I agree with Armando that the baseball analogy Judge Roberts used today in his opening statement can provide a useful tool to demonstrate the limitations or flaws in his strict constructionist philosophy. But what worried me even more was his
claim that he would bring "a certain humility" to the "judicial role." I remember what happened the last time one of these con[servative] men seeking office got in front of a national audience and told us how "humbly" they would perform. And its not a good precedent.
Remember the foreign policy debate that Mr. Bush had with Al Gore in October 2000? These are just a few select quotes from Mr. Bush in the
debate in which he promised us a "humble" foreign policy:
If we're an arrogant nation, they'll resent us; if we're a humble nation, but strong, they'll welcome us. And our nation stands alone right now in the world in terms of power, and that's why we've got to be humble, and yet project strength in a way that promotes freedom . . . .
But we can't be all things to all people in the world, Jim. And I think that's where maybe the Vice President and I begin to have some differences. I'm worried about over committing our military around the world. I want to be judicious in its use. You mentioned Haiti. I wouldn't have sent troops to Haiti. I didn't think it was a mission worthwhile. It was a nation building mission. And it was not very successful. It cost us a couple billions of dollars and I'm not sure democracy is any better off in Haiti than it was before . . . .
I'm not so sure the role of the United States is to go around the world and say this is the way it's got to be. We can help. And maybe it's just our difference in government, the way we view government. I mean I want to empower people. I want to help people help themselves, not have government tell people what to do. I just don't think it's the role of the United States to walk into a country and say, we do it this way, so should you.
So Judge Roberts' humility talk in his opening statement has a familiar ring to it. Is this what Judge Roberts has in mind when he talks about his "humble" judicial philosophy?