Barry Goldwater And Ronald Reagan Are Turning Over In Their Graves

If you hear a weird noise tonight, it could be the sound of conservative icons Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan turning over in their graves.



Senator Rick Santorium basically now suggests the judge wasted his time ruling on the Terri Schiavo case since unless he had ruled the way Congress wanted, he was “defying” Congress.



Sanatorium’s new argument is that if Congress passes a law, it is automatically correct even if it is a law involving a highly controversial issue seeped in all kinds of ethical, political and legal issues. Read this item for yourself:

“You have judicial tyranny here,” Sanatorium told WABC Radio in New York. “Congress passed a law that said that you had to look at this case. He simply thumbed his nose at Congress.”

And we all know that Congress and its members who are elected don’t tend to pander to get votes while judges always pander to win over constituencies to perpetuate themselves in office. Or, wait…do I have that backwards? Whatever:

“What the statute that [Whittemore] was dealing with said was that he shall hold a trial de novo,” the Pennsylvania Republican explained. “That means he has to hold a new trial. That’s what the statute said.”

“What he’s saying is, ‘I don’t have to hold a new trial because I’ve already determined that her rights have been protected,’” Santorum said.



“That’s nice for him to say that. But that’s not what Congress told him to do,” he added. “Judges should obey the law. And this judge – in my mind – simply ignored the law.”

In other words: Congress wanted a judge to RATIFY its law — or the judge was being disrespectful to Congress and guilty of “judicial tyranny.” The GOP doesn’t like activist judges — but wanted a judge to endorse Congress’ action, which isn’t an activist judge. A judge refusing to agree with Congress and vote the way it wants them to vote on this case is an activist judge.



This doesn’t sound like something Barry Goldwater or Ronald Reagan would ever say. But, then, times — and party beliefs — have apparently changed. Sorry BG and RR…



Is this just TMV who wonders? No:

–Republican blogger John Cole:”Can’t say I didn’t warn you that they were going to come after Judge Whittmore. Let the smears begin….”