Posted on 02/01/2016 8:21:35 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer argued that the best way to preserve American values is to be aware of what's going on abroad because the solutions to America's major problems are partly international.
Breyer explained that he was at a seminar with Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who argued against the Court referring to decisions of foreign courts in its opinions.
He recalled telling Goodlatte there are many countries in Eastern Europe that have newly established courts, which help to produce protections of democracy and human rights, and sometimes they need some recognition. Breyer said the issue has become a political debate "more than" a legal debate.
"But what's moving the congressman and why is this so salient politically? My own opinion, because people are concerned that the more we consult with courts from abroad or institutions from abroad or look to abroad it will partly be the same old group of slightly left-wing people consulting with each other or, more importantly, what will happen is a watering down of our American values," Breyer said.
"I say that's what's worrying you, a watering down of our American values. Well, that's a good point. I don't deny that problem," the justice added.
"But the reason I write this, in part, to show you what's going on is that I hope by the time you read it, and I hope you do, you will come to the conclusion, which is mine, that the best way to preserve our American values is to know what's going on abroad and participate because the major problems are international in scope and major solutions have to, in part at least, be international in scope," he said, referring to his new book The Court and the World: American Law and the New Global Realities.
Breyer said if the Supreme Court does not learn from foreign courts, "the world will go on without us and we will have less influence than we would otherwise."
Breyer was asked if he is concerned that other countries' courts cite the U.S. Supreme Court less often than they did in the past.
"My job is not to be popular. One thing you learn in my job is don't try to be popular. I mean, that's not the point. The satisfaction you're going to get out of it, maybe you'll be the only one who has that satisfaction," he responded.
"You try to get the thing decided correctly as best you can and I think that knowing more in these areas, in certain areas, about what goes on will help me decide this case better as a matter of American law. And whether that has other things attached to it and people cite us more or cite us less, that's up to them - that's fine."
Wow - quit Justice Breyer before you completely wreck your shattered reputation.
Lifelong appointments need to be removed from the constitution ASAP.
“My job is not to be popular. One thing you learn in my job is don’t try to be popular. “
Your job Justice Breyer is to interpret the Constitution end of subject.
One does not study the Ruble to know what the Dollar looks like.
“Preserving American values” is none of the feds business. The feds have ONE JOB - stay within the confines of the Constitution. That is the feds only job, the main one being military defense of our country.
Leave the rest to the states and the American people. We’ll do just fine preserving our values without you feds mucking it up, thank you, as you have for the last 100 years or so.
And oh by the way, unconstitutional federal acts are STILL by definition acts of tyranny, and nobody around here wants tyranny.
Go home Justice Breyer or go away.
That's a two-edged sword, I hope you realize.
I'm willing to defer to the Founders' wisdom on this. We need to be doing a LOT more impeaching, as provided by those same Founders.
How about we stick to our Constitution and let them learn from us. How can you be influential if you don't have the balls to stand up, unapologetically, for who you are and the nation you represent?
Does the Grim Reaper take requests?
Life terms were intended to keep the court above politics. And the founders never considered a scenario where the SCOTUS was the highest branch with the power to trump congress on anything and everything. But it's obvious that the court is now hopelessly corrupted by politics and they've granted themselves way more power than they should have. Given that, I want an end to the total lack of accountability.
northeast American values are Euro values
Perhaps, both he and Obama can go to the UN in 2017. Can they take Kagen and Sotomayor with them?
Breyer said if the Supreme Court does not learn from foreign courts, “the world will go on without us and we will have less influence than we would otherwise.”
THAT IS SO MUCH CR@P
The lack of accountability comes from Congress’ lack of fortitude to remove corrupt justices. We DO have limited terms for Congress, or at least frequent re-elections, and look at what that solves?
Ditz!!!
best way to preserve American values is to be aware of what’s going on abroad ....and to keep them there.
Okay, I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree. The founders were men, not gods and they got this one wrong. The SCOTUS as currently formulated, has the power to make law and cannot be overruled except with a constitutional amendment which is for all practical purposes impossible. Thus they are our nine overlords, unelected and unaccountable. This was never the vision of the founders, who reasoned that of all the three branches the SCOTUS would have the LEAST power, not the most. They got it wrong. They gave us an amendment process to fix such mistakes, which is what I asked for. Will it ever happen? I wish but I doubt it.
If, by a properly passed constitutional amendment, the lifetime term provision for Supreme Court justices were abolished, then it would be a proper change. Again, the new system, nevertheless, would still be abused. That’s my point.
Citizen of the World Ping....
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