02-10-2012, 06:34 PM
Uncle Wig wrote:
How is the privacy of those before the court an issue? It's already well known who argues there, and they routinely state their positions for the press on the steps of the courthouse.
When has transparency been an issue with the Supreme Court? (Really: it has not.)
How has televising courtroom trials enhanced anything about our judicial system? (Keeping in mind that the Supreme Court does not conduct trials). I don't believe it has. OJ Simpson's trial comes to mind, and that was certainly not a moment to be proud of.
The networks (read: Fox News, CNN and MSNBC) are not interested in anything other than their ratings. For them it's not about transparency or anything else.
"Washington, DC
Thursday, February 9, 2012
The Senate Judiciary Committee held an executive business meeting on televising U.S. Supreme Court proceedings. The committee considered a bi-partisan bill that will require the Supreme Court to televise its proceedings.
S. 1945 would permit television coverage of open sessions of the Court unless a majority of the justices votes to block coverage in specific cases where due process rights of the parties appearing before the court might be violated.
In a December 6, 2011 Judiciary Subcmte. hearing on the issue, Senators raised concerns that the law might provoke a constitutional showdown over separation of powers. At least one amendment is expected during today's business meeting.
Both lawmakers and media organizations, including C-SPAN, have asked the Court to televise the 5 ½ hours of oral argument on the President Obama’s health care law scheduled for the end of March."
This Senate hearing was televised on c-span, so you can watch the entire unedited proceeding, it addresses what you've mentioned above.
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Bill-Would-...7428169-1/
State supreme courts have been televising their proceedings for years, without issue. The justices of the Supreme Court are public officials who make decisions that affect our lives very directly and personally. The public deserves access to the proceedings that is full, real time, and unedited.