Kansas voters will decide Tuesday whether to elect state Supreme Court justices rather than have the governor appoint them, a push from conservatives who have chafed for years over court decisions they disagreed with on issues such as abortion, school funding and the death penalty.
If the constitutional amendment passes, supporters hope to elect at least four conservative, anti-abortion justices to the seven-member court by 2033.
Kansas is considering the change amid concerns that increasingly contentious and expensive judicial elections in other states are making their courts more partisan and less independent. Spending in a single state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin last year topped $100 million.
12 Comments
fyzzlefry@retrolemmy.com · 15 pts · 27d
Didn't learn shit from Brownback
jtrek@startrek.website · 21 pts · 27d
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_experiment
Conservatives don't learn shit.
Eldritch@piefed.world · 7 pts · 27d
Well of course, you can't be conservative and learn. Its an either or.
hoppeduponcoffee@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 26d
Learning requires growth, changing your views and behaviors, and admitting you might be wrong about some things.
That’s just not in the mental DNA of a typical conservative. Admitting one was wrong and taking on a different stance makes you a loser (if you’re a con).
I have seen some recovering cons out in the wild, but they’re as rare as hen’s teeth and usually sharper than the rest of the bunch.
chahn.chris@piefed.social · 11 pts · 27d
I’m curious if the governor of Kansas is a Democrat what makes them think voting for justices will get republican justices?
mctoasterson@reddthat.com · 8 pts · 27d
One lesson everyone should learn is anything you do in politics can eventually bite you in the ass.
When Harry Reid ended the fillibuster for (non-Supreme Court) judicial appointments in 2013, Mitch the Cocaine Turtle admonished "you'll regret this and maybe sooner than you think". Smashcut fast-forward and he was able to manipulate court appointments.
Likewise there are now some Republicans who want to nuke the fillibuster entirely to ram through the elections bill. Well what do they think is going to happen in a few years when they no longer have a majority? Dems will also be able to ram through anything and everything with a bare majority.
Same thing with these state level initiatives. There is no way to create a "magic tool" that your opponent can't also use against you eventually.
Malyca@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 26d
They don't think there will be any more elections
empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 27d
District gerrymandering.
daannii@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 26d
How is it that electing is more likely to get Republicans who they want than letting the Republican governor appoint a choice justice ?
I'm confused.
I think elections by the people would be less likely to elect extreme right wing justices.
melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 26d
What a headline! A team wants their team to win. That is dedicated journalism we haven't seen since way back in the past. /s
CaliforniaSober@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 26d
Very much a “yes and…?” Type of headline.
To the point of other commenters, the hell is wrong with Kansas voters…
Have they learned nothing since Brownback?
BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 26d
Haven't conservatives fucked up Kansas enough? Haven't Kansans figured out that conservatives have fucked up their state enough?
Seriously, they are among the dumbest MAGAs in America, and that's saying something.
BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 27d