Progressive does not equal principled
Posted by BrianA while back there were a couple of posts written on the apparent satire site Left in Alabama bemoaning our fair state’s relatively low funding of public defenders (here’s one). Someone found a study that placed us dead last in America - even behind Puerto Rico. While Alabama is no stranger to occupying the basement in one ranking or another I must concur that this one is troubling.
What I found telling was that after the first post was written another contributor there wrote a post laying 100% of the blame at Bob Riley’s feet. I believe he was called “Divemaster Bob” - as in he is taking us to new depths. It was suggested that Riley is going to align us with Myanmar and other countries of ill repute. Obviously the post was very critical and oozed with rage over the low funding of public defenders.
I’d put a link to the post, but it’s been removed from the site. You see, I left a comment that as far as I knew the legislature - the Democrat controlled legislature - was responsible for allocating those funds, not Riley. Next thing I knew the post was gone.
Now, if the fury over the paltry funding were genuine wouldn’t it stand to reason that the author would then turn their ire onto the responsible people? I think so. Instead the whole issue was forgotten. I guess it’s a big deal if it can lead to criticism of our Republican governor, but isn’t worth mentioning if Democrats are the ones taking the heat. Principles are overrated though.
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November 8th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Riley and Troy King and the Comptroller are responsible for the cut in pay for overhead expenses that lasted 2 years. This reduced the atty fee to $40.00 an hour.
November 8th, 2007 at 9:35 am
Brian,why are you using the word Myanmar to describe Burma? As soon as that murderous Communist regime (’State Peace and Development Council’) is gone, the name will change back (patience, remember St. Petersburg / Leningrad).
Actually, I would argue that ignoring inconvenient truth in favor of convenient truthiness -is- a progressive principle. It’s Hegelian - ignore the limitations of conventional thought - free your mind…
November 8th, 2007 at 10:50 am
I only used Myanmar because that was the name that the author of the piece used. I actually do refer to the country as Burma myself. In fact, I can rarely refrain from using a quote from Seinfeld where Petermen told Elaine, “You probably know it as Myanmar, but it will always be Burma to me.”
Wayne - thanks for the clarification. I made my guess (and I said as much in my comment) on the belief that the legislature allocates funds and the executive spends them. Could you elaborate on how funds are given to the executive branch and then disbursed in this particular situation? My narrative remains since the author presumed I was right (don’t ever do that) and removed the post.
November 8th, 2007 at 11:11 am
That explains it, then… I’ve never watched Seinfeld.
November 8th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Oh, I’ve heard from several people that there’s a Fair Tax meeting coming up
November 8th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Now that you mention it, I think I heard about such a meeting as well! So…
You gonna come?
November 8th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Pretty sure, my schedule looks good for it.
November 8th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
What would be a fair rate for a public defender? Paid the said as the ADA prosecuting the case with equal access to investigators and lab or ?
November 9th, 2007 at 8:44 am
Well, since the Supreme Court ordered (unanimously) that over head be restored, it is $0 hr for out of court time and 60 for in court , plus your overhead hourly rate which is usually 25-35.00. for a total of $75 or 95 hr. which is still low. Most lawyers charge at least $150 hr for other cases. Feds pay their appted attys $92.oo hr. The state often pays up to 300 per hr. for attys to represent them in civil cases.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:46 am
SInce the appointed system is voluntary, most experienced lawyers don’t take them. Some do, but the average atty who handles appted cases probably has less than 5 years experience.
November 9th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Now convince a $12 an hour worker that he should support a tax increase or remove granny from the nursing home to raise court appointed counsel to $92 an hour. As a bonus, figure out a way to get more experienced attorneys to accept court appointments.