House of Eratosthenes

Throughout several years, I’ve learned that people who offer opinions at the water cooler are far, far, far more numerous than people who contact their elected representatives who could actually do something about the issues that arouse their concern. I don’t understand why that is. Perhaps it’s because most people are more practical than I am, and figure out that when their representative is just a pinhead left-wing hippy — better to sound off to a co-worker with an open mind, but lacking any power to do anything about the issue, than someone with a closed mind, even if the latter person does have that power.

Maybe I just have a learning disability and can’t come to understand that. It seems that a lot of our representatives are, indeed, far more responsive to the internal machinations of their parties than they are to the desires of their constituents, but it also seems to me that that’s a self-fulfilling prophecy when those constituents fail to participate in the process. And I don’t mean “vote on election day” when I say participate. I mean take the time to let your representatives know of your concerns.

Hey look, the congressmen and senators will pretend they listened to you whether they did, or not; whether they’ll be honest when they do so, is up to the people who decide to speak up — or decide not to.

January 11:

Dear Sen. Feinstein,

As you are aware, there are several voters in California who, like me, are legitimately worried about innocent women and children being able to defend themselves when in close proximity to dangerous people.

We have reason to maintain this concern. Last week, Judge Edward Cashman of Vermont, suspended all but sixty days of the sentence of a habitual child molester. You read that right: A man sexually abused a little girl, at least three times over the last four years, and for this will be required to spend only two months in prison. This has been defended as a clever maneuver to make the offender eligible for “treatment,” but of course there is no guarantee that this treatment will be successful compared to the simple and time-honored recipe of simply keeping the perpetrator where he belongs. Away from children!

Because of this, and other legal wrangling by our legislatures and judicial officers, both at the state and federal level, we continue to view the task of defending oneself, and one’s dependents, as well as innocent bystanders, just as much a personal obligation as a function of government — if not even moreso. The reason this should be of concern to you, is simple: As a member of the Senate judiciary committee, you sit in judgment of the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to our nation’s highest court.

The home page on your website indicates you have serious concerns about Judge Alito’s alleged reticence toward maintaining Congress’ traditional, yet unlegislated, authority to regulate firearms. As your constituent, I implore you to “throttle back” on this concern for two reasons:

a) To show your respect to the Bill of Rights, amendment by amendment, as each amendment was written. As you are aware, the text of the Second Amendment specifies the right of The People was not to be infringed. It does not prohibit any particular party from doing anything, nor does it extend any guarantee to any party except for The People. The meaning of this law is clear: We, the People, are to enjoy this guarantee, completely, in perpetuity. It is government’s sacred obligation to us to safeguard this guarantee, so historically, the government has not been lax in dismantling this right; if anything, it has been lax in maintaining it.

b) President Bush has presented to you, and by extension to the concerned voters of California, a unique opportunity to “heal the rift” between blue-staters and red-staters. The committee hearings have made it abundantly clear: Judge Alito would be a fair-minded jurist serving on our nation’s highest court. He would use his authority to do, essentially, what people of conservative and liberal leanings both say they want done on the bench: interpret law, as opposed to inventing new law (or unilaterally gutting old law).

Senator Feinstein, I implore you to do your part to heal our fractured nation. Recognize the excellent candidate who has been placed before you. Restore our confidence that our leaders, of different parties, can work together. Send Judge Alito’s nomination to the Senate floor for a full vote. Oppose any filibuster, be it actually initiated or merely suggested, and vote to confirm Judge Alito for the Supreme Court.

Thank you for your consideration,

Morgan K. Freeberg

January 12:

Dear Mr. Freeberg:

Thank you for writing to me about the nomination of Judge
Samuel Alito, Jr. to replace Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the
Supreme Court. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome this
opportunity to respond.

Now that the President has put forth another nominee to succeed
Justice O’Connor, the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which I am a
member, must fulfill its obligation to thoroughly review his record, read
his opinions and evaluate his judicial philosophy.

This new justice will be critical in the balance with respect to
rulings on Congressional and Executive authority, as well as a woman’s
right to privacy, environmental protections, and many other aspects of
Constitutional law. Since Judge Alito has been nominated to fill Justice
O’Connor’s seat, the extraordinary importance of this nomination
cannot be overstated. Having said that, I intend to reserve judgment until
our due diligence and the formal hearings in January are completed.

Once again, thank you for sharing your views with me. I will be
sure to take them into consideration as the nomination process moves
forward. Should you have any additional comments or questions, please
feel free to contact my office in Washington, D.C. at (202) 224-3841.

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

January 11:

Dear Sen. Boxer,

It appears likely that soon, the nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito to the Supreme Court will proceed to the floor of the Senate for a vote.

I’m sure you share the concerns that I, as one of your constituents, have about the fracturing of our country’s political dialog. It seems lately that very little of what a Republican political figure has to say anymore, has any intellectual applicability to any one of his constituents who “lean left,” nor does the material put out by a Democratic leader have any use to a constituent who favors the “right.” This has been getting worse in recent years.

President Bush has presented to you, and by extension to the concerned voters of California, a unique opportunity to heal the rift. The committee hearings have made it abundantly clear: Judge Alito would be a fair-minded jurist serving on our nation’s highest court. He would use his authority to do, essentially, what people of conservative and liberal leanings both say they want done on the bench: interpret law, as opposed to inventing new law (or unilaterally gutting old law).

Senator Boxer, I implore you to do your part to heal our fractured nation. Recognize the excellent candidate who has been placed before you. Restore our confidence that our leaders can work together. Oppose any filibuster, be it actually initiated or merely suggested, and vote to confirm Judge Alito for the Supreme Court.

Thank you for your consideration,

Morgan K. Freeberg

January 24:

Dear Mr. Freeberg:

Thank you for writing to me about President Bush’s nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito to serve as Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

As you may know, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of Judge Alito on January 24, 2006. Below please find a statement that I delivered in opposition to Judge Alito’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court:

Following that Sen. Boxer attached, in total, a statement I found on her website through a search engine. You can read it here.

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Thursday, January 26th, 2006