Political Quotes

“Mr. President, the week before last, we had the hearing on Elena Kagan for her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is a tremendously serious and important position. Five members of the Supreme Court--not just nine but only five--can redefine the meaning of words in our Constitution and really alter, in many ways, the very structure of our government. We have seen activist judges that I think have tended in that direction, and it is dangerous and harmful because judges are given lifetime appointments. They are not accountable to the public. They are protected. Even their salaries are not reducible while they serve in office. So we have to know and believe they will be neutral, impartial, unbiased, and will render judgments based on the law and the facts and not on any preconceived commitments they may have had. Ms. Kagan is now the Solicitor General of the United States. She has taken some sort of leave of absence in recent weeks since this nomination occurred, but she holds that title. The Department of Justice Solicitor General represents the U.S. Government in Federal court, usually before the Supreme Court, and in important cases before the courts of appeals and often is involved in setting legal policy for the United States and helping to advise on that.…”