A number of former Pennsylvania state governors continue to beat the drum for what they erroneously call “merit selection” of state judges. The basis for that is the report authored by Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts. It is claimed that scandals and money are the reasons to eliminate elections. There has been a strong movement for many years by politicians of all stripes and organizations affiliated with politicians to eliminate election of appellate judges. Keep elections of your local judges, the politicos say, but let someone else select judges for Pennsylvania Superior and Supreme courts.

Scandals and abuse of money plague every level of the political environment. Both elected and appointed officials are corrupted by money and power. That is a problem with all political systems, and it is beginning to blacken the character of America as well.

Taking away from people the right to vote seems like an odd way to root out corruption. Another argument made by the politicians to eliminate the right to vote for appellate judges is that many other states no longer have elections for judges. Are those states any better off? Hardly.