The American Banana Republic

[Bullypulpit]

<center><h1><a href=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-judges25apr25,0,6003233.story?coll=la-news-comment-editorials> The American Banana Republic</a></h1></center>

In Central and South America, authoritarian regimes which pay lip service to the rule of law have been the norm. And the US government, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, has clandestinely supported the ouster of democratically elected governments in favor of these authoritarian regimes.

Now, at the hands of the Republican leadership, America is at risk of becoming a banana republic. Granted, they aren't bribing judges and other government officials, they are cloaking their actions in the mantle of religion. Regardless of the rationale, the end result will be the same...Centralized, authroitarian power with no effective checks and balances and paying lip service to the concept of democratic institutions.

Banana republic status will be our future if these closet fascists are left unchecked, and gutting the judiciary is the final element of this agenda. Without a strong and independent judiciary, the Republic will become another banana republic and the dream of America will die. Make you choice, call your senators and tell them this must not come to pass...donnot impose the "nuclear option" and strip the minority of its last, best tool for standing against the tyrrany of the majority.

 

[5stringJeff]

In Central and South America, authoritarian regimes which pay lip service to the rule of law have been the norm. And the US government, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, has clandestinely supported the ouster of democratically elected governments in favor of these authoritarian regimes.

Now, at the hands of the Republican leadership, America is at risk of becoming a banana republic. Granted, they aren't bribing judges and other government officials, they are cloaking their actions in the mantle of religion. Regardless of the rationale, the end result will be the same...Centralized, authroitarian power with no effective checks and balances and paying lip service to the concept of democratic institutions.

Banana republic status will be our future if these closet fascists are left unchecked, and gutting the judiciary is the final element of this agenda. Without a strong and independent judiciary, the Republic will become another banana republic and the dream of America will die. Make you choice, call your senators and tell them this must not come to pass...donnot impose the "nuclear option" and strip the minority of its last, best tool for standing against the tyrrany of the majority.

Those evil Republicans, trying to nominate judges who don't legislate... the end of the world, eh, Bully?

 

[musicman]

Accept the inexorable advance of the loving theocracy, Bully. Be at peace. Love Big Brother.

 

[Hobbit]

Look at the avatar.

Independant judiciary? How do we have that right now? Gimme a break, what we need is a judiciary that knows its bounds.

Oh boo hoo, if Bush and Congress actually get to complete their CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES, the Democrats will have no way to shape policy anymore. Cry me a river. Your so called "independant judges" have been imposing oligarchy rule, and not just that, the laws they've been implementing are OPPOSED by the MAJORITY of the people in the country. The last time I checked, this was a Constitutional Republic and we are held accountable first to the LETTER OF THE LAW in the Constitution, not a very loose interperetation thereof, followed by the duly ELECTED representatives of each state, who are supposed to shape ALL policy not CLEARLY spelled out in the Constitution. What those judges you like to protect are doing to the Constitution is no different than the Catholic Crusaders and Inquisitors of the Middle Ages did to the Bible. They read it, didn't really find anything to support their policy, claimed they did by misquoting passages out of context, then imposed their will on everyone, leading to disaster and unrest. Maintaining the oligarchy of the Supreme Court will lead to nothing but unrest, if not a revolution. If it's only the extreme right that want these things you're afraid of and don't want these things you like, then let it go to Congress, like it's supposed to. If they pass it, I may not be happy, but you won't hear me object to its implementation, because it was done the LAWFUL, and CONSTITUTIONAL way, not the back door, messed up way that leaves no accountability to the voters.

It's just like Rush Limbaugh said, you liberals don't trust the voters, so you set up this judicial fiat and refuse to let go because you know that if any of your flagship issues actually hit the ballot box, the voters will bat them down faster than you can even think to call them "racists," "sexists," and "hatemongers" for doing so.

And while I'm on the subject, the next woman who calls me sexist for being against abortion better duck and prepare for a tongue lashing.

 

[archangel]

<center><h1><a href=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-judges25apr25,0,6003233.story?coll=la-news-comment-editorials> The American Banana Republic</a></h1></center>

In Central and South America, authoritarian regimes which pay lip service to the rule of law have been the norm. And the US government, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, has clandestinely supported the ouster of democratically elected governments in favor of these authoritarian regimes.

