"So long Antonin"

What a shock losing this great jurist this week. I wish we lived closer to DC, I would just like to have been able to pay my respects at the Supreme Court today.

Being a conservative I agreed with most of Antonin Scalia's decisions over the 30 years he served this country. But he was more than just a Conservative, he had this solid 'originalist' interpretation of the Constitution and did not waver. But learning more about this man during the past week we could all take a lesson from him. His liberal peers on the court even though they differed significantly in their philosophy were some of his closest friends. Justice Ruth Ginsberg lauds him as the most honest and charming person she had ever known and one of her closest friends. He was even  teaching liberal justice Elena Kagan to hunt, which was one of his loves.

Maybe one of the legacies he will leave behind is the ability to have deep philosophical differences with someone and still be close friends. I recall years ago Ronald Reagan and House democratic leader Tip O'Neil would fight all day and then sit down together at night over a drink, and they got things done. That is not the case in DC now where division between parties is paramount. I lay the blame for much of this on Obama, although I'm sure my liberal friends will disagree. In his State of the Union speech this year Obama said that he wished he could have done more to bring people together. Think about that statement and then ask yourself why he is not going to Antonin Scalia's funeral, the first President in our lifetime not to honor the death of a long standing Supreme Court justice. I am beginning to agree with Marco Rubio and believe this guy knows exactly what he is doing and dissing Scalia's memory is just part of his narcissistic personality.

Anyway, here's a toast to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, may he rest in peace.  His legacy will live on and history will record him as one of this country's great statesmen.