No one
can doubt that America was founded on principles that truly have molded the
nation into a society of creativity, individuality and power. These morals and
laws separate the U.S. from other countries that belittle their people,
dehumanize them and sever their ability to bring about change and opportunity
to their family and country. The United States has been blessed with many
brilliant minds which have formed the documents, such as the Constitution, that
make America the most prosperous and beautiful nation in the world. Dedicated
members of the government have served the country for the past 240 years and
their wisdom and intellectual might lives and breaths in each and every
American citizen.
Recently
the nation lost one of the greatest and more admirable modern defenders of the
Constitution. Justice Antonin Scalia was an Associate U.S. Supreme Court
Justice since 1986; nominated during the enlightenment period of President
Ronald Reagan. After he graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor’s degree in History,
Scalia entered the educational field of law and pursued an academic study of
justice rather than continuing with his own practice. Justice Scalia was a key
figure in the aftermath of the Watergate Scandal in 1972, dealing with
legislative and executive controversies. After a professorship at the
University of Chicago’s School of Law, Scalia was chosen by President Reagan in
the early 80’s to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. During
this time, he developed his concrete mindset of conservatism and firm belief
that the Constitution is not a living and breathing document, rather it was
written and constructed to ultimately be the law of the land with no change or
alteration. Justice Scalia was not just another government official who has had
a successful career and made some changes to the nation, he was the modern
backbone of the document that has been under fire the past few years.
In
essence, he was the man whom the Founding Fathers would have found very
applicable to the defense and interpretation of the law. In response to the
presentation article of our fellow Democrats, they seem to have highlighted his
legacy from another point of view. As many people are aware, Justice Scalia’s
death has unfortunately opened a seat for another position to be filled and
both parties are at war over whether or not President Obama should nominate a
candidate. As the law states, the president has the executive power to appoint
a supreme court justice if and when a position is open, however, the main
concern of Republicans is will Obama’s decision reflect a more liberal nominee.
Conservatives argue that in order to solidify a bipartisan court, the next
appointment must be made in 2017 as the new president takes office. This
appointment is more than filling a chair, it is the future of many concerned
citizens who fear that their Second Amendment will be breached and torn to
shreds. Scalia has been known for his powerful support of the Second Amendment,
which has been under attack due to the recent attacks and mass-shootings. What
is the bigger picture here?
The
importance of Scalia’s legacy should be concerned with how the country and its
leaders should view his character and develop a level to which the next justice
should meet. Democrats are outraged because any nominations from the Obama
Administration will be blocked. As election time draws near and the road to the
White House becomes even more challenging, Mr. Donald Trump, of the Trump
Organization and Senators Ted Cruz, of Texas, and Marco Rubio, of Florida, have
reasonably noted that President Obama should leave this critical appointment in
the hands of the future president. In a long run outlook, maybe the best
situation for filling Scalia’s position should be awaiting the arrival of the
new president. If both parties can agree to place a hold on the nomination,
they both have a promising chance to include their best choice of judge. This
controversial showdown is not an impossible feat to overcome.
According to National
Public Radio, in 1991 President George H.W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas for
the Supreme Court. Thomas was confirmed by majority Democrats and placed into
the position of justice. In further insight, Obama may hold his constitutional
right to nominate a new face to the court, but if he or she will dilute the
bipartisan cooperation within court decisions and cases, the fairest and most
rational option is to wait until 2017. Republicans and Democrats can come to a
more pinpointed decision closer to the general election and choose someone that
tends to be the “middle man.” If the president chooses to use his power,
congress will dismiss his choice. In argument, this selection process is more
than the struggle between liberal and conservative views, it’s about replacing a
nearly unparalleled member of true American fundamentals and values. Yes, this
is a “catastrophic” blow to the conservative movement because Scalia’s model of
the Jeffersonian mindset is truly the foundational building blocks of our
history, culture, morals and national individualism. If politicians can work on
looking at Justice Scalia’s history throughout his service in the judiciary
system and education, then they will be better prepared in choosing the most
productive and knowledgeable candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Written by: CR member Zac
