The American Spectator

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Federal Cases

5.14.03 @ 12:01AM

APPEAL DENIED
Re: Joel Miller's More Crime for the Money:

Hear! Hear! In the past several decades, the feds have intensified their invasion of state legislative areas. Using the Highway Trust Fund as a club, they imposed the 55 mph speed limit and the 21-year-old drinking law. On general do-gooder (or busybody) impulses, Congress enacted the "assault weapon" ban and the recent federalized Amber Alert system. Etc., etc. Whether these are wise or unwise laws is really besides the point -- the federal legislature has no business passing them. We don't need Leninist "democratic centralism" here, or -- God forbid -- a centralized state à la française.

As a recovering lawyer and part-time judge myself, I have to put much of the blame for this appalling pandemic on federal appellate judges. Congress has passed harebrained and unconstitutional laws throughout our history, but the judges who have historically protected us from those laws aren't doing their job any more.
-- Richard N. Burns
Canoga Park, CA

Though Joel Miller makes a presentable case against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, his arguments do not justify his skepticism.

First of all, a federal law is needed because backwater liberal states (hello Maine) and even large ones (Texas) may never pass an act protecting unborn children who are murdered.

In other words, in the current political climate, many states are faced with the situation of either having a federal law protecting the unborn or no law protecting them.

Think of it this way, imagine if it was a different group -- say Internet columnists -- who had no legal protection from being killed. Sure some states have sort of law, depending on how old the columnist is and how well developed their arguments are but there are no across the board protections.

As conservatives, I think it is imperative of us to say that it is in these rare situations that the federal government must act. That's because no matter how much we love our columnists, the reality is that over a million people are butchered every year in the U.S. because a federal institution, the Supreme Court, devalued the lives of the unborn.

Though it started in a few states that legalized abortion, that court decision struck down all the other state laws.

A federal law now protecting some unborn children will help reverse that injustice.
-- Jojo Ruba
Ottawa, Ontario

AND THE WINNER IS...
Re: The Washington Prowler's Graham Viability (cue the laugh track):

I've come at politics from every direction except running for office myself (and I'd rather have root canal surgery while passing a kidney stone than take that final step). Studied it at college, covered it as a reporter, lobbied legislators when working at a trade association, and was lobbied myself when I worked as an assistant to a congressman. In all those years of close association with politicians, I was continually amazed at how so many members of this species (boobus politicus) could talk themselves into believing they could win an election that everyone else in the lower 48 knew for a dead-bang certainly they had no chance none, zero, zip) in. (Your honor, I'd like to offer in evidence J. Danforth Quayle's run for the presidency. -- Yes, your honor, that's correct. Of the United States of America. -- No sir, I'm not making this up.) Bob Quixote de la Graham is another primo example of the lost-before-it-begins cause. Graham was a popular Florida governor who left for the U.S. Senate years ago and has not been heard of since save for people who watch the Sunday morning yack-yack shows, where there's been the occasional Bob sighting. No one a five-iron shot outside of Florida knows who he is, and hardly anyone in Florida cares anymore.

Bob is a nice enough fellow. Not too wacko by Democrat standards. But he has no issues, and his personality could best be described as Wally Cox without the charisma. His campaign style will create more narcolepsy than enthusiasm among the electorate. He has about as much chance of winning the presidency as I have of winning the American League batting championship. And I'm 60, flat-footed, and wear trifocals. (Damn, it's hard enough to hit a curve when it just breaks once, but when it breaks three times…..) The only thing Bob will add to his political resume by this fool's-errand is embarrassment.
-- Larry Thornberry
Tampa, FL

Anyone, with an IQ of at least double digits and who has listened to Senator Bob Graham speak off the cuff for over 2 minutes, will conclude that the man has no business running the country.
-- David Shoup
Dublin, Georgia

WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY
Re: Enemy Central's No Picnic:

Letter to the Editor

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