By Dr. Derek Ellerman
More and more often, I encounter “normies” – normal people who aren’t hyper plugged-in to politics and hold conventional views – who know something is deeply, terribly wrong with their country, but are unable to express just what exactly the problem is.
The truth is, most people just don’t pay that much attention. Another truth is, they shouldn’t have to. Our country shouldn’t be an unbelievable clown show in every respect.
But anyway, that’s what came to mind when I watched one of the most incredible videos I’ve ever seen.
For those who don’t know Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy, he’s more or less your average, conventional Republican – though he is well-known for a sharp wit and sharper tongue.
He’s a lawyer, so you can reasonably assume he knows the basics of the law. For that matter, you should expect that any lawyer does. Doubly, or even triply, you’d expect the same of a judge. Extrapolate that for someone who aspires to be a federal judge.
You know what they say about assuming?
Senator Kennedy pic.twitter.com/yeTJXMWaU3
— D. Scott @eclipsethis2003 (@eclipsethis2003) January 25, 2023
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There’s Your Problem, Right There
When your average normie, God love them, expresses exasperation at how often the government shows a lack of common sense or even outright, aggressive ignorance, I often find it difficult to explain the myriad reasons why things are the way that they are.
That’s where Senator Kennedy comes in, to rescue me from alienating another person with an angry rant.
In a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for federal judges, Senator Kennedy encountered one of America’s many proud left-wing judges on the fast-track to those vaunted federal robes.
What he helped uncover left even me, a stone-hearted cynical bastard, aghast.
What follows is an actual verbatim recap of a real hearing in the actual Senate of the United States of America with a real judge who was actually nominated to be a federal judge:
Senator Kennedy to Judge Charnelle Bjelkengren: “Tell me what Article V of the Constitution does.”
“Judge” Bjelkengren: “Article V is not coming to mind at the moment.”
Senator Kennedy: “OK. How about Article II?”
“Judge” Bjelkengren: “Neither is Article II.”
Senator Kennedy: “Do you know what purposivism is?”
“Judge” Bjelkengren: “In my 12 years as an Assistant Attorney General, and my nine years serving as a judge, I was not faced with that precise question. We are the highest trial court in Washington State, so I’m frequently faced with issues that I’m not familiar with, and I thoroughly review the law, I research, and I apply the law to the facts presented to me.”
Jiminy jumped-up crumps, Batman. Houston, we have a planet-sized problem.
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You’ve Gotta Be Effing Kidding Me
As I said, that is a real, actual event that took place. I even have proof.
Here, watch:
Embarrassing: Watch Senator John Kennedy stump a Biden judicial nominee with basic questions about the U.S. Constitution. pic.twitter.com/HM7i1VxR1q
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) January 26, 2023
Look, you shouldn’t even be allowed to graduate middle school if you don’t know what Article II (the Executive Branch of the United States government) and Article V (the Amendment process for the Constitution) are. Side note: have a lawyer friend explain purposivism to you.
We’re not even talking about high school, or university, or LAW SCHOOL, or becoming a freaking JUDGE.
Somehow, “Judge” Bjelkengren made it all the way through Gonzaga without knowing the absolute most basic legal knowledge. And despite that – or, if you’re smart like me and realize because of it – she became a state judge and a nominee to the federal bench.
So let’s go back to our normie friend who knows something is wrong, but actually has a real life and doesn’t dissect political theory for a living.
It’s right there, staring you in the face.
Do you think the team of Democrat politicos did, or didn’t, know they were putting up for nomination someone who clearly doesn’t have the first basic requirements for the job? Do you understand what it means that this nominee didn’t even bother reviewing the absolute most bottom-basement basics before a confirmation hearing?
How you answer will depend on whether or not you are able to accurately discern what is wrong with this country. Take a minute.
OK, now that you’ve taken a minute, here is the answer: Of course they knew. And it’s not that they just didn’t care.
They want people in power who are either; a) wholly ignorant rubber stamps, or better yet, b) bitter, vicious enemies of the Anglo-American system.
The reason is quite simple. In order to deconstruct that system and replace it with a totally unaccountable government-by-dictate, the whole works need to be populated with either fools or enemies.
Here is a simple truism I want you to internalize, because it is fundamental to understanding, and cannot be understood without it.
Most well-meaning people operate under Hanlon’s Razor:
“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
This is wrong. Dead wrong. Couldn’t possibly be more wrong.
It may serve reasonably well when talking about your ordinary everyday people, but not – let me repeat this here, as it cannot be understated – not when talking about Power.
Appearing for the first time in the august pages of The Political Insider, let me introduce you to Ellerman’s Razor:
“Never, ever attribute to incompetence or stupidity that which can be adequately explained by malice or amoral benefit.”
When this is fundamentally understood, that vague feeling of uncertainty will wash away in an awesome wave, never to return.
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
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The post Watch: Biden Judge Nominee Can’t Answer Basic Questions About the Constitution appeared first on The Political Insider.
