Arlen Specter: “The essential provision is to require televising proceedings at the Supreme Court of the United States unless the Court…”

“The essential provision is to require televising proceedings at the Supreme Court of the United States unless the Court determines on an individual basis that there would be an inappropriate occasion and a violation of the due process rights of the parties. The thrust of this legislation is to bring public attention and understanding of how the Supreme Court of the United States functions, because it is the ultimate decisionmaker on so many--virtually all of the cutting edge questions of our day. The Supreme Court of the United States made the decision in Bush v. Gore, essentially deciding who would be President of the United States. The Supreme Court decides cases on the death penalty, as to who will die. It decides by 5-to-4 decisions so many vital cases, including partial-birth or late-term abortion, deciding who will live.”