Philip K. Howard: A Lawyer Who Says Enough Is Enough

Here's another lawyer trying to kick out one of the three legs from under the Constitution, one who would take away laws of the land and would eliminate the opportunity of Americans to seek justice. The Constitution is doesn't need any reinventing by limiting lawsuits to satisfy some narrow vision of 'government for the few' Howard seems to be advocating for.

Howard represents a conservative movement out to undermine one of the three branches of government established in our Constitution. A movement that has been systematically trying to knock down the Judicial Branch to some lesser level unequal to the two other branches, eliminating checks and balances enshrined in the Constitution that assures justice through the courts. The original laws gave us justice strong enough to put limits on the powers of presidential and congressional branches on favor of the people, and most certainly provide justice against that quirky legal entity, the corporation. By restraining what the people can seek through the legal system, Howard is preaching for some to be above the law, clearly with a bias in favor of corporate entities over individuals. This plea to remove any deterrence that justice offers, seeks an entitlement to limited monetary judgments or measly slaps on the wrists that only mock justice.

Howard speaks of fanciful freedoms as only freedoms from justice and the freedom to restrain judicial action, and he is calling for a blank check to clamp down on any lawsuits that interfere with a laissez faire, libertarian mentality that puts themselves above any laws.

Yes, Mr. Howard, there are some "that have an interest in preserving the system the way it is" - most Americans want to preserve the rights and justice enshrined in our Constitution. Pogo would appreciate we have a right to "provide for the common defence" against ourselves in a justice system that is there when "We have met the enemy... and he is us".

Paul of WA 5:56PM February 15, 2009