Continuing Crumble of the Rule of Law

Gee, I haven't mentioned the 'rule of law' for a couple of days, so here we go again.

Deference to the judgments and rulings of courts depends upon public confidence in the integrity and independence of judges. The integrity and independence of judges depends in turn upon their acting without fear or favor. A judiciary of integrity is one in which judges are known for their probity, fairness, honesty, uprightness, and soundness of character. An independent judiciary is one free of inappropriate outside influences. --Canon One Commentary, Model Judicial Code of Conduct.

That's quoted in the specific context of Sotomayor's utterly indefensible remark that 'a Latina makes a better judge than a white male.'

BIW (an attorney) goes on:

It is kind of hard to convince your clients that they should be patient and work within the system when you yourself have doubts about its integrity. We all are damaged when Themis (or her younger Roman cousin Justicia) peeks

Were Sotomayor the worst example, it would be a fine story for Gilbert & Sullivan to work with--"I Am the Very Model of a Racist SCOTUS Appointee" could be a classic hit.

But she's not. We have Bush (the GM/Chrysler illegal bailouts), Obama (more of the same, plus the share-holding imbroglio of those entities), and James E. "Three-Card-Monte" Doyle, to whom theft of trust funds is a Gubernatorial privilege, you know, old chap.

Maybe the IRS can imprison ALL of the folks who decide to protest by simply not paying--and Wisconsin's DofRevenue, too.

But at the rate our "leadership" is baiting the public, I kinda doubt it will be all that easy.

HT: AOSHQ/Laura