Judicial System

This week in Wisconsin, a county judge ruled that the state budget law that takes away collective bargaining rights from some state employees was voted on without the proper 24 hour notice that gives all state senators a chance to be included in the vote. (Wisconsin judge ruling) This article shows the power of the judicial system in the United States. The chances this will actually work are pretty slim, but the judge used what power she has to stop a bill that was very controversial in the state. The judge only responded to a law suit that was filed by state Democrats. Again we see how a group can take a political situation and use the courts to forward a political agenda.

We also have seen many judges use their power in corrupt ways. When I think of corrupt judges, I think of the movie "The Untouchables" with Kevin Costner and Sean Connery. It's based on prohibition and the rule of Al Capone of the underworld of Chicago. This period of time is considered one of the bloodiest and most corrupt periods of time in U.S. history. Judges were bought and rulings went the direction of the criminals. People with enough money could do whatever they wanted. Things haven't changed too much. People with money still pay for judgements, they just do it in different ways. The corruption cases in Pennsylvania prove that judges can still be bought. The biggest problem with the judicial system is the ability to be unbiased. This is a problem that can not be fixed. The only changes that might possibly be made would be the election of judges which goes against the idea of the Constitution.

One other thing I want to discuss is the death penalty. I, even as liberal as I am, believe that the death penalty should be used in certain cases. Sexual molestation of a child under 10 is one. My father always complained that criminals should be punished the same as the crime they committed. In today's world, with the amount of crime perpetrated, our jails are full. People sit on death row for years. Non-violent crimes make up the majority of the offenders. We should focus on violent crimes and change the way non-violent crimes are judged. All of this is just talk though. We need reform in our court systems just like we need reform in every other aspect of our government. Hopefully, soon, some changes will be made that benefit everybody.

Congress

Before I start my blog this week, I just want say that my thoughts go out to the people of Japan. The devastation and destruction wrought by the 8.9 earthquake is incredible.

Now then, let's talk about Congress. I feel like the Senate and the House of Representatives are the most corrupt and corruptible aspect of our government. They can't get along with each other or the other branches of the U.S. government. The money spent by lobbyists and special interest groups goes to Congress before it goes anywhere else. The last election has proven that money is how these people get elected and how they stay in office.

Money is also what keeps politicians separated from the common person. They have more money, opportunities and prestige than you and I. They are friends with politicians, lobbyists, and heads of important groups. They have never had to deal with many of the problems that I have. The ideas that our founding fathers had for Congress were brilliant, but have changed so much over the years that it is not the same as it was even 25 years ago, let alone 1787. The idea of a government of the people, for the people and by the people is far from what it was in the past. Representation is not the norm now. In the beginning of our Revolution one of the biggest concerns of the U.S. colonists was "taxation without representation." Has anything changed? Are we represented effectively? Are our interests the same as our Congresspeople? That is one of the biggest questions in politics today.

The President and democracy

The Office of the President of the United States is the most powerful position in the world. The influence he/she holds over political leaders world-wide is a manifestation of this power. It also manifests in the influence he/she has over politicians in our own country. He/she may not be the person that creates laws but definitely has the power to influence the people that do. The President also has the power to veto any law they do not feel benefits the people of this country. He/she also has the power of the bureaucracy behind them.

That being said, it sure seems like in the last 30 years or so, that one group has pushed the power of the position farther than it had ever gone. For a party that preaches less government, they sure use the government power they have to the extreme. Stay out of my business but attack those that disagree with our way of thinking. Spend  and tax less but increase the size of the debt. Create better education, but take away the bargaining rights of the teachers. We can't have it both ways.

Our economy is in shambles and yet no one has a solution that benefits what I think are important aspects of our society. Education is the most important aspect of our society today. Without education our economy will continue to go through these cycles of prosperity and bust. Without education our jobs will continue to be shipped overseas. Without education the next great idea will come from a different country. I continue to read about what is happening in Wisconsin and I feel like that one particular group I was talking about earlier believes that our children's education is not important. I would bet that many politician's children actually attend private schools. What about the rest of us? Shouldn't we be able to provide the best education in the world? We are, after all, the richest country in the world. What's next? Our health care system? Oh, right....