"More Bad Judges"
Thursday, January 8, 2004 at 12:41PM Jack Newfield of The Nation has a piece about the Bush administration's latest crop of federal judicial nominees. Needless to say, he does not approve, concluding:
Bush is trying to transform America through lifetime judicial appointments for this biased batch and their clones. The bottom line is that the reckless Bushies are willing to violate computer privacy and vandalize the Bill of Rights to expedite this transformation. George W. Bush was appointed President by the Supreme Court after losing the popular vote by more than 500,000. Now he is trying to use the courts to legislate a mandate the voters never gave him by abusing the power of appointment and ignoring the Constitution's "advise and consent" clause.
You can read the whole thing here. (via How Appealing)
Reader Comments (796)
I don't know if Charla and Darren were that way before, but no doubt the stress of divorce and lawyers and Family Court made them become that way.
You're right though, big changes are needed... yesterday.
Why is everyone so surprised by the shootings? We seem to accept that our children bring guns to school to settle the score... why is it so shocking that an adult who has easier, legal access to guns wouldn't do the same??
Sadly, it was only a matter of time.
And unless Family Court and divorce procedures change quickly, it'll only be a matter of time... again.
Some parents give too much to their kids and spoil them as a result. Mack is a selfish egotistical jerk. Bubba will be glad to see him.
Oh, and Ignore the Shitheads, your post about me being related to my husband by "blood" was so funny I forgot to laugh. How I wish I can tell you to your fact how wrong you be! Maybe you should look in the mirror before calling people names like you do.
He was so selfish and egotistical, he married someone who had nothing and did so without benefit of a prenuptial agreement for himself. He then proceeded to give her everything... Hardly selfish!!
PS- good comeback on your last post to Ignore the Shitheads... how old are you? 12? LOL.. BTW, you spend more time here name-calling then anyone else.
From my perspective, your family is not the receiving the least respect or concern. They are just being viewed as the luckiest... if there is a luckiest in this situation... since no life was lost.I'm sure it is not easy for your family; there has to be so much emotional turmoil and loss of trust with the world. But, your family does have the most solid, stable foundation from which to rebuild with everyone still being present and able to support one another... You are all there to help each other through. You will all be able to heal together.That's all I was saying anyway.
It's easy for people here to take a flippant attitude. Try to disregard the unfeeling remarks.It's very easy for everyone here to point fingers as well.No matter who was 'right' or who was 'wrong', no one deserved to be killed or shot at, or have their family destroyed or traumatized...Mostly because the saddest part with adult dealings gone bad is that, once again, the kids are the most hurt with their innocence being robbed from them.Fortunately, while your nieces will know in no uncertain terms that the days of police protection and laying on the floor of the car were not a fluke, they will again learn to trust in their father coming home each night. With each new day, they will slowly regain the normalcy in their lives.
This situation is much like with the two kids who were starved in Carson City... all the attention focused on them and their crazy parents and crazier grandmother. Everyone seemed to forget about the family's other kids whose lives were completely turned upside-down as well when they were sent off to live in different foster homes.Somehow, they were viewed as the lucky ones since they had only 'witnessed' abuse, not actually 'suffered it physically'. Everyone seemed to forget about emotional abuse- it's easy to forget since you can't "see" the damage...
In a way, it's good that the media is focused elsewhere. It'll lend to a more normal setting for your family so that the healing can begin to take place.
Posted by: Michael W Weller at July 4, 2006 02:27 PMMr. Weller said:
Just very confused by a society that does not hold people responsible for their actions. Over half the posts here are pro-Mack or how the judge caused the problem. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR MACK'S ACTIONS, AND THE ONLY ONE WHO CAUSED MACK PROBLEMS, WAS MACK!!
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I couldn't agree with you more. This is society's problem. nobody takes responsibility anymore - they just blame everybody else. No wonder people are so unhappy!
A poster said " Accepting lifes knocks and rising above..." and then "those who don't rise above forever remain victims..." True very true!
I would like to know how to rise above the unjustified orders handed down by a judge who flat refused to listen to anything one of the parties had to say?
I do realize that a judge's job must be very difficult, but how on Earth can a fair decision be made, if only one party is heard?
Then again I maybe mistaken, it seems most of the people who post what they have gone through, are blowing off steam.
