Judicial activism?

“Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don’t make the rules; they apply them.

“The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules. But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ballgame to see the umpire.

“Judges have to have the humility to recognize that they operate within a system of precedent, shaped by other judges equally striving to live up to the judicial oath.

“And judges have to have the modesty to be open in the decision-making process to the considered views of their colleagues on the bench.”

So said John Roberts, under oath, at his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing.

Lawyers who’ve analyzed both the Citizens United and recently decided Knox v. Service Employees International Union cases wonder if the chief justice is the same man who testified at that hearing.

Both cases involved the court deciding issues that were not part of the case. Sort of like a judge finding you guilty of stealing a Hummer when you only stole a toy car from the five-and-dime. Isn’t that judicial activism?

Bob Wynhausen

Sandpoint

Sheriff misses the mark

Given the two deputies’ frightening and sobering wounds, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich is understandably shaken. But it is misguided to blame the federal magistrate for Wallace’s rampage.

Pre-trial release is governed by the Constitution and federal statutes in a decision involving many people and multiple reviews. Lawyers appear for the government and the accused. The U.S. Probation Office submits a biography of the accused including prior offenses. There is no magic “violence predictor,” but people with a violent past are closely scrutinized.

Only then does the magistrate rule. If the judge releases, the U.S. Department of Justice can immediately appeal to the district court judge. In this instance, Wallace’s release was not challenged. That decision, too, is governed by policy and oversight.

We can second-guess the magistrate or prosecution, but bail is not a knee-jerk process. Every person in the system takes it seriously. When a decision goes wrong, as complex human decisions can, it is unworthy of us to lay blame on the last signature.

Our sheriff questioned “why this individual was allowed to be on the streets of Spokane.” The answers start with better understanding of the process, law, and human factors involved.

Jeffry Finer

Spokane

Nun assessment was needed

Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to have an assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious is not an attack on our sisters. The leadership of the LCWR has been controlled for many years by radical gender feminists and continues disseminating statements in dispute with Catholic doctrine. In many cases, these emanations are not in concert with the thinking of the vast majority of the sisters themselves.

It is noteworthy that while the LCWR claims to represent 80,000 nuns, only 3 percent of the nuns actually belong to it. So, the Vatican is correctly asking why the LCWR is not in conformance with our Catholic faith.

As a practicing Catholic, I expect the Vatican to assess the LCWR as it had to come down on other religious orders that crossed the line. I join with others in their appreciation of the Catholic sisters for the works they have performed throughout the years. Getting the LCWR in line with our Catholic faith will relieve confusion and bring everyone back into the fold. No organization has been more harmful to the vitality of the Catholic sisterhood.

Eugene P. Cunneely

Spokane

The enemy is us

With all due respect, I am responding to David Hamer’s letter of June 23 (“Angry citizens have questions”).

I do not know what is going on here, but he is not that naive.

There is no exclusive focus on resolving the national debt because the exclusive people are not that interested. The national debt is truly a major problem. But the larger problem is why do the American people allow the super-funded, K Street politicians the avenue to bring down our local, national and international economies. Figure that one out and you will resolve the national debt and many other problems. Somewhere in the equation you will find the factors of self-serving greed, naked avarice and the betrayal of duty and honesty.

Ownership to our financial catastrophe belongs to the Democrats, the Republicans, the apathetic, the lazy, the zealots and the stingy.

This country operates on the golden rule: “Those that have the gold make the rules” – and for them justice means “just us.”

We are all part of the problem, David, including you and me.

Rich Magney

Spokane

Enforce immigration laws

If Americans started crossing over into Mexico, Central America and into South America indiscriminately, and we started taking over jobs from many a job-seeking Latino, would each of the regions consider such an action or event as an invasion upon their sovereignty or security?

If so, then why are illegal aliens complaining about how we enforce our immigration laws, our borders and our sovereignty?

According to Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution:

“The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.”

Now, with that said, what we have left is the interpretation of what “invasion” means.

Why must America be the starting point for illegals wanting to live the American experience?

Cannot living the American experience be had in Mexico, Central America, South America, or anywhere else in the world?

What’s so hard in saying “enough is enough”? Duh.

Jose Ocasio

Spokane

Swastika symbolizes hate

No matter Rep. Matt Shea’s egregious rhetoric, painting a swastika on someone’s property is a form of hatred. Shawn Vestal’s (June 23) article on Shea’s vandalized bus belittles that important fact.

Steve St. George

Spokane

Keller can make difference

When Larry Keller told me he planned to become a candidate for state representative for the 6th District, my response was, “Why would you want to become involved in politics?” Larry responded by saying, “I think I can make a difference.”

The truth is Larry has been making a difference his entire life. During the Gulf War, Larry made a difference, and for his leadership he earned and was awarded the Bronze Star and Air Medal as a combat veteran. Every organization has a “go to” person. Larry has always been the “go to” guy.

Larry has the unique ability to improvise, adapt and overcome. He has demonstrated the ability to listen and understand opposing views and ideas and then formulate a workable plan. Larry is a family man of excellent character and integrity. He has a proven track record with a very high level of competence. He has the ability to connect, putting team and organization ahead of self.

Larry Keller is a builder, a mentor and a leader.

John R. Madri

Spokane

Navy not immune from cuts

I enjoyed Rear Adm. Douglas Asbjornsen’s May 12 op-ed thoughtfully pointing out the ubiquity of Earth’s water. But the unspoken premise that the U.S. Navy should be exempted from ongoing fiscal belt-tightening is bogus. Armed services rarely acknowledge that some of their funding is unnecessary.

Military costs have skyrocketed recently for many reasons. One: dishonesty regarding phantom threats to the U.S. Two: significant salary and pension increases. Three: institutional waste, for example remodeling a base commander’s house whenever a new individual assumes command. Four: ignoring skills of new personnel when picking their jobs because “that’s the way we’ve always done it.” Five: impractical long-term strategy resulting, for example, in costly ICBM wings being built/upgraded for a few decades, and then decommissioned; great stuff for defense contracting corporations and the retired military brass that go to work for them, for the rest of us, not so much.

We used to be able to afford this and still educate and employ our citizenry satisfactorily, but this is no longer the case. I would encourage us all to do our best to distinguish between needs and wants, including those of our world-class military.

David Fietz

Springdale, Wash.

Obama out of touch

The president’s latest fundraising ploy shows his hubris beyond anything else he’s done. The self-absorbed-in-chief wants you to tell your friends not to buy wedding or birthday presents for your special occasion. Instead, he wants you to tell your friends to send that money to his re-election campaign.

Isn’t he the same guy who spends millions of dollars of your money per year on his own family vacations and weekly parties at the White House?

Isn’t he the same guy who claims the rich are out of touch with the average person?

Well, I know at least one rich person out of touch: Obama.

Geoff Swindler

Spokane

Obamacare spells doom

For two decades or more, I’ve told those who would listen that the United States is headed down the same road that every other great nation has traveled before it. I’ve also long held that, like intelligence, justice under the law is not synonymous with wisdom or righteousness. Thursday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding Obamacare is further evidence of these facts.

Even a cursory study shows that most once-great nations were destroyed from within. The single-greatest failing of the human race is that it doesn’t learn from its own history! We remain blind to the vital fundamentals.

And the tragedy continues.

John A. Mosher

Kooskia, Idaho