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Questions about the rule of law

frank November 15, 2021 at 23:48 1750 views 5 comments
Is rule of law really possible? If there are fundamental disagreements about how the constitution should be read, doesn't that mean political parties ultimately rule?

Comments (5)

James Riley November 16, 2021 at 00:00 #620943
There is a big difference between the way thing are and the way they are supposed to be (as laid out by our organic documents). At the end of the day, it's the Golden Rule: Those with the gold make the rules.

Chief Justice John Marshal said something to the effect that "It is emphatically the province of this court to say what the law is." Marbury v Madison. So the court(s), not the political parties, are supposed to articulate the rule of law, and the executive is supposed to enforce it. The legislature makes laws and the court(s) decide if those laws are Constitutional. I know you know all this, but I reiterate it just in case people lose the idea of what the rule of law is supposed to be.

Some will say Marshal pulled that out of his ass because it's not in the Constitution. But what else would courts do? Play golf? With life time appointments, they are supposed to be above money. Hmmmm.

Get money out of politics ( :rofl: ) and the rule of law is possible. Good luck. In the mean time, we get lip service and a scrap now and then if it serves money's purposes.
Deleted User November 16, 2021 at 02:00 #620989
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frank November 16, 2021 at 13:57 #621101
Reply to tim wood

For Hayek, there's a big difference between legislation and law. Legislation is top down. It could come from an elected congress, from an oligarchy, or a dictator, but to the average person it's all the same.

For Hayek, law is social norms that emerge spontaneously and need no government enforcement, like standing in line at the bank, and so forth.
baker November 22, 2021 at 21:36 #623113
Quoting tim wood
Usually we play by the rules of civil discourse. They do not. If they break the rules, we need to be able to respond appropriately and in timely manner.


How?

Do iIllustrate this on an example of your choosing.
Ciceronianus November 22, 2021 at 22:22 #623131
My understanding is the rule of law refers to its equal application and enforcement as regards all persons and entities. I don't think the phrase is intended to refer to the quality of the laws, which are assumed to be good. The rule of law isn't "all laws must be good" in other words. It requires independent adjudication and enforcement.