On reading "Creating a Theocracy in America"
I finally sat down and read "Creating a Theocracy in America" by James Heflin. I was struck by one term in there, which, to me, basically explains what these guys are: Christian Reconstructionists.
Yes, exactly. These guys are not interested in Christianity as it has been understood for the last 200 years. They, instead, want to reconstruct christianity to fit their worldview, not the other way around. Never mind that Jesus himself said, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's". I interpret that as meaning "Obey God's laws, but also obey Caesar's". Perhaps that may be stretching it, but I think it's close.
This goofy "Constitution Restoration Act", which acutally "restores" nothing, doesn't have a snowball's chance in Florida (meaning it'll sit there for a while, an eyesore, but eventually will go away) and will never pass in any kind of binding way. Too many members of Congress are lawyers who have a strong belief in the power of Supreme Court review.
One of the provisions in the Act that bothered me was the jurist removal section which only says that if a judge or justice "exceeds the jurisdiction" of that particular they are a part of, they can either be censured for breach of good behavior or be impeached. It doesn't say what would be considered "exceeding" or who would decide that--Pat Robertson? Jerry Falwell? One of the 3 (I think there are 3) American Cardinals of the Catholic Church? An ultraorthodox rabbi? Or some storefront pastor? Will there be an Eucemenical panel that reviews all the judicial reviews?
Again, this bill has no chance of passing. But, that doen't mean it won't in the future. All the funies need to do is make sure they've stacked the deck in Congress with pliable agents, better known as members of Congress. This is where I think Dean's new organization comes in, Democracy For America. I think it's going to be imperative for them to organize against this sort of thing and against the sort of candidates that the Christian Recontructionists will prop up. Because if we get too complacent in the idea that "those idiots will never succeed", they just might. Germany found that out, the hard way.
Yes, exactly. These guys are not interested in Christianity as it has been understood for the last 200 years. They, instead, want to reconstruct christianity to fit their worldview, not the other way around. Never mind that Jesus himself said, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's". I interpret that as meaning "Obey God's laws, but also obey Caesar's". Perhaps that may be stretching it, but I think it's close.
This goofy "Constitution Restoration Act", which acutally "restores" nothing, doesn't have a snowball's chance in Florida (meaning it'll sit there for a while, an eyesore, but eventually will go away) and will never pass in any kind of binding way. Too many members of Congress are lawyers who have a strong belief in the power of Supreme Court review.
One of the provisions in the Act that bothered me was the jurist removal section which only says that if a judge or justice "exceeds the jurisdiction" of that particular they are a part of, they can either be censured for breach of good behavior or be impeached. It doesn't say what would be considered "exceeding" or who would decide that--Pat Robertson? Jerry Falwell? One of the 3 (I think there are 3) American Cardinals of the Catholic Church? An ultraorthodox rabbi? Or some storefront pastor? Will there be an Eucemenical panel that reviews all the judicial reviews?
Again, this bill has no chance of passing. But, that doen't mean it won't in the future. All the funies need to do is make sure they've stacked the deck in Congress with pliable agents, better known as members of Congress. This is where I think Dean's new organization comes in, Democracy For America. I think it's going to be imperative for them to organize against this sort of thing and against the sort of candidates that the Christian Recontructionists will prop up. Because if we get too complacent in the idea that "those idiots will never succeed", they just might. Germany found that out, the hard way.