(Guest Commentary) Mike Farris – Citizens for Self-Governance – Senior Fellow for Constitutional Studies, co-founder of the Convention of States Project
One of the reasons we have accepted the premise of the “lesser of two evils” in our voting decisions, is that we don’t have clear ideas of what “good” looks like. This is the tenth in a series of ten short articles giving a coherent philosophy on what we should be looking for in a President.
We are so inundated with talk of the lesser of two evils, some fundamental analysis of a constitutionally and morally sound president seems appropriate.
10. We need a President who knows how to choose Supreme Court Justices & who understands the necessity of reducing the impact of the Supreme Court
The number one argument I hear from those who have reluctantly chosen to back the presumptive GOP nominee is that it is essential that he wrest control of the Supreme Court from Hillary Clinton.
Friends, that reveals something incredibly dangerous about the federal government. The real power is in the Court. The most important decisions are made there. The most important laws are made there.
This is not the way our Republic was supposed to work.
Congress should be the most important, the presidency second, and the judiciary last.
We need two things. A president who doesn’t need advisors to know the correct judicial philosophy–a team that helps find judges consonant with the view of constitutional originalism is essential–and we need a president who wants to help the states make the necessary constitutional changes to reduce the power of the Supreme Court.
I dream of a presidential election where the Supreme Court is not an issue because the justices are appointed by the states. That would institute some real checks and balances.
Give us a president who wants to devolve federal power–especially judicial power–and we will have a president who believes in freedom.
I hope you have benefited from this series.
Michael Farris is the Chancellor of Patrick Henry College and Chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association. During his career as a constitutional appellate litigator, he has served as lead counsel in the United States Supreme Court, eight federal circuit courts, and the appellate courts of thirteen states.
Farris has been a leader on Capitol Hill for over thirty years and is widely respected for his leadership in the defense of homeschooling, religious freedom, and the preservation of American sovereignty. A prolific author, Farris has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Salvatori Prize for American Citizenship by the Heritage Foundation and as one of the “Top 100 Faces in Education for the 20th Century” by Education Week magazine.
Farris received his B.A. in Political Science from Western Washington University. He later went on to earn his J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law, and his LL.M. in Public International Law, from the University of London.
Mike and his wife Vickie have ten children and 19 grandchildren.
