Justice Souter To Step Down

News reports tonight are stating that U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter plans to step down from the high court soon. This would give President Obama his first appointment to the Supreme Court.


Souter, appointed by President George H.W. Bush, has voted regularly with the liberal minority of the court, and was instrumental in the Kelo opinion that outraged Americans. The decision stated that governments can use eminent domain to seize property for economic development purposes, and not just for building off-ramps or expanding insfrastructure.


In the Heller decision in 2008, which affirmed what the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights affirmed (the individual right to possess a firearm), Souter sided with the minority opinion. The minority opinion argued that the majority's broad interpretation of the Second Amendment is inconsistent with the Framers' original intent. IMHO, Souter's minority opinion, penned by Justice Stevens, is inconsistent with the Framers' original intent. This is borne out by reading historical documents of the time.


Nevertheless, Souter has not been a friend of lawful firearms ownership. It pretty much goes without saying that the president's appointment will be of the same mindset.