Fire judges because they didn’t do their job

Yes. Fire the judges - the three Iowa Supreme Court justices who are up for retention votes. But first, a couple of points. Judicial independence isn't just a good thing. It's wonderful and necessary. And on same-sex marriage, I'm ambivalent.

Dump the judges because they did not do their job, and knowingly and purposely usurped the Iowa Legislature's job and powers. The state Constitution stands mute on many points, marriage related and otherwise. How old you need to be to be married, waiting periods or not, blood tests or not, blood relationship and at what distance, it doesn't address marriage at all. All these questions are left to the Legislature and the governor's signature. And still are.

Now the court has a new special group that is exempt from the Legislature's reach and powers. It has granted itself the sole power to decide what a couple are. The justices decided to take this decision out of the hands of the great unwashed and dictate “what is right.”

This is not their job. So on Election Day, toward the end of the ballot, where it asks do we retain these three Iowa Supreme Court judges, mark a clear “no.”

Don Woods

Cedar Rapids