The author uses the phrase 'half right' to indicate that
It is sometimes said that when judges strike down or reinterpret laws passed by an elected parliament they usurp democracy. The charge is half right. Judges are not elected, and their decisions on rights can be hard to reverse. But the objection forgets what democracy is for. A majority can legislate in ways that damage a minority, and an institution able to say so, openly and with reasons, protects the process rather than defeating it. The better worry is not that courts have too much power but that it is exercised without much public understanding. Parliaments that want to keep the final say can do so by passing a new law in clear terms; the fact that they seldom do suggests that the real disagreement is less sharp than the rhetoric.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. the objection identifies a real feature of judicial power but draws the wrong conclusion
- Step 1: The next sentence concedes that judges are unelected and hard to reverse.
- Step 2: The remainder shows why that does not amount to usurpation.
Answer
the objection identifies a real feature of judicial power but draws the wrong conclusion.
Why not the others: The phrase does not refer to a share of powers, decisions, or laws.
Practise more Rights and courts.
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