HITTING THE NAIL ON THE HEAD March 30, 2000,  by Brad, Leader of our Washington State Chapter in response to "jail4attorneys???"     Ron, you have hit the nail on the head. This is my plan... First J.A.I.L. for Judges. Then when we move to add prosecutors and lawyers, the judges will be "reined in."      Without accountability of judges and a way to "control them," every other effort is wasted.    A judge overturned the will of the People two weeks ago in Washington State, one King County judge that is up for election this year. The initiative (695) passed by 60% to reduce license tabs to $30.00 flat fee. We up here in the Soviet of Washington had paid 2% of our vehicle value each and every year. Only three counties in this State failed the initiative, King County being one of them. Oh wait... our Capitol is in Olympia Washington, and that is Thurston County. Wow, imagine that!The case is heard in King County, the most populous county with the largest backlog of cases and most congested courtrooms, and it's a 2 hour drive for the Attorney General staff from Olympia, and of all the judges, one gets the case that is up for election in a county that was one of the three that it failed in, and the largest one to boot.    Now our Legislature just busted the "Spending Cap Initiative" (601) we voted in two years ago. Again, the will of the People is ignored and the Legislature (mostly lawyers) does it to us again.    Now we the taxpayers have to go back after gathering signatures, getting it on the ballot, spending $100,000s of grassroots money against their endless supply of our money by the millions, and file "suit" and go before-- AH Yes, that Man in the Black Robe that is the Icon of Credibility, Integrity, stands for Truth and Justice, and has sworn to uphold the Law, the Constitution, and has that huge plaque behind him that says "Equal Justice For All."  How could anyone not trust all that???    I have met with many people, Ron, this last four months, working on organizing JAIL for Judges in Washington State.I have listened to the horror stories and left the coffee shop so upset I wanted to cry.    I am very fortunate that I have been loaned the skills to fly a plane from God. The other day I was departing a small strip on the Olympic Peninsula, and as I climbed out southbound, Mount Olympus with its fresh fallen snow, was in front of me. The sun was just coming up over the foothills of the Rockies and the Cascade Mountains. As I climbed through 4,000 feet I turned east and Puget Sound lay below me, sparkling blue with ships moving their cargo and leaving a glistening sparkle from their wake. Mount Rainier and Mount Baker were majestically "jumping out" with their fresh snowfall, and they had an orange halo from the rising sun. As I climbed through 12,000 feet, I could see Mount Hood in Oregon and Mt. St. Helens with its "quirky" crooked summit.    As I descended into eastern Washington, I flew up the Snake River Canyon admiring the four dams that they will remove. Nothing can stop this. The hearings are a sham; the will of the People means nothing; the "Final Gatekeepers" cannot be trusted.    For anyone that has ever been to Washington on a sunny day, you can visualize what I have just described.    I then arrive at my destination. The air has been as smooth as glass this fine day. As I roll around on final and lower the gear, I hear that comforting "whine" and watch the "three green lights" come on. The propellers are now making that wonderful "humming sound" as I cross over the threshold and the chevron markers pass under the plane and the tires gently make a "squeak-squeak", and as I roll on down, I see out my left window two little smiling faces jumping up and down and waving like it's been a hundred years. I realize why I am doing what I am doing.    People, without JAIL For Judges as a starting point, you can kiss this all good-bye. Without "Judicial Accountability," you can pass all the initiatives you want, go to court to defend them all you want. You will eventually run out of energy, money, and your spirit will be broken. Then what are we left with?    Right now there is less than 5% of society that have the understanding of what is happening and that have the will, courage, and wherewithal to amass the troops to change it.We need to educate people. We will either run out of energy, time, money, or be incarcerated if we do not change this one simple "pivotal" point and rein it in.    Go stand in a courtroom, look around, walk up to the front of the judge's desk and look right above where his head sits. See the Scales of Justice that perfectly align with the top of his head. This, my friends, should tell you everything we need to know.    Do not become sidetracked. Many of us have been screwed. But without getting this first step in place, the rest is for naught.    Do not confuse motion with progress-- it is all too easy to do. I love this country; I love the freedoms I personally enjoy; I love my kids; and as I meet each and every one of you, I create a special place in my heart.    We must work together and we must pass J.A.I.L. in each and every State, and federally as well. Until this is done, it is all at risk! 
 
Brad  <[email protected]>

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