Would a different way to seat judges be better?

One week from today, Wisconsin voters will head to the polls to have their say in a very contentious race for the Supreme Court. Two candidates, a conservative and a liberal, are hoping to earn a seat and determine the balance of power on the state’s high court. Pretty important stuff, with issues like abortion likely to come before the court. So it’s no surprise the gloves came off early in this campaign, with record spending, and plenty of mudslinging. The attacks on the candidates have been unprecedented. Both sides have hit below the belt. Maybe rather than spending all that money to convince us to vote for them, we should determine who will earn a 10 year seat on the court a different way. Like following the federal system. The Governor could nominate a Supreme Court candidate and submit that to the Legislature for a vote of approval. Sure, there would still be politics involved, but the candidates wouldn’t have to run their shady, underhanded, misleading ads to try to get into office. We would be spared all those attack ads. That alone seems reason enough to consider a different way.