Dr. Paul Kengor is professor of political science at Grove City College I’ve gotten some very interesting emails regarding President Obama’s mandate commanding Roman Catholics (and many evangelical Protestants) to violate their consciences by providing mandatory contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing pharmaceuticals. The emailers noted that Obama’s action will force Catholics to challenge the president in court, particularly given that bishops are saying they will not comply with the law. It could mean another constitutional showdown over “ Obama-care ,” one that could likewise end up in the Supreme Court. Imagine: “ The Catholic Bishops v. Obama .” What a fitting capstone to the Obama presidency . And imagine that a majority of professing Roman Catholics elected this man in November 2008 . If this issue goes to the high court, I wouldn’t bet my money on Obama, even with the two new “pro-choice,” pro- Roe liberals he added to the bench: Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. Even the most “progressive” Supreme Court justice cannot avoid that old freedom-of-religion thing in the First Amendment. All of that is remarkable enough. But I find it especially ironic given two other fascinating current news item relating to the Constitution: Last week, President Obama did an interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer. Obama expressed frustration at his inability to be the “transformational political figure” Americans elected. The “change agent” lamented that this was the fault of the American Founders—who Obama refers to as “men of property and wealth”—and their Constitution. Obama told Lauer: What’s frustrated people is that I have not been able to force Congress to implement every aspect of what I said in 2008. Well, it turns out our Founders designed a system that makes it more difficult to bring about change that I would like sometimes. But what I have been able to do is move in the right direction. And what I’m going to keep on doing is plot away, very persistent. Ah, that old Constitution again. Obama is quite correct. His primary obstacle is the Founders’ system of separation of powers and checks and balances. His problem is a Congress and Supreme Court that is empowered to say, “No, Mr. President, that isn’t constitutional. You can’t do that in America.” Well, Obama’s mandate to the Catholic Church could be the next such challenge, again impeding his self-perceived rise to transcendent political greatness. A Democrat-controlled Congress approved Obama-care, but the Supreme Court now must scrutinize its provisions. That’s the court’s duty. That brings me to the second news item: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave an interview to Egyptian television. Ginsburg will likely be the next justice to step down. Once Obama replaces her with a much younger pro- Roe judge, this nation will have Roe v. Wade for another 39 years. In the interview, Ginsburg advised Middle East democrats on drafting a constitution. She did not, however, recommend the U.S. Constitution. Ginsburg stated: I can’t speak about what the Egyptian experience should be, because I’m operating under a rather old constitution. The United States, in comparison to Egypt, is a very new nation; and yet we have the oldest written constitution still in force in the world… I would not look to the U.S. Constitution if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012. I might look at the constitution of South Africa. That was a deliberate attempt to have a fundamental instrument of government that embraced basic human rights, and had an independent judiciary… It really is, I think, a great piece of work that was done. Much more recently than the U.S. Constitution, Canada has a Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It dates from 1982. You would almost certainly look at the European Convention on Human Rights. Yes, why not take advantage of what there is elsewhere in the world? Actually, why not take advantage of what’s in the U.S. Constitution? The paradox in Ginsburg’s statement is her dismissal of the U.S. Constitution because it’s “rather old;” in fact, “the oldest written constitution still in force in the world.” Well, why is it so old and still in force? Because it was done right. It is based on timeless values and virtues and universal rights that work; that are true. It has been amended less than 30 times in 220-some years. It is the most stable, successful, remarkable constitution in history, bringing together a vast array of peoples and assimilating them into history’s most prosperous, awe-inspiring nation—a nation that spent the 20th century winning freedom for other nations, so those nations could produce democracies and constitutions. The U.S. Constitution is the perfect model, at once both beautifully broad and specific. And among the things it got right are separation of powers and checks in balances. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and President Obama may be learning that again very soon—compliments of Obama-care and its constitutional assault on the consciences of religious believers. Dr. Paul Kengor is professor of political science at Grove City College, executive director of The Center for Vision & Values , and author of the newly released Dupes: How America’s Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century . His other books include The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism and God and Ronald Reagan .
