Orrin Hatch: “I rise to speak about the conflict over the Supreme Court vacancy created by the untimely death of Justice Antonin…”

“I rise to speak about the conflict over the Supreme Court vacancy created by the untimely death of Justice Antonin Scalia. This conflict has two dimensions, one focusing on the nominee and the second focusing on the confirmation process. America's Founders established a system of government that preserves liberty by limiting government and including a defined role for judges. Three of America's Founders provide principles helping to define that judicial role. James Wilson signed the Declaration of Independence, helped draft the Constitution, and was one of the six original Supreme Court Justices appointed by President George Washington. He explained our system of government by saying that ``here, the people are the masters of the government.'' The second principle is from President Washington himself, who said in a farewell address, on behalf of our system of government, that the basis of our system of government is that authority to control the Constitution belongs to the people. Alexander Hamilton served in the Continental Congress, helped draft the Constitution, and became the first Secretary of the Treasury. He wrote 51 of the 85 installments of the Federalist Papers, the single most important reference for understanding the Constitution. In Federalist No. 78, he wrote that the judiciary is the weakest and least dangerous branch because judges exercise judgment but not will.…”