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A MISSOURI LAWYER'S OCTOBER 7, 2005 |
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Archived Prior Ramblings |
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In Memoriam: |
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Greets and Huggers. Posted the evening of October 7, 2005. I
have come to a cross roads in my life. I turned 57 this year. It dawned on me,
that the road ahead ... is shorter than the road behind. Awhile back, several
folks suggested I run for judge. I was flattered that anyone would think of me
in such light. Me ... a JUDGE? And then I started wondering if I had the
ability to be a judge. Could I be fair and impartial? [Yes.] Do I care
about, have compassion, for folks involved in a conflict? [Yes.] Could I
listen to the evidence, judge the credibility of the witnesses and apply the
law to the facts presented? [Yes.] If I believed a statute violated our
Constitution ... could/would I be willing to challenge "the will of the
people", as manifested by our elected representatives and weather the
public outcry, by declaring it unconstitutional? [Yes] Why would I want
to give up the freedom inherent to being self-employed ... choose my work
hours, choose my clients, give up writing the Ramblings, (you have no idea how
important and how much, the Ramblings have become a part of my life), and
choose to practice in the areas of the law, I enjoy? And most important ...
work with and be with Susan, 24/7. Why would I willingly give up the very good,
comfortable life/routine Susan and I have enjoyed for years .... to run for
public office? A judgeship is a public office ... it is PUBLIC SERVICE ...
isn't it? [As an aside, I read the debate on the SFIG about "elected
judges" vs. "appointed judges". There were valid arguments, pro
and con. Elected judges have to raise money to run and appointed judges have to
kiss political butt. Neither are perceived as un-tethered, one to their
campaign contributors and the other to their political party affiliations. To
the general public, neither system is perfect. However, the fact remains, under
either system, we have honest, honorable, hard working judges intent on doing
their job ... and serving the public. [There are exceptions, of
course.]]
Over the past months/years, Susan and I have talked about me running for public office, first, for City Counsel in our home town, Holden, Missouri, (which I have successfully done), and my desire to complete/finish my legal career, doing PUBLIC SERVICE. We talked about me running for Associate Circuit Judge, Johnson County, Missouri ... and she wonders why I would want to do so. I have also sought the counsel of many Dear Friends ... they have all encouraged me to run ... but they also opined that these Ramblings, (on-line, published since February of 2002), will be used against me ... perhaps they will. The Ramblings contain my opinions, they remain my views ... they remain an insight, into how I view my life and this reality. Would my personal opinions hinder my ability to be fair and impartial? [No] How would/could my personal opinions change the law, I have sworn to uphold? Guess it boils down to this: I have decided to run for the office of Associate Circuit Judge, Johnson County, Missouri because I want to finish my legal career as a judge, a public servant, in a position , I am uniquely qualified to fill, having engaged in the private practice of law for over 22 years. Toward that end, I have formed a campaign committee: Timmerman for Associate Circuit Judge 1605 South Main Holden, Missouri 64040 Roy Sturgis, Treasurer (816) 850-5400 Should you wish to make a contribution, I will send you an autographed picture, of me trying to raise money for my campaign, (the one of me wearing knee pads is especially noteworthy!! :) LONDON, England (Reuters) -- A British cleric turned top-selling author of supernatural children's novels was thrown out of a school where he was delivering a talk after he told pupils that Harry Potter was "gay. Reverend Graham Taylor, who penned the novel " Shadowmancer" which, like the tales of the famous boy wizard created by J.K. Rowling, centers on witchcraft and battling evil, got his marching orders after teachers accused him of homophobia." Rumor has it, 3 thugs dressed as Sponge Bob Square Pants physically removed the good Vicar. ( Personally, as a supernatural children's novel, I prefer and recommend C.S. Lewis's .... the "Chronicles of Narnia":) I was dumbfounded by my Dear Lady Friend Janice Durbin's post about the good judges in the 40th Judicial Circuit, (dumbfounded, in the sense that why would these good judges write such a letter?): "Dear Editor: Recently, a judge in California has ruled to remove God from our Pledge of Allegiance. We believe that our forefathers were patriots who relied heavily on God in forming our country, clearly establishing our nation, under GOD. When President Lincoln was delivering the Gettysburg Address, he ad-libbed two words in his speech: "Under God." When President Eisenhower signed the law adding the words "under God" to our Pledge of Allegiance, he stated "In this way we are affirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war." When we were sworn in as judges, we took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Missouri. The preamble to our state constitution states: "We the People of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe and grateful for His goodness, do establish this constitution for the better government of the State." As judicial officer[s] sworn to uphold the law we will do everything we can to protect and preserve our right to be a nation, under GOD. (signed by all judges in the 40th Judicial Circuit)" and the following discussion on the SFIG. What purpose was it supposed to serve? Judges are bound by the laws enacted by our elected representatives, (unless the enacted law violates our Bill of Rights ... one of which being the "First Amendment", an absolute separation of church and state.) What would these good judges propose to do to "protect and preserve our right to be one nation under God"? Secede from the United