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The Catholic Bishops v. Obama? President Obama and Justice Ginsburg on America’s ‘Rather Old Constitution’
AP – The Obama administration is working with its European and Arab allies to organize the inaugural meeting of the “Friends of Syria” to explore ways to further isolate President Bashar Assad, support his foes and end ongoing violence.
Markets closed down on Wall Street today: Dow -0.13 percent S&P -0.04 percent Nasdaq -0.13 percent Oil -0.67 percent Gold -0.25 percent On the commodities front: Oil ( NYSE:USO ) fell to $97.18 a barrel Gold ( NYSE:GLD ) down to $1,723.10 an ounce Silver ( NYSE:SLV ) fell 0.99 percent to settle at $33.67 (Related: More Than Half of Wall Street Says Bonuses Met Expectations ) Today’s markets were down because: 1) Greece: Stocks slipped lower today as investors awaited a Greek government decision on budget cuts required as part of a deal to secure a second bailout. Analysts believe that another bailout is necessary to avoid a disorderly default when 14.5 billion in bond payments are due March 20. No deal was reached over the weekend on austerity measures and financial reforms necessary to secure the bailout package from the European Union, International Monetary Fund, and European Central Bank. Furthermore, a formal offer for a debt swap with private creditors must be made by February 13 if all procedures are to be completed in time for the troika to release the bailout funds before the bond redemption next month. 2) Companies: A relative absence of major news, unfortunate in the instance of Greece, allowed companies to take the fore on Monday. Micron Technologies was trading down after CEO and chairman Steve Appleton died in a small-plane crash on Friday . Mark Duncan was appointed over the weekend to take his place. Coinstar, Verizon, and Netflix all climbed higher today after Coinstar, the parent of video rental company Redbox, announced that it had formed a joint venture with Verizon to compete against rival Netflix. 3) Earnings: Earnings season is still in full force, and results are being looked to as economic indicators. Hasbro shares climbed after fourth-quarter earnings beat forecasts by a penny a share, though sales fell short, while Humana shares dropped nearly 5 percent after reporting that fourth-quarter profit rose from a year earlier while providing upbeat guidance for 2012. Yum! Brands, which owns KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, also rose Monday in anticipation of results due after the bell. [ Editor’s note: the above is a cross post that originally appeared on Wall St. Cheat Sheet . ]
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Market Recap: Greece Continues Drag on Markets
China has ordered its airlines to ignore a 2008 European Union law that imposes a “ carbon emissions tax ” on all flights traveling to and from the EU. The carbon emissions tax will cost the airline industry an estimated €9 billion ($11.8 billion) by the end of 2020, Reuters reported back when the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the 2008 law was reasonable and “fair.” “Application of the emissions trading scheme to aviation infringes neither the principles of customary international law at issue, nor the open-skies agreement,” the ECJ said in its ruling. It has also been estimated by The European Commission that costs per passenger will increase by €2 ($2.60) to €12 ($15.60) for airlines participating in the cap-and-trade program. Unsurprisingly, international airlines are unhappy with the expensive new tax, as vocal opposition from both Canadian and U.S. airlines has made abundantly clear. However, going one step further than either the U.S. or Canada, China is the only country to outright disregard the EU’s expansion of its carbon cap-and-trade system . See the Euronews update: “China has ‘banned’ all airlines in the country from joining the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) aimed at cutting carbon emissions,” the BBC reports. “The authorities have also barred the airlines from increasing their fares or adding new charges for the scheme.” No compromise. “China objects to the EU’s decision to impose the scheme on non-EU airlines,” Xinhua quoted a statement by the Civil Aviation Administration of China as saying. Analysts believe that China has chosen to disregard the EU’s cap-and-trade law because the airline industry is volatile enough as it is. “The sector is already facing quite severe challenges,” Chris De Lavigne of Frost & Sullivan told the BBC. “The airline industry as a whole has already been hit by high fuel costs in the past couple of years and no one wants additional cost factors coming in.” Obviously, the decision by China to ignore the carbon emissions tax puts the EU in an odd position. Does the EU simply turn the other cheek or does it attempt to enforce its carbon tax? “We are not backing down and this legislation will apply to companies operating in Europe,” said Isaac Valero-Ladron, spokesman for EU climate action commissioner Connie Hedegaard. He warned that the law carries fines for airlines that ignore it. But will that make any difference? “It is going to be very tricky. You have to wait and see how the EU will react,” Siva Govindasamy of Flightglobal told the BBC. “They would be able to stop the Chinese airlines from flying to the EU, but that could see retaliatory action by China which will not be good for either side,” he added. Analysts believe that because of the parties involved, the EU will be forced to seek assistance from an international authority. “It could potentially end up on the desk of the World Trade Organization as the countries who are against it have said it is an unfair trade practice,” said Frost & Sullivan’s Mr Lavigne. “Both sides have claimed that this is either fair or unfair, so it is very difficult to see how this is going to shape up.” (H/T: Newser )
