Supremes gut employees' right to sue

Sigh. Another ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that's so questionable that you have to wonder where they came up with this bullshit.

Yesterday, the SCrOTUS came down against working Americans when it limited the right of public employees to sue over unfair firings.

In the 6 to 3 ruling, the usual madcap crew - Justices Alito, Kennedy, Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas - was joined by Justice Breyer in ruling for the court's majority. Justices Ginsburg, Souter, and Stevens were the 3 dissenters.

The ruling limits suits by workers who as individuals suffered retaliatory and other unjust dismissals.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that "government offices could not function if every employment decision became a constitutional matter." Hey, the employer (not the employee) is the one that dragged the case above the lower court.

Political and retaliatory firings are already pervasive in state and federal patronage systems. Now the Supremes have gutted an important remedy to this corruption.

This case resulted when an Oregon woman was allegedly fired by a vindictive boss. She won her case in lower court. But of course the Ninth Circus overturned that, and the Supremes agreed with the Ninth. (Would somebody please explain why everyone considers the Ninth Circuit to be a liberal court, when it's made so many conservative rulings?)

Why shouldn't unfair firings be heard in court? I'm not saying everyone who's ever been fired for everything deserves to win. But fired employees should at least have the chance to be heard.

Workers are not property.

(Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-scotus10-2008jun10,0,317500.story)