States and establish a theocracy in the "Boot Heel"? Saarbruecken , Germany (CNN) -- Beer mat knows when it is refill time. "Two German students have created a device that will stop beer lovers having to get out of their seats for a refill. The "smart" beer mat, created by Matthias Hahnen and Robert Doerr from Saarland University in Saarbruecken, southwest Germany, can sense when a glass is nearly empty, sending an alert to a central computer behind the bar so waiters know there are thirsty customers." Now, you have to admit .... that is taking your beer drinking seriously!! Have they considered accessories for the "smart beer mat", like a "smart full bladder mat" .... or smart yellow lines on the floor, (so when you get so drunk, you can't walk, you can crawl/follow the yellow line to the John?) WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Bush: Military may have to help if bird flu breaks out ... President wants Congress to discuss how to use armed forces. "President Bush said Tuesday that the possibility of an avian flu pandemic is among the reasons he wants Congress to give him the power to use the nation's military in law enforcement roles in the United States." It's not a question of "if" avian flu breaks out ... it's a question of "when". Our President already has the power, to use military personal to enforce a quarantine: take a look at Executive Order 13375. [The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, doesn't apply when there is a breakdown of local civil authority.] Picture the effects of a quarantine on you. Will you be able to travel to get your meds? Will there be food in your local grocery stores, (since most stores no longer maintain an inventory ... would trucks be allowed in to replenish the shelves?) As for getting your Tamiflu now? (You do remember me suggesting months ago, that you get Tamiflu, don't you?) New York Times --- After Delay, U.S. Faces Line for Flu Drug. "As concern about a flu pandemic sweeps official Washington, Congress and the Bush administration are considering spending billions to buy the influenza drug Tamiflu. But after months of delay, the United States will now have to wait in line to get the pills .... Had the administration placed a large order just a few months ago, Roche, Tamiflu's maker, could have delivered much of the supply by next year ... As the months passed, however, other countries placed orders that largely exhausted Roche's production capacity this year and next." If a dumb ole country lawyer from Holden, Missouri can watch the news and see the writing on the wall ... where are the folks who get paid to do this for a living? Makes you question the competency of our current administration, doesn't it.LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The man famous for dishing out advice on national television now needs the advice of legal counsel. "Three disgruntled dieters on Monday asked a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to expand their fraud claim into a national class-action lawsuit. They're seeking refunds and additional damages ... The suit alleges that the plan is useless. It called for dieters to take 22 herbal supplements and vitamin pills a day and cost about $120 a month. The plan also advised dieters to adopt a low-calorie diet and to exercise." The low-calorie and exercise part make sense. Perhaps, TV psychologist "Dr. Phil" McGraw, should stick to schtick. PARIS, France (Reuters) -- France pays to boost birth rate. "France will give more money to families with three children in an effort to encourage the French to have more babies, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said on Thursday ... A parent who puts his job on hold to raise a third child will receive 750 euros ($915.6) per month for one year, around 50 percent more than the monthly amount families with two children receive for a three-year period, Villepin said." So the French want to boost their birthrate? Have more babies? Perhaps they could start, by discouraging "Frenching". Sitting here editing these Ramblings, sipping on some Sherry and watching the evening news. Six more soldiers have given their all, in Iraq ... all of a sudden, wherever you look, some story/article about the pending Flu Pandemic, (they are still classifying the pending pandemic as "remote possibility") ... and a spot about www.xxxchurch.com ... an Internet Ministry designed to help Christians overcome their Internet porn addiction, (virtual-addiction ). Sign of the times I guess ... not looking at porn, but classifying doing so, an "addiction ", (a compulsive physiological craving for a habit-forming substance, addiction is a chronic and progressive disease usually characterized by physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. The term "dependence" is often used synonymously to avoid the pejorative connotations of addiction.) So ... when folks stop looking at Internet Porn, they suffer physiological withdrawal symptoms? Like what? Their mouse and one hand shrinks back to normal size, (and their vision improves?) Give me a break! Like, there is no freedom of choice? We are expecting our first frost tonight at Ft. Timmerman. I'm thinking about building a fire ... and how warm and cozy our bed will be tonight. What could be better than feeling the person you love more than anything in this life, snuggling up next to you, (cold feet and all!!!) I wonder how many folks would give anything, for a chance to do so? I hope/pray you can, (even if it's a Yorkie :) Be and sleep well, the best there is, is on watch, away from the person they would like to snuggle with ... so you can. I will say a prayer/wish for their safe return, (care to join me?) .... <whispering> ...... Please, Please, Please, God .... let our men and women in uniform come home safe ... and soon!! If my post offends, I apologize ... that is not my intent .... (hehehe .... so, how much is a picture of me wearing knee pads worth to you :) As always ... A Warm Brotherly Hug Karl (the dumb ole, running for office, lawyer, from Holden, Missouri)
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Karl H. Timmerman
M.A.J.D. © 2005
All Rights Reserved |
