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Gay Marriage And The California Courts (On The Perils Of Judicial Activism Alert)
Los Angeles Times ^ | 11/25/2008 | William McGurn

Posted on 11/25/2008 9:56:04 AM PST by goldstategop

Left to their own devices, most Americans can work these differences out in politics much as they do in their everyday lives, as untidy as these solutions may be. Unfortunately, when the courts short-circuit this process, they do three things corrosive to our politics.

First, they act as dishonest referees, imposing one set of preferences over another.

Second, they cheat the American people of an honest political contest, where candidates need to persuade the people of their views to put them into effect. Ed Whelan, a former Justice Department official who now runs the D.C.-based Ethics and Public Policy Center, notes that when moderator Gwen Ifill asked Joe Biden in the vice-presidential debate whether he and Barack Obama support gay marriage, Mr. Biden answered, "No."

"The gay-rights activists know it's not true -- or they would be protesting," says Mr. Whelan. "As supporters of liberal judicial activism, Mr. Obama and Mr. Biden have the luxury of winking as the courts do their work for them. That leaves them free to pretend to public positions they do not actually hold -- and that they will subvert through their judicial appointments."

Finally, when courts usurp the role of the people, they inject cynicism and bitterness into America's body politic. In his dissent in Casey v. Planned Parenthood (1992), Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia put it this way: "[B]y foreclosing all democratic outlet for the deep passions this issue [legalized abortion] arouses, by banishing the issue from the political forum that gives all participants, even the losers, the satisfaction of a fair hearing and an honest fight, by continuing the imposition of a rigid national rule instead of allowing for regional differences, the Court merely prolongs and intensifies the anguish."

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: 2008election; california; casupremcourt; gaystapo; homosexualagenda; judicialactivism; liberalism; moralabsolutes; moralrelativism; perverts; prop8; proposition8; queerlybeloved; samesexmarriage; socialconservatism; traditionalmarriage; wallstreetjournal; williammcgurn
Judicial activism which imposes liberal policy prescriptions on the body politic, does nothing to settle a dispute. It only embitters the losing side and simply extends the arena of political combat. The winners find themselves with an empty victory. That is exactly the result that will ensue should the California Supreme Court overturn Proposition 8 next year.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

1 posted on 11/25/2008 9:56:04 AM PST by goldstategop
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To: goldstategop

Sore Homolosers !


2 posted on 11/25/2008 9:59:53 AM PST by TexasCajun
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To: goldstategop

The California Supreme Court is about to make history with a ruling that will be contrary to statute, constitution and popular vote, grounded soley on the doctrine of ‘Because We Say So.’


3 posted on 11/25/2008 10:05:55 AM PST by Spok (Poverty destroys monarchies; prosperity destroys republics.)
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To: Spok
Of course, the people will vote to throw them out. If they think it will end the conflict over same sex marriage, they're sadly mistaken.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

4 posted on 11/25/2008 10:07:03 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop

If the CA Supreme Court rules against Prop 8 this will go to the real Supremes . . . the US Supreme Court.


5 posted on 11/25/2008 10:20:32 AM PST by BAW (A New York Times Free Zone.)
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To: goldstategop
Wasn't Prop 8 an Amendment to the California Constitution? If so, it follows that a court that is sworn to uphold that selfsame Constitution can not change it on a whim.

It would seem that a judge, sworn by and empaneled on the California Supreme Court has no authority to overturn the document that empowers him.

6 posted on 11/25/2008 10:27:23 AM PST by jonascord (Hurray! for the Bonny Blue Flag that bears the Single Star!)
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To: BAW
If the CA Supreme Court rules against Prop 8 this will go to the real Supremes . . . the US Supreme Court.

How would the US Supreme Court get jurisdiction? What Federal issue would there be if the CA Supremes interpret the CA constitution "wrongly"? The only recourse is to recall justices, like they did with Rose Bird.

7 posted on 11/25/2008 10:28:09 AM PST by hunter112 (We seem to be on an excrement river in a Native American watercraft without a propulsion device.)
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To: hunter112
What Federal issue would there be if the CA Supremes interpret the CA constitution "wrongly"?

