Fred Joesting, LeSauk Township
In the Feb. 2 “Our View” Editor Dalman blasts what he perceives to be Republican obstructionists. Is this editorial objective opinion or “the disgusting culmination of the arrogance, bullyism and contempt” of Editor Dalman against politicians with different viewpoints?
My issue is not in calling out some Republicans from Congress but in ignoring the Democrats in Congress who also are failing us. Often, the agenda of both political parties is for partisan gain and power while ignoring the needs of “ We The People” and the United States.
Did Dalman call Sen. Harry Reid an obstructionist when he, as Senate Majority Leader, kept hundreds of bills from reaching the Senate floor for a vote? Was Ted Kennedy an obstructionist for his treatment of Robert Bork? Did Dalman call Sen. Barack Obama an obstructionist for attempting to filibuster the nomination of Samuel Alito in 2005? Did Dalman find fault when Obama did not submit a nomination for Inspector General for the Department of State for more than five full years? Did that vacancy contribute to the Benghazi disaster in 2012? Might it have been prevented with strong oversight of the State Department?
Maybe the biggest obstructionist for a long time has been the Supreme Court, where many justices have become de facto lawmakers by issuing decisions based on personal views instead of the law being reviewed. That becomes the policy and law of the land despite never being debated and approved in Congress or given to the president to exercise his Constitutional right and duty to approve or veto. Having a group of nine people who have been appointed for lifetime positions is dangerous, and it may be time to look at term limits for the justices.
If our country is to survive, we need to stop legislating from the bench right now. We need to apply Constitutional remedies if and when the words become outdated. For some problems, laws passed by the Congress and the president may be sufficient. If more is needed, we have the process of amending the Constitution, which has been well used in the past and can be again.