What our supreme courts say about us
In the UK, a new law is created to overturn its decision. In the US, they slug it out. And in Canada? Bland indifference
In western democracies like the UK, the USA and Canada, the role of the supreme court can be revealing. Constitutionally, it is straightforward enough – the court lays down the law, and the other civil institutions listen carefully and respond.
But this can be stressful for the institutions and the politicians who inhabit them. A politician's ears must be exquisitely attuned to every subtle harmony in the symphony of power; a supreme court decision can burst through the music like a jack hammer starting up in the lobby. How institutions respond to that kind of stress can reveal the political and cultural peculiarities of the democracies involved. Three recent cases show just how peculiar a political culture can get.
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
No comments:
Post a Comment