That was a very interesting column on our Constitution in the opinion section. I agree that the pocket Constitution is a good thing to carry around. Go right to the source! Don’t believe the interpretation of others. For our modern techies, there is no need to have it in your pocket, it’s right there on your phone. Use your search engine to go to https://usconstitution.net/const.html.
Whether DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), or other current issues, is constitutional, is a matter of opinion, not a matter of fact. DACA has not reached the Supreme Court yet, but even there it will be a matter of opinion. So many decisions are made on a 5-4 vote! There are different interpretations of the Constitution in the various court opinions. Obviously, with different judges appointed, the decision could have gone the other way. That’s not to say the final 5-4 decision is not law: It is. That’s the way we do things in our civilized, democratic, society. Once the court decides, it’s the law: stare decisis (stand on the decisions). (That is, unless the court changes its mind, as in the current push to overthrow Roe v. Wade, the nationwide law on the right to an abortion since 1973.)
So I have concluded: Law has become politics. It is important to Republicans to have Republicans appointed as Supreme Court (and lower court) judges so the laws will be made to benefit Republican voters. When the Democrats control the Senate, they do the same. This has resulted in part from the failure of Congress to do its duty and make the laws. Think about how long it has been since Congress declared a war, yet we are at war constantly.
I disagree that the Statue of Liberty is about only liberty, not equality. “liberty, equality, fraternity” is the national motto of France, their trinity. Haven’t we adopted all three principles?
For decades this has been a solidly Democratic state. The Hawaii Senate is composed of 25 Democrats, zero Republicans. Nevertheless, Hawaii is doing just fine. That’s not to say that there are no villainous Democrats in our state government, but when we find them, we jail them or vote them out. Republicans and their opinions should be welcome here. What would we do without them? They keep our leaders on their toes.
Patrick Callahan is a resident of Holualoa.