Welcome back to
the Liberty Insider.
00:00:05.33\00:00:07.54
Before the break with
the guest, John Ashmeade.
00:00:07.57\00:00:09.74
I was testing his
opinions on, not the opinions,
00:00:09.77\00:00:14.64
his knowledge on the
dynamic of quotes being stacked,
00:00:14.68\00:00:19.21
and conservative
liberal judges, and so on.
00:00:19.25\00:00:22.02
And you started the
program as I remember
00:00:22.05\00:00:24.39
mentioning Justice Scalia.
00:00:24.42\00:00:26.32
Right.
00:00:26.35\00:00:27.69
And at one level he
might not be missed,
00:00:27.72\00:00:30.06
he was one of the Cold War
00:00:30.09\00:00:33.26
right wing
warriors of the court.
00:00:33.29\00:00:35.90
But I heard him
a couple of times,
00:00:35.93\00:00:37.27
he was
fascinating to the extreme.
00:00:37.30\00:00:40.74
And he certainly was the
type that would stack the deck.
00:00:40.77\00:00:44.11
But how have things changed
in your view since he lived.
00:00:44.14\00:00:47.94
His leaving
really changed things
00:00:47.98\00:00:51.28
that for example,
00:00:51.31\00:00:52.65
Thomas for the first
time spoke, you remember?
00:00:52.68\00:00:56.52
Right, right. You know...
00:00:56.55\00:00:58.52
They were fellow
travelers, but Thomas,
00:00:58.55\00:01:00.79
Justice Thomas never
spoke that I know on record,
00:01:00.82\00:01:03.93
but he spent within
days of Scalia leaving.
00:01:03.96\00:01:07.36
Right, you know, I think
00:01:07.40\00:01:10.53
that Scalia was
a brilliant jurist,
00:01:10.57\00:01:12.73
I, you know, don't necessarily
agree with all of his opinions.
00:01:12.77\00:01:18.57
I think that he
wrote the worst decision
00:01:18.61\00:01:21.44
for religious
liberty of all times,
00:01:21.48\00:01:24.08
the Smith
decision, but that said,
00:01:24.11\00:01:27.65
you know, he had a real
sense of how he viewed the world
00:01:27.68\00:01:31.12
and certainly had the intellect
and the writing skills,
00:01:31.15\00:01:34.59
and the ability to,
you know, put pen to paper
00:01:34.62\00:01:37.29
and to get his
point of view across.
00:01:37.33\00:01:39.89
I also think that Justice Thomas
00:01:39.93\00:01:42.46
is far smarter than
people give him credit for.
00:01:42.50\00:01:44.83
Oh, he's having it short
for his behavior, but, I mean,
00:01:44.87\00:01:51.11
it was a very
contentious confirmation
00:01:51.14\00:01:53.17
that he would
make up the first place
00:01:53.21\00:01:54.94
if he'd been an
incompetent judge.
00:01:54.98\00:01:57.01
He's hardly...
00:01:57.05\00:01:58.85
I think he has
some extreme positions
00:01:58.88\00:02:01.62
in the black community.
00:02:01.65\00:02:03.79
I can't be too
happy on his comments
00:02:03.82\00:02:05.45
on affirmative action.
00:02:05.49\00:02:06.82
And that I think he's
got a chip on his shoulder.
00:02:06.86\00:02:08.32
But now he's a very competent,
00:02:08.36\00:02:09.72
and I've heard him give
the commencement addresses,
00:02:09.76\00:02:13.36
and he knows what
he's still good...
00:02:13.40\00:02:15.26
Right, you know,
in terms of the court,
00:02:15.30\00:02:17.57
I think, you know,
that that five, four dynamic
00:02:17.60\00:02:21.10
sort of has remained
in place, even, you know,
00:02:21.14\00:02:24.21
since Justice
Scalia's untimely departure,
00:02:24.24\00:02:28.84
and, you know, now
we're waiting to see
00:02:28.88\00:02:31.08
what happens with, you know,
President Trump's appointment.
