William F. Buckley, Jr.: What Did Goldwater Mean?

National Review Online ^ | 12/10/04 | William F. Buckley, Jr.

[LibertarianInExile]

It is NOT irrelevant, unfortunately. Each of the twisted bits of logic the courts use to expand their power for good can be used for bad--and they inevitably are.

The power of the courts should not have been used for anything but limiting government, and while Brown was the 'right' decision, it was not the smart one. The 1965 Civil Rights act was 'good' law, but its effect has been awful. Next time you think 'there oughta be a law,' remember, there probably is, and a judge 'interpreting' it is what f'ed things all up.

If there isn't a law, leave it alone, or try to get one passed, or move, instead of having a judge make one up.

[LibertarianInExile]

Bump again!

[William Terrell]

Well, he's pretty famous, so somebody must understand him.

[wagglebee]

I guess I didn't say what I meant very well. Plessy v. Ferguson was WRONG and there is no way around it, it needed to be overturned. Brown v. Board overturned Plessy; however, it went way to far and, as you mentioned, been used as a platform to expand government.

All I wanted to demonstrate is that a long-standing court opinion CAN be overturned.

[Meldrim]

"his defense of Supreme Court decisions involving abortion, gay rights, and the separation of church and state."

It could have had somthing to do with the fact Goldwater's daughter Peggy had an abortion, Goldwater's grandson was a sodomite and Goldwater was at best a nominal Christian. He was also a class A ingrate, as witness his nonendorsements of Governor Reagan in 1976 and 1980, when most other Republicans (Dole, Connally, Rhodes) were not taking sides.