Sandra Day O'Connor on Dictatorship.

In a speech on March 10, retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor took aim at conservative critics who want to impose their extremists ideology on the rest of us via judicial fiat. In the speech she rapped the Republican leadership who have called for the mass firings of judges who disagree with their policies and their attempts at packing the Court with ideologues. This, in an of itself is noting new, as Franklin Roosevelt was attacked for 'Court packing' in 1936 and it is only 'natural' that when a Justice retires, the sitting President would of course appoint a 'fellow traveler', but O'Connor is warning us of the dangers of the US slipping into dictatorship. If you don't think it can happen here, go read Sinclair Lewis' '30s classic "It Can't Happen Here".

Although not mentioning any names, she pointedly was referring to former House Majority Leader, the ethically challenged Tom Delay in his call for the mass impeachment of justices who's rulings he disagreed with and the outcomes he was not happy with. The irony here is the GOP has always been condemning 'activist' judges who support gay marriage and abortion, but yet were quite blatant in their attempts to find sympathetic judges who supported them in the Terry Schiavo case.

I am glad someone wlse is warning us about what I've been trying to warn against - the slow strangulation of liberties 'by any means necessary' by the Radical Right. The sppech, which was not covered by the mainstream media, was picked up by NPR, would be less noteworthy if it weren't so true. She pointed out that in more than one case judges have been threatened with death by those who were unhappy with their rulings. One only need to look at the country of Colombia, where these ideas can lead. There, narco militants as well as government rightists have murdered dozens of mayors. judges, college professors to the point, where any educated person is afraid to speak out on any topic.

But that's not all. The attempts by the Right to pass a Constitutional Amendement against gay marriage, points out not just of their hatred for gays, but an Amendment to the Constitution would ensure that no state would be allowed to 'legislate' gay marriage either. One more nail in the coffin for state's rights. Just like their attempts to ban Oregon's Assisted Suicide Law and California and Nevada's Medical Marijuana Law.

Think back a year or two ago, about Tom Delay's and the Texas GOP's attempts at gerrymandering of Texas's electoral re-districting to ensure the election of more Republicans and to make it more difficult for the opposition (Democrats, Liberatians) to get a toehold. Another attempt at imposing one party rule, was DeLay's warning to contributors that they may face 'punishment' to companies contributing to Democrats as well as Republicans, a practice common to businesses who want to hedge their bets and make sure the palms of BOTH parties are well oiled.

All I can say is, thank you Justice O'Connor for the warning. You can read the article here.