The Importance of Electing a Republican Slate in 2009

By Bob Guzzardi

On Tuesday, November 3rd, we, the people, will again head to the polls to vote. On the ballot are the often-overlooked judicial elections.

Although I rarely advocate electing a single-party slate, I think that this year presents an important case for electing the Republican judges at all levels.

Our individual freedom and autonomy, the very heart of Constitutional limited government and free markets, is under unprecedented attack by Leftists now dominating the Democratic party. The same Leftists control the U.S. Congress, with a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate giving one-party rule to the furthest-left administration in history.

While I disagree with many of the established politicians of both parties, the difference between the Republican and Democratic parties is that within the Republican Party are conservative reformers dedicated to Constitutional limited government, economic freedom, individual accountability, individual autonomy, and American exceptionalism. There is no viable reform movement within the Democratic Party; in fact, is is being led by Union organizers implacably committed to monopoly control of a collectivized workforce and statist Leftists advocating consolidated government control and coercion.

This is where the Republican party, at this time, is different, through its viable and principled reform movement. This is highlighted by the campaign of Pat Toomey with his themes of Constitutional limited government and individual and economic freedom. Examples can also be found in Peg Luksik’s campaign and the work of State Senators John Eichelberger and Mike Folmer.

These reformers, along with the Constitutional limited government/individual liberty/economic freedom movement entirely, are threatened by one-party rule, where dissent is simply ignored. I don’t want some “know-it-all genius” adjucating from Olympus; I want someone competent and careful. I want a judge with depth of experience in criminal law; someone who has shown persistence; someone who understands that decisions in the courtroom impact the lives of real people; someone willing to work for a better Republic; someone dedicated to the rule of law. Knowing the law is indespensable; yet there is more than simply this to be a judge.

For Commonwealth Court, the Republicans have two complimentary candidates in Judge Patricia McCullough and Kevin Brobson. Winning the primary despite not getting party endorsement, Patricia McCullough is independent and principled on Constitutional limited government. She is thoughtful and understands the philosophical and moral implications of her decisions. Kevin Brobson’s thirteen years’ of practice before the Commonwealth Court qualifies him as the most technically knowledgeable of all the candidates. Combining Kevin Brobson’s technical skills with Patricia McCullough’s philosophical and Constitutional focus will benefit us all.

For the Superior Court, there are four Republican candidates: Temp Smith, Sallie Mundy, Judge Judy Olson, and Judge Paula Ott. Judge Ott is from West Chester and has an outstanding reputation among politically active Chester Countians.

Finally, Judge Joan Orie Melvin is heading the judicial ticket for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Judge Orie Melvin is impressively smart and her presentation is stunning. I have no question of her commitment to public service and to the integrity of the Constitution.

There are also local judicial races across each county. This year, more than any other, presents a compelling case to vote for the seven Republican judges highlighted above as well as Republican judges at the local level. Voting for the Republican slate supports the Constitution and its ideals of limited government and individual and economic freedom; failure to do so will only bolster the one-party rule and make the reformer’s job that much more difficult.