00:02:31.11\00:02:36.92
You know, we are
facing a situation
00:02:36.95\00:02:40.26
where the 5/4 split
will become hardened
00:02:40.29\00:02:43.36
because, you know, the
person who has been appointed
00:02:43.39\00:02:46.49
maybe more you
know, to the right
00:02:46.53\00:02:48.53
than the former
justice who just departed.
00:02:48.56\00:02:51.70
So, you know,
we'll see what happens.
00:02:51.73\00:02:53.80
It's hard to tell
where the court will go,
00:02:53.84\00:02:57.01
you know?
00:02:57.04\00:02:58.37
It's always hard.
Like, that's really my point.
00:02:58.41\00:03:00.54
No matter who stack that,
they don't, in every case,
00:03:00.58\00:03:05.11
follow those expectations.
00:03:05.15\00:03:07.48
And I put it down
to a very good thing.
00:03:07.52\00:03:10.19
Regardless of the bias
of those who put them on,
00:03:10.22\00:03:13.42
and regardless, even
sometimes of the judges
00:03:13.46\00:03:16.52
or the justices pass,
when it comes down to it,
00:03:16.56\00:03:19.63
I think, at
least in my lifetime,
00:03:19.66\00:03:22.33
they take it very seriously
00:03:22.36\00:03:24.47
to follow the law as
they honestly see it.
00:03:24.50\00:03:27.87
You know, I think the
key will be Justice Ginsburg,
00:03:27.90\00:03:31.01
you know, I saw a
recent video online
00:03:31.04\00:03:33.21
where she was working out
with her personal trainer.
00:03:33.24\00:03:36.21
And I think everyone was
cheering on that trainer,
00:03:36.24\00:03:39.61
it's important for
him to keep her alive
00:03:39.65\00:03:42.88
because if she does
retire from the court,
00:03:42.92\00:03:44.82
then you will see
a real shift in power
00:03:44.85\00:03:48.39
where the President
will be able to appoint
00:03:48.42\00:03:51.09
another conservative justice,
00:03:51.13\00:03:52.89
and you'll have a
six to three majority
00:03:52.93\00:03:55.60
that will be able to, you know,
do some significant damage.
00:03:55.63\00:03:59.93
Well, you know, none
of us know the future.
00:03:59.97\00:04:01.40
But I think the
statistical probability
00:04:01.44\00:04:03.74
of her leaving
one way or another
00:04:03.77\00:04:07.68
and such an
appointment is almost certain.
00:04:07.71\00:04:10.15
Right, there's a
real possibility.
00:04:10.18\00:04:12.51
We just don't
know what will happen.
00:04:12.55\00:04:13.88
So it's a brave new
world with the Supreme Court.
00:04:13.92\00:04:17.05
But, you know,
it's a little bit more
00:04:17.09\00:04:18.69
than the Supreme
Court going on in the US.
00:04:18.72\00:04:21.36
And let's just
take a huge development
00:04:21.39\00:04:24.13
where the courts
got involved again
00:04:24.16\00:04:25.69
on this so called Muslim ban,
00:04:25.73\00:04:28.33
the ban on people
coming from other countries
00:04:28.36\00:04:32.50
in the Islamic world,
00:04:32.53\00:04:34.60
which I think it could
have been expressed that way.
00:04:34.64\00:04:37.27
But the President
foolishly set it up front
00:04:37.31\00:04:40.48
that he's
trying to stop Muslims,
00:04:40.51\00:04:42.14
and, of course, the
court seized on that.
00:04:42.18\00:04:44.85
How does that bear
on religious freedom
00:04:44.88\00:04:46.68
or narrowing of
religious tolerance
00:04:46.72\00:04:51.25
and practical freedoms?
00:04:51.29\00:04:52.62
Well, you know, I think clearly,
00:04:52.65\00:04:54.12
Muslims are being targeted.
00:04:54.16\00:04:55.79
It's a real political
issue, you know, since 9/11,
00:04:55.82\00:05:00.30
Americans are very
afraid of another attack.
