A Trip Out West: Day 2 - Richard Nixon Presidential Library

Friday morning I traveled a shorter distance (about a 45 min trip) to Yorba Linda, California to visit the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, the 5th Presidential Library that I have visited.  I guess this is odd for a individual my age, for a couple docents told me that only geriatric folks generally have visited as many at my age.  

A smallish man of statute

Was told that the lawn is used throughout the year for receptions and weddings

President Nixon was a Duke Law grad.  What that had to do with his ethics I'll let you decide.

"I want Putin!" 

What I found interesting about this rendition of the Oval Office was that it was quite sterile.  It didn't have portraits of any previous Presidents, just one of a young General Washington over the fireplace.  As you can see, the desk is large with nothing in the bottom middle.  That's because he generally had someone across from him typing away or doing other work.

For a President who was in office for only 6 years, Nixon appointed 4 SCOTUS Justices: Warren Burger, Harry Blackmun, Lewis Powell and William Rehnquist.

Model of the Cabinet room.

Vietnam was a big issue when Nixon got into office

A copy of the daily casualties report Nixon received. Prompted Nixon to expedite efforts to end the war.

Nixon did spend a week in China opening up relations with them.  My dad always recalled that to me.  Makes one wonder if there's parallels to current times...

A short history of tape recording in the White House.  Taping had been going on since FDR.  Nixon removed all recording equipment, but re-installed it after he found the notetakers inhibiting his conversations.  Instead of having recording selected meetings, Nixon wanted everything to be recorded for his future memoirs and historical record.  However, Watergate scuttled that idea much like Haman building the gallows in the Book of Esther.

Much emphasis on Watergate

 The copy of the proclamation of Nixon's pardon

Pat and President Nixon gravesite

Nixon's birthplace, which apparently was a "kit home" that was bought from a catalog and put together in pieces.

For a man known to have quite the foul mouth, Nixon did have some words of wisdom.

A Trip Out West: Day 1 - Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Wednesday night I traveled to LA to stay with my cousin for a couple days, primarily to watch a football game of his beloved University of Southern California Trojans.  However, I said that since I've gained momentum this year visiting Presidential libraries (Hoover and JFK this year) that we should go ahead and visit the two in southern California while I'm there.  So we left early Thursday morning (LA traffic is always terrible) to head to the Simi Valley to visit the Reagan Presidential Library

After about 2.5 hours in traffic (for about 80 miles), we finally arrived!

This library is the largest of any Presidential library I've visited.  It starts with this Spanish Courtyard when you walk towards the entrance.

"Glad to meet you, Mr. President!"

"Pleasure to meet you too, Mrs. First Lady!"

This Library is a very large complex, hanger pavillion the left side, library in the middle and memorial (not seen) on the right.

This library didn't focus too much on Reagan's life before politics.  There were relatively small sections about his upbringing, his interest in theatre and broadcasting and his movie career.  But things really begin to focus regarding his political career, from his work for Governor of California onward.

Reagan did write in a journal using very good script.

Do I look like a contender?

A large plane

A bit cozy inside

Chopper

Motorcade setup, interesting how vehicles change over the years

"Tear down this wall!" Yes, it's the actual Berlin Wall.

Not a bad view

The entire Brandenburg Gate speech

That famous section of that speech. Interesting how the pregnant pauses are inserted.

On the way out, we saw that history continues to be created.

The Reagan Library had a unique environment, presentation and experience. It did not shrink back on emphasizing Reagan's belief in mainstream conservative beliefs of smaller government, lower taxes and cutting regulations.  As I reflected on the way back into town, I was further convinced that Reagan had many similarities to the current President. Let me list them off:

• Both were notable media personalities before they entered politics;
• Both have had multiple marriages and multiple reports of infidelity against them;
• Both are known for their communication style, although they are different;
• Both advocate for the shrinking of the administrative state and lower taxes;
• Both have had strong political support from Christians, although neither is known for their churchgoing activity;
• Both became President at an older age; 
• Both are known for advocating space-centered national defense technology; and
• Both are known to have great political drive to get things down, especially in the area of international affairs. 

History is an interesting thing, just like this visit.

SCOTUS Thoughts: SCOTUS with Kavanaugh

Now that we are about a week into the current makeup of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) with the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh.  I want to present some initial thoughts on how the jurisprudence of the new SCOTUS could direct towards.  

