April 9, 2009

A Man Who's Sure Courts and the "Global Community" Will Remain on His Side

Justin Katz

Rick Santorum introduces his fellow Pennsylvanians (and us) to a man whom he says is on President Obama's short list for Supreme Court:

Watching President Obama apologize last week for America's arrogance - before a French audience that owes its freedom to the sacrifices of Americans - helped convince me that he has a deep-seated antipathy toward American values and traditions. His nomination of former Yale Law School Dean Harold Koh to be the State Department's top lawyer constitutes further evidence of his disdain for American values.

This seemingly obscure position in Foggy Bottom's bureaucratic maze is one of the most important in any administration, shaping foreign policy in the courts and playing a critical role in international negotiations and treaties.

Let's set aside Koh's disputed comments about the possible application of Sharia law in American jurisprudence. The pick is alarming for more fundamental reasons having to do with national sovereignty and constitutional self-governance.

What is indisputable is that Koh calls himself a "transnationalist." He believes U.S. courts "must look beyond national interest to the mutual interests of all nations in a smoothly functioning international legal regime. ..." He thinks the courts have "a central role to play in domesticating international law into U.S. law" and should "use their interpretive powers to promote the development of a global legal system."

And how's this for night-is-day speak:

He wrote that "the principles of human dignity and autonomy that are the essence of the modern right-protecting democracy demand that civil marriage be available to all couples and that the equality of all citizens triumph over historical attitudes."

In Koh's view, the underlying principles of democracy "demand" that the practice of democracy itself be circumvented. One suspects that Mr. Koh's personal beliefs align reasonably closely not only with principles, but practices, as well, that he believes a global judiciary ought to impose.

Comments, although monitored, are not necessarily representative of the views Anchor Rising's contributors or approved by them. We reserve the right to delete or modify comments for any reason.

The irony of Rick Santorum lecturing about somebody else's contempt for American values is delicious.

Posted by: rhody at April 9, 2009 3:03 PM

The byline of Santorum's article,
Obama is contemptuous of American values
What are American values?
Radical right-wing values from, Anchor Rising on the right, or radical left wing values, from RI future.
The term "American Values" means nothing

Unless he meant to say Santorum's Values

Posted by: Taylor at April 9, 2009 3:48 PM

Libbies asking what American values are. This is precious! A rare moment of leftie honesty. lol
I hereby offer my right hand to pull my lost leftist brethren from the abyss of generational socialist/marxist indoctrination which promotes mediocrity, reliance on government and those gosh darn feelings.
American values - family, God, country, freedom from government smother and the ability to self determine ones path in life through hard work

Posted by: Tim at April 9, 2009 4:46 PM

Thanks Timmy

FYI i am not a Lib

I am in the middle

Not a kook right-wingnut(Achor Rising)
or
A kook left-wingnut(RI Future)

Like MOST people in Rhode Island, and in
the USA

Posted by: Taylor at April 9, 2009 6:15 PM

Thanks Timmy

FYI i am not a Lib

I am in the middle

Not a kook right-wingnut(Achor Rising)
or
A kook left-wingnut(RI Future)

Like MOST people in Rhode Island, and in
the USA

Posted by: Taylor at April 9, 2009 6:19 PM

I won't be so arrogant as to define American values,but I do know that they should be defined by Americans,and not foreign powers.
Holder/Ogden/Koh=terrorist enabler/pedophile enabler/internationalist enabler

Posted by: joe bernstein at April 9, 2009 9:40 PM
Post a comment









Remember personal info?

Important note: The text "http:" cannot appear anywhere in your comment.