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Thursday, December 12, 2024 - 03:10 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

Buckle up. America is in for a rough ride if the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court regarding abortion turns out to be reflective of the final copy. In the long run, this opinion may end up healing the country, at least to some extent. A morally charged and complicated issue like abortion is best decided in the political arena. Allowing the voters of each state to decide the rules for themselves will not satisfy everyone. It may satisfy almost no one since there will be outlier states on both sides that will impose rules unpopular with the other. But the political system at least allows advocates the opportunity to make their case to their fellow citizens. That opportunity itself has value in a democracy, and that's America's best hope for long-term health on the emotional and divisive abortion issue.In the short term, though, look out. The left and right are both in an angry mood. The left, in particular, is in "burn it down" mode.

There are already calls to nuke the filibuster and allow a bare majority of Congress to impose a new abortion law or even to expand the Supreme Court in an effort to overturn this reported decision. The leak of the decision could easily end up being just the first norm-changing result. With liberal or conservative majorities, the Supreme Court has acted, in general, as a refreshingly collegial island isolated from the national storms raging in America. Famously, conservative Justice Antonin Scalia's best friend on the court was liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In a polarized country where few are even interacting with those they disagree with, this was both unique and commendable. The thought of one of the court's trusted staffers breaching the confidentiality that has for so long defined their system was inconceivable. Those days are sadly over.

The truth is that Congress has put the court in an awful bind on many issues. Lacking the political courage to write laws that clearly define the rules, Congress often punts on controversial issues with ambiguous rules that force too much discretion to the court. Both parties do this. Some on the court are eager to use this discretion to, in essence, write their own laws. This has placed the court in the national crosshairs from each side. Now, with the latest reported ruling, the temperature will turn up to previously unprecedented levels. As someone who believes the court overstepped on creating fundamental rights where they did not exist in the Constitution, the decision is welcome. As someone worried about the future of this relatively solid (by America 2022 standards, at least) institution, this is a time of great potential danger.

On the election front, many Democrats welcome the court's reported decision. They were on course for a potentially historic-level shellacking in the coming midterm elections. There's no guaranteeing that the court's decision will change that outcome, but anything that shakes up the status quo dynamic is potentially good news for them.

More broadly, abortion is one of, if not the single most emotional and sensitive topics that America wrestles with. To say that the country is not in a healthy place to handle an issue as sensitive as that would be a vast understatement. Too many on the left have decided that the American right is composed of irredeemable deplorables who need to be destroyed. This decision will only exacerbate that view. When you decide that your opponent is not only wrong but evil as well, you are willing to do nearly anything to stop them. America already faced a year of often violent left-wing rioting. Radicals have already called for protests at the justices' homes and posted their addresses online. Fencing is already going up around the court building. We have to pray that a reprise is not coming, but we should be prepared for that possibility.

Those on the right should handle this moment with humility, calm and compassion. We may disagree with the left on abortion, but this is not a time to dance in the end zone. People have passionate views on the topic that come from a good place. You may think they are wrong, but this is not a time to rub it in.

The best result of all this may be a more federalist system where the rules in deep red states vary greatly from the rules in deep blue states. There are downsides to that, but there are huge downsides to the current system as well. America is already facing record levels of internal migration, often driven by political, cultural, COVID-19 and economic factors. The court's decision, and the huge differences in state regulatory regimes to follow, will likely accelerate this phenomenon. That's not ideal, but it's better than many alternatives.

America has been through many challenges in its history. Recent times have been as highly charged as any since the 1960s, or maybe even the 1860s. Some on the left and the right are openly doubting America's capacity to continue, given the course we are on. Here's to hoping they are wrong. For those who care about the country and want to keep us from falling apart, this is a time for cool heads.

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Neil Patel co-founded The Daily Caller, one of America's fastest-growing online news outlets, which regularly breaks news and distributes it to over 15 million monthly readers. Patel also co-founded The Daily Caller News Foundation, a nonprofit news company that trains journalists, produces fact-checks and conducts longer-term investigative reporting. The Daily Caller News Foundation licenses its content free of charge to over 300 news outlets, reaching potentially hundreds of millions of people per month. To find out more about Neil Patel and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website at www.creators.com

 

Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel

Tucker Carlson currently hosts Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (weekdays 8 p.m. ET). He joined the network in 2009 as a contributor.

“Tucker Carlson Tonight” features powerful analysis and spirited debates, with guests from across the political and cultural spectrum. Carlson brings his signature style to tackle issues largely uncovered by the media in every corner of the United States, challenging political correctness with a "Campus Craziness" segment and tackling media bias and outrage during "Twitter Storm."

Carlson co-hosted “Fox & Friends Weekend” starting in 2012, until taking on his current role at “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”

While at Fox News, Carlson has provided analysis for “America's Election Headquarters” on primary and caucus nights, including in the 2016 and 2012 presidential elections, as well as the 2014 midterm election. He also produced a Fox News special, "Fighting for Our Children's Minds," in 2010.

Prior to working at Fox News, Carlson hosted “Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered” on PBS from 2004 to 2005 and “Tucker” on MSNBC from 2005 to 2008. He joined CNN in 2000 as its youngest anchor ever, co-hosting “The Spin Room” and later CNN's “Crossfire,” until its 2005 cancellation. In 2003, he wrote an autobiography about his cable news experience titled "Politicians, Partisans and Parasites: My Adventures in Cable News."

Carlson graduated with a B.A. in history from Trinity College in Connecticut.

Neil Patel

In addition to his role as publisher of The Daily Caller, Neil Patel is co-founder and managing director of Bluebird Asset Management, a hedge fund investing in mortgage-backed securities.

Before starting his two companies, Neil served in the White House from 2005 to 2009 as the chief policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney. From 2001 to 2004, Neil was staff secretary to Vice President Cheney. Prior to joining the Bush administration, Neil was assistant general counsel at UUNET Technologies. Earlier in his career, Neil practiced law with Dechert Price & Rhoads. He also served as Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People’s Republic of China. 

Neil received his B.A. from Trinity College in Connecticut and his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as associate editor of the Journal of Law and Policy in International Business.

Neil lives in Washington, D.C., and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with his wife, Amy, their two daughters, Caroline and Bela, and their son, Charlie.

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