A Stitch in Haste

Judges (as a group) are infinitely morally superior to politicians (as a group).

This is self-apparent simply by considering what each group does: Judges seek to defend life, liberty and property; politicians seek to infringe upon life, liberty and property. Judges seek to defend the insular minority from the tyranny of the majority; politicians seek to champion and incite the tyranny of the majority.

But there is another reason why judges (as a group) are so morally superior to politicians (as a group). Notice how each group responds when a member of the group goes astray:

A judge was removed from the bench Tuesday for jailing 46 people after none would admit to having a cell phone that began ringing during his court session.

Judge Robert Restaino "snapped" and "engaged in what can only be described as two hours of inexplicable madness" during the 2005 session, Raoul Felder, chairman of the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, wrote in the decision to remove the judge.

Consider also the recent "inexplicable madness" of two other judges: Alabama's emotionally disturbed theocrat, Roy Moore, and the pathetic "$54 million pants judge." Each proved himself unfit for his solemn position. Each was removed -- by his fellow judges.

Compare that to: Larry Craig, David Vitter, Tom DeLay, Bob Ney, Ted Stevens, Cynthia McKinney, Bill Frist, Bill Clinton -- etc., etc., etc. All disgraced their high offices, none was forcibly removed by their colleagues. Indeed, only one national politician has been involuntarily removed from office in recent years, and only a puny smattering have been expelled in the entire history of the federal government.

Is that because politicians tend to be saints, or because the system for controlling them is sinful?