00:05:00.33\00:05:04.00
And the
President is aware of that,
00:05:04.03\00:05:06.94
and, you know, I
think he's using that issue
00:05:06.97\00:05:09.77
as a wedge issue
to distinguish himself
00:05:09.80\00:05:12.24
from the other party,
00:05:12.27\00:05:13.71
and, you know,
trying to build a base
00:05:13.74\00:05:16.41
who will support
him and his agenda.
00:05:16.44\00:05:19.01
And I think, in politics,
00:05:19.05\00:05:20.38
if you can
create that wedge issue,
00:05:20.42\00:05:22.25
you can use it
and capitalize on it
00:05:22.28\00:05:24.52
to your political advantage.
00:05:24.55\00:05:26.09
And I think
that's what's happening,
00:05:26.12\00:05:28.19
you know, clearly
I am not in any of...
00:05:28.22\00:05:32.86
you know, I'm not
in the government,
00:05:32.89\00:05:34.30
so I don't know
what the real threat is,
00:05:34.33\00:05:35.93
I'm speculating
from the outside.
00:05:35.96\00:05:38.90
But, you know, I don't think
00:05:38.93\00:05:40.64
that the threat is as
serious as being projected.
00:05:40.67\00:05:44.21
No, I agree with you.
00:05:44.24\00:05:45.57
I mean, On one
level, I think radical Islam
00:05:45.61\00:05:49.14
has been awakened
all over the world.
00:05:49.18\00:05:50.85
That's really, I
mean, ISIS is exhibit A,
00:05:50.88\00:05:55.05
but as far as any existential
00:05:55.08\00:05:57.59
or even daily practical
threat to US is very minimal.
00:05:57.62\00:06:02.89
And what does exist
00:06:02.92\00:06:04.46
can be handled
as police actions.
00:06:04.49\00:06:06.70
But we've had
the... The law is almost...
00:06:06.73\00:06:09.10
The whole structure
of law enforcement change
00:06:09.13\00:06:11.50
from end-to-end, you know,
you don't have to just fly,
00:06:11.53\00:06:14.30
I mean, there it's in your face,
00:06:14.34\00:06:15.67
constantly the whole procedure,
but it's paranoia writ large.
00:06:15.70\00:06:19.94
And to me the parallel is,
00:06:19.97\00:06:21.31
I've never heard
anyone make this,
00:06:21.34\00:06:22.94
but it's sort of the parallels
in regular law enforcement
00:06:22.98\00:06:27.35
and punishing crimes
00:06:27.38\00:06:28.98
to then throwing in
hate crimes legislation,
00:06:29.02\00:06:31.45
which sort of adds
an extra unnecessary,
00:06:31.49\00:06:35.12
it's always been illegal
00:06:35.16\00:06:36.49
to act violently
toward another person.
00:06:36.52\00:06:39.66
And the law always, when
you brought up on murder,
00:06:39.69\00:06:42.26
it looks at your
motive, doesn't it?
00:06:42.30\00:06:44.23
If there's no motive,
it's accidentally done,
00:06:44.27\00:06:46.94
it could be manslaughter,
you know, but first degree
00:06:46.97\00:06:49.97
or, you know,
with malice and so on,
00:06:50.01\00:06:52.67
you would get a greater penalty,
00:06:52.71\00:06:54.04
but we thrown in that law,
terrorism would always be wrong
00:06:54.08\00:06:57.11
with this law enforcement,
military outside the country,
00:06:57.15\00:07:00.42
within the police can do it.
00:07:00.45\00:07:01.85
But we've so panicked
that we've restructured
00:07:01.88\00:07:04.35
in many quite troublesome ways,
00:07:04.39\00:07:07.99
a system to accommodate
this perceived threat.
00:07:08.02\00:07:11.19
And now it's writ large
00:07:11.23\00:07:12.56
on how we deal
with other countries.
