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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIs Antonin Scalia the Vilest Person in Washington?
http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/antonin-scalia-vilest-person-washingtonA day after Justice Antonin Scalia caused gasps in the Supreme Court gallery by saying the 1965 Voting Rights Act had become a racial entitlement no congressperson could vote against, Rachel Maddow told The Daily Show she was in the courtroom and Scalia clearly enjoyed tormenting people. I think he does know how that sounds, she said. Hes a troll. Hes saying this for effect. He knows its offensive.
Theres no shortage of badly behaving Republicans in Washington. Theres the take-or-leave-it congressional leadership, who constantly show they value rightwing ideology more than its impact on people. There are intransigent obstructionists, like the NRAs Wayne LaPierre, who believes the answer to gun violence is more guns. But Scalia isnt simply another Republican bully; he may be the most venal and fascist Republican of all.
Its one thing to be a political bully and enjoy it, as Scalia does. But its another to say that the other branches of government are broken because theyre not doing things he agrees with; and then abuse the power of his office to overthrow that governance and perpetuate his legacy. Thats close to how European despots acted before World War II.
Lets unpack what Scalia said about the 1965 Voting Rights Act with an eye to seeing his method, not just his madness. It is the same backstory to his mocking outbursts over the years, whether telling law school students asking about Bush v. Gore to get over it, or arrogantly answering questions put by other justices to lawyerssuch as 2008's Heller case where he coached libertarian lawyers and then wrote the opinion that for the first time in U.S. history said the Second Amendment included a personal right to a handgun at home.
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Is Antonin Scalia the Vilest Person in Washington? (Original Post)
xchrom
Mar 2013
OP
ananda
(28,866 posts)1. How 'bout a first among many rightwing equals?
..
vi5
(13,305 posts)2. To me he's more vile...
..because he has so much power and no checks on that power. He gets to keep his position and keep that power until he dies or retires. The rest of the conservative megalomaniacs at least have some checks and balances with either the voters, or tv viewers or whatever. He has none of that so that makes him more dangerous.
Jennicut
(25,415 posts)5. He has way more power then most idiotic vile conservatives.
All we can do is wait for him to get really old, or die.
Demeter
(85,373 posts)3. Well, I don't know everyone in Washington DC
But as far as everyone on the Supreme Court, I'd say yes...at least Thomas has the decency to stay mum.
kelliekat44
(7,759 posts)4. In a word, yes. nt
talkingmime
(2,173 posts)6. I'm not sure. Where's Cheney?
Myrina
(12,296 posts)7. No, but he's got alot of close company ...
....
Bachmann
Akin
Ryan
military/weapons lobbyists
right-to-life lobbyists
and so many more ...