[StBernard] MyHeritage.org: The Facts on Obama's Supreme Court Nominee

[Westley Annis]

The Facts on Obama's Supreme Court Nominee


President Barack Obama this morning nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor to
replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court.

	> To ensure lawmakers, the media and the America can get all the
facts on the Supreme Court vacancy, The Heritage Foundation has created a
Rapid Response web page
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=i-APeSro7oMRKEfljre4YA..> . Be sure
to check back for all the latest updates
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=H7ZJNOwsUiGoIN_GNCHSTg..> .

Senators should "engage in robust advice and consent to assure that if
confirmed Judge Sotomayor would not use her seat.to advance liberal policy
preferences," argues Heritage Foundation Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow
and former Attorney General Edwin Meese
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=-OqeI9TjDcqsWHmlhZpPgQ..> .

The "advice and consent" process, mandated by the Constitution, is a
delicate and timely one. Senators should use it to determine whether Judge
Sotomayor will faithfully and impartially interpret the Constitution and
laws of this nation -- and not shape them to her policy preferences.

"Nominations should be judged by a common standard: Will they apply the
Constitution of the United States and the law as it is written and according
to its original meaning?" asks Heritage expert Conn Carroll
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=NKKHIMYK9HMJuL66pHL4xg..> . "Or will
they use the lifetime appointment to enact policy preferences from the
bench?"

Judge Sotomayor, who sits on the Federal Court of Appeals in New York, has a
long record of statements about the proper role of judges, many of which
raise important questions. Heritage constitutional scholar Robert Alt
explains <http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=oj4tM03d66VGNJtHgTfh0A..> :

	Judge Sotomayor's statements about judges as policymakers, her
questioning of whether judges can be objective in most cases, and her
insensitive statement that the ethnicity of some judges somehow makes them
better at doing their job than judges of different ethnicity-raise serious
questions about her view of judging which must be carefully and fully
explored by the Senate.

Some of her thoughts on judges' role in shaping policy were captured on
video <http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=3o6ZwJosaeaL-rSgfuBqaQ..> .

President Obama has established an "aggressive confirmation timetable,"
writes Heritage senior policy analyst Andrew Grossman
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=g2gk1Bfh_Zee9PqfK_zRsQ..> . But his
push to complete all hearings and vote before Congress' August recess may be
hasty and "risks shortchanging the Constitution's commands."

The Senate "should not delay" the confirmation process, Grossman argues,
"but nor should it be rushed."

- Amanda Reinecker

Support Heritage's work on judges and judicial activism with your
tax-deductible contribution.
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=V8G0jYz2ozKvGvQwSx7inQ..>  	

 


Heritage on North Korea's nuclear test


North Korea's underground nuclear test and subsequent ballistic missile
tests place additional pressure on President Obama to abandon his fairytale
diplomatic approach, Heritage Foundation experts say. He should instead seek
tougher international action against the defiant rogue state.

Heritage Asian affairs expert Bruce Klinger warns that Pyongyang's rapid
moves to acquire nuclear arms make it clear that the Stalinist nation "has
altered its objectives and is no longer responsive to diplomatic entreaties
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=mApTB_XVBfjT3KdUGHClUw..> ."

This analysis was quoted by several national wire services, including
McClatchy <http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=GJSGllc0xdUfhiAjgj6lXw..>
and AFP <http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=IFOZF3cVGVMtpR9KPnZjSw..> .

"The US, South Korea, and Japan should utilize North Korea's latest outrage
to demand China and Russia agree to stronger punitive measures in the UN
Security Council," advises Klinger. "Washington should cease the charade of
praising Beijing's behavior in the six-party talks and instead criticize its
obstructionism to carrying out the will of the international community as
expressed in two UN resolutions."

In addition, the government should pressure companies, including Chinese
banks, that do business with the reclusive regime, Klingner tells the
Bloomberg news service
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=xu2FEvsEJLDsCi_StGWnog..> .

North Korea's behavior also underscores the need to continue developing and
deploying missile defenses.
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=W13-45ev52RkKoNf6bnz9g..>  President
Obama has proposed cutting funds for missile defense, though this week's
events demonstrate they are now more important than ever.

