Merit retention.

Now the state GOP is getting into the merit retention contests. This will be followed by the Democratic Party getting involved. This mess is the natural and predictable result of the ill-conceived Florida Bar "public education" campaign, a cute maneuver around election finance laws and a hypocritical use of Bar fees better spent on the poor.

There were plenty of us in both parties already supporting the justices' retention privately and abundantly. Now the Bar will be portrayed to a cynical public to be engaging in partisan politics--instead of our real goal --standing up for the judicial independence of all judges.

The GOP will undoubtedly point out that when President Obama viciously attacked the U.S. Supreme Court, the Bar and its leaders had nothing to say about the danger of making judicial reasoning part of the political vortex. Now it is.

Thomas R. Spencer

Coral Gables

Is there any difference between "merit retention" and lifetime appointment during good behavior? The wise men of The Florida Bar seem to think not. They are indignant that anyone would campaign against the retention of a Supreme Court justice.

If "merit" means nothing more than having arrived at the election without a criminal conviction, then Justices Lewis, Pariente, and Quince deserve to retain their seats. But if intelligence and reasoning ability have anything to do with merit, then it is appropriate to read their opinions. Even a former Florida Bar president should be able to understand that.

Edward B. Greene

Ponte Vedra Beach

It seems to me that the leadership of the News and The Florida Bar really have no shame. For nearly one year, informed and articulate opponents of the misguided "voter education" campaign on merit retention have been relegated to 300 word (or less) letters to the editor.

Meanwhile, supporters of what is better described as a "voter re-education" campaign on merit retention have benefited from regular front-page placement of lengthy articles and hundreds of thousands of dollars of Bar resources for community outreach and celebrity justice endorsements.

Could the News not attempt to be neutral on this issue? Could it not find even one intelligent lawyer (from among the many expressing opposition) to write a real article in opposition and give it prominent and respectful treatment?

This entire campaign by the Bar leadership is an utter disgrace. Finally, for several prominent lawyers you repeatedly feature to deny that the three justices at...