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No Surprise Here: China Orders its Airlines to Ignore EU Cap-and-Trade Scheme
WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — Targeting Iran’s economy, the U.S. ordered tough new penalties Monday to further pinch the country’s financial system and encourage Israel to give sanctions more time before any military action against Iran’s nuclear program. The new, stricter sanctions, authorized in legislation that President Barack Obama signed in December, will be enforced under an order he signed only now. They give U.S. banks new powers to freeze assets linked to the Iranian government and close loopholes that officials say Iran has used to move money despite earlier restrictions imposed by the U.S. and Europe. The action against the Central Bank of Iran is more significant for its timing than its immediate effect. It comes as the United States and its allies are arguing that tough sanctions can still persuade Iran to back off what the West contends is a drive to build a nuclear bomb. The U.S. and Europe want to deprive Iran of the oil income it needs to run its government and pay for the nuclear program. But many experts believe Iran will be able to find other buyers outside Europe. The European Union announced last month it would ban the import of Iranian crude oil starting in July. The U.S. doesn’t buy Iranian oil, but last month it placed sanctions on Iran’s banks to make it harder for the nation to sell crude. The U.S., however, has delayed implementing those sanctions for at least six months because it is worried about sending oil prices higher at a time when the world economy is struggling. Iran exports about 3 percent of the world’s oil The faster and more painfully sanctions can be seen to work, the better the case to shelve any plan by Israel to bomb Iran, a pre-emptory move that could ignite a new Mideast war. Taking this initial step against the Central Bank, the first time the U.S. has directly gone after that major institution, is one way the Obama administration can show momentum now. Israel, meanwhile, has been increasingly open about its worry that Iran could be on the brink of a bomb by this summer and that this spring offers the last window to destroy bomb-related facilities. Many Israeli officials believe that sanctions only give time for Iran to move its nuclear program underground, out of reach of Israeli military strikes. White House spokesman Jay Carney denied that Monday’s unexpected announcement of new banking sanctions was a sign of heightened worry about an Israeli attack. “There has been a steady increase in our sanctions activity and this is part of that escalation,” he said. Carney said U.S. sanctions on Iran are already squeezing Iran’s economy and have exacerbated tensions within the Iranian leadership. “There is no question that the impact of the isolation on Iran and the economic sanctions on Iran have caused added turmoil within Iran,” he said. Iran is the world’s third-largest exporter of crude oil, giving its leaders financial resources and leverage to withstand outside pressure. Last year, Iran generated $100 billion in revenue from oil, up from $20 billion a decade ago, according to IHS CERA, an energy consulting firm. If Iranian oil is prevented from getting to market, other suppliers could make up the difference. The U.S. has been pressuring other Middle East and African nations to step up production for sale to Europe. Saudi Arabia has said it could increase production to make up for any lost Iranian crude. Iran’s disputed nuclear program became a global concern more than five years ago, when the extent of the country’s research and uranium enrichment began to be known. Since then a web of international economic and other sanctions have failed to stop Iran’s progress toward a point when it could build one or more nuclear devices. U.S. intelligence agencies say Iran is indeed close to that ability but has not yet decided to go ahead. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful and denounces sanctions as aggression. The new U.S. penalties were unexpected now. The sanctions were included as an amendment in the wide-ranging defense bill the president signed in late December, though when and how they were to be levied on Iran was unclear. The White House had previously said it would take months to evaluate the likely effect on the fragile global economy before taking the next large steps, including new penalties on the Central Bank. Now, U.S. institutions are required to seize Iranian state assets they come across, rather than rejecting the transaction involved. The value of Iranian assets affected by the new order was not clear. Iran does almost no direct business with the United States after three decades of enmity, but its money moves through the world financial system and its oil is sold in dollars. In a letter to Congress, Obama said more sanctions were warranted, “particularly in light of the deceptive practices of the Central Bank of Iran and other Iranian banks.” He cited the hiding of transactions of people or institutions and other loopholes. In an interview Sunday with NBC, Obama said the U.S. has “a very good estimate” of when Iran could complete a nuclear weapon, and he spoke favorably of the effect of sanctions and diplomacy to resolve the impasse. Obama addressed the concern about Israel but suggested there is still time. “I don’t think Israel has made a decision on what they need to do,” Obama said. He did not answer a question about whether Israel has promised to notify the United States before any pre-emptory strike. Republican presidential candidates have accused Obama of being too timid in his dealings with Iran, and while U.S. officials reject that characterization they acknowledge they are stepping cautiously because of fear of upsetting the global economy.
