Judicial Engagement, Illustrated

Does the government need to offer you a good reason when it restricts your liberty? Most Americans would likely answer “yes.”  But what’s a “good reason?” Must the government’s allegedly “good” reasons be supported with evidence or should courts just give the government the benefit of the doubt?
Both progressives and conservatives often do ask judges to put a thumb on the judicial scales in the government’s favor. Progressives see government as generally a force for good (except when certain preferred rights are threatened, as defined by progressive elites), while conservatives want judges to defer to the elected branches (except when Obamacare or other disfavored federal programs are at issue). Thus we have the twin scourges of judicial adventurism and minimalism – rewriting or ignoring inconvenient constitutional or statutory provisions – instead of unblinkered judicial enforcement of the law. 
In other words, both progressives and conservatives miss the boat when they focus on judicial modes (whether a ruling is “activist,” an empty term meaning that its user disagrees) rather than interpretative theories (originalism vs. living constitutionalism, textualism vs. purposivism). Indeed, even people who care about judicial modes should want judges who apply their preferred interpretive theory without regard to extra-legal considerations and without adopting biases towards the government or any other type of party. The nomenclature is less important ...

Source: Cato-at-liberty - October 19, 2015 Category: American Health Authors: Ilya Shapiro Source Type: blogs