IF THE CONSTITUTION BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE, THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD TOO
One thing I've noticed in today's political climate is that every issue gets shoved into a red against blue.
The Supreme Court, or any court for that matter shouldn't be one of them.
The Constitution begins with three very important words: WE THE PEOPLE.
The Supreme Court exists to interpret that Constitution. They help determine what our rights are, what government can and cannot do, and where the limits of power exist. In many ways, there is no institution that has a greater impact on the everyday rights of Americans.
Yet the American people have absolutely no direct say in who sits on the Court.
Instead, presidents appoint justices and the Senate confirms them.
Again, this post is not meant to be Republican versus Democrat. It’s not a Biden post. It’s not a Trump post.
Maybe that made perfect sense in the 1700s. The Founding Fathers wanted judges insulated from political pressure. They didn't want justices campaigning for votes or making decisions based on polling numbers.
I understand the reasoning.
What I'm struggling with is whether that system still works the way it was intended.
Every time a Supreme Court vacancy opens up, it turns into a political war. Every nomination is treated like the Super Bowl. Every confirmation hearing becomes a partisan circus. Every major ruling gets analyzed based on which president appointed which justice.
And then we're supposed to pretend politics isn't involved?
Recently, the Court ruled that presidents have broad immunity for official acts while in office. Whether you agreed with the ruling or hated it isn't really my point.
My point is that a decision with enormous consequences for presidential power was made by people appointed through an increasingly political process.
Again, this isn't about Trump.
What if a future Democratic president benefits from a Supreme Court ruling that expands executive authority?
What if a future Republican president does?
My concern remains exactly the same.
When so much power is concentrated in the hands of nine unelected individuals serving lifetime appointments, shouldn't Americans at least be allowed to have a conversation about whether the system still reflects the spirit of "We the People"?
I'm not pretending to have all the answers because I’m usually wrong.
Maybe electing justices would create even bigger problems, but who the hell knows.
Maybe term limits would be a better solution, but what I do know is this:
The Supreme Court was designed to protect the Constitution.
The Constitution belongs to the people and when more and more Americans begin viewing the Court as a weaponized political institution instead of a neutral one, that's a problem regardless of which party happens to benefit from the latest ruling.
This shouldn't be a Republican issue.
This shouldn't be a Democratic issue.
This should be an American issue, because if we're going to continue saying "We the People," then it's fair to ask how much influence the people should have over the institution that ultimately decides what those words mean.
