JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM. Winner of the prestigious Cushing Left Anterior Descending Artery Award.

Sunday, August 09, 2020

SUNDAY MUSSINGS

 There was a good article in the NY Times  recently on why Edmund Burke still matters, The 18th century statesman/conservative philosopher is most prominently known for his oft quoted phrase that all it takes for evil to prosper is for men of good character to remain silent. 

Burke was a realist-philosopher. Beyond concepts, he advocated moral actions and honest governance. 

And he also said this: 

"The law touches us but here and there, and now and then. Manners are what vex or soothe, corrupt or purify, exalt of debase, barbarize or refine us...They give us their whole form and color to our lives. According to their quality, they aid morals, they supply them, or they totally destroy them."

Wise words, especially to our robed readers who often act as if their pronouncement of the law is more important than how they deliver it. Moses they most often are not. 

Another NY Times article Sunday is generating controversy. Columnist Maureen Dowd, (not a favourite) wrote that is has been 36 years since a man chose a woman to run with him on a major presidential ticket. Dowd was writing about Walter Mondale's selection of NY Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro to be his running mate. Twitter exploded with everyone from Hilary Clinton reminding Dowd that she ran with Senator Tim Kane just four years ago. 

But Dowd is right and the criticism wrong. She did not write that it has been 36 years since a man and woman ran together on a major presidential ticket. She wrote that it has been that long since a man chose a woman as a running mate. 

Query: Who should Biden pick? Senator Harris seems the most likely choice. 

Our suggestion: Barack Obama. We need leadership at all levels and we need it now. If you listened to Obama's eulogy of Congressman Lewis recently like we did, then you realized all over again just how gifted he is a a speaker, leader, and person of principles. 

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

rock roll and remember at ye olde cigar shoppe with you know who and the REN ( a venue) memorabilia this Saturday night. Social distance and keep people away with a big Macanudo or try an ice cold cerveza or a shot of tequila chased by a shot of hydroxychloroquine and one of the rare cigars of this year- a Cohiba Spectre 2019; My Father Cigars La Promesa; or a special Partagás Limited Reserve Decadas 2019. These smoothies won't last!

Just drive west on Bird Road until you see the everglades and a big ol gator on the side of the road standing and smoking a stogie. Turn right into the lot and get ready for a good one! (And a cigar too!).

Anonymous said...

Your biasness is showing rumpole. The lawyer polls show how good Judge Rebull is and you dont write about it? Why? Did your favorites not do as well?

Anonymous said...

I wonder how many lawyers will now have to move to disqualify her if she wins. https://twitter.com/rachelaltfield/status/1292523165927841796?s=20

RICK FREEDMAN said...

Ron Lowy passed away suddenly on Thursday.

For those of you that did not know Ron, a nicer person you could not meet. He was as friendly as the day is long and so kind, generous, and giving of his time. He was very active with the Miami-Dade Drug Court through the Friends of Drug Court Board. He was also active with the Biscayne Bay Kiwanis Club that I have been a member of for so long and we honored him as our Citizen of the Year in 2015. He was also a great lawyer. He wasn't feeling well on Thursday morning and went to the hospital. He passed away suddenly the same day.

Obituary for Ronald Scott Lowy

LOWY, Ronald Scott, passed away suddenly on August 6, 2020, at the age of 63 in Aventura, Florida.

He was a revered and brilliant lawyer, a caring friend to many and a dedicated community leader devoted to helping the elderly and those with addictions.

In 2008 he married the love of his life, Elissa Cook, who brought him great joy as well as two wonderful teenagers, Bradley and Elizabeth, who loved him as a dedicated father.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, July 21, 1957, to Sam and Edith Birnberg Lowy (later known as Edith Rains), he brought himself to Miami Beach after high school. He put himself through Miami Dade College and University of Miami Law School at night. In the 1980s he taught paralegal courses about the law at Miami-Dade College and helped that program become the first ABA certified paralegal program in Florida. He also was a frequent guest lecturer and instructor at St. Thomas Law School in Miami and at FIU’s North Dade campus Division of Continuing Education.

In the early 1980s he served as an Assistant City Manager of Miami Beach, and was active in the leadership of the Miami Beach Jaycees and other civic groups.

From 1986-89, while practicing law, he was also the host on local talk radio WNWS-790AM weekly programs “You and the Law,” interviewing judges and newsmakers on legal subjects. Over his career, he tried well over 75 jury trials in State and Federal Courts, and over 80 appeals (including to the United States Supreme Court).

He was a frequent panelist for local Bar Association panels on Ethics and Professionalism. He served on the Friends of the Drug Court Board and as a member of the Metro-Dade County Addiction Services Board. He was honored in 2015 by the Biscayne Bay Kiwanis as its Citizen of the Year.

In 2014 he became the Chairman of the Board of the non-profit Plaza Health Network, with its five Skilled Nursing Facilities in Miami Dade County, serving over 650 patients and residents with over 1000 staff members. He loved his work on behalf of the elderly and devoted much time and effort to the 65-year-old company.

He was dearly loved by his family, his clients and his friends – and will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing him!

Services Private. Arrangements by Levitt-Weinstein Blasberg-Rubin-Zilbert (305) 932-2700

Sir Wilfred said...

Barack Obama can not run for V.P., he has served 2 full terms as President and so.is disqualified to run for V.P. Since he can only serve 2 years as President if something happened.
Michelle Obama is a better choice anyway
Joe Biden and Michelle Obama is the ticket

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

36 years since a man chose a woman as a running mate. Uh pretty sure John McCain was a man and “I can see Russia from my front porch” Governor Sarah Palin From Alaska was a woman. That was 12 years ago.

Captain Out .....

Rumpole said...

You are absolutely correct sir! (been listening to old Neil Rogers shows)

Anonymous said...

I fucking do not like Harris. And, because Joe is old and the vp will have a good run at being president in 4 or 8 years if he wins...I really don't want her. I hope it is michelle o. She would make a great vp and a great president. Harris's fake ass southern ministirial voice that she rolls out when she wants to emphasize her color, drives me nuts....she is a phoney who couldn't buddy up close enough to cops when she was ag. Anybody but Harris.

Anonymous said...

@ Sir Wilfred/521:

Barack can run for VP, and can even succeed to the presidency. The operative language is:

"No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more than once."

Barack Obama therefore cannot be ELECTED to be PRESIDENT again. But nothing in there prohibits him (or Carter, Bush, or Clinton) for running for Vice President and then succeeding to the presidency on the death or resignation of the President.

Maybe the drafters of the 22nd Amendment never considered this scenario and would have written the 22nd Amendment differently if they had. But they didn't. So, that's pretty much that.



Anonymous said...

Couldn't agree more about Harris. She'll be a divisive pick.