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FOR Electing Judges Rather Than Appointing

By Steve Steckel, Las Vegas Resident, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 12-23-02

To the Editor:

Once again, the ugly specter of appointing judges rather than electing them raises its ugly head.  This is not a new idea.  It was pushed before and failed dismally.

Proponents of appointing judges instead of electing them give two basic reasons why this change should be made:

• The voters are too stupid to understand the qualifications a person needs to be a "good" judge and therefore cannot be trusted to make an intelligent choice.
• The entire election process is "demeaning" to the dignity of the position.

As to the first, I do not believe that voters are stupid.  I believe that we are quite capable of intelligently selecting judges - and when our selection is shown to be flawed, as in the case of District Judge Jeffrey Sobel, capable of voting them out.

As to the second argument, it is no more "demeaning" to run for a judgeship as it is to run for president, the Senate, or any other elected office.

The very best example of the harm that appointed judges - who do not answer to the voters - can do is the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which makes outrageous decisions such as the one recently handed down stating that the right to keep and bear arms is not an individual right.  This court is comprised entirely of judges who are appointed for life and answer to no one.

If we allow this abomination to come to pass, we will be giving up any influence that we have in the selection of those that may sit in judgment of us.

WORKING TOGETHER TO ATTAIN FAIRNESS