It's time to do something
Attacks on our rights, values, and traditions come from so many quarters that it can be hard for good citizens to know how to respond.
Over the past few weeks, the Supreme Courts of the United States and of Iowa have issued several decisions with alarming implications.
The current U.S. Supreme Court has overturned precedents (changed its mind about what the law is) at a historic rate and with unprecedented vitriol toward its predecessors. For example, it overturned Chevron, its own 40-year-old ruling. Chevron required courts to defer to experts’ regulatory decisions if a law was ambiguous. Because the court also overruled Congress’s decision to allow certain regulations to be challenged only shortly after being adopted, courts now have much more opportunity to destroy regulations.
It has also created new rules that are poorly explained and difficult for lower courts to follow. It slow-walked a question of Presidential immunity before finally ruling that presidents have absolute immunity for their core constitutional acts, presumptive immunity where they have “exclusive authority,” and no immunity for other acts. It did not say what acts fall into which category. These newly created immunities will make politically motivated prosecutions of former presidents harder. They will also make it impossible to legitimately prosecute former presidents who criminally abuse their authority. In short, they agree with disgraced former President Nixon: “When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”
And the Iowa Supreme Court has been taking notes. Most notably, it disregarded women’s fundamental rights, precedent, and the will of the majority of Iowans, by allowing a near-total abortion ban to go into effect. It also began forcing abused children to testify directly in front of their abusers–like almost every other state, Iowa used to allow children to testify via closed-circuit television.
These decisions follow years of Iowa’s executive and legislative branches cutting access to everything from books to medical care to food for children. More recently, they have baselessly attacked our courts because they didn’t like the outcome of the former president’s fair trial. And ultra-right radical reactionary groups are plotting to remake the government in their image using every channel they can.
These attacks on our rights, values, and traditions come from so many quarters that it can be hard for good citizens to know how to respond; you can’t do everything.
So do something.
Take one step. Support one cause or advocacy organization with your time, talent, or treasure. Think about what motivates you and find a way to help. And remember, you’re not on your own.
Is your issue reproductive rights? You have friends at Emma Goldman Clinic, National Abortion Federation, and Black Women’s Maternal Health Collective. Or encourage your employer to cover travel for reproductive healthcare as a benefit.
Regulations? Under the Court’s new rules, Congress must pass very specific laws about agencies’ authority to act. So get involved with advocacy organizations that help make good, strong laws about specific topics. For environmental advocacy, consider Earthday.org, Izaak Walton League, or Sierra Club. For workplace advocacy, consider the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health or Common Good Iowa.
Children’s rights? Support UNICEF, Children’s Defense Fund, or Children’s Rights. Or volunteer with United Way.
Concerned about the rule of law? The League of Women Voters and American Civil Liberties Union have advocated for the rule of law for over 100 years.
Whatever your cause, find out who represents you in our federal and state governments. Find out who is running for office in your district. Ask them about their positions on the issues that matter most to you. Vote and encourage others to vote accordingly.
Making progress on these issues will take time and patience. That is what the extremist right has been doing for decades. Don’t lose patience with yourself when it takes time and the going is slow.
We’ll leave you with the words of Representative Elijah Cummings: “When it seems like you can’t do anything, do something. Don’t say it’s too big or too oppressive to overcome. Start. Try. Now.”
Editor's Note: Shannon Patrick is on the board of the League of Women Voters of Iowa.
Kelcey Patrick-Ferree and Shannon Patrick live in Iowa.
Originally published in the Iowa City Press-Citizen on July 13, 2024.
Overturning the Chevron case was a good one. If a law is ambiguous, the decision should not go in favor of government automatically.