I do not have additional thoughts on how Kavanaugh's confirmation went outside that it was a stark reminder of what happens when (1) decisions involve how much alcohol one consumes and (2) how debates go when we simply appeal to each other's lowest base natures.  I do think that it's best to try to move one and raise the standards of our dialogue.

The new John Roberts-led SCOTUS provokes these thoughts from me:

- Chief Justice Roberts is now considered the "swing-vote" on SCOTUS.  He's certainly to the right of retired Justice Anthony Kennedy.  However, while he may not vote for with the "liberal" bloc as often as Justice Kennedy, I feel he's quite chary to make sweeping decisions on very controversial issues like Roe vs. Wade and instead work towards more incrementalism that shifts the responsibility to the legislative branch like when he validated the individual mandate for Obamacare. 

- Areas where this SCOTUS would probably show a strong rightward shift I see are in these areas:

1) administrative law where regulatory agencies will most likely be reigned in from making regulatory decrees not specified through legislative mandate; 

2) gun ownership where there will probably be a large narrowing of what can be regulated, such as the scope of gun registration;

3) affirmative action where institutions (mainly in higher education) quotas based on race appear to be in great peril to be struck down at least for public institutions;

4) religious liberty in where folks can express their religious conscience in the public sphere, specifically in regards to forcing county clerks or business owners perform services outside of their conscience such as issuing services to LGBTQ individuals/couples.  However, I do not think Obergefell v Hodges will be overturned.

The issue of abortion is a tough one to predict.  While it appear the majority of SCOTUS would like to overturn Roe v Wade, I am skeptical they would actually do so.  First, I'm chary that Chief Justice Roberts would push the issue himself as he has some more leeway in what cases that SCOTUS will hear.  Second, I don't think that the other four Justices in the "conservative" bloc (Kavanaugh, Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch) will push the issue either, especially since Kavanaugh has in the past has skirted around the issue when he had the opportunity to do so...

Now we also know that the deciding vote in Kavanaugh's confirmation, Sen. Susan Collins, gave a strong argument in her reasoning that he supports Kavanaugh because she believes he wouldn't overturn Roe v. Wade

There has also been considerable focus on the future of abortion rights based on the concern that Judge Kavanaugh would seek to overturn Roe v. Wade. Protecting this right is important to me. To my knowledge, Judge Kavanaugh is the first Supreme Court nominee to express the view that precedent is not merely a practice and tradition, but rooted in Article III of our Constitution itself. He believes that precedent “is not just a judicial policy … it is constitutionally dictated to pay attention and pay heed to rules of precedent.” In other words, precedent isn’t a goal or an aspiration; it is a constitutional tenet that has to be followed except in the most extraordinary circumstances.

The judge further explained that precedent provides stability, predictability, reliance, and fairness. There are, of course, rare and extraordinary times where the Supreme Court would rightly overturn a precedent. The most famous example was when the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, correcting a “grievously wrong” decision--to use the judge’s term--allowing racial inequality. But, someone who believes that the importance of precedent has been rooted in the Constitution would follow long-established precedent except in those rare circumstances where a decision is “grievously wrong” or “deeply inconsistent with the law.” Those are Judge Kavanaugh’s phrases.

As Judge Kavanaugh asserted to me, a long-established precedent is not something to be trimmed, narrowed, discarded, or overlooked. Its roots in the Constitution give the concept of stare decisis greater weight such that precedent can’t be trimmed or narrowed simply because a judge might want to on a whim. In short, his views on honoring precedent would preclude attempts to do by stealth that which one has committed not to do overtly.

Noting that Roe v. Wade was decided 45 years ago, and reaffirmed 19 years later in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, I asked Judge Kavanaugh whether the passage of time is relevant to following precedent. He said decisions become part of our legal framework with the passage of time and that honoring precedent is essential to maintaining public confidence.

Now there are arguments both sides on whether this is a correct or utterly robust argument that Kavanaugh wouldn't overturn Roe v. Wade.  But to me it shows that he at least really doesn't want to support tackling the issue.  However, he may be more prone to support greater local restrictions, such as the ones recently passed in Iowa, the "Heartbeat" bill, which bans abortion six weeks after conception outside of rape, incest and medical emergency.  This would be in fact what overturning Roe v. Wade would actually do, as I noted in a previous blog during this confirmation debate.

But as a Nobel Laureate once said, "The answer my friend, is blowin in the wind.."