Federal Judges and the Religious Culture Wars

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When they refused to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said that federal judges would have to "answer for their behavior." Although he later apologized for being "inartful" in his comments, the campaign to limit the third branch of government is going strong. Christian conservatives claim federal judges are conducting a "war on faith." Republicans in Congress are pushing bills that would limit the courts' jurisdiction, selectively cut their budgets and facilitate impeachment. Democrats and moderate Republicans say that threatens the independence of the judiciary--even the rule of law. We explore whether "activist judges" have overstepped permissible boundaries with evangelists, legal experts, advocates of judicial independence and a former spokesman for Attorney General Janet Reno. Making News: Iraqi Prime Ministers Select a Partial Government Three month's after Iraq's dramatic election, the National Assembly has selected several ministers to run the country, but the Ministries of Defense, Oil and Electricity remain unfilled. Patrick McDonnell, Baghdad Bureau Chief for the Los Angeles Times, updates the selection process and today's assassination of Lamia Abed Khadouri Sakri, the first member of the National Assembly to be slain. Reporter's Notebook: Manchester United Fans Furious over Glazer Takeover Bid Imagine the reaction of fans if the Yankees were bought out by foreign investors. It turns out that Britain's national past time is in danger of just such an intrusion--from America. Soccer fans are up in arms because the owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wants to take over Manchester United, one of Britain's most successful franchises. The Independent's Nick Harris says Malcolm Glazer's offer runs counter to English football tradition.
When they refused to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said that federal judges would have to "answer for their behavior." Although he later apologized for being "inartful" in his comments, the campaign to limit the third branch of government is going strong. Christian conservatives claim federal judges are conducting a "war on faith." Republicans in Congress are pushing bills that would limit the courts' jurisdiction, selectively cut their budgets and facilitate impeachment. Democrats and moderate Republicans say that threatens the independence of the judiciary--even the rule of law. We explore whether "activist judges" have overstepped permissible boundaries with evangelists, legal experts, advocates of judicial independence and a former spokesman for Attorney General Janet Reno.
  • Making News: Iraqi Prime Ministers Select a Partial Government
    Three month's after Iraq's dramatic election, the National Assembly has selected several ministers to run the country, but the Ministries of Defense, Oil and Electricity remain unfilled. Patrick McDonnell, Baghdad Bureau Chief for the Los Angeles Times, updates the selection process and today's assassination of Lamia Abed Khadouri Sakri, the first member of the National Assembly to be slain.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Manchester United Fans Furious over Glazer Takeover Bid
    Imagine the reaction of fans if the Yankees were bought out by foreign investors. It turns out that Britain's national past time is in danger of just such an intrusion--from America. Soccer fans are up in arms because the owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wants to take over Manchester United, one of Britain's most successful franchises. The Independent's Nick Harris says Malcolm Glazer's offer runs counter to English football tradition.

McDonnell's article Iraqi cabinet picks

ACLU on religious liberty

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, CNN feature on removal of

Schiavo case, Senator DeLay on

TtP (Making News segment) on Supreme Court and Terri Schiavo case

Supreme Court and Ten Commandments, NewsHour segment on the

US Supreme Court on Van Orden v Perry

Manchester United Football Club

Harris' article about Manchester United, Glazer bid

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney