There is a disturbing trend among Republican Presidential candidates, who are making claims—if elected—that goes against what the Founding Fathers wrote in the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights.
For instance, on ABC, Ted Cruz said that the U.S. Supreme Court replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia should not be nominated by President Obama. Cruz said, “This should be a decision for the people. … Let the election decide. If the Democrats want to replace [Scalia], they need to win the election.”
Antonin Scalia was appointed to the Supreme Court by Ronald Reagan, who I think was the Prince of Darkness himself. How did this happen? Simple, the Senate majority at the time was held by the Republicans and Strom Thurmond from South Carolina was Senate Pres. Pro-tem. If you want to read more about Scalia as a terrible person, click this link on another Blog written by another blogger: Antonin Scalia Was a Terrible Person, and I’m Glad He’s Dead
The appointment and confirmation of Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States involves several steps set forth by the United States Constitution, which have been further refined and developed by decades of tradition. Justices are appointed by the President of the United States, and must be confirmed by the United States Senate. This is done following a series of hearings in which both the nominee and other witnesses make statements and answer questions before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
What’s even more disturbing was the Senate vote to confirm Scalia was 98-0, and even though Thurmond said he wasn’t a racist, the New York Times reported in June 2003 that he was against integration. Thurmond said, ”On the question of social intermingling of the races, our people draw the line.” And, he went on, ”all the laws of Washington and all the bayonets of the Army cannot force the Negro into our homes, into our schools, our churches and our places of recreation and amusement.”
Reagan filled five seats on the U.S. Supreme Court. The two Bushes filled five more seats. Bill Clinton and Obama have only filled two seats each for four Justices.
There is no reason that Obama should be blocked from appointing the next Supreme Court Justice. The only obstacle standing in his way is a corrupt and extremist Republic Party that has an autocratic agenda so far to the right, that if successful, that agenda would turn the United States into a racist police state ruled by fear, a country that is always at war somewhere in the world. The GOP wants to control both Houses of Congress, the White House and the Supreme Court, and they will say and do anything to fool the voters who will hand it to them.
It is obvious today that the GOP wants someone equal to or worse than Scalia/Thurmond sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Why I dared to say the GOP is corrupt—President Richard Nixon, a Republican, in the face of almost certain impeachment and removal from office, was the only President in the history of the United States to resign. Nixon led the way when he declared war on illegal drugs.
Reagan doubled down with the Iran-Contra Affair, the savings and loan crises, EPA scandals, Debategate, a lobbying scandal, etc. and the two Bushes followed suit—20 Forgotten Bush Scandals. For a comparison, Bill Clinton had his sexual misconduct allegations. What did Bill Clinton’s sexual misconduct with Monica Lewinsky cost the United States—did it add to the national debt; did it start another war? No matter what anyone alleges about Bill Clinton’s other scandals, he only added $75.1 billion to the national debt compared to $2.6 trillion for Reagan, $1.4 trillion for G.H.W. Bush and $6.64 trillion for G. W. Bush leaving Obama to inherit $12 trillion in debt when he became president, and $5.3 trillion of that debt was from interest only.
Then there is President Nixon. In June 1971, he declared “war on drugs” and dramatically increased the size and presence of federal drug control agencies, and pushed through measures such as mandatory sentencing and no-knock warrants. Nixon temporarily placed marijuana in Schedule One, the most restrictive category of drugs pending review by a commission he appointed led by Republican Pennsylvania Governor Raymond Shafer. In 1972, the commission unanimously recommended decriminalizing the possession and distribution of marijuana for personal use. Nixon ignored the report and rejected its recommendations.
Nixon also—without the knowledge or approval of the U.S. Congress—ordered the bombing of Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam War where more bombs were dropped than the U.S. dropped in World War II. It’s estimated that as many as 500,000 people died as a direct result of this secret and illegal bombing, and the CIA reported that the U.S. bombing campaign was a key factor in the increase in popular support for the Communist Khmer Rouge rebels that later killed one-to two million Cambodians that died from execution, hunger and forced labor.
Both of the Bush Presidents launched wars in the Middle East and President G. W. Bush lied about weapons of mass destruction to start a war in Iraq and almost ignored the real enemy behind the attack on 9/11 in Afghanistan.
In 1970, the U.S. Prison population was less than 350,000. After Nixon and the GOP declared war on marijuana and other illegal Schedule One drugs, the prison population in the U.S. soared to where it is today, approaching 2.5 million—the largest prison population in the world even behind Communist China that has a total population almost five times the U.S.
Under President Reagan, the for-profit private sector was allowed to build its own corporate prisons to hold some of these incarcerated Americans, and these corporate prisons lobby the U.S. Congress for more laws and longer sentences to boost profits.
The results of GOP leadership cannot be denied except by ignorant, gullible, naive, and/or biased fools.
_______________________
Lloyd Lofthouse is a former U.S. Marine and Vietnam Veteran,
who taught in the public schools for thirty years (1975 – 2005).
Lofthouse’s first novel was the award winning historical fiction My Splendid Concubine [3rd edition]. His second novel was the award winning thriller Running with the Enemy followed by his award winning memoir Crazy is Normal.
To follow this Blog via E-mail see upper left-hand column and click on “FOLLOW!”
Lloyd Lofthouse 