It looks like it’s all but a done deal. Judge Sonia Sotomayor will be the next Justice of the Supreme Court. However, this needs to worry a lot more people than it probably does. Senator Charles Schumer, who’s always good for a quote, pointed out with some satisfaction that Sotomayor has “ruled for the government in 83% of immigration cases, in 92% of criminal cases.”
Why in the hell would that matter?
The purpose of the courts isn’t for the judges to pick sides, the people or the government. It’s to determine right and wrong, in accordance with the United States Constitution. But in a judge that was supposed to have “empathy”, we find that our future Justice of the Supreme Court seems to only have empathy for the State.
Vice President Joe Biden told a group of law enforcement officers that Judge Sotomayor that she “has got your back.” She does? Isn’t she supposed to have the back of what is right and Constitutional? In theory, she is. She even said that she would during her confirmation, arguing that the Constitution isn’t a “living” document and that it meant the same thing today as it meant when first written.
If only it were that simple.
You see, the Judiciary committee blew their sole purpose, which was to check out Sotomayor and see where she stood. For the most part, they let non-answers and contradictions slide. She supposedly didn’t mean what she actually said in regards to the “wise latina” comment, and that she was taken out of context, blah blah blah. The fact is that the Senate let her off the mat way, way to easy. Not that they ever delivered a real knock down blow anyways.
Now, we will have Sotomayor replace Justice Souter, who was no friend of liberty either. The effect may indeed be minimal, but it’s still there. Now, we need to worry about gun control, privacy, free speech, or anything else where the state comes in conflict with the people.
Sotomayor has apparently picked a side, and it ain’t ours.