00:07:12.59\00:07:14.13
And I think
this whole Muslim ban
00:07:14.16\00:07:15.73
is also tied into
the immigration issue,
00:07:15.76\00:07:17.73
which is also has been
00:07:17.77\00:07:19.10
a hot button
political topic in this country.
00:07:19.13\00:07:21.84
And I think, you know,
00:07:21.87\00:07:25.21
this is just
building a political base
00:07:25.24\00:07:27.78
rather than
getting to a solution.
00:07:27.81\00:07:29.51
I mean, we've been
talking about these issues
00:07:29.54\00:07:31.21
for quite some time.
00:07:31.25\00:07:33.21
You've had
politicians from both parties
00:07:33.25\00:07:36.72
who have tried to come up
with a common sense solution
00:07:36.75\00:07:40.89
to our immigration issues.
00:07:40.92\00:07:42.52
And what happens is, you
know, within the parties,
00:07:42.56\00:07:48.33
the extremes kind
of pull people apart,
00:07:48.36\00:07:50.70
and they keep this issue going
because they benefit from it
00:07:50.73\00:07:54.44
financially as
well as politically.
00:07:54.47\00:07:56.71
Now President Trump
has done many good things,
00:07:56.74\00:07:59.04
I'm not wanted to make a case
00:07:59.07\00:08:01.34
that I'm down on
everything he does is not good.
00:08:01.38\00:08:04.68
He wouldn't appreciate it
if he watched this program.
00:08:04.71\00:08:07.18
I hope you're
watching, President Trump.
00:08:07.22\00:08:09.72
Sounds like I called
out to Putin, doesn't it?
00:08:09.75\00:08:13.36
But facetiously, I
think President Trump
00:08:13.39\00:08:17.19
went to Saudi Arabia early on,
00:08:17.23\00:08:18.69
and that speaks less about him
00:08:18.73\00:08:20.13
than about the
US's crazy alliances
00:08:20.16\00:08:23.26
that haven't served as well.
00:08:23.30\00:08:24.77
But maybe he should
go on a trip to China
00:08:24.80\00:08:27.74
and go see the Great Wall.
00:08:27.77\00:08:30.37
The story of walls
is not a successful one.
00:08:30.41\00:08:33.17
You know, there's
Hadrian's Wall in England,
00:08:33.21\00:08:35.74
Great Wall of
China, and a wall of sorts,
00:08:35.78\00:08:39.51
there was a Maginot
Line followed World War One.
00:08:39.55\00:08:43.32
But in all cases,
00:08:43.35\00:08:44.69
the barbarians
either went around them
00:08:44.72\00:08:46.62
or all came through the gate.
00:08:46.65\00:08:49.92
It's not a solution.
00:08:49.96\00:08:51.29
But it's a political
weapon that signals something.
00:08:51.33\00:08:55.23
But it speaks to the
fear that we have as citizens.
00:08:55.26\00:08:59.03
A lot of people are afraid
00:08:59.07\00:09:01.37
of what's happening in
the country and changes.
00:09:01.40\00:09:04.47
They are afraid of
the melting pot, you know,
00:09:04.51\00:09:08.14
that they're looking as
themselves losing rights
00:09:08.18\00:09:11.35
while others are gaining them.
00:09:11.38\00:09:13.38
And, you know, unfortunately,
00:09:13.42\00:09:15.45
we see politicians
taking advantage of that fear
00:09:15.48\00:09:18.45
and putting in place policies
00:09:18.49\00:09:21.36
that will not benefit
the country in the long term.
00:09:21.39\00:09:23.53
Politicians have
had that tendency
00:09:23.56\00:09:25.69
from time immemorial,
but I'll tell you when I date
00:09:25.73\00:09:28.10
the beginning of
the misuse in the US
00:09:28.13\00:09:32.03
is the Willie Horton, remember?
00:09:32.07\00:09:34.50
Right. Right.
00:09:34.54\00:09:36.50
The malicious sort
of fear mongering stuff
00:09:36.54\00:09:38.71
that not only going
to political advantage
00:09:38.74\00:09:42.18
but produced a direct
harm to the social situation.
