Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Monday that the Supreme Court's role is to decide cases using the law and the Constitution, not to serve as a "super legislature" for Democrats.
On the opening day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Cruz used his time to explain what he sees are the differences between how Democrats and Republicans view the court.
"Democrats and Republicans have fundamentally different visions of the court. Of what the Supreme Court is supposed to do. What its function is," he said. "Democratic senators view the court as a super legislature. As a policymaking body. As a body that will decree outcomes to the American people.
"Now, that vision of the court is something found nowhere in the Constitution. And it's a curious way to want to run a country. Even if on any particular policy issue you might happen to agree with wherever a majority of the court is on any given day, who in their right mind would want the United States of America ruled by five unelected lawyers wearing black robes?
"It's hard to think of a less Democratic notion than unelected philosopher kings with life tenure decreeing rules for 330 million Americans. That is not, in fact, the court's job."
Cruz added that the Supreme Court was put in place to serve as a check on the other two branches of government. The role of the legislative branch, he said, is policymaking.
"The court's job is to decide cases according to the law, and to leave policymaking to the elected legislature," he said.
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is holding the Barrett hearings, focused many of their arguments Monday against confirming her around their belief that she could serve as the deciding vote to strike down the Affordable Care Act.
"Our Democratic colleagues simply want a promise from a judicial nominee that this nominee will work to implement their policy vision of healthcare," Cruz said. "That is not a judge's job."
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.