Supreme Court Nominee Sotomayor

There is little doubt that Obama's first nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor, will win approval of the Senate. Still, it's important that her nomination receive a full airing before the Senate Judicial Committee before it is taken up by the full Senate.

The main issue of concern to the conservative minority is what Obama has described as "empathy" and her view of the role of a judge. She leans in the direction of making decisions based on "feelings" she has about so-called minorities in our country rather than a strict interpretation of the law. Judges pledge to be unbiased in their application of the law but many have difficulty living up to their pledge. All of us humans are influenced by our life experiences which is at the core of our judgment and behavior.

Sotomayor, for example, voted to throw out a decision made by a Connecticut fire department in promoting a number of candidates based on their scores in an examination of their knowledge of the job. Most were white but one or two of the other candidates were minorities. She said her ruling was based on the fact there were not enough minorities among the candidates. She obviously believes in a quota system based on the makeup of the population much as was imposed for a number of years under equal employment opportunity rules. I am opposed to quotas when it comes to hiring and promoting employees and government should keep its nose out of private sector hiring policies.


General Motors Bankruptcy ?

GM is going through the bankruptcy it should have been allowed to do many months ago. A lot of time and taxpayer money has been wasted in an effort to keep them out of the process, all because Obama felt he owed the United Auto Workers a debt for their help in getting him elected. Now we're going to wind up with the government owning 60% of the company, the UAW with 20% and the rest owned by Canada and bondholders. The government now owns our banks and financial system plus a major component of our manufacturing capability, the first steps to establishing a socialist state. Russian communists did it, Hitler and Musolini did it, Fidel Castro did it and Hugo Chavez did it. Need I say more about the direction we are being driven in ?

Maine Becomes Fifth State to Approve Same-Sex Marriage

The nation continues its plunge into the oblivion of moral turpitude and collectivism. With 10% of the country now accepting same-sex marriage, it won't be long before we will reach the point of no return. Now you can add New Hampshire to the list as well. Marriage was never intended to embrace same-gender couples. If they want to call it a civil union, okay, but leave marriage to describe a union of one man and one woman.

States Rights

The Civil War, or as some call it the War Between the States, was fought over states rights, not slavery as is commonly believed. The concept of states rights goes back to the Continental Congress which was continued under the Constitution of the United States of America. That concept called for limited federal government, not the overarching monster it has become. With the exception of the nation's common defense virtually all else was to remain the responsibility of the states.

Over the years since the signing and ratification of the Constitution, the people have allowed the federal government to assume more and more power at the expense of states rights. Much of that change has occured in the last 120 years as progressive liberals have gained increasing control in all branches of government. Initiating much of the shift in power was the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 followed by the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890.


The Progressive Movement


Early liberals and progressives pushed for abolition of slavery and they favored prohibition. They rejected religion as the driving force for change. They fought to stop corruption by taming political bosses and machines with limited success. In modern time they have been more successful in getting more people directly involved in the political process particularly in the Democrat Party. They believe government must play a major role in solving social and economic problems. In the process they have created a society of "victims" totally dependent on the government from cradle to grave, and strong enough to fill Congress and the White House with a series of fellow travellers. And it hasn't come without one hell of a price in the size and cost of government, oppressive taxation, and condemnation of people of achievement in our society.

Can the Movement Be Stopped?

Stopping the progressive movement will not be easy if not impossible due to the deep entrenchment of progressives throughout our society. It seems to do little good to answer back to those who want to press ahead for such measures as universal healthcare and the bailout of inefficient auto manufacturers to name but two. It may be possible to slow down the progressives through action in the courts such as is moving forward in the states of Montana, Texas, Utah and Tennessee involving an intrastate v. interstate commerce issue.