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" Our Constitution exists to secure individual freedom, the essential condition of human flourishing. Liberty is not provided by government; liberty preexists government. It's our natural birthright, not a gift from the sovereign. Our founders upended things and divided power to enshrine a promise, not a process. "

Don Willett

Power

Human

Government

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" I was recently designated Tweeter Laureate of Texas, which apparently is a thing. "

" I don't remember much of my childhood. My father passed away when I was six, and sadly, I don't have the fuzziest, foggiest memory of him - what his voice was like, anything he ever said to me, nothing. My early years are a total blur. "

Don Willett

Childhood

Voice

" My political consultant said I'm the only client of his that he does not worry about. "

" Folks are astounded that 'judge' isn't a synonym for 'humorless Luddite.' "

" If judicial review means anything, it is that judicial restraint does not allow everything. "

" When writing, I split my time between my chambers and my satellite office: my neighborhood Chick-fil-A. It offers the word-nerd trifecta: I bring Bose headphones; they provide Wi-Fi and waffle fries. "

" I think people just find it remarkable that a high court justice would step out from behind the bench and have a persona that's not the traditional, stodgy, fuddy-duddy persona, but actually comes across as authentic and engaging. "

" A Charlie Brown Christmas' is a national treasure because it delivers beautifully the central miracle of Christmas: Emmanuel - God With Us. From the wood of the manger to the wood of the cross. "

" Unlike tennis matches, Supreme Court decisions are tiebreaker-free, meaning the lower-court ruling stands without any high-court guidance. "

" If you're a Texas Supreme Court Justice hopscotching across 254 counties, trying to tattoo your name onto the noggins of millions of voters, you must find creative ways to raise visibility and build awareness. Twitter, Facebook, etc. are low-cost but high-yield ways to leverage the support of key influencers and opinion leaders. "

" I've long favored smart judicial-selection reform - every member of my court does - and every legislative session, reform measures are filed... and then they fail. "

" If you're president, it's often your court appointments that seal your legacy with a capital L. "

" Laws that impinge your constitutionally protected right to earn an honest living must not be preposterous. "

" Serving 27 million Texans spread across 254 counties and two time zones isn't a job for those who require a lot of sleep. "

" If legislators come to believe that police power is an ever-present constitutional trump card they can play whenever it suits them, overreaching is inexorable. "

" Re-election comes every six years, which explains why I spend so much time on Twitter. If you're an obscure judge whose name ID hovers between infinitesimal and zilch, it's political malpractice to neglect social media. I'm probably the tweetingest judge in America, which, admittedly, is like being the tallest Munchkin in Oz. "

" In parenting, as in judging, the days are long, but the years are short. "

" There is a profound difference between an activist judge and an engaged judge. "

" Judges should always behave judicially by adjudicating, never politically by legislating. I leave policy to policymakers. They're preeminent, but they're not omnipotent. In other words, lawmakers decide if laws pass, but judges decide if laws pass muster. "

" One truth I've learned as a father: Children want presence more than presents. They don't want to read about you; they want you. "

" Usually what goes through my mind before I hit the tweet button is, did I misspell or mis-grammatize anything, but also, is this worth polluting the interwebs with for posterity? "

" The judiciary wields enormous power but is utterly mysterious to most Americans. People know more about 'American Idol' judges than Supreme Court judges. Done right, social media is a high-octane tool to boost civic awareness. "