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U.S. Imposes Tougher Sanctions on Iran, But Will it Ease Israeli Fears?
Greece’s coalition government has finally agreed to cut civil service jobs, announcing 15,000 positions would go this year, amid mounting international pressure to agree on austerity measures needed to secure major new debt agreements. The announcement Monday signals a shift in Greece’s policy, as state jobs have so far been protected during the country’s acute financial crisis, which started about two years ago. Public Sector Reform Minister Dimitris Reppas said the job cuts would be carried out under a new law that allows such firings. Naturally, this hasn’t gone over well with the unions. Unions have called a 24-hour general strike for Tuesday, in response to the new austerity measures, while about 4,000 protesters joined protest rallies organized in central Athens by left-wing opposition parties. Greece is racing to push through the tough reforms – which have yet to be agreed to by Greece’s coalition partners – to clinch a €130 billion ($170 billion) bailout deal from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and avoid a March default on its bond repayments. Creditors involved in the bailout negotiations have demanded spending cuts in defense, health and social security, a cut in the minimum wage, as well as the civil service layoffs. The government has promised to reduce the 750,000-strong broader public sector by 150,000 by the end of 2015, but has so far insisted it could reach that target through staff attrition. “We are opposed to indiscriminate firings,” Reppas said. “The work force reduction is strictly connected with the restructuring of services and organizations at each ministry.” Officials at the Public Sector Reform Ministry gave no details of the new plan, nor would they say how many of the job cuts would be compulsory. European Commission spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio said Greece is already “beyond the deadline” to end the talks. After talks in Paris with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there can be no bailout deal unless Athens implements creditors’ proposals. “(The proposals) are on the table,” she said. “And time is pressing. Therefore something has to happen quickly.” “Time is pressing and for the entire eurozone much is at stake,” Merkel added. In Athens, talks between the government and debt inspectors from the EU, IMF and the European Central Bank – known as the troika – dragged into early Tuesday. “The negotiations with the troika are ongoing for the new loan program. It is clear that there is a lot of pressure being put on the country. A lot of pressure is being placed on the Greek people,” Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said during a break in the talks. He called on coalition parties to end the bickering and work more closely together. “No one is as strong as Hercules on his own to face the Lernaean Hydra,” a swamp monster in Greek mythology, he said. “We must all, together, fight this battle, without petty party motives and slick moves.” Greece is in its fifth year of recession, while unemployment has hit record highs of about 19 percent – following a spate of austerity measures in return for the rescue loans, that included significant cuts in pensions and salaries coupled with repeated tax hikes and an increase in retirement ages. “The current policy of austerity … is turning workers into pariahs, jobless people and pensioners into paupers and deprives our youth of any hope,” a statement from the main civil servants’ union ADEDY said. “This policy has already pushed Greeks beyond their limits and must be stopped at any cost.” Yiannis Panagopoulos, leader of Greece’s largest union, the GSEE, said the creditors’ demands were certain to lead to more hardship. “What is going on is not a negotiation,” he said. “It’s blunt, cynical blackmail targeting an entire people.” The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Greece Finally Begins to Layoff Public Employees
Reuters – The Obama administration is increasingly anxious about Israeli leaders’ provocative public comments on Iran’s nuclear program but does not have hard proof that it will strike Iran in the next few months, U.S. and European officials said.
