Grassley hypocritical on ‘activist’ judge issue

Sen. Chuck Grassley called President Obama stupid for stating he felt the Supreme Court would not rule a law passed by Congress as unconstitutional. In his address to the press, Obama was warning against judicial activism by the Supreme Court.

This has long been a battle cry of the Republican Party. Most recently, the far right accused the Iowa Supreme Court of judicial activism when it ruled Iowa's law forbidding same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. The Iowa Supreme Court did so because of a clause in Iowa's constitution guaranteeing every Iowan equal rights. Regrettably, the far right went so far as to successfully campaign against retaining three of the justices in 2010s election. Only in Iowa can a judge lose his/her job for doing it properly.

Is Grassley upset that President Obama may be using the Republican Party's strategy of calling judges who disagree with you “activist judges?” He didn't seem upset when his party used that term against Iowa's Supreme Court. Where was your righteous outrage then, Senator? Do you believe only Republicans can call judges activist? Your blatant lack of respect is disgraceful not only to you and your office, but to all of Iowa.

According to the U.S. Constitution, it is the job of the judiciary to interpret the law. It is part of the system of checks and balances that keeps any one branch of government from becoming too powerful. It is time politicians do their job and let the court do its job.

Scott Vande-

Zandschulp

Cedar Rapids