Help the ACLU Get Cameras in the Supreme Court

I have mixed feelings on this.

In theory, I like transparency and making sure important cases are preserved for history....

On the other hand, the fantasy image people have of government functions combined with how responsive people are to sound bytes they do not understand (just look at 'climategate'), I have trouble seeing a positive outcome.  Judges having to watch every word and phrase every sentence not for the court but for the public would not only be draining but warping.

Putting cameras in courts forces judges and lawyers to act out people's fantasy, otherwise there tend to be repercussions.  It is true SCOTUS judges are there for life, but that does not mean that the media and public can not make their lives difficult.

Someone above brought up the OJ trial... look what cameras did there, the thing was a circus....

I'm 100% for cameras in the SCOTUS and think that just about every non-personal office in which government business gets done should have cameras.

However, the prospects of this seem bleak. The health care debates and deals were supposed to be on C-Span as part of the president's campaign promise.  Look how that one turned out- I imagine that there was quite a push against this idea by congress members of both parties and hence why it probably didnt happen.

Granted, the business of the SCOTUS is quite a bit different from that of congress (despite the tired accuations of "legislating from the bench"), and hopefully there is less of a need for the justices to cover up any shady behaviours and/or deal making.  Surely they are as corrupt as any other powerful government operative, but they have less to lose if their cout cases are televised- those creepy deals likely happen behind closed doors or dark alleys anyway.

This may come off as Godwinning this story, but what the hell:

There were cameras in the court during the OJ trial. Just saying.

I'm Charlie Owens, good night, and good luck.