tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19777639.post1654108620492021325..comments2020-11-16T00:05:34.191-05:00Comments on THE CENTRIST: Penn Patriot: Judicial StupidityTONY PHYRILLAShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18383642518928715216noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19777639.post-59165086830434733172007-02-06T10:24:00.000-05:002007-02-06T10:24:00.000-05:00The most fundamental reason for Justice Nigro's de...The most fundamental reason for Justice Nigro's defeat was his -- and every other current Justices' -- misinterpretation of our Constitution. They have allowed the legislature to engage in gut-and-run lawmaking that violates both the plain language and the historically unambiguous intent of Article III. Not only do citizens have the power to remove judges who misinterpret the Constitution; they have the duty to do so.<br /><br />Similarly, it strikes me as unacceptable for the salaries of state judges to be automatically tied to those of federal judges. One of the fundamental rights of citizens is the ability to decide what they want to pay their own public servannts. The General Assembly needs to repeal this scheme before the next increase in federal salaries, which is expected to occur this summer.<br /><br />The General Assembly then needs to establish an independent commission, like the BRAC Commission, to set levels of compensation for public officials, subject to an up or down vote by the General Assembly without amendment. <br /><br />We have an opportunity to turn the pay raise scandal into a system that truly earns the confidence of citizens while paying public servants appropriately. Let's work toward that goal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com