Leonard Boswell, currently in office as the congressional representative for Iowa’s 3rd district, is one of those Democrats who we at Irregular Times have supported with our noses pinched and our eyes shut. Because the alternative to Boswell is a Republican, and because Rep. Boswell has done some respectable things such as vote against the reauthorization of the Patriot Act and make Election Day a federal holiday, in the past we looked at the shades of gray in Leonard Boswell’s voting record and gave him our mark of approval with pro-Boswell bumper stickers in our Iowa politics shop.
But then Leonard Boswell voted YES on H.R. 6166, the bill to scuttle habeus corpus rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution, install undemocratic executive committees without review to designate citizens and noncitizens alike as “enemy combatants” without standards for proof, and grant George W. Bush amnesty for his current violations of law.
Leonard Boswell has shown other inclinations to disregard liberty in the pursuit of his own particular substantive biases. By voting for the Hostettler Amendment to H.R. 2862, Rep. Boswell voted to keep a ruling of a federal court from being enforced. Why? Because a judge decided that a religious monument on the grounds of the Gibson county courthouse was an unconstitutional endorsement of one religion over others. Rep. Boswell apparently decided that any personally distasteful court ruling can be overturned, just because he doesn’t like it. That’s not the rule of law. That’s an arbitrary violation of the separation of powers — a violation that Boswell returned to in his vote for H.R. 6166, and a violation which makes it more difficult for anti-constitutional legislation like H.R. 6166 to be overturned in the future.
Then there is House Joint Resolution 10, which would amend the United States Constitution so that “The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.” Just consider the language used in the amendment. The amendment proposes to prohibit the “physical desecration” of the American flag, which is to demean its “sacred status.” But in traditional American democracy, the American flag is not sacred. There is no official cult of flag worship. However, this amendment would in effect create a new religious Cult of the Homeland, with its sacred idol elevated above the freedom of speech guaranteed by the United States Constitution’s own First Amendment.
Leonard Boswell swore an oath when he entered the House of Representatives. He swore a solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. Yet he has supported legislation that would shred the First, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendments to that same American Constitution. Leonard Boswell has, in more than one act, violated his oath of office. It is time for Iowa’s Third District to find a new, more faithful, representative.
I’ve replaced our previous pro-Boswell bumper stickers with new stickers that ask his constitutents to confront Leonard Boswell on his actions. I hope that, albeit in a small way, a message gets through to Rep. Boswell: when he attacks the American Constitution, he will lose the support of liberty-loving Americans, in Iowa and elsewhere.
Sad to see Irregular Times’ change in support Congressman Boswell.
Leonard was my congressman until the new district lines were drawn and he moved to Des Moines and has faithfully represented the Democratic interests there just as he did the interests in southern Iowa previously.
Congressman Boswell has a very strong belief in what is right and what is wrong on many fronts. A “Yes-Man” for anyone is not a description used for Congressman Boswell. The congressman is a veteran of Vietnam and represents the veterans and soldiers with passion and much personal responsibility.
I would hope that the Irregular Times would approach Congressman Boswell for answers to it’s questions rather than just look at a vote to make a judgement.
The 3rd District will not be well represented by State Senator Lamberti and his past record of tax cuts for the wealth, straight Republican votes rather than individual thinking about issues and his strong ties to big business and their interests. The campaign commercials that support Mr. Lamberti are from California and Texas citizens in Iowa and Iowans are already tired of his negative campaign ads attacking Congressman Boswell.
It is not one party versus the other but Congress needs Congressman like Leonard Boswell that will think though individual issues and work behind the scenes, at times, to protect our country and serve it’s citizens with honor and sincere compassion. Ask him the question and he will give you a a thoughtful and intelligent answer for your issues.
Leonard Boswell was my Congressman and I am now served by Congressman Steve King, an embarrassment to Iowa on many fronts. (Congressman King compared Abu Greh prison scandal with college hazing.) Please do all you can to support Congressman Boswell in the November election. Central Iowa needs his experience and compassion for it’s citizens in this position.
Yes, it is sad to see.
It is also sad to see that Leonard Boswell no longer supports constitutional rights for citizens.
Very, very sad indeed.
There should be no Blue Dog Democrats in the democrat party. Their really republicans & we need to get people to run against them. Those that voted for this last surveilance act is unbelievable. Hopefully, there will be someone to run against Boswell & win.
Yes, Shirley is picking up on the fact that Leonard Boswell voted BOTH for the Military Commissions Act and the Protect America Act – two laws that have ripped apart most of the Bill of Rights, betraying the promise of liberty.
Congressman Boswell ought to be ashamed of himself, but he’s not, and that’s why Leon Boswell should be voted out of office.