tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13589532.post791636574668377052..comments2023-10-09T04:11:47.358-07:00Comments on Not A Potted Plant: This Is Not NewsBurt Likkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060980744675990412noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13589532.post-34207297892109263782011-02-07T12:16:53.428-08:002011-02-07T12:16:53.428-08:00"I'd known that the Federalist Society wa..."I'd known that the Federalist Society was a collection of libertarian and conservative lawyers but I hadn't counted on my fellow libertarians being such a small minority of those present. "<br /><br />I think that libertarians tend to do this; they don't realize that conservative activisits frequently mean it when they argue for very non-libertarian positions.Barry DeCiccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04735814736387033844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13589532.post-49631033766194853862011-02-02T08:48:56.734-08:002011-02-02T08:48:56.734-08:00Because disclosing a bias is not the same thing as...Because disclosing a bias is not the same thing as actually being fair.<br /><br />Let's say you've got a black defendant and the judge says: "You should know that I'm in the Klan. Now, I can be fair an impartial and I'm going to see to it that you get a by-the-book trial and any decisions I make will be based strictly on the law, and on the facts and evidence before me. So I'm not going to recuse myself. But I'm disclosing to you that I'm a member of the Klan." <br /><br />I wouldn't be cool with that. Even if the judge followed through and actually delivered a by-the-book trial, making no errors in his rulings.Burt Likkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16060980744675990412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13589532.post-17866769509802630222011-02-02T05:03:48.499-08:002011-02-02T05:03:48.499-08:00On examination, it doesn't look like bias or a...<i>On examination, it doesn't look like bias or anything improper, but it's important that the courts be perceived as unbiased and a part of that perception comes from the willingness of the members of the bench to make disclosures so as to display their impartiality.</i><br /><br />Why is it important to maintain the illusion of something we all know is false? Like every other person, judges have ideological bias. Isn't it better to have it out in the open where we can see it?Brandon Berghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14490308321355825389noreply@blogger.com