It is frustrating enough to have to actually live through the hell, but then to read things that basicly tell them to get over it, tends to feel like another kick in the head.
As sad as it is, the fact there is somewhere for people to 'talk about' what they have lived through... might just keep another murder from happening.
To be able to have an outlet and discuss our issues, has allowed our family to begin living a normal life again. Our time is no longer wasted discussing the ex on a daily basis.
We are strong. The ex's war for revenge will never destroy us... but how do we help the children heal and go forward with their lives?
How do you teach your children right from wrong if they see what goes on between the adults? Or how do you keep the nasties of the case away from the children, when the ex involves them in adult issues {against court orders}, then have your child throw it in your face constantly?
How do you explain to a child that everything they have been told about you is not true? No matter what the circumstances... that bell can not be un-rung.
I guess I truely am one of the very few, my divorce was not only VERY easy for all involved... but we are all the best of friends.
Our child is very lucky, he has the love of 4 parents. We discussed everything concerning him, since choices made for him affect all of us.
He is now 18 and will tell people that he had 4 parents to care for him, and how lucky he was. It WAS NEVER about the money! It was always about our son and helping him to feel loved and to grow up to be a good person.
Then on the opposite end of the spectrum that ex will say or do anything it takes to get revenge!Including using the children as a weapon... we are adults and understand, but what about the children? What lessons are they learning?
Nothing worse than hearing two very young {under 10} children, tell you "the Judge Said" or "we have court orders" or "we are taking you back to court"
I read this somewhere and have made it my mantra:Revenge is like drinking arsinic, and waiting for the other person to die.
I refuse to waste the time to seek revenge !
I guess you havent considered how many families you brother has destroyed, how many times he has taken a good man and demolished his life. How about the fathers that look out the window and have to wonder what their child is doing knowing they cant see them. Or about the bankrupt respectable fathers who contributed to this "society" in a positive way before your brother treated them like felons and took everything from them. I do not condon shooting or even injuring another human in response to their treatment of you but maybe this is true karma, what goes around comes around.You ask for respect for your family, well to the family surrounding and directly affected by what happened on that day my sincerest condolences to you, this is something no one should ever be subjected to. But to Chuck Weller I have no sympathy, as a child we are all taught that respect is earned by how you respect others. Maybe if he had considered that and respected people then him, his family and everyone affected including Darren would never have gone through this. And for that he should take some responsibility.You are on here talking about how poor society is, well I agree, how could a corupt system and judge stay in affect for so long. Why did it have to come to this before people started noticing or talking about it. How much longer before it is changed... Why when describing the case to officers did your brother call it a "high dollar case." IS THAT SERIOUSLY HIS FIRST CONSIDERATION!!!???You say you are not angry, well I am, your brother controlled the outcome of so many lives with impunity and put forth as little effort as possible to care about the well being of all parties included.You will say I do not know, but boy you have no idea how much I know about the orders your brother handed down. Maybe to you he was wonderful, but maybe you should take a step back and wonder why soooo many people are supporting Darren, but then again ignorance is bliss.
"Those who allow for injustice share in the crime of it."
It is a real shame that an intire family is devistated, all because one man did not take a minute to think through a life altering decision.
Handing down his 'sentance' without giving a single thought as to how it would affect the children or the extended family...
Maybe just maybe, KARMA?
Do I call people names? How about Fuck the Judge, or others here? Am I worse than they are with the name-calling?
I am guilty, however, of making statements that tend to piss others off. Or hitting their nerves.
Good job! Thanks!! LOL =P
45? Really? You don't seem to have learned much about acceptable adult behavior.
Basically, you're saying that you've decided as long as other people are acting stupid that you can justify your own stupid behavior...
It seems to me everytime this begins to get back to the issues, the mud starts flying.
OMG, it's like being in court, everyone is loosing sight of the issue at hand.
But unfortunately some people here cannot make a point without using obscenities and name-calling.
Please do post your opinions, thoughts, and ideas here... maybe we can all get back to the issues like a group of adults.
Thanks!