I don't know that answer other than to not permit a state supreme court to strike down the democratically determined will of the citizens (twice). This is not a jungle state . . . we in California must still live by the rule of the democracy, even if the Hollywood crowd is unhappy.

8 posted on 11/25/2008 10:36:31 AM PST by BAW (A New York Times Free Zone.)
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To: BAW

Sadly, since being Homosexual does not show in any particular skin coloring (i.e:they should all be color coded purple or some such hue) who is to know the sexual orientation of those judges?

Isn’t there something about a Rainbow ? ? ? . . . . .


9 posted on 11/25/2008 10:40:37 AM PST by Tomato lover (How happy would our world be if men either knew more or practically knew how little they know.)
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To: jonascord
It would seem that a judge, sworn by and empaneled on the California Supreme Court has no authority to overturn the document that empowers him.

You are generally correct. But if the portion of the document being considered contradicts the US constitution or is inconsistent with the rest of the state constitution, it his his duty to declare such a provision unconstitutional, regardless of what the voters may do in retribution.

I think Prop 8 will withstand legitimate constitutional scrutiny. If the judges on the California Supreme Court will conclude that and tell the gay activist to start their own initiative, then they will have done their job. If they elect to declare that Prop 8 is a revision of the state constitution, rather than an amendment, then they must answer why they declared in an earlier court case why they said Prop 8 was an amendment and not a revision. And they need to be recalled ASAP, because that will demonstrate that they are rogue. Note that impeachment is not an option because all the democrats in the legislature will vote against any attemps at impeachment.

Another possibility is to place an amendment on the ballot setting the annual salary of the state legislators at $10.00. In the interests of fairness, this figure could be indexed for inflation.

10 posted on 11/25/2008 11:46:56 AM PST by 17th Miss Regt
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To: 17th Miss Regt
they declared in an earlier court case why they said Prop 8 was an amendment

they didn't really rule it an amendment, they dismissed the challenge as having no standing since it hadn't passed (i.e. they had nothing to rule on). They were hoping it wouldn't pass so they could duck the issue.
11 posted on 11/25/2008 2:29:46 PM PST by houston1
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To: hunter112
How would the US Supreme Court get jurisdiction?

Reynolds v. United States, 1878.

12 posted on 11/25/2008 5:37:18 PM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: TexasCajun

why do we go through the proper channels like we did here in Florida getting the amendment passed and they the homo’s just go out and get a judge to suit their agenda

This is B/S


13 posted on 11/25/2008 6:19:19 PM PST by manc (Marriage is between a man and a woman no sick MA,CT sham marriage end racism end affirmative action)
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To: BAW

afraid that they will say states have their own laws plus I believe they can’t get the case anyway


14 posted on 11/25/2008 6:20:20 PM PST by manc (Marriage is between a man and a woman no sick MA,CT sham marriage end racism end affirmative action)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

How would a case where a defendant tried to plead “religious duty” to get out of bigamy apply here? I fail to see the relevance of that case to a situation where the California Supreme Court is interpreting its own Constitution, including the procedure for amending that document.


15 posted on 11/26/2008 6:46:20 AM PST by hunter112 (We seem to be on an excrement river in a Native American watercraft without a propulsion device.)
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To: hunter112
I fail to see the relevance of that case to a situation where the California Supreme Court is interpreting its own Constitution, including the procedure for amending that document.

It was landmark U.S. Supreme Court precedent Reynolds v. United States in 1878 that made “separation of church and state” a dubiously legitimate point of case law, but more importantly; it confirmed the Constitutionality in statutory regulation of marriage practices.

"Laws are made for the government of actions, and while they cannot interfere with mere religious belief and opinions, they may with practices…

So here, as a law of the organization of society under the exclusive dominion of the United States, it is provided that plural marriages shall not be allowed.

Can a man excuse his practices to the contrary because of his religious belief? [98 U.S. 145, 167] To permit this would be to make the professed doctrines of religious belief superior to the law of the land, and in effect to permit every citizen to become a law unto himself..."

(see also: United States v. The Late Corp. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.)

How ironic for these homsexual cultists like who want “separation of church and state,” that the court case they want to base their argument upon was used against the LDS church to justify the statutory regulation of marriage in the United States!

16 posted on 11/26/2008 12:12:33 PM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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