Crush Liberalism

Hubbub over Roberts’ involvement with the Federalist Society

OK, I admit that I’m not fully aware of the activities of the Federal Society (of which it has been alleged, in a disparaging context, that SCOTUS Justice John Roberts was a member). I went to their web site, which obviously will shine themselves in the brightest light. Here’s what I found:

The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is a group of conservatives and libertarians interested in the current state of the legal order. It is founded on the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be.

The Society seeks both to promote an awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities. This entails reordering priorities within the legal system to place a premium on individual liberty, traditional values, and the rule of law. It also requires restoring the recognition of the importance of these norms among lawyers, judges, and law professors.

In working to achieve these goals, the Society has created a conservative and libertarian intellectual network that extends to all levels of the legal community.

At first blush, it seems like an admirable organization. I dug deeper into the site, and I didn’t read anything that caused me undue alarm or stress. Quite the opposite.

So why is it a big deal if Roberts is, was, or has ever been a member? Roberts says he wasn’t, but if he was, why doesn’t he just say so? Is he afraid that the Senate Democrats and their allies in the MSM will paint him as some kind of extremist? If so, he’s worrying over nothing. I doubt seriously that he has to worry about being Borked.

I do see why the left would flip out like Ted Kennedy upon hearing the words “Last call!” Look at the emphasized words above. Those words are anathema to liberal politicians, the MoveOn crowd, etc. Neal Boortz sums it up best:

Remember, we are supposed to be at war against individualism in this country … Ted Kennedy told us so! So if we have a Supreme Court nominee who is a member of an organization that not only supports the idea of individualism, but that believes that individual citizens can make better choices for themselves then can government … why, that’s just about as close to blasphemy as you can get … for a liberal! People just have to understand that government is there to relieve them of the oppressive responsibilities that go with actually go with being a practicing individual! Everybody knows that individuals should not try to make important decisions and chooses for themselves … this crucial task should be left to government!

Clearly, not all liberals feel this way…but a vocal chunk do.

If anyone knows what’s wrong with the Federalist Society (do they advocate women not working, stay home barefoot and pregnant while the menfolk bring home the bacon, etc.?), feel free to post what you know or have heard. Admittedly, I know only what they have on their web site.

July 26, 2005 - Posted by crushliberalism | Uncategorized