"...and justice for all."

"I pledge my allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands. One Nation under God, indivisble, with Liberty and Justice for all."

I find myself wondering these days, "Where is justice? Where is justice?" It constantly seems to elude a great number of those people who swear the Pledge of Allegiance everyday. The very recital of that oath harkens back to century old tradition, back to the birth of the Republic (although let it be said that there is damned great big difference between a Republic and a Democracy) which is today the almighty United States. Back to a time when the "Liberty and Justice for all" applied to whites only, when the average citizen or subject wasn't well-educated enough to understand the law laid out in part at the Constitution Convention of 1787. The whole point of the Common Law is that we learn from the past (or from our mistakes, which is my opinion)-judgement by Statute. Unfortunately the Common Law of the United States of America, as laid out by Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1880, has now been utterly destroyed by the ravages of an everchanging society and party politics. How can justice be served when a judge can be held answerable to the voting public, and not the law? This type of practice, as highlighted in many TV shows today, and outlined in many lawsuits themselves against State and Federal Courts is dangerous and detrimental to the keeping of Law and Order. Why should people respect the law when those charged with its maintenance will not uphold it. That said and done, the fact that the Law itself is made by politicians, and not judges or lawyers is a hidoues practice, which has led to many ridiculously harsh sentences due to the ill-definition of ceratin aspects of law - especially the Criminal Law which carries the heaviest penalties. I am an advocate of Democracy in all forms but is it sensible in this day and age to be manifested in the Justice system? I think not, An independent Judiciary would be very nice, yet then it is very difficult then to make it as answerable to the Public as the present system is, despite its many flaws. Where can we draw the line? Can a line be drawn? Time will tell...