Courting Disaster: How the Supreme Court is Usurping the Power of Congress and the People [Hardcover]

Pat Robertson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 7, 2004

In this book, Pat Robertson examines the threat of "no judicial limits" to the Christian heritage of our country, and how it has steadily eroded the power of both representative government and democracy itself.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

For the past century, America's federal judges have steadily expanded their authority, reaching far beyond the rights given by the Constitution. And in the past fifty years, this perversion of justice and the radicalization of the courts has only escalated. Liberal courts have charged ahead of Congress, waging war on morality, values and time-honored custom. Their unrestricted power goes largely unchecked today and threatens the very foundations of Liberty.

In "Courting Disaster", Pat Robertson examines the evidence for this assault on American democracy and provides a compelling portrait of what's really at stake. This landmark work reveals how judicial activism has eroded the rights of individuals, states and local communities, and how it is dramatically altering our form of government -- defying the will of the people. "Courting Disaster" calls for an objective look at the consequences of this crisis -- hostility to religion, radical individualism, destruction of moral standards and the devaluing of human life -- showing how a just and civil society is being destroyed from within.

"Courting Disaster" is a bold, thoroughly documented, and powerful challenge to all Americans to take action. And it offers a fresh, penetrating list of tactical strategies that citizens can employ before time runs out.

About the Author

PAT ROBERTSON has achieved national and international recognition as a religious broadcaster, philanthropist, educator, religious leader, statesman, businessman and author. He is the founder and chairman of The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) Inc., and founder and president of Regent University, the American Center of Law and Justice, Operation Blessing International Relief and Development, and several other organizations and broadcast entities. In 1988 he was a candidate for the Republican nomination for the presidency of the United States. He has authored fifteen books, many of which have been national bestsellers. He holds a juris doctor degree from Yale University Law School and a master of divinity degree from New York Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Dede, have four children and fourteen grandchildren.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 1ST edition (September 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591451426
• ISBN-13: 978-1591451426
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #511,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not at all Thorough!, November 3, 2004

By 

Kevin Currie-Knight "Education Grad Student" (Newark, Delaware) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Courting Disaster: How the Supreme Court is Usurping the Power of Congress and the People (Hardcover)

Within the next four years, at least 3 (if not 4) Supreme Court Justices are expected to retire, leaving vacancies that must be filled. What type of judges should fill those spots is a question of much debate. It was with that question in mind that Pat Robertson wrote this book.

Now, first let it be said that although I am not a Christian, I am in strong agreement with a good amount of Robertson's observations. The courts have indeed usurped the power of democratic legislatures by striking down statutes (and legislating policy) on flimsy grounds. And, yes, the federal courts have certainly become more liberal in how they interpret the constitution, preferring not to look at what the document SAYS, as much as what these unelected judges think it should MEAN. Robertson speaks eruditely to both points and for that, he earns 2 stars.

Unfortunately, I cannot give him 3 more. Having a master's degree in Politcal Science from a top southern institution, I have studied quite a bit to do with law and the judiciary. As such, I found much of Robertson's history either caricaturized or simply wrong, many of his positions unviable if not contradictory, and several of his arguments unpersuasive.

Let me highlight the history. To Robertson's credit, he goes a long way in showing that many of the founders were Christian (something that is hard to deny). What Robertson does not do, though, is make a case that since they were privately christians, that God is somehow in our constitution. Pat asserts that He is, but anyone reading the constitution's text sees that He is not. There are many other historical gaffs in the book (like citing anti-federalist Patrick Henry as exemplar of the founder's intent, and deist Thomas Jefferson as an example of a good Christian.)

As far as points being either nebulous or contradictory: Robertson states over and over that he believes the constitution should be interpreted by the founder's original intent. There are several problems: first, the founders are dead and we can't ask them what they meant. Second, the only record of the constitutional convention we have is by James Madison dictated quickly and from memory. Third, is the intent to be that of the founders or the several hundred people who ratified the constitution into law via the states? I go into this because these are large problems that Robertson simply glosses over.

Robertson also tells us that we should interpret the constitution, when possible, by discerning its quite clear text. With this point I agree (and I have as much respect for Scalia's textualism as Robertson does). But with that, Robertson is quick to tell us that somehow, the 'free press' clause doesn't permit things like protection of pornography and that the 'free speech' clause doesn't protect flag burning. To quote Justice Hugo Black (himself a textualist): "I always thought that "Congress shall make no law," meant "Congress shall make no law.") Apperently, Robertson doesn't think so, even while he professes that where the text is unambiguous, we should rely solely on it.

I hate to ramble on with these points, but I do want to make clear how unsatisfactory this book is. If one does want to read a similar position articulated more intelligently, I would suggest that one reads (a) Robert Bork's "The Tempting of America,' (b) a new collection of Scalia's opinions called "Scalia Dissents," and even a book by legal progressor Robert George called "The Clash of Orthodoxies." All make the case more persuasively than Robertson's book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courts tipping balance of power., March 23, 2007

By 

Delores M. Baber (Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Courting Disaster: How the Supreme Court is Usurping the Power of Congress and the People (Hardcover)

Highly recommended reading. With an open mind to examine evidence one can only conclude that the courts are destroying balance of powers that was built into our govenment by the founding fathers. The use of courts to change laws makes voting of less value because courts can override the voters decisions. Every man 1 vote is powerless if 9 judges can overide it.

3.0 out of 5 stars Contains Some Needed History, April 1, 2011

By 

JAC (Austin, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Courting Disaster: How the Supreme Court is Usurping the Power of Congress and the People (Hardcover)

Pat Robertson can sometimes be a bit heavy handed when he's writing an opinion piece. I found this book to be one sided, of course, but I didn't disagree with the side he's on at all. The author gives plenty of evidence indicating the court has in the past and seems to be continuing to use nebulous grounds for many of their rulings. I encourage conservatives to read this book if for no other reason than to get a bit of history on many of the rulings that have gotten us to the point we are today.