The Supreme Court
The political solicitations flooding my mailbox indicate there is an election just around the corner. The pleas for money and votes are limited to how superb the beggar is when compared with the lack of quality in the opponent. The most important issues on the ballot, however, are never discussed.
Those issues are the Supreme Court, the economy, and what type of country will we be leaving our descendants.
Oddly, the following sentences on the importance of the Supreme Court were written Friday before the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was announced.
My thinking then was that, if Joe Biden is elected President in November, his very first act as President on inauguration day or the day after will be to approve the retirement of Justice Ginsburg. If, however, Donald Trump is re-elected, Ginsburg will continue participating virtually on the court, even from her death bed. She is determined to keep her liberal seat on the court as long as humanly possible.
Ginsburg’s death Friday dramatically changed the ongoing political campaigns. Forget the pandemic, the economy, world affairs and every other topic. Front and center now is should the incumbent President be the picker or should the decision be deferred to the next President, whoever that may be.
What is going to happen is obvious. Our President will nominate a new Supreme Court Justice within a week. Senator Mitch McConnell will then assure us that there will be a vote on the nomination before the end of the year.
Hearings by the Senate Judiciary Committee will start before November 3, Election Day. There will not be a confirmation vote before that date, however, because some Republican Senators are in very close races for re-election. If Trump is re-elected and Republicans retain a majority in the Senate, the confirmation vote may be delayed until a new Congress is convened in January.
If Biden is elected, expect a confirmation vote before December 31.
All of this politicking over a replacement for Justice Ginsburg should not overshadow the continuing importance of the Supreme Court. The prevailing issue here is do we want a court where the United States Constitution is the guide book, or do we want a court where political correctness, whatever it may be at the moment, provides the map.
If you want constitutional law, vote Republican. If you want political correctness, go Democrat.
Another very important issue on the ballot, but for which there is not a specific box to check, is the economy.
Less than a year ago, we were in the midst of the strongest growing economy in history. The unemployment rate, particularly among minorities, was the lowest it had ever been. Then BOOM!, an uncontrollable pandemic descended from China.
Businesses, large and small, had to shut their doors forever, go into bankruptcy, and be destroyed by vandalism and arson at the hands of rioters. Tourism, hotels/motels, and the airlines basically went into storage. The unemployment rates sky rocketed again and the government had to go further into debt to provide some relief for the unemployed.
There are a few signs of recovery. Some businesses are reopening and the unemployment rate is slowly going down. The recovery, however, is slated to take considerably longer than the plunge.
So the question on the ballot here is who can best revive the economy? Will an administration that unleashes business by repealing numerous onerