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Trib: No way to pick a judge

Nobody expects a governor, a senator or even the president of the United States to be independent or impartial. Of course, the great ones are. But politicians are creatures of their political parties. They reflect their core constituency. They answer to their donor base. If you’re outside that circle or backed the losing side, too bad. Elections, as they say, have consequences. But your birthright as an American is to expect a judge who is independent and impartial. In other words, you have a judge who is free to follow the law and does not answer to another branch of government, any special interest or even public pressure. And it means a judge who extends fairness to everyone in his courtroom. Without that, public faith in the judiciary crumbles - and with it, courts become just another creaky appendage of a cynical machine. In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, however, the lines between politics and justice have blurred/ Marty Trillhaase , Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: Would you rather see a Supreme Court justice appointed rather than elected, to ensure that a qualified person becomes judge?

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Huckleberries Online." Read all stories from this blog