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Why Gingrich’s views on federal judiciary are so terrifying

[additional-authors]
January 19, 2012

With ” title=”endorsing Newt Gingrich” target=”_blank”>endorsing Newt Gingrich, now is probably a good time to discuss why Newt terrifies me.

All other political issues aside, Gingrich’s understanding of the judiciary’s role in the U.S. democracy is appalling. You don’t need to take Professor Varat’s federal courts class to know that there’s a problem with the president telling the Supreme Court justices to suck it when he doesn’t like one of their rulings.

But this basically is what Gingrich has said he will do starting on Day 1. Here is what he said Monday, via ” title=”far from the first time” target=”_blank”>far from the first time that Gingrich has demonstrated such contempt for the federal judiciary. Gingrich has ” title=”criticism for these views” target=”_blank”>criticism for these views. Michael Mukasey, who left the federal bench to serve as attorney general for George W. Bush, called Gingrich’s views ” title=”banana republic” target=”_blank”>banana republic.”

This issue is ripe with religion implications, and I’d like to add my two cents.

First, Gingrich’s understanding of whom gets to interpret the statutes and Constitution of the United States is fundamentally flawed. That is “

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