Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Doomed Strategy
So, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) seems to be making veiled threats to judges, especially those of the federal and supreme court kind. And while I think his comments are just appalling, all I can say is, "Hey, wingnut gang, keep it up and keep saying more things like this."
Why? Well, aside from the fact that these comments could easily be interpreted as terrorist threats, there's also the truth of human nature -- people form close affinity groups before they form politics, and if you threaten the former, the latter matters less. Don't believe me? Well, what would you do if a mugger started to beat on your great aunt Maddie, whose politics are either a) just to the right of Hitler or b) just to the left of Tom Hayden, and, in both cases c) conflict totally with your own politics? Chances are, you're going to go all medieval on that mugger's ass (or at least frantically call 911). In other words, you're going to save aunt Maddie before you're going to bond with the mugger, because, despite the politics, you're related to aunt Maddie.
In a similar vein, you're more likely to jump in front of a speeding bus to push a co-worker out of the way than you are to do so for a stranger, even if that co-worker spouts political opinions with which you cannot agree. Unless, of course, that co-worker is your boss or a rival for the promotion you want. But I do digress.
The point is this. The more the wingnuts bitch and whine about "activist judges," the more the judges are going to circle the wagons. Despite their noted political differences, I'll bet that the Supremes are actually quite friendly with each other, and any attack on one of them would be seen as an attack on all nine. Likewise, harrass the judiciary and, instead of running into the arms of their party, they're going to look at Congress, think, "Well, fuck you," re-read their Constitution and then make even more decisions you don't like but which happen to be completely sound under the law.
And, should Cornyn or DeLay or Frist or any of their ilk happen to find themselves before a Federal judge (a not unlikely possibility), well (insert the deity of your choice here) help them. Especially when that judge thinks, "Hey, wasn't this that asshole who made those comments on the Senate floor...?"
Why? Well, aside from the fact that these comments could easily be interpreted as terrorist threats, there's also the truth of human nature -- people form close affinity groups before they form politics, and if you threaten the former, the latter matters less. Don't believe me? Well, what would you do if a mugger started to beat on your great aunt Maddie, whose politics are either a) just to the right of Hitler or b) just to the left of Tom Hayden, and, in both cases c) conflict totally with your own politics? Chances are, you're going to go all medieval on that mugger's ass (or at least frantically call 911). In other words, you're going to save aunt Maddie before you're going to bond with the mugger, because, despite the politics, you're related to aunt Maddie.
In a similar vein, you're more likely to jump in front of a speeding bus to push a co-worker out of the way than you are to do so for a stranger, even if that co-worker spouts political opinions with which you cannot agree. Unless, of course, that co-worker is your boss or a rival for the promotion you want. But I do digress.
The point is this. The more the wingnuts bitch and whine about "activist judges," the more the judges are going to circle the wagons. Despite their noted political differences, I'll bet that the Supremes are actually quite friendly with each other, and any attack on one of them would be seen as an attack on all nine. Likewise, harrass the judiciary and, instead of running into the arms of their party, they're going to look at Congress, think, "Well, fuck you," re-read their Constitution and then make even more decisions you don't like but which happen to be completely sound under the law.
And, should Cornyn or DeLay or Frist or any of their ilk happen to find themselves before a Federal judge (a not unlikely possibility), well (insert the deity of your choice here) help them. Especially when that judge thinks, "Hey, wasn't this that asshole who made those comments on the Senate floor...?"
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