The Supreme Court is hearing arguments about the national health care law commonly referred to as "Obamacare." As divisive a piece of legislation that's come down the pike in a long time. But I'm not here today to talk about the political issues of the law, but rather what we're not seeing this week as the court hears arguments about the legality of the law.
The Supreme Court doesn't allow cameras inside the court during arguments. Our judicial system is one of the three branches of government, the other two being the Executive and Legislative. The founding fathers organized things this way to provide a system of checks and balances. The Executive and Legislative branches get tons of coverage.
Which leaves me with just one question: Why not the Judicial Branch? We get to see the confirmation hearings when a Supreme Court Justice is appointed. We just don't get to see them do the job we pay them to do.
As a board member of the Radio-Television-Digital News Association we fought hard at the Federal and State level for cameras in courtrooms. I represented RTDNA twice at the National Judicial College speaking on behalf of the issue.
Some negotiations were far less formal. In Wyoming, a fellow judge at a chili cook-off was indeed, a Judge! We got to talking about it, and it was the start of cameras in Wyoming Courtrooms. Thanks to the efforts of groups like RTDNA and enlightened judges cameras are common in most courtrooms.
Except for the highest court in the land, where the issue being dealt with is one of the most important of our times. We get to hear bits of audio and of course the courtroom sketches, which we in the news industry considered more cartoons than substance.
Cameras are with the President everywhere. C-Span provides coverage of both the Senate and House as they conduct the nation's business. As for the highest court in the land dealing with landmark decisions, us folks on Main Street are on the outside trying to look in. But the drapes are drawn and we're shut out. What we get to see is filtered through the media, pundits and plenty of opining.
Why not let us watch for ourselves and make up our own minds?
Here's to both order and cameras in the court.
Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant
Conversation Starters Public Relations
The Supreme Court doesn't allow cameras inside the court during arguments. Our judicial system is one of the three branches of government, the other two being the Executive and Legislative. The founding fathers organized things this way to provide a system of checks and balances. The Executive and Legislative branches get tons of coverage.
Which leaves me with just one question: Why not the Judicial Branch? We get to see the confirmation hearings when a Supreme Court Justice is appointed. We just don't get to see them do the job we pay them to do.
As a board member of the Radio-Television-Digital News Association we fought hard at the Federal and State level for cameras in courtrooms. I represented RTDNA twice at the National Judicial College speaking on behalf of the issue.
Some negotiations were far less formal. In Wyoming, a fellow judge at a chili cook-off was indeed, a Judge! We got to talking about it, and it was the start of cameras in Wyoming Courtrooms. Thanks to the efforts of groups like RTDNA and enlightened judges cameras are common in most courtrooms.
Except for the highest court in the land, where the issue being dealt with is one of the most important of our times. We get to hear bits of audio and of course the courtroom sketches, which we in the news industry considered more cartoons than substance.
Cameras are with the President everywhere. C-Span provides coverage of both the Senate and House as they conduct the nation's business. As for the highest court in the land dealing with landmark decisions, us folks on Main Street are on the outside trying to look in. But the drapes are drawn and we're shut out. What we get to see is filtered through the media, pundits and plenty of opining.
Why not let us watch for ourselves and make up our own minds?
Here's to both order and cameras in the court.
Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant
Conversation Starters Public Relations
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