Thoughts on Yesterday's Elections

Strangely enough, I think it was the less than stellar behavior of various organizations and/or persons during this election that finally prompted me to lay finger to keyboard once again after all this time.

I am not talking candidates or special interest groups. They did what they usually do: Act in thier own best interests. Surprise!!

My interest lies more in the subtle ways that those who will stop at nothing to get thier candidate elected attempt to shift the issue to either some ONE or some THING else.

Take this young lad for instance:
http://badgerherald.com/oped/2008/04/01/seat_on_high_court_s.php

Robert Phansalker, a first year law student.

Not a bad little screed. Works a bit too hard to convince us that he knows what words are, but all in all not bad.

But here is the money quote....AND the problem.

"Running to appease the majority is not the function of the judiciary — that’s the Legislature’s job. And turning the judiciary into the Legislature all but guarantees that the majority will not be regulated or moderated, but hegemonic and disrespectful to the sensitive issues that affect minorities in a society as diverse as ours."

It occurs to me as I read that paragraph that ONLY a college student could have so little understanding of what is happening in reality, as opposed to the theoretical world that he currently resides in.

Mr. Phansalker is apparently unaware The Wisconsin Supreme Court's recent record. If he was he would understand that it is the Supreme's themselves who believe that they ARE the legislature, and that they have legislative powers and/or the ability to ORDER the legislature to pass the laws that they desire.

I am sure that Mr. Phansalker and many others would be happier with a system where he and the many exalted that he is surrounded with at the "Uni" were able to pick the Supreme's and leave the rest of us riff-raff out of the picture. Too bad for him (That damn voting thing!)

I will forgive him this failing. He is young and will have to live out here with the rest of us at some point, and I am sure that when his business is sued, taxed, or policed out of viability etc. he will change his tune.

Unless he becomes a college professor or something.

In that case I am afraid his soul is lost.........