Preserving, Protecting and Defending the Constitution?

You may have heard about comments last month by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Egyptian television about the American Constitution.

Keep in mind, Ginsburg, a former litigator for the ACLU and Bill Clinton appointee, took an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. Ginsburg told Egyptian TV that as Egypt writes its new constitution it should look at South Africa, even Canada, and not America for its model.

This is remarkable, but not surprising for a liberal. Liberals see the Constitution as an inconvenience. That's what President Obama suggested in an interview with NBC's Matt Lauer before Sunday's Super Bowl. The president said he is frustrated because Congress won't let him do all he wants to do. The Founders wanted it that way. They sought to restrain the powers of the executive and they wrote it down.

The Constitution might have more appeal if more judges obeyed it. Instead, too many make law, which is something else the Constitution prohibits. This is why elections matter, and considering the ages of at least three of the justices, the coming one will matter a very great deal.

I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.

Publication date: February 9, 2012