They are stealing our Courts! They would steal the other two branches, but they have already done that. A couple of points. The current issue of the New Yorker, in an article by Jerome Groopman, Kathy Giusti, seeking a cure for a specific disease, is trying to "get academics to work like businesspeople." She does this by demanding that researchers work together." And here us the point: "Money gives you power to drive people's behavior." Switch from the New Yorker to Bill Moyers' Journal.
In an interview with our old pal Brooks Jackson, author of the book Honest Graft (Can you top that title?), they discussed Big Money in the presidential race. But we know about that and apparently we don't give a damn. "They are all crooks! Who gives a darn?" is heard more and more often. But Moyers gives us a real treat with an interview with famous lawyer-author John Grisham. Grisham has a new book coming out next week: The Appeal. He focuses on the corruption of justice.
Grisham tells us that 30 states elect their judges (including progressive Wisconsin) and he says "that is a bad system if they allow private money" to dominate the election. As he puts it, "Big money can take-out an unsympathetic judge and replace him with a more friendly one." That has happened in Mississippi and Alabama, and is about to happen in Wisconsin.
Grisham says it is almost impossible for plaintiffs to win in those two states: "The hard-right majority overturns virtually every jury award."
In Wisconsin, WMC has made it clear that thy will spend any amount to "take out" Justice Louis Butler this April. If you want to know why, read Grisham's book or take a good look at your Legislature.
What are we doing about this heist of our Supreme Court? Nothing. The Bar Association formed a committee. Wow. And, if you study the State of the State address, Jim Doyle has joined the group that doesn't give a damn. And that is a shame.
