At first glance, I was very happy to see this. I think, for the most part, I still am. I usually take pride in the fact that I’ve actually read the Constitution, and for the most part know what is and what isn’t Constitutional. I wish I had thought of that though. I don’t understand how, in almost 220 years, no one thought to invoke this clause in Article III, Section 2 that says:
… the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.
With all of the judicial activism going on these days, this is probably the best way of fighting runaway courts. A new bill being introduced by both Houses of the Congress addresses both the issue of addressing God in the public square and the increasingly appalling trend in the courts to look to foreign law in making their decisions. The bill states:
The Supreme Court shall not have jurisdiction to review, by appeal, writ of certiorari, or otherwise, any matter to the extent that relief is sought against an element of Federal, State, or local government, or against an officer of Federal, State, or local government (whether or not acting in official personal capacity), by reason of that element’s or officer’s acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government.
And:
In interpreting and applying the Constitution of the United States, a court of the United States may not rely upon any constitution, law, administrative rule, Executive order, directive, policy, judicial decision, or any other action of any foreign state or international organization or agency, other than the constitutional law and English common law.
I am in favor of the bill, but am a little worried that in the future, when the Houses of Congress are more heavily Liberal, the same action can be taken to hinder more Conservative rulings. Liberals love to pass and enforce unconstitutional measures, and if they can find Constitutional ways to make it work, they will. They simply have to pass two bills to get whatever they want. The first is the thing itself and the second is a bill preventing the courts from ruling on the first. Dangerous!