Congressional Dominionists: The Wingnuttery Escalates

Emboldened, I suppose, by the president’s alleged mandate, the public’s willingness to be increasingly tolerant of extremism as long as its roots are religious, and the media’s new love affair with all things God, some of the wingnuttiest members of the Senate have decided to attempt to turn us into a Christian Reconstructionist theocracy once and for all and have introduced the Constitutional Restoration Act.

Though it is described as a “bill to limit the jurisdiction of Federal courts in certain cases and promote federalism,” reading its actual summary proves enlightening as to its true intent: this legislation seeks to make it possible for Congress to remove any judge who refuses to acknowledge that the basis for all law, liberty, and government is God.

Constitution Restoration Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal judicial code to prohibit the U.S. Supreme Court and the Federal district courts from exercising jurisdiction over any matter in which relief is sought against an entity of Federal, State, or local government or an officer or agent of such government concerning that entity's, officer's, or agent's acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government.

Prohibits a court of the United States from relying upon any law, policy, or other action of a foreign state or international organization in interpreting and applying the Constitution, other than English constitutional and common law up to the time of adoption of the U.S. Constitution.

Provides that any Federal court decision relating to an issue removed from Federal jurisdiction by this Act is not binding precedent on State courts.

Provides that any Supreme Court justice or Federal court judge who exceeds the jurisdictional limitations of this Act shall be deemed to have committed an offense for which the justice or judge may be removed, and to have violated the standard of good behavior required of Article III judges by the Constitution. (Emphasis mine; hat tip Jill at Brilliant at Breakfast.)

(An identical bill has been introduced in the House.)

Okay, the time has come to pull out the tinfoil hats for those who still bother with those things and have a big discussion of the rise of Dominionsism (or Christian Reconstructionsim) in America. But first, I have to finish up my work day, go home, have a Stewart’s Orange Cream soda, and then I will endeavor to bring us all up to speed on how this is not the beginning of a new trend, but the culmination of a long struggle by these nutjobs. Having been particularly interested in this subject for awhile now, let’s just say this doesn’t really surprise me at all—which is not to say that I am still not scared and infuriated by it. (I don't think it has a chance in hell of passing, but it's notable that it's being attempted nonetheless.)

So, more later, as time allows, and I’ll give you this to chew on for the interim…regular Shakers will no doubt have noticed that I tend to harp on a lot about social Darwinism. Well, here’s why: social Darwinism is a political extension of Dominionism, which itself seeks to replace democracy with a theocratic elite using their interpretation of biblical law as the one true source of law, liberty, and government.

Sound familiar? If not, try rereading paragraph three.