This confirmation is evidence that the legislature will continue in gridlock, unable to pass serious reforms because they are more worried about politics than the hundreds of thousands of people that a dysfunctional criminal justice system has destroyed. After eleven years of trying to get people who have taken money and votes from law enforcement labor unions to do the right thing, I have no hope that they will ever comply with orders from the three judge panel.

We, the people, have the option to organize in order to elect or recall those who will administer "justice." When we don't organize large enough, funded enough, and take a strong approach which includes lawsuits, initiative campaigns, putting out dollars and votes for people who represent us, then we must settle for such appointments as Matthew Cate, a Republican and former prosecutor who holds no one accountable for breaking California's own laws.

I would be completely depressed over this signal from the legislature that the reign of death and injustice will continue unabated until our voting lobby is strong enough to force changes in the law via initiative campaigns except there is some great news.