Bitter apples threaten two different branches

« Go back a post || Return to G-A-Y homepage || Haul tail to next post »

11/10/2011

by Jeremy Hooper

Are judges and legislators the same thing, both tasked with doing what's popular before doing what's right? In NOM world they are:

NOM also pledged to make the repeal of DOMA a major issue in US Senate elections next year. "Dianne Feinstein is leading her Democratic colleagues off a political cliff," Brown said. "Any Senator who votes for this legislation is going to be held accountable to voters back home. Just ask the three Supreme Court justices from Iowa who imposed same-sex marriage what happens when elitists face voters after ignoring their wishes on marriage. NOM worked to ensure that when they faced voters afterwards, all three were removed from office - and all three justices were removed.

Now personally, I want my supported lawmakers always putting principle before popularity, and I hope I support those who do that more often than not. But I also understand the nature of the game. So as far as the political game goes, I don't have a problem with NOM threatening U.S. Senators with retributive votes, as idle or as unprincipled as those threats may be.

However, I have a HUUUUGE problem with acting as if a legislator and a judge are one and the same, both fit to be punished on highly partisan, largely faith-based ideological grounds! I was jaw-dropped at the way NOM and cohorts flooded Iowa with out-of-state cash to end judges' careers on the basis of one MAJORITY opinion, and I remain stunned by the arrogance a year later. Not surprised, mind you, for a number of reasons I highlighted here. But certainly stunned that the NOM crowd cared so little about our independent judiciary that they turned it into an adult-sized Student Council election. A particularly "Mean Girl" form of a Student Council election, even.

Though knowing what we know about NOM's "win at all costs" worldview, it's extremely telling that Brian Brown so easily transposes the nature of electoral politics, as if "the people" get to bully back any person in any kind of governmental role who commits the crime of not agreeing with their organizationally-held worldview. As telling as it is dangerous!

space