OPINION:
It is the constitutional power of the president of the United States to appoint a justice to the Supreme Court when a vacancy on the bench appears. Although our current Republican-majority Congress rejects the idea of a liberal president replacing the seat of a conservative judge, there is nothing in the Constitution that would disallow such an appointment. The framers did not write our Constitution with a two-party system in mind; instead, our law of the land was written to give separate branches separate powers in the government.
A modern, unofficial, Republican prerequisite is to do anything necessary to uphold all rights given to citizens by the constitution. When it comes to the right to bear arms or the right of free speech, it is the Republican Party that is first to jump in front of the cameras to say bearing arms is our constitutional right. As a young Democrat, I say filling the current court vacancy is our constitutional right.
In 2015 alone, our Supreme Court did a huge amount. It settled matters ranging from same-sex marriage all the way to lethal injections. As the holder of the ’final say’ in America, the Supreme Court justices are like our national parents who break up all the arguments. Until our Supreme Court has the nine members that it is supposed to have, its ability to do its job will be flawed.
In November I plan on voting in my first election. It’s an odd first election with several disappointing choices, but I think I deserve to live in a country whose Supreme Court is qualified to make decisions. I think I deserve to live in a country that follows its constitution. Ours says the president nominates members to the Supreme Court if a seat opens. Barack Obama is our president and a seat is now open. Please stop giving him a hard time for doing his job.
DAVID PANTERA
Half Moon Bay, Calif.
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