Antonin Scalia, RIP

The American people have lost Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court justice with a rock solid understanding of the constitutional framers original intent of limited government. Scalia stood in the way of those justices who subscribe to a “living constitution” that should change with the times. As such, Scalia was a stalwart defender of liberty.

Scalia apparently passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at a ranch in Texas. Conspiracy theories are bound to arise; so I trust that a thorough autopsy to determine the causes of death will be conducted. Many are prone to believe that events that change the political landscape do not happen by chance. They must be satisfied to avoid endless controversy conducted on the fringes.

It is too early to know what comes next. Will President Obama have time to push through a nominee of his choice? At a minimum, Scalia’s passing brings home the importance of the 2016 election and the new president’s choice for filling Supreme Court vacancies.

Scalia’s passing could also focus attention on the replacement choices that different Republican candidates might make. Republican primary voters may consider a candidate’s core beliefs rather than showmanship. In this regard, Ted Cruz might have a stronger case than his primary opponents, in particular Donald Trump. It could also direct attention to Michael Bloomberg, whom voters might think will choose a “moderate” Justice and this avoid a national fight to the finish.

True Patriots Stop Train Wrecks

Ted Cruz’s filibuster and the House Freshmen’s battle against Obama Care have drawn media derision and establishment Republican “I told you so’s.” Suicide-vest, unhinged, insane, extortionist, and Astroturf metaphors dominated political discourse as Democratic Schadenfreuders cited polls that Americans blame Republicans more for the government shutdown and debt ceiling near miss.

The Charge of the Light Brigade, led by Lord Cardigan as ordered by his commander Lord Raglan against an entrenched Russian artillery battery (and immortalized by Tennyson six weeks later),  has been pounced upon as the historical analogy for the “failed” Tea Party attack on Obama Care. Pundits say the Light Brigade, which symbolizes gratuitous loss (of life) for a futile cause exacerbated by poor planning and confusion, exemplifies the Tea Party’s huge political losses in pursuit of an impossible cause – the defunding or delay of Obama Care.

A more appropriate analogy is found in Jimmy Stewart’s 1951 classic film “No Highway in the Sky.” In it, Stewart plays an aeronautical engineer whose wind tunnel tests predict that a newly-introduced aircraft will break apart in mid air. Jimmy deliberately sabotages a doomed flight and is branded a mental case. His daughter even pleads to skip school because of teasing. Jimmy Stewart turns from goat to hero when the plane he sabotaged loses its tail section as it rolls down the runway for its next take off.

go to forbes.com