Geske's Spin: Confused "Perception"

Once again, Professor Geske gets it backwards.

The negative ads run on behalf of both candidates were devastating to the state's judicial system, said former state Supreme Court Justice Janine Geske, now a Marquette University law professor.

She added that the ads were misleading about the role of justices in the system, and the perception of the court is essential to people respecting the court's opinions.

Let's unpack a bit.

The "perception of the Court" is driven by the Court's decisions. The Wisconsin Supremes, under the extreme-left guidance of Shirley Abrahamson, have managed to create the perception that the Law is stupid. Two examples should suffice: the flip-flop on tribal compacts directly resulting from Doyle's appointment of Butler, and the utterly inane "Mommy, may I?" interpretations of concealed-carry law. It did not help that the Supremes then made the preposterous decision that liability for 100-year-old paint damages rested with any and every manufacturer of paint, regardless of discoverable facts. These decisions (and others) were "devastating" to the Court system--and those who wrote the decisions must take primary responsibility for "perceptions."

Geske is unhappy with the criminal-decisions focus of the advertising. But her unhappiness is both right and wrong.

Right because SCOWI doesn't really spend a lot of time on criminal cases. Wrong, because Justice Butler's pattern of judicial thinking was clearly demonstrated in this area. In fact, one of Butler's own ads captured his philosophy very well; it portrayed him as 'granting justice.'

"Granting justice" regardless of the State's constitution or prior Federal and State precedent--or worse, in direct contradiction to those--is what brings "devastation" and negative "perception."

Advertising simply distilled and underlined the case against Shirley's majority. Three times the State's voters have told the Left they are tired of their remedies (Butler 1 and 2, and Ziegler.)

And three times, the Left's machine has been defeated.

That, Ms. Geske, is a "perception" which you should not ignore.