No, I never appeared before your brother, thank God! Your denial of the obvious truth is astounding. Why is it your brother was pre-emted off almost three times as many cases as any other judge. 68 times and the next closest is 24... Fascinating coincindence isnt it?By the way your brothers job is to make a decision based on the rule of law, he is not to create his own justice system! The law ensures both parties (including the weak) are protected if it is ruled upon correctly, he should not have to go out of his way to "see that the rights of the weak are upheld."I am not here to convince you that your brother is a monster, you will never believe it. As said before ignorance is bliss. But there are others out there who have an open mind and will hear the truth, or look at the facts objectively, unlike your brother ever did. For those people, these words will matter.Maybe it wasnt just your brother, although he is not excluded. Maybe we should all look at a system where judges who rule on peoples lives accept campaign donations from attorneys and law firms that will sit in front of them. Kind of like how your brother accepted many campaign contributions from Shawn Meador, Charla Mack's attorney, but yet Darren's attorney, Les Shaw, had contributed nothing. And you should worry about these things Mike, because you have no level of deniability, your brothers campaign contributions are public record. Your brother is the poster child for an absolutely corupt system that should be changed as soon as possible.There are no statistics and facts that will save your brother in the court of publice opinion, in fact that all seem to crucify him...
Regards,Mark S.
Everything that I have worked for and lost to the ex IS my fault!
My children suffer the mental abuse, it's my fault... I can't afford to see my children, it's my fault... I have to pay for an attorney to keep what few rights I have,{instead of to my children} again my fault!
I guess it is ALL of OUR Fault that the ex's get to grind us into the sidewalk like the dirt we are.
The people who did not know your ex's were drug freaks, child abusers, or what have before you made a family, you should have had your tea leaves read so you could have been forwarned before you SCREWED UP your family!
For those of you who found out your spouses were cheating. You should have learned to share!
For all of you abused persons, you should have turned the other cheek! You have two for crying out loud.Matching broken set!Oh and two colorful eyes to go with the set!
For those of you who worked your tails off to support your families only to be broke, what is wrong with you there are 24 hours in a day , you know! Get another job or two for pete's sake!
Does anyone else find this ludicrus{?} because we either choose to no longer be emotionally or physically abused, our lives with a drunk or a druggie or worse are to blame for SCREWING UP OUR FAMILIES!
By the way I am not a the Defendant nor Plaintiff, but I am party to the case when ever the ex or the attorney feel like putting in the middle.
I lost my insurance due to the ex's lies to the Judge, and am now disabled.
When I was capable of working, my income was imputed because at the time I made more!The members of my house hold had to give up their finances!
I know right from wrong. I have strong values and work ethics. I am mentaly stable. I do not bash people, I do not seek revenge or harbor ill thoughts. I show everybody respect, weather they deserve it or not.
Apperantly though I did forget my manners when the judge bent me over {when he handed down rulings, that affected my health and my family} I forgot to say Thank You!
But of course he did it all according to the Laws!LOL. Though I have spent the time to read the NRS, NRCP, RCP ect... But still can not find what laws he based his rulings on, maybe the only way they appear is if you have been drinking.
I must go mix a drink now!
You have no idea how much damage poor judgemanship of other WCFC judges havehad on my children. It is not just twoweeks of horror, it is yearsof things like you speak of. Please, if you really care, help research the pitfalls, the cracks in andof the system. Perhaps you can be a transformer, and help guide your brother inhelping make honesty and fairness for thechildren the main point of the courts. Thethings you spoke of so trite compared to theactual things that kids have to go through withbad and unkept orders. Try to help if you can,for you realize that just the chaos of two weeksis not healthy for kids, can you imagine 18 yearsof horror from bad decisions and biasednesses andorders that are not policed.
I see you have a heart and feel for the kids...please take a position that can help to reform the court system if you can. It seems likeyou are in a position and can care and make a difference. For the sake of all the kids whohad suffered injustices due to inaccurate legalmaneuvers and the system. Thank-you in advance.
really, please help:)
The best interest of the kids should be forefront anda right as they are too citizens of the United States.If one parent has not the top sum of money to afforda good attorney, and one parent becomes unreasonable and bails out, the children's lives should not pay the price with years of horrible experiences. In a few years, my children canspeak to their experience with the family court.Until then, and for children like them, pleasehelp to make attorney's in family court have tospeak the truth and not make-up things to gaina cruel advantage.