Part-Time Pundit: Historical Precident for Societies Run by Judges

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April 19, 2005

Historical Precident for Societies Run by Judges

Much as been written about Sen. Corzine's comments about people being frustrated with the judicial rule of the former Republic of the United States of America. (You can read it here, here,and elsewhere).

You can keep calling it judicial intimidation, but the series of checks and balances means that there are in fact checks on the judiciary. It doesn't mean the First Amendment is unconstitutional simply because a judge has spoken on any issue and you disagree. But in the end, (which is quoted below) the bible story on how kings began to rules over Israel comes to mind. Judges were corrupt and perverted justice (just as letting a homicide occur when an unfaithful husband starves his wife to death so he can marry another woman throwing aside numerous laws to do so with the help of a society of judges) and the people got fed up and demanded a king so at least they'd only have one set of corrupt rules to follow instead of the multitude of rules that result in a society ruled by judges (see "jurisdiction shopping").

The end game of this is either we stop and reverse the trend of judicial control of the United States and the elimination of any discussion on issues because a judiciary refuses to acknowledge Congress as an appropriate legislative body, or we can wait and eventually revolt when people realize they are being tyrannically controlled by their black-robed masters, or we can just kiss freedom goodbye and ask lawyers if it is ok every time we go to the bathroom.

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From Virginia's RSV online:

1: When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
2: The name of his first-born son was Jo'el, and the name of his second, Abi'jah; they were judges in Beer-sheba.
3: Yet his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice.
4: Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
5: and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint for us a king to govern us like all the nations."
6: But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7: And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
8: According to all the deeds which they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.
9: Now then, hearken to their voice; only, you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."
10: So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking a king from him.
11: He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots;
12: and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.
13: He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
14: He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
15: He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.
16: He will take your menservants and maidservants, and the best of your cattle and your asses, and put them to his work.
17: He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.
18: And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day."
19: But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No! but we will have a king over us,
20: that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles."
21: And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD.
22: And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hearken to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel then said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."
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