Open Forum: Supreme Court bases laws on social trends

The United States Supreme Court is, in some cases, acting unconstitutionally. It is usurping the power of the legislative branches of government, both state and federal, and is making laws on what appears to be whatever the current social trend is or what their own personal opinion is, not on what the U.S. Constitution reads.

Some U.S. Supreme Court justices have even started looking to other countries' judicial rulings, to use them as precedent for U.S. laws.

They do not look mainly at the content of the United States Constitution, its amendments, and the intent of the framers of the constitution, and amendments, when ruling on the constitutionality of our laws.

Since the 1940s the U. S. Supreme Court has declared the purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment (which was originally a racial/civil rights amendment) was to limit the states not just on racial/civil rights issues, but also on the numerous items contained within the Bill of Rights, thus allowing the U. S. Supreme Court to intervene in virtually all practices of states and local communities.

In his "Farewell Address" George Washington warned America to adhere strictly to changing the meaning of the Constitution, by amendment.

The real danger in all this is that it is being done by unelected justices, who can stay on the bench for life.

If change is not directed by the people themselves (like through the legislative branches of government) then our form of government becomes what Thomas Jefferson termed, "an oligarchy," which George Washington pointed out, is a customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed."

Patrick Borden

Brainerd

The Washington Post's biases

The June 9 reprint of a Washington Post article by Jonathan Waterman regarding ANWR oil deserves an answer. We have long been subjected to the "sky is falling" nonsense from environmental extremists. Who can forget the threats to the reindeer herd because of north slope oil drilling? The herd has since tripled in size! Also, "only six months of oil in ANWR," hoping to catch the naive or unwary. Whatever Waterman's expertise may be, it most certainly isn't in stating facts, or math. Contrary to his assertion the addition of one million barrels per day from ANWR would represent approximately 12 percent of our domestic production versus .5 percent as he had stated and 5 percent of our total consumption. Those numbers came from an article by Jeff Blum, June 8, 2005, in where else? The same Washington Post.

It's long been apparent the liberals who run that paper can't put two and two together. They seem to have math deficiencies as well. Your readers deserve a more rigorous checking of facts on your part, than blindly following the Washington Post's well known biases.

Bob Quirk

Breezy Point

Interdependent adult designation

If the letter published in the Open Forum on May 9 regarding gay marriage is an example of liberal tolerance, I'd hate to see an example of liberal intolerance! I'll give the letter writer an "A" for name-calling, but an "F" for persuasion, because she failed to address my main argument against homosexual marriage (i.e., that homosexual behavior hurts the physical and mental health of homosexuals and therefore should not be encouraged (see www.narth.org, for more details).

I must confess, though, I found her comparison between homosexual marriage and interracial marriage deeply offensive. No one has ever woken up as an adult and suddenly realized that he or she had African-American "tendencies." Yet many men divorce their wives after years of marriage to pursue homosexual lifestyles. This is clear evidence that sexuality is not as "fixed" as race is. Further, although the significance of this detail will be lost on those with a false sense of equality, for those that with an authentic sense of equality, the fact that interracial and same-race heterosexual marriages are equally capable of procreating without the aid of biotechnology, is the final proof that they are, in fact, equal.

In spite of the May 9 letter writer's admonition to essentially, "shut up and go away," I have no intention of silently watching as radical homosexuals and irrational liberals attempt to destroy the institution of marriage. However, I would support the creation of a new legal designation for "interdependent adults." Any adults who so desired could sign up for the designation without regard to their romantic involvement with one another. Legal problems would be resolved for homosexuals, as well as for anyone else in an interdependent relationship (e.g., an adult child and an aging parent), and the institution of marriage would be preserved.

Judith Muehlbauer

Brainerd

Follow the money to Grover Norquist

Don't blame all of the partisan bickering on the rank and file members of the Legislature and Congress. There is a group that controls lots of money and a lot of senior politicians. They are the ones behind the no new taxes pledge. Their leader is Grover Norquist. Some of his quotes are "bipartisanship is another name for date rape." Another is "we are trying to change the tones in the state capitals -- turn them toward bitter nastiness and partisanship." Another is "we will starve the government until it shrinks to where we can drown it in a bath tub then we will drown it." This man is an adviser to the president, the governor, Karl Rove and numerous others in places of authority. Personally I think he should be hung for treason or at least Imprisoned for life for inciting to anarchy however with the present Justice Department that won't be considered. However, if the money controlled by Mr. Norquist could be removed from his control then politics and the whole world would be a more pleasant and less partisan place.

Jesse Nix

Emily

Pawlenty's promises on taxes

There are talks of more employee layoffs. Good idea. Let's get more bang for our buck and start with those with the highest salaries. The ones that made the decisions that got us in trouble in the first place. That goes for the upper management of Northwest Airlines and the governor of the state. Can't a governor be laid off for lying about no new taxes? Maybe it's our own fault. We should have asked Gov. Pawlenty what his definition of taxes was when he promised no new taxes. He shouldn't be able to change the English language to get out of his promises.

Julie Pawlak

Hackensack

All In for Texas Hold'em

It's about time! Gov. Pawlenty finally signed the Texas Hold'em law recently. That means we no longer have to hide in my basement to play our Hold'em tournaments like we're some kind of New York rounders. So shuffle up and deal folks. Anyone interested in a fine 93 Geo Metro? I need to start a bankroll.

Matt Taylor

Merrifield