Now, at the hands of the Republican leadership, America is at risk of becoming a banana republic. Granted, they aren't bribing judges and other government officials, they are cloaking their actions in the mantle of religion. Regardless of the rationale, the end result will be the same...Centralized, authroitarian power with no effective checks and balances and paying lip service to the concept of democratic institutions.

Banana republic status will be our future if these closet fascists are left unchecked, and gutting the judiciary is the final element of this agenda. Without a strong and independent judiciary, the Republic will become another banana republic and the dream of America will die. Make you choice, call your senators and tell them this must not come to pass...donnot impose the "nuclear option" and strip the minority of its last, best tool for standing against the tyrrany of the majority.

The only way we can have a Independent Judiciary is when term limits for appointment and or Elected judges are imposed...this way the electorate will have some say in bad decisions...ie they must answer to the electorate when really bad decisions or pay backs to the appointers become noticed!

 

[Hobbit]

The only way we can have a Independent Judiciary is when term limits for appointment and or Elected judges are imposed...this way the electorate will have some say in bad decisions...ie they must answer to the electorate when really bad decisions or pay backs to the appointers become noticed!

No, that'll just make the judiciary another political seat that has to pander to voters every x years. They were given lifetime terms by the founding fathers for a reason, and that is so they would only really be held accountable to the Constitution. The problem is that they're not even held accountable to that anymore. What needs to be put into place are clearly defined boundaries of the judiciary's power and a system of impeaching those who overstep those bounds.

 

[wolverine]

Couldn't it be said that 45 senators in the minority highjacking the legislative process by not allowing up or down votes on judges is the workings of a ' democrat's banana republic?'

 

[archangel]

No, that'll just make the judiciary another political seat that has to pander to voters every x years. They were given lifetime terms by the founding fathers for a reason, and that is so they would only really be held accountable to the Constitution. The problem is that they're not even held accountable to that anymore. What needs to be put into place are clearly defined boundaries of the judiciary's power and a system of impeaching those who overstep those bounds.

What companies do you know of that makes appointments as CEO's et al for lifetime appointments...our founding fathers were not privvy to the implementation of the "New World Order"...They would roll over in their graves if they saw what has happened to our system...be it Federalism or quasi democracy....Lifetime appointments just gives the go-ahead for those who hid their real ideology from public view in order to receive these appointments...Restricting term limits or making the positions elected may not be the greatest idea,however the system is surely not working now....trade offs are now occuring in the confirmation process...so what is the difference other than allowing the electorate some say in these matters?

 

[manu1959]

i hope you are better at treating bedsores than making an argument that the republicans are "clandestinely supported the ouster of democratically elected governments in favor of these authoritarian regimes." (if it was clandestine you wouldn't know about it) and that they are "cloaking their actions in the mantle of religion." (if they were cloaked you wouldn't know about it either) and that they are "closet fascists"

and this is the best of all "strip the minority of its last, best tool for standing against the tyrrany of the majority" the majority in this country is held hostage on a daily basis by the bitching and whining of the minority....

live on your feet man....

 

[ScreamingEagle]

<center><h1><a href=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-judges25apr25,0,6003233.story?coll=la-news-comment-editorials> The American Banana Republic</a></h1></center>

In Central and South America, authoritarian regimes which pay lip service to the rule of law have been the norm. And the US government, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, has clandestinely supported the ouster of democratically elected governments in favor of these authoritarian regimes.

Now, at the hands of the Republican leadership, America is at risk of becoming a banana republic. Granted, they aren't bribing judges and other government officials, they are cloaking their actions in the mantle of religion. Regardless of the rationale, the end result will be the same...Centralized, authroitarian power with no effective checks and balances and paying lip service to the concept of democratic institutions.

Banana republic status will be our future if these closet fascists are left unchecked, and gutting the judiciary is the final element of this agenda. Without a strong and independent judiciary, the Republic will become another banana republic and the dream of America will die. Make you choice, call your senators and tell them this must not come to pass...donnot impose the "nuclear option" and .

We are going to become a "banana republic" because politicians are "cloaking their actions in the mantle of religion"? (meaning Frist appealed to religious groups)

Republicans are "fascists"? (meaning the Republicans are now in power)

"Without a strong and independent judiciary"? (meaning conservative judges are going to be appointed)

"strip the minority of its last, best tool for standing against the tyrrany of the majority" (meaning changing the Senate rules to allow for an up or down vote instead of allowing a minority to hold up conservative judicial appointments forever)

The LA Times is nothing but an outlet for liberalspeak.