Attacks on Independent Courts Are Attacks on America

[William769]

We knew it wouldn't take long before the Iowa judge who struck down the state's ban on marriage for same-sex couples was pegged an "activist judge" by the usual suspects. They say they are defending "traditional" marriage and our democracy itself. But their attacks on the judicial system are about as un-democratic as you can get.

Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts and Republican presidential hopeful led the pack, weighing in just minutes after the ruling was announced. Clearly without enough time to read the 63-page decision, he called it "…another example of an activist court and unelected judges trying to redefine marriage and disregard the will of the people…."

Meanwhile, in Iowa some politicians used the ruling to call for a state constitutional amendment that would restrict marriage to one man and one woman. Senator Paul McKinley claimed most Republicans "believed a constitutional amendment was necessary because all it takes is one person in a black robe to declare a law invalid." Christopher Rants, his colleague in the assembly, reiterated this point, blaming state Democrats for opposing the amendment and "trying to appease special interest groups."

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