathedra, Scalia said, he is not obligated as a Catholic to accept it but only to give it serious consideration. ‘I have given it careful and thoughtful consideration and rejected it,’ Scalia said. ‘I do not find the death penalty immoral. I am happy to reach that conclusion because I like my job and I’d rather not resign.’”

When the next contraception, stem cell research or abortion case comes before the Supreme Court, there should be a huge push to get him to recuse himself (or as he himself suggested, resign) because the idea that a fertilized egg should be considred equivalent to a born human being IS an ex cathedra teaching of the Catholic church.

The Catholic Church has ex cathedra rulings on the right to die which Scalia should be binding on Scalia. So he should also recuse himself on issues dealing with livings wills and euthanasia.

Analysis of this situation doesn’t easily lend itself to soundbites (the Drury book is a difficult read), but if a way could be found to make this information accessible to the general electorate, I believe there would be such a level of outrage at the breathtaking arrogance and entitlement displayed by Bush and the Neocon crowd that we would see people taking to the streets in droves (or at least taking action to clean up the election process).

[Scalia] I had a son on that battlefield and they were shooting at my son

that battlefield - Iraq? That battlefield - self-made? Did Scalia ever think about the german mothers and fathers who had lost their sons in the Great Wars - and what HE says about “that battlefields” and “that sons” and the rights of “that people” to talk about justice?

first you sell justice, then you sell democracy, then you sell peace - then you sell yourself

or is it: first you lose peace and then you lose the ones you love…?

We continued to watch the various scenes of grief, anger, frustration and every once in a while, an almost tangible relief as someone left the morgue having not found what they dreaded most to find- eyes watery from the smell, the step slightly lighter than when they went in, having been given a temporary reprieve from the worry of claiming a loved one from the morgue…

Riverbend
Uncertainty…

وزارة الدفاع تدعو المواطنين الى عدم الانصياع لاوامر دوريات الجيش والشرطة الليلية اذا لم تكن برفقة قو التحالف العاملة في تلك المنطقة

“The Ministry of Defense requests that civilians do not comply with the orders of the army or police on nightly patrols unless they are accompanied by coalition forces working in that area.”
…
But it also brings to light other worrisome issues. The situation is so bad on the security front that the top two ministries in charge of protecting Iraqi civilians cannot trust each other.

Now that they have packed the court, and fixed the voting equipment, districts etc. so that Democrats cannot win elections, I think they are growing impatient with making nice, and even making any pretense of a free society. As they get worse I don’t know whether to be more afraid of most people waking up or staying asleep.

Are SCOTUS Justices pretty much exempt from any kind of ethical/legal inquiries/reviews? Who judges the judges? If a Justice is batshit insane or senile or crooked, does the Senate have any oversight? I guess he could be impeached, yes? Has that ever happened before? Or would such a thing be considerd unpatriotic and as giving aid & comfort to the “enemy?”