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U.S. anxiety grows over possible Israeli plans on Iran
(Reuters)
Markets closed down on Wall Street today: Dow -0.05 percent S&P -0.25 percent Nasdaq -0.16 percent Oil -0.59 percent Gold -0.21 percent On the commodities front: Oil ( NYSE:USO ) fell slightly to $98.97 a barrel Gold ( NYSE:GLD ) falling to $1,731.70 an ounce Silver ( NYSE:SLV ) fell 1.04 percent to settle at $33.44 (Related: The Decline and Fall of Print Media ) Today’s markets were down because: 1) Greece: Stocks slipped today as investors awaited news from a European summit in Brussels where leaders are expected to approve a permanent rescue fund for the euro zone and put the finishing touches on a so-called “fiscal compact” for stricter budget discipline. But discussions devolved into a sparring match between Greece and other nations critical of Greece’s half-hearted efforts to get its deficit under control. The country has yet to effect a debt writedown deal with private creditors needed if Greece’s troika of lenders — the European Union, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund – are to release its 130 billion-euro bailout now thought to be insufficient to buoy Greece’s flailing economy. 2) Spending: Consumer spending was completely flat in November, the Commerce Department reported this morning. Though spending rose 4.7 percent for the year, when adjusting for inflation, it fell 0.1 percent in the final month of 2011, breaking three months of gains and setting the tone for a slowdown in 2012. 3) Banks: Financial stocks were among the worst performers on Monday, with Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC ) the biggest decliner on the Dow, falling about 3 percent. Citigroup ( NYSE:C ), Wells Fargo ( NYSE:WFC ), Goldman Sachs ( NYSE:GS ), and Morgan Stanley ( NYSE:MS ) all declined between 1 percent and 2 percent. [ Editor’s note: the above is a cross post that originally appeared on Wall St. Cheat Sheet . ]
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Market Recap: Stocks Decline on Greek Crisis
At Wall Street Journal , ” Afghan Immigrants in Canada Found Guilty of Honor Killing “: TORONTO—A Canadian court found two Afghan immigrant parents and their eldest son guilty of murdering four female family members in a so-called honor killing Sunday, the climax of a case that’s transfixed Canada and sparked a wider debate about clashing cultures amid the country’s large immigrant population. Mohammad Shafia, his wife, Tooba Mohammad Yahya, and eldest son, Hamed, were found guilty of killing Mr. Shafia’s three teenage daughters and Mr. Shafia’s first wife in an elaborately staged, though ultimately bungled, car accident in June 2009. The defense argued the four died after a late-night joy ride went awry. The four-month trial opened a relatively rare window onto honor killings in North America. The crime, where victims are murdered for bringing shame on their family, is increasingly common in western European countries like Britain and Sweden, which has seen large-scale immigration from countries where researchers say the custom happens most—such as Pakistan, India and Turkey …. The prosecution argued it was honor rooted in Afghan tribal traditions that led Mr. Shafia to cleanse the shame he felt from the conduct of his rebellious daughters, Zainab, 19 years old, Sahar, 17, and Geeti, 13. The eldest two took unapproved boyfriends, and all three disobeyed their father through their independent behavior and sometimes-revealing dress. Rona Amir Mohammad, who was Mr. Shafia’s first spouse in the polygamous family, was killed, the prosecution argued, because she was a troublesome first wife and lenient step mother. The trial filled the Canadian press with the macabre details of a murder in which police believe the victims were drowned and then placed into a car that was then pushed into a lock outside of Kingston, near Toronto. The local press printed police transcripts of a ranting Mr. Shafia calling his daughters “whores” and boasting, “nothing is more dear to me than my honor.” Video c/o Blazing Cat Fur . And my previous roundup is here: ” Shafia Family Guilty of Honor Killings in Canada: Updates .”
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Shafia Convictions Put Focus on Culture of Honor Killings
