Bibliograph

Corrupted by power, the Supreme Court and the Constitution, Robert E. Riggs

Type

Label

Corrupted by power, the Supreme Court and the Constitution, Robert E. Riggs

Language

eng

Index

no index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Corrupted by power

Medium

electronic resource

Nature of contents

dictionaries

Responsibility statement

Robert E. Riggs

Sub title

the Supreme Court and the Constitution

Summary

Alexander Hamilton called the judiciary the "least dangerous" branch of government. He was right then but wrong today. Since Hamilton's time the Supreme Court has become a cardinal example of Lord Acton's famous dictum: "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." It is not a corruption of bribes, or even of bad intentions, but of taking upon itself the right to alter the Constitution whenever past principles offend present preferences of five or more Justices. Corrupted by Power shows how the Constitution is repeatedly changed to mean whatever the Supreme Court wants it to mean. Precedent is followed only when past decisions support current opinions. Otherwise precedents are overruled, misrepresented or ignored. A conspicuous example is the judicial manufacture of new First Amendment rights, including rights to advocate criminal behavior, publish degrading sex and extreme violence, and advertise vice. Can the Constitution be rescued? Discover what can be done

Target audience

adult

Classification