Wednesday, July 09, 2003

Scalia vs. Hamilton

Why does Scalia hate our founding fathers so much? Wyeth Wire gives us this quote from Alexander Hamilton (Federalist 82).

"The judiciary power of every government looks beyond its own local or municipal laws, and in civil cases lays hold of all subjects of litigation between parties within its jurisdiction, though the causes of dispute are relative to the laws of the most distant part of the globe. Those of Japan, not less than of New York, may furnish the objects of legal discussion to our courts."

As Wyeth says:

So Antonin Scalia, strong proponent of originalism, disagrees with a practice that the Founders explicitly endorsed.

Indeed.