JCR Blog

By: Republican US Senate Candidate Steve Rathje

For months now the United States Senate has been gridlocked over judicial nominations. People can blow a lot of hot air blaming one side of the isle or the other. The fact is, however, that in the end it is not one political party that loses. It is the American public who lose.

There are currently 46 judicial vacancies throughout the United States. That is 46 courtrooms sitting empty with lights off and doors closed. It is nearly impossible to count the number of litigants whose cases are being delayed because there is no judge to hear them. Those litigants are people just like you and me. They are US citizens who, under the constitution, have been guaranteed the right to a fair and speedy trial.

The Judicial Conference is a non-partisan and impartial panel that oversees judicial appointments. That conference has labeled 17 of these 46 vacancies as "judicial emergencies." A judicial emergency is a seat on the bench that has been empty for more than 18 months or where the number of pending cases is excessive and, therefore, in need of immediate attention.

It is time to put politics aside in the Senate. It is time to come together and do what is best for the people of this country. There are people out there, families out there who are waiting for justice. Right now our system is failing them.

I believe the United States Senate needs to take a hard look at the rules that govern judicial appointments. They need to amend their rules to require that nominees be given a fair hearing and an up or down vote within weeks, not months or years, of being nominated.

Partisan politics are out of control in Washington, D.C. They are causing a systematic breakdown of our government's ability to be responsive to this and many other issues. The American people deserve better.

Steve Rathje is a businessman and entrepreneur from Cedar Rapids. He is running for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate in the June 3rd primary election.