Scalia defends originalist view of Constitution

From the AP and ADF:

Jan 19, 2:18 PM EST Scalia defends originalist view of Constitution By MARK SHERMAN  Associated Press

AP Photo/Luis Alvarez Politics Video Advertisement Interactives Who is Elena Kagan? U.S. Supreme Court 2011 term Supreme Court: Other News Buy AP Photo Reprints McLEAN, Va. (AP) -- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says using the courts, rather than elected legislatures, to assert abortion rights is akin to "sneaking it in through a back door." Scalia is one of the court's most outspoken opponents of the court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that declared a woman's right to an abortion. He repeated his long-held view Thursday that the Constitution is silent on abortion and that judges should stay out of the issue. The 75-year-old justice calls himself an "originalist" in interpreting the text of the Constitution as it was understood by the people who adopted it. In a colorful attack on those high court colleagues who don't share his approach, Scalia said it's "absolute madness" to allow the nine justices to decide the Constitution means whatever they say. © 2012 The Associated Press