Why don’t those judges carry out the will of the people?
November 22, 2008
Judge Jones, talking about the nature of the judiciary:
Your congressman represents you, or at least the public majority. Or at least, his wealthy donors. Higher court judges represent the Constitution, a document that exists to protect you, sometimes from your congressman, that majority, and/or the wealthy donors.
Categories: Uncategorized
In my experience as a lawyer, those who became judges were mostly un-intellectual for whom the modest but secure pay as a judge was a godsend. They mostly were petty, ruled from their “gut” instead of the law, and often took bribes.
Many of these yahoos went on to higher courts, of course.
A person whose opinion I valued said, “Some people grow on the bench, others just swell.”
I think Jones is one of those judges who grew on the bench. But I (in my admittedly sketchy knowledge of constitutional law) agree with his ruling, so I would say that.
He was appointed by George Bush, and it’s been amusing to see how many among the irrational right seem to think that means he should always rule in favor of the right-wingtips.