Letters To The Editor

Tue., Dec. 19, 2000

LAW AND JUSTICE

Not the first ideological decision

Writing for the minority in the split 5-4 decision of the Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore Dec. 12, liberal Justice John Paul Stevens made a bitterly critical comment which received wide media coverage. He said that the real loser in the decision is the nation’s confidence in the judge as an impartial guardian of the law.”

The media have given Stevens’ comment tremendous emphasis, as though this were the first time the court has acted in a split decision based on ideological leanings of the justices involved and as though this decision created for the first time a disturbing loss of confidence in the judiciary.

Moral and social conservatives in this country have known for a long time that the impartiality of the judiciary, in general, and particularly the impartiality of the Supreme Court, is a carefully fostered myth maintained by the liberal establishment and the media that support its beliefs. In numerous decisions, beginning with the split Roe v. Wade decision permitting abortion on demand, the courts have repeatedly made important but sharply split decisions based on ideological beliefs.

Yet, in all these cases the media have ignored the issue of judicial impartiality, which has now been raised (for a refreshing change!) by a liberal justice.

It’s certainly entertaining to see how much more the biased shoe hurts on a different foot! Walter R. Thorson Sandpoint

Partisan decision disservice to all

Well, the fat lady has sung! In a 5-4 vote the Supreme Court showed that it is a partisan court. It voted along party lines - an unfortunate thing for the American people.

The deck was stacked. The only hope democracy had was a complete recount of Florida. Why? Because with a fully Republican House of Representatives in Florida and a Republican majority in the U.S. Supreme Court, what chance did Vice President Al Gore have? No chance. Where is the democracy in that?

Now there will be the nagging question that hangs over the presidency of the United States of America. Who made the president? Was it the people or the Republican Supreme Court? It’s a sad day for democracy.

I feel sorry for George W. Bush. Does he think the more than 50 percent of the people who voted (or tried to) next election will forget this miscarriage of democracy? He is a president-elect with no mandate except from the minority of the popular vote. Jim Franey Spokane

Souter and Breyer inconsistent

I read carefully the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision regarding Bush v. Gore and I am pleased with the majority decision. That decision was concurred with by Justices Souter and Breyer relative to the due process, equal protection aspects. Yet both justices stated, “The court should not have reviewed either Bush v Palm Beach Canvassing Board or this case and should not have stopped the recount.”

I find it a giant incongruity for Souter and Breyer to have, on one hand, found that the ballots being counted in the Florida Supreme Court recount were being accomplished “applying different treatments of the expression of voter’s fundamental rights which appear wholly arbitrary” and on the other hand clearly sanctioning continuing the recount utilizing these same “wholly arbitrary” methods of counting the votes in a way in which they both enunciate in their opinion violates the equal protection or due process guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.

In other words, these two justices clearly espouse their legal opinion that this court should have allowed the recount to go forward utilizing methods they both clearly agree were and are unconstitutional!

For the lay person to make sense of the convoluted legal musings of Souter and Breyer is tantamount to endeavoring to interpret and unravel their words through the overlaying of a thousand butterfly ballots one upon another. Ken Van Buskirk Spokane

Critic has Justice Thomas wrong

Re: “Justice Thomas needs to speak up” (Letters, Dec. 14).

I wish Alexander Kwamina could have seen the C-SPAN program that we watched on Dec. 13. Justice Clarence Thomas was speaking to and answering questions from high school students in the Washington, D.C., area. We were so impressed with his honest, thoughtful dialogue and his understanding of the role of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. He shared his background and difficulties growing up black in America.

One student questioned his quiet manner and silence on the court. He said he discovered years ago that the way to learn is to listen. After watching all the “talking head” TV programs the last 36 days, I know he is correct. They all talk and no one listens, and I must say that many do not seem very intelligent.

I hope this program will be repeated often for our students and for Kwamina, to dispel his doubts about this very wise man. I am not an African-American but I am a retired educator who can recognize an excellent teacher who serves our country with integrity. Carolyn D. Habel Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Unlike Bush, Gore lacks values

Amid all the hand-wringing over who would become our next president and the concern that neither candidate would have a “mandate to govern” or be able to advance his agenda, the most important aspect of this entire fiasco has been overlooked.

It became most clear to me as we remembered our brave servicemen at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7. I am proud to be the daughter of one of the countless brave young men of the 1940s who risked their lives in some of the fiercest battles of World War II. My father was a man of strong moral character and courage and loved his America dearly. He would be heartsick to see the downward slide our nation has taken during the travesty of the Clinton-Gore years.

Forget the mandates and agendas. They are meaningless if we don’t first address America’s biggest need - the restoration of integrity and dignity to the presidency of our nation.

Al Gore has proven, over a period of several years, he is totally incapable of demonstrating these qualities. In sharp contrast, George Bush has already, by his words and actions, given me a new hope for the direction we can choose to take as a nation.

May God forgive our carelessness and apathy, and have mercy on this nation. May we once again know the kind of America for which my dad had so much love and pride. Vicki P. Jeffries Nine Mile Falls

This is not the end of it

Hold on, America, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. If you think the election fiasco is behind us, then you’re about to be blindsided.

I look at this election as a wake-up call for all Americans, a blessing in disguise.

First order of business, huge gas price increases to pay for all the money spent to buy a presidency and to recoup the losses of a failed impeachment. But that’s OK, right, since we are all getting a huge tax break? (Don’t hold your breath waiting for it.)

But it doesn’t stop here. A political civil war is about to begin. When a candidate clearly has the majority of the national votes but has to concede because of blatant partisan politics in a state where enough chaos was created to derail any clear victor, then as Americans it’s time to rise up and be heard.

Let the 21st century begin by bringing the voting procedures into balance and by giving the elections back to the voters, instead of the politicians and media. On this we should all agree. Kathy Sterling Spokane

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