Letters: Abandoning logic, stare decisis; Thompson votes against constituents

Abandoning logic, stare decisis

The U.S. Constitution contains three types of provisions: (1) structure of the new federal government; (2) specific citizens’ rights; (3) powers belonging to federal or state governments.

Type (2) provisions include rights of religion, speech, press and assembly (Amendment 1); right to be secure in our homes (Amendment 4); freedom from self-incrimination and double jeopardy (Amendment 5); rights of trial and access to counsel (Amendment 6).

Section 8 of Article I enumerates various powers exclusive to the federal government, such as printing money, establishing post offices, and declaring war. Other powers can be exercised by both federal and state governments, such as establishing courts, passing laws, granting pardons, and establishing military forces. (Federal forces are armies and navies; state forces were once militias and are now national guards.)

Is Amendment 2 a Type (2) or a Type (3) provision?

Conservatives argue that gun ownership is a Type (2) right, just like press, speech and religion. If that’s so, why wasn’t it included in Amendment 1? If it supports homeowners’ security rights, why wasn’t it included in Amendment 4? If it’s an individual right independent of “well-regulated militia,” why does Amendment 2 contain its initial subordinate clause?

The Supreme Court has been repeatedly asked to settle this Amendment 2 question. Previously, SCOTUS consistently ruled it to be Type (3). Only recently did a conservative court reverse that precedent and declare it Type (2).

Apparently, logic and stare decisis can be abandoned when conservative justices choose to serve their personal preferences.

Thompson votes against constituents

I already knew that Congressman Glenn Thompson is eager to take away womens’ right to control their reproductive health care decisions.

But I had no idea he was so extreme that he would also take away peoples’ right to use contraception!

According to the July 25 CDT, Thompson voted against HR 8373, the Right to Contraception Act. If it becomes law, this would prohibit state legislatures from denying people access to contraception.

Apparently, Thompson thinks it’s OK if, for example, Republicans in the Pennsylvania legislature outlaw birth control in Pennsylvania. Are you OK with that? I’m not.

If Thompson gave any thought to this issue, he would want contraception to be widely available. After all, that’s the best way to reduce the need for abortions.

For some reason, Congressman Thompson keeps voting to make life more difficult for his constituents. Let’s vote him out in November.

The growth of an empire

This month the rising wolf moon faced the setting sun across the living land.

We came into this country at the end of our revolution with Colonel Potter coming to the crest of Centre Hall mountain following Indian trails as we hear him exclaim looking at the valley spread out below him, “I have discovered an empire.”

How big today is this empire? An African COVID specialist crying out at the failure to provide her continent with vaccines — “yes, I know people will take care of their own first.”

Look again now at this empire. How big is it? It includes every living being in the world.