Getting Jesus into the house
February 22, 2006News & Politics
--> Sign up for Peek in your inbox... every morning! (Go here and check Peek box).
Constitution Schmonstitution. Since Indiana Republican Mike Sodrel didn't like the federal court's decision to prohibit explicit mentions of Jesus in state house prayers, he decided to introduce legislation to kick the federal court's ass.
Okay, it's not really about kicking ass so much as it's about stripping the court's jurisdiction with respect to the state house.
Sarah Posner puts this absurdity into context:
"Here's the M.O.: federal court issues decision Republicans disagree with. Republicans cry, "judicial activism!" and assert that the system of checks and balances requires that Congress regulate the activities of the federal courts. Thus, strip them of jurisdiction over hot button issues like gay marriage, prayer in public venues, or abortion. That way, the argument goes, Congress is providing a balance against the out-of-control federal courts."In noting that the Republican system has it backwards, Posner points out that Sodrel's biggest campaign contributors are "the PACs of Tom DeLay, Dennis Hastert, and Roy Blunt." (FlyTrap)
--> Sign up for Peek in your inbox... every morning! (Go here and check Peek box).
