EXCESSIVE SPENDING TO ELECT STATE SUPREME COURT JUDGES

Once again, folks, ALABAMA makes headlines, concerning state Supreme Court Judges. 

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/08/16-2

This next paragraph from Common Dreams is very interesting to me, since my baby brother just missed the coal mining disaster a couple of years ago, and also again this year, from the coal mines explosions. 

"In perhaps the best-known recent example, the chief executive of Massey Coal Co. spent $3 million to help elect a West Virginia high-court judge, who then participated in a case overturning a $50 million verdict against the company. The case led to a landmark ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, which found that excessive campaign contributions can create an unconstitutional threat to a fair trial."

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20100816/NEWS02/8160321/State-first-in-Supreme-Court-campaign-costs

"The report shows that between 2000 and 2009, candidates for the Alabama Supreme Court raised nearly $41 million for their campaigns. Outside groups spent another $2.6 million on TV ads about the candidates, bringing Alabama's total spending to $43.6 million." (Montgomery Advertiser). 

Ohio came in 2nd, (29.8 million), and Pennsylvania came in 3rd (22.7 million).  THOSE, my friends, are astronomical figures. 

YES!  WE ARE NUMBER ONE....in spending....to get our Supreme Court judges elected.  You have to ask yourself WHY IS THAT????