We The People… Those three words have had a profound and everlasting impact on the history of the world. It is the fundamental belief that the power resides with the people.
Yet, today we find ourselves in peculiar times. Recent judicial decisions have demonstrated the usurpation of “We the People.” In 2018, with complete disregard of the original meaning of our State Constitution the majority opinion of our Supreme Court stated, “Our constitution recognizes the ever-evolving nature of society, and thus, our inquiry cannot be cabined within the limited vantage point of the past.” Using this reasoning, un-elected judges fabricated a fundamental right to an abortion under our State Constitution.
These un-elected judges used the power of the gavel to effectively re-write Iowa’s Constitution. Nowhere under Article 10 (amendments to the constitution) does it provide the power for judges to create new constitutional rights. Rather, the constitution requires a lengthy process in which “The People” ultimately decide what constitutional rights we will maintain.
I will not allow this type of judicial tyranny to go unchecked. That is why I sponsored Senate Joint Resolution 21 which puts the power back into the hands of “We The People” where it properly resides. SJR21 passed through subcommittee as well as the committee, and now awaits consideration of the entire Senate.
