#supreme

Even though Article IV of the Constitution says that treaties are the 'supreme law of the land,' in most instances they're not even law. ↗

— Sonia Sotomayor

#constitution #even #instances #iv #land

Struggles to coerce uniformity of sentiment in support of some end thought essential to their time and country have been waged by many good as well as by evil men. Nationalism is a relatively recent phenomenon but at other times and places the ends have been racial or territorial security, support of a dynasty or regime, and particular plans for saving souls. As first and moderate methods to attain unity have failed, those bent on its accomplishment must resort to an ever-increasing severity. . . . Those who begin coercive elimination of dissent soon find themselves exterminating dissenters. Compulsory unification of opinion achieves only the unanimity of the graveyard. It seems trite but necessary to say that the First Amendment to our Constitution was designed to avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings. There is no mysticism in the American concept of the State or of the nature or origin of its authority. We set up government by consent of the governed, and the Bill of Rights denies those in power any legal opportunity to coerce that consent. Authority here is to be controlled by public opinion, not public opinion by authority. If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. ↗

— Robert H. Jackson

#supreme-court #design

But some one will say that this supreme Being, who made all things, and those also who conferred on men particular benefits, are entitled to their respective worship. ↗

— Lactantius

#also #being #benefits #conferred #entitled

We need to consider nominations as thoroughly and carefully as the American people deserve. No one is entitled to a free pass to a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. ↗

— Patrick Leahy

#american people #appointment #carefully #consider #court

The Supreme Court and courts in general have been usurping the role of the legislative branch of government. ↗

— Todd Akin

#branch #court #courts #general #government

The first revolt is against the supreme tyranny of theology, of the phantom of God. As long as we have a master in heaven, we will be slaves on earth. ↗

— Mikhail Bakunin

#earth #first #god #heaven #long

Our national media refuses to report that even the Supreme Court did not say marriage was a human right in all cases nor did it say that the heterosexual definition violated anyone's right or that the heterosexual definition of marriage was unconstitutional. ↗

— Stockwell Day

#cases #court #definition #did #even

That is, we believed, the supreme duty of the parent, who only was permitted to claim in some degree the priestly office and function, since it is his creative and protecting power which alone approaches the solemn function of Deity. ↗

— Charles Eastman

#approaches #believed #claim #creative #degree

The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. ↗

— Dwight D. Eisenhower

#field #football #football field #gang #integrity

Soon after I returned to private practice, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger called me one day. ↗

— Fred F. Fielding

#burger #called #chief #chief justice #court