It has been sometime since I have blogged. Everyone has been wonderful to me and it has been great fun to meet so many people. My recent endorsement from Kitty West (which is posted elsewhere on this site) is particularly touching to me. It is touching precisely because it is neither from a politician, nor was it solicited. And touching because I admire her music and her commitment to making music.
I admit, fatigue is setting in. I am complete sympathy with everyone who tells me election are just too long now. Recent travels have taken me to the Inns of Court in Raleigh for pasta, the NC League of Municipalities in Charlotte for a buffet, the Apple Festival in Taylorsville for fried pies, and a Chicken Stew dinner in Mocksville. This Saturday I was at the State Fair in Raleigh and met and greeted about 4,000 people. It is amazing to me that there has not been more barbeque on the trip (although there has been plenty of that.) Among the corn dog vendors and the blooming onion vendors, I was able to find a balanced meal at the St. Paul’s Christian Church booth at the State Fair. Indigestion and fatigue are setting in and taking their toll. I have gained weight.
At the State Fair, I did not have time to visit the Old Grist Mill, the Village of Yesteryear, or any of the animal exhibits. After four hours at a booth meeting the voters, it dawned on me that despite the fact I was unable to be at any of these other exhibits at the fair, I was still a part of all of them and part of the sporting entertainment at the State fair. “See the Candidates in their cages.” As a long time State Fair go-er, I can tell you this was a whole new way to see our great fair.
A number of people have begun to ask me about my judicial philosophy, and particularly why I say that fairness is the root of a strong judicial system. (You can see my TV ad on this page). A lot of people have asked about my judicial philosophy, e.g. “Am I a strict constructionist or do I believe in a living constitution”. I believe these concepts have very different meaning to different people. I believe government is limited by the Bill of Rights and that one of the jobs of judges is to prevent overreaching by government on its citizens. Whether these notions are current today, I cannot say but it is a core belief of mine, that a judge shapes a broad general concept to apply a just result or as one of my heroes once said, “Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue”.
After the past many years of practicing law, from local courts up to and including the US Supreme Court, I have come to respect the core meaning of fairness as the necessary ingredient to a sound judicial decisions. What does that mean: simple things really. Treating everyone fairly, invoking the golden rule and treating them as I wish to be treated. Remembering that the law is really built around understandable principles and applying those principles to fair and equitable ends. If you can look at a decision and say, it is simple, it is fair, it is not convoluted, then it is probably right and will stand the tests of the system.
Monday, October 27, 2008
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