Who's the most right-wing poster on this message board?

[J-Mann]

Yes, Richius would be if I could take him at face value.  Not you, Philip - you lean sort-of libertarian.  States is pretty far right, and I suppose Keystone Phil would be right up there, too.  And just because he wants to be the furthest to the right, I'll say that bushforever is at the top of the list!

[J-Mann]

Someone should make a scale that includes names of all the regular posters and put them on a right-to-left scale...or perhaps the more complicated diamond scale that includes libertarian and populist quadrants.

[J-Mann]

I love when people throw around that I'm far right yet can't back it up. Cashcow and J-Mann that is something you have to learn about me. I am not far right and when people insist that I am, I ask for details to which I can never get an acceptable response.

It's an internet message board, kid - it's not like I'm trying to get to know you personally.  I think you're right wing because of what you've posted (or what I've read).  If you are far different in real life, or posts that I haven't seen indicate that you're not a righty, so be it; I'll never know.  I think it's a bit amusing that anyone who has been labeled as a rightist in this thread has come back insisting that they're a moderate, as if being a right-winger is something horrible.

[J-Mann]

Stacking the courts is a very liberal position. The communists can't be troubled with little things like the Constitution, so they appoint judges to come up with a "broad interpretation" so contrary to what the framers intended that even they can live with it.

If Bush were to propose it, it would not be liberal.  It was only liberal with FDR because he likely would have appointed liberal judges.  Overall, it's a manuever designed (at the time) to afford the executive more control over the judiciary and thus the laws of the state, which would be seen as quite conservative, as in the same vein of a monarchy.

[J-Mann]

What president, over the last century, made a serious effort to force his ideology on the court, exclusive of appointment?  FDR.

Only an example, JJ - stacking the court is not a "liberal" thing to do just because FDR happens to be a Democrat, and I have a feeling that's where Philip is getting his logic.  Anything that is designed to put more power in the hands of the state is inherently a conservative and atavistic manuever.  You have to remove Republican, Democrat, and our politicized ideals of liberal and conservative from any such discussion.

[J-Mann]

Give me an example of conservative activism somewhere in the federal courts.

The very recent case of the judge ordering a woman to have no more children. (Not federal, but very arguably activist.)

BUT, you're missing the point.  Court stacking and giving more power to the state is not liberal just because FDR did it.  Don't confuse modern ideology with the greater meanings of liberal and conservative.

[J-Mann]

No, I am suggesting that the greatest effort to politicize the Court and to alter its composition in the last 105 years was done to advance an exceptionally liberal agenda.  The tactic is not, in itself liberal but it has been more greatly used by the liberals during this period.

Agreed - FDR (and thus, as you say, a liberal agenda) was behind the court stacking case.  I was trying to explain to Philip that while liberals may have used such a tactic, it is an inherently conservative idea.

[J-Mann]

I would argue that creating more government is not a conservative idea.  Using Congress to remove the authority of the Court would be.

I suppose it could depend on what you wanted to do with that government.  Putting more power in the hands of the state as FDR sought to do is conservative, just as oligarchies and monarchies are conservative.

[J-Mann]

I would argue that creating more government is not a conservative idea.  Using Congress to remove the authority of the Court would be.

I suppose it could depend on what you wanted to do with that government.  Putting more power in the hands of the state as FDR sought to do is conservative, just as oligarchies and monarchies are conservative.

HUH?  More power to the states?  By FDR?  What?  The creator of social security?  The guy who had half his laws declared Constitutional because he was nationalizing all control?

THE state - singular - as in a nation.  Some ideas are broader than libertarian US politics.

[J-Mann]

I was joking when I said I was a moderate. Of course I am a right winger and proud of it!

I knew you were!  That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside...someone admitting their beliefs and being proud of them!