00:09:42.21\00:09:46.82
And I have no...
00:09:46.85\00:09:48.18
I've told you in another regard,
00:09:48.22\00:09:49.55
I have no time for
someone to gain advantage.
00:09:49.58\00:09:51.95
We'll have the system
that you're working in.
00:09:51.99\00:09:56.56
And, you know, Adolf
Hitler, I'm always quoting
00:09:56.59\00:09:58.69
because I study a lot about him.
00:09:58.73\00:10:00.26
You know, he was so
fixated in getting his own way.
00:10:00.30\00:10:03.63
He actually at the end
came to blame the German people
00:10:03.67\00:10:06.17
for his failings.
00:10:06.20\00:10:07.87
"You're not worthy of my plan."
00:10:07.90\00:10:09.40
You know, such a person
00:10:09.44\00:10:11.34
should never rule there if he...
00:10:11.37\00:10:14.04
we don't want
what we really need.
00:10:14.08\00:10:15.74
Maybe it's a long
way of coming at it.
00:10:15.78\00:10:17.65
I think there's a great
one in the world at large,
00:10:17.68\00:10:20.48
and in the US since
we're talking about it,
00:10:20.52\00:10:22.05
for statesman, people that...
00:10:22.08\00:10:24.39
Sure, they have ego,
00:10:24.42\00:10:26.02
but they're wanting
the best for the country.
00:10:26.05\00:10:28.56
And I think both
parties at the moment
00:10:28.59\00:10:30.26
are forgetting that aspect.
00:10:30.29\00:10:31.66
You know, I simply think that,
00:10:31.69\00:10:33.80
you know, this
nation is at its best
00:10:33.83\00:10:37.47
when we are able
to engage in debate,
00:10:37.50\00:10:40.24
we're able to
talk issues through.
00:10:40.27\00:10:42.80
Whether we agree or not,
we should support, you know,
00:10:42.84\00:10:46.98
the rights of
citizens to debate issues
00:10:47.01\00:10:49.18
and to discuss them
in a very vigorous way.
00:10:49.21\00:10:52.01
It's recorded that
Jesus' disciples came to Him,
00:10:55.45\00:10:59.32
I'm sure on the
more than one occasion,
00:10:59.35\00:11:01.32
and they said, "Tell us,
when will these things be?"
00:11:01.36\00:11:04.13
It's a natural question.
00:11:04.16\00:11:05.69
And Jesus gave
quite a long answer,
00:11:05.73\00:11:08.23
a litany of last day events,
00:11:08.26\00:11:10.53
might as well be
the headlines for today.
00:11:10.57\00:11:12.47
But He says, the end is not yet
because before the end comes,
00:11:12.50\00:11:16.64
there needs to be
a great persecution,
00:11:16.67\00:11:18.44
there needs to be
a great falling away,
00:11:18.47\00:11:20.38
there needs to be every
man against his brother,
00:11:20.41\00:11:24.61
a total meltdown,
00:11:24.65\00:11:26.65
and a total
revelation of God's character.
00:11:26.68\00:11:29.62
It's worth keeping that in mind
00:11:29.65\00:11:31.25
as we live through these
00:11:31.29\00:11:32.79
cataclysmic 21st century events.
00:11:32.82\00:11:35.62
I think it's arguably
one minute to midnight.
00:11:35.66\00:11:39.63
But time is with the Lord,
00:11:39.66\00:11:41.03
and how long
that minute truly last
00:11:41.06\00:11:42.90
we will yet see.
00:11:42.93\00:11:44.27
But let's make it
our business to make sure
00:11:44.30\00:11:47.17
that God is truly with us
00:11:47.20\00:11:48.64
and that we're inspired
00:11:48.67\00:11:50.01
by His Spirit and strengthened
to endure those days,
00:11:50.04\00:11:53.11
otherwise through
which no flesh will survive.
00:11:53.14\00:11:56.38
This is Lincoln
Steed for Liberty Insider.
00:11:56.41\00:11:59.28