Courts, Judges, Lawyers, et al.

Note: Yesterday I wrote an earlier version of this post, but suddenly it disappeared. I know not why -- likely something stupid done by yours truly. So I've tried to duplicate below what I had written earlier.

________________

Okay, let me begin by apologizing to any lawyers who might read this. In truth I really don’t care much for the legal profession, despite the number of lawyers I count among my friends. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy spending time with my attorney friends and talking over all that’s interesting, until they inevitably slide down into the legal stuff and get all lawyerly on me. Then I want to throw up, and thank God that I never had a hankering to go to law school. Fortunately, friendship usually trumps the churning in my stomach and life goes on.

I bring this up today because of the news of the Supreme Court’s decision on President Trump’s use of tariffs. I couldn’t help but recall the nasty comment about lawyers from Henry IV, Part 2. There Shakespeare put words into the mouth of an unsavory character, Dick the Butcher, who supported Jack Cade. Cade, a lawless rebel and likely anarchist, not only disliked laws, but also all those who enacted them or passed judgments based on them. Jack's really an early predecessor of today's leftists, who share most of his beliefs.

For Shakespeare, Dick's words were obvious satire, and did not reflect the bard's beliefs. And yet, they've become immortal and no doubt have been inwardly enjoyed by many normally law-abiding folks who have been ill-used by lawyers. Dick's statement:

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."

 ...certainly not a very Christian sentiment, but we have no evidence that either Dick or Jack were practicing Christians. And as an ordained permanent deacon in the Church, I will neither applaud nor tolerate such a vile wish. I desire nobody's death and pray only for the salvation of all. 

But Shakespeare's brief comment certainly struck a chord with a lot of people over the centuries, something we cannot appreciate if we lack a sense of humor. Yes, indeed, Dick the Butcher's words have generated quite a few laughs, even from lawyers. 

I mention this because of something I heard on a local talk show yesterday as I was driving to the store. Addressing the tariff decision by the Supreme Court a caller said, "I have only one comment. Let's kill all the lawyers," and then hung up. The host and I both chuckled.

For those of you who read only this blog -- which would be very sad -- the U. S. Supreme Court, in a 6 to 3 decision, declared that President Trump's broad-based use of tariffs was not permitted by the legislation upon which he based his authority. The Court agreed that the law allows the president to "regulate" trade, but stated that such regulation does not include across-the-board tariffs, an authority granted only to Congress by the Constitution. There are other complications, for example, the law's understanding of what constitutes an emergency, and lots of other legal stuff that most citizens, including me, neither care about nor understand.

My problem with the Court's decision involves its unwillingness (or sheer inability) to address the consequences of the decision. Of course, three justices, all Trump-deranged liberals, inevitably go against the president on any major decision. But such political hacks are hardly true justices. (Just listen to Justice Katanji Brown Jackson or read her decisions...it's painful.) The Court actually prides itself on ignoring the consequences of its decisions, regardless of its effect on the economy or foreign relations. I suppose if a decision increased the probability of nuclear war, they'd congratulate themselves.

Anyway, the dissenting comments by Justices Kavanaugh, Alito, and Thomas are worth reading and, at least to me, display a clearer and wiser understanding of the issue. As for the others, please do not join Dick the Butcher and wish them dead. Our justices have already received enough death threats from those on the far left who, because they are unable to defend their beliefs, just prefer to kill their opponents. Far better to pray for them all, asking God to teach them the difference between law and justice. Pray, too, that they come to understand the importance of the Judeo-Christian foundational moral values upon which our nation came into being and sustain it still.

God's peace and justice.