- Amanda Reinecker



> Other Heritage work of note



*	"President Obama may pretend otherwise," Heritage health care expert
Bob Moffit writes in the New York Post
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=r4jysV-4YNodFPUFyHLXaA..> , "but if
Congress passes his health-care agenda, America will be taking a giant leap
toward Canadian-style, government-run health care. And many Americans will
find themselves left with no choice but to sign on." Ultimately, Moffit
writes on Fox News
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=1QHVG8_XYk2zD0GwDlTl6g..> , the
health care debate is "about power and control -- who has it, and who
exercises it, especially over the flow of health care dollars." And all the
fancy talk of "savings" is just a fancy way of saying that the government
will spend more money than ever on health care -- and saddle ordinary
Americans with the costs.

*	The latest fad in military circles is to consider the national
security impacts of climate change. But this green focus is "wrongheaded,"
Heritage national security expert James Carafano argues in the Washington
Examiner <http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=CeMFERaZTQ1GKoKTj9Rt3A..> .
"The climate change drumbeat could well seduce a Pentagon leadership intent
on slashing the military's conventional war capabilities in favor those
needed to fight 'irregular warfare.' That would be a mistake. The enemy of
the future will want to fight exactly the kind of war we chose not to
prepare for," he explains.



> In other news



*	The California Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=ZGBgxMnWngFQaGG95Kqx9g..> , the
measure voters approved last fall to define marriage as between a man and a
woman in the state's constitution. Same-sex marriage advocates had sought to
block the measure, which overturned an activist court decision. 

*	A leading measure of housing prices said home prices fell by more
than 19 percent
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=RnwgYY8kYoOt9_NoXspoXg..>  in the
first three months of the year as values reset from their bubble-inflated
highs. Meanwhile, American consumer confidence has increased this month
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=9y0aOLBQ72T1Xp7MR9pUPQ..>  to its
highest reading of the year.

*	The Associated Press reports that Congress is under increasing
pressure to do something about runaway spending on Social Security, Medicare
and Medicaid
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=QtdKV74yt2NHF4DwEFw9fA..> . Here's
hoping they act sooner rather than later.

*	Israel has floated a proposal to reduce its settlements in the West
Bank <http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=nJ0oHsB198KKi6lpn0PESA..>  as
part of a compromise to secure Middle East peace. It remains to be seen
whether this will mollify the radicals who run the Palestinian authority.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to meet with President
Obama this week.

*	Congressional supporters of Second Amendment rights may be able to
expand protections for gun owners
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=IWDvjL4aprSJWRjcYDC3Iw..>  through a
concerted effort to use amendments and other legislative procedures.

*	What happens when you raise taxes on "the wealthy"? The wealthy flee
to places where taxes are lower. The Wall Street Journal has the story
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=rDA7xXqgFsIAlqTlVd9qEA..> .



> Coming up at Heritage



To attend these or any other events at Heritage please RSVP at Heritage's
website <http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=aPGblBAyGOge_CoHgfzwVg..> .
Or you can view these events live online. All times are Eastern.

*	On Monday, June 1 at 11:00 a.m., former Massachusetts Governor Mitt
Romney will kick off Heritage's Protect America Month with a discussion of
national security spending and foreign policy. This event is sold out,
though a recording will be made available shortly after its conclusion.

*	On Monday, June 1 at noon, author James Muller will discuss the
political thinking of Winston Churchill.
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=p-B0v77LObttq-NWcL1ETw..> 

*	On Thursday, June 4 at 4:00 p.m., authors Martin and Annelise
Anderson explain how Ronald Reagan fought to stop the Soviet Union in its
tracks and abolish nuclear weapons
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=5_WvDJjNeI6AgjeSkNDPVQ..> .

Nathaniel Ward
<http://members.myheritage.org/site/R?i=Z1P1rHfCMGzkKMgW8GToYg..>  is the
Editor of MyHeritage.org-a website for members and supporters of The
Heritage Foundation. Amanda Reinecker contributed to this report.