MIERS - a Bible literalist? That's not too good...

[neoteric lefty]

I have no problem with a Supreme Court justice being a person of faith. Faith brings out a lot of good qualities in many people. However, someone who believes the Bible is ACTUALLY FACTUAL kind of scares me. Anyone who has read their Bible sees that not only are there many parts that are blatanly bad (stoning women, condoning slavery, etc.), there are many parts that I believe are false. If someone will believe that Jonah was inside of a whale, then I'm scared that they still think a black man is 3/5 of a person. Just a thought.

[ComerPerro]

1. That is what bothers me about so-called "literalists"

They say they believe literally, but then when you mention stuff like that, suddenly its open to interpretation.

Funny, ain't it?

[RevCheesehead]

2. what's your source?

Did she say this about herself, or is this rumor, or reported from someplace?

[neoteric lefty]

5. From the Right

Rushy was talking about it on my ride in to work. Thats one of her redeeming qualites to the Right, as they say

[RevCheesehead]

8. You quote Rush as a reliable source?

Oh dear, then it simply MUST be true... :banghead:

[neoteric lefty]

12. Do I think Rush lies and distorts as easy as breathing?

sure I do, but I do not see why he would lie about it. It could be a feel-good lie to the Right so they won't feel so bad, but I don't think so. If she is not a Bible literalist, then even better.

[jackstraw45]

15. Wow...I'd rather listen to static than Rush...

Maybe it's just me...

[neoteric lefty]

17. hey I like to see the true colors of the

Republican party. Lie, distort, and cheat: The more I listen to RW radio, the sadder I feel about those who listen to them and actually believe them and the more resolve I get as a liberal.

[Beelzebud]

3. Don't worry. Reid came out and praised her, and we'll win.

Or something.

[jsamuel]

13. haha, exactly

[papau]

4. WSJ calls it "orginalist" - as in anti-abortion and a Scalia "originalist"

So is Ms. Miers's not just a judicial restraint/limited role of the court/judicial conservative, she is a Scalia anti-abortion "orginalist" with no respect for precedent?

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB1128351923853585...

<snip>Marvin Olasky, a journalism professor and the father of the "compassionate conservative" movement, posted a series of excerpts from interviews with friends and acquaintances of Harriet Miers he conducted before the official nomination. One of the interviews was with Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht, who said he has known Ms. Miers for 30 years and described their relationship as "very close friends."

Quoting Mr. Hecht on Ms. Miers's judicial philosophy: "She's an originalist -- that's the way she takes the Bible," and that's her approach to the Constitution as well -- "Originalist -- it means what it says."

Mr. Hecht says he and Ms. Miers "went to two or three pro-life dinners in the late 80s or early 90s."<snip>


http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa022701a.htm
Scalia on the Constitution


U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia explained and defended his "originalist" approach to constitutional interpretation in a closing address to a Princeton University conference on James Madison, fourth president and framer of the Constitution.

Speaking on Feb. 23, 2001, Justice Scalia explained that he, like Madison, interprets the Constitution according to the "common sense" meaning and definition of the document's words at the time they were written. An opposite approach, Scalia suggested from that applied by Justices who believe the Constitution "changes from age to age in order to meet the needs of a changing society."

Scalia criticized the second approach, saying that it too often results in crafting subjective interpretations of the Constitution to address issues that could and should be handled by Congress.

Calling his view of the Constitution an "originalist" view, Scalia conceded it often places him in a position of supporting laws that do not seem to make sense.

"It may well be stupid, but if it's stupid, pass a law!" he said. "Don't think the originalist interpretation constrains you. To the contrary. My Constitution is a very flexible Constitution. You want a right to abortion? Create it the way all rights are created in a democracy, pass a law. The death penalty? Pass a law. That's flexibility

<snip>

[LittleClarkie]

6. Speaking as a Liberal Christian

that makes my teeth itch.

[CornField]

7. No worries - literalists pick and choose

They like the parts of the OT that condemn homosexuals, but not the parts that say pig skins are dirty (gotta have football, ya know).

[noonwitch]

9. And Jesus was speaking figuratively about lopping off limbs that cause us

to sin. If fundies didn't think so, they'd be walking around blind and handless.

[Az]

10. Groovy

She sounds better and better all the time.

[barbaraann]

11. Thou shalt not kill.

n/t

[cynatnite]

14. Is she one? I haven't read that n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

16. I suspect, though I don't know, that they first connected when

* was stumping the "faith based community" for his father in '87 -- that's where he seems to have garnered most of his support from the fundies. Coincidentally, she hasn't donated to a dem candidate since '88.

Remember those ear-worms from Star Trek - Wrath of Khan? I think he was making liberal use of them that year.