This is an incredibly stupid (and reactionary) idea:
Colorado would become the first state to limit the number of terms served by state appellate judges and Supreme Court justices under a ballot initiative proposed by former state Senate President John Andrews.
“We have seen outrageous instances of judicial lawmaking, not only at the federal level but at the state level – really an increasing problem for decades now,” Andrews said Monday.
The state Supreme Court signed off Monday on the language of the ballot measure – language that had been contested by opponents who claimed “term limits” is a catchphrase that has been improperly used in political messages and therefore has no place on a ballot initiative.
Supporters of the ballot initiative still must gather 67,829 valid signatures by Aug. 7 to get the measure before voters in November. . . .
[K]en Gordon, a lawyer and majority leader of the Colorado Senate, called the idea of term-limiting judges “crazy” and said judges must be protected from political whims.
“This is anti-judicial sentiment that is stirred up by certain political elements, and I think it is unjustified,” Gordon, D-Denver, said. “A judge’s job is frequently to protect somebody’s rights. And rights are frequently unpopular.”
The two most important features that make a good judge are 1) insulation from politics, and 2) experience. That’s why Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution states: “The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior . . . .” In other words, for life. John Andrews of Colorado, who I’ve never heard of before, is clearly more interested in rabble-rousing his narrow-minded conservative constituency than in the greater good of either Colorado or this nation. He should be ashamed of himself.
Details here from The Denver Post. (via How Appealing)
Colorado would become the first state to limit the number of terms served by state appellate judges and Supreme Court justices under a ballot initiative proposed by former state Senate President John Andrews.
“We have seen outrageous instances of judicial lawmaking, not only at the federal level but at the state level – really an increasing problem for decades now,” Andrews said Monday.
The state Supreme Court signed off Monday on the language of the ballot measure – language that had been contested by opponents who claimed “term limits” is a catchphrase that has been improperly used in political messages and therefore has no place on a ballot initiative.
Supporters of the ballot initiative still must gather 67,829 valid signatures by Aug. 7 to get the measure before voters in November. . . .
[K]en Gordon, a lawyer and majority leader of the Colorado Senate, called the idea of term-limiting judges “crazy” and said judges must be protected from political whims.
“This is anti-judicial sentiment that is stirred up by certain political elements, and I think it is unjustified,” Gordon, D-Denver, said. “A judge’s job is frequently to protect somebody’s rights. And rights are frequently unpopular.”
The two most important features that make a good judge are 1) insulation from politics, and 2) experience. That’s why Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution states: “The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior . . . .” In other words, for life. John Andrews of Colorado, who I’ve never heard of before, is clearly more interested in rabble-rousing his narrow-minded conservative constituency than in the greater good of either Colorado or this nation. He should be ashamed of himself.
Details here from The Denver Post. (via How Appealing)
This is an incredibly stupid (and reactionary) idea:
Colorado would become the first state to limit the number of terms served by state appellate judges and Supreme Court justices under a ballot initiative proposed by former state Senate President John Andrews.
“We have seen outrageous instances of judicial lawmaking, not only at the federal level but at the state level – really an increasing problem for decades now,” Andrews said Monday.
The state Supreme Court signed off Monday on the language of the ballot measure – language that had been contested by opponents who claimed “term limits” is a catchphrase that has been improperly used in political messages and therefore has no place on a ballot initiative.
Supporters of the ballot initiative still must gather 67,829 valid signatures by Aug. 7 to get the measure before voters in November. . . .
[K]en Gordon, a lawyer and majority leader of the Colorado Senate, called the idea of term-limiting judges “crazy” and said judges must be protected from political whims.
“This is anti-judicial sentiment that is stirred up by certain political elements, and I think it is unjustified,” Gordon, D-Denver, said. “A judge’s job is frequently to protect somebody’s rights. And rights are frequently unpopular.”
The two most important features that make a good judge are 1) insulation from politics, and 2) experience. That’s why Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution states: “The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior . . . .” In other words, for life. John Andrews of Colorado, who I’ve never heard of before, is clearly more interested in rabble-rousing his narrow-minded conservative constituency than in the greater good of either Colorado or this nation. He should be ashamed of himself.
Details here from The Denver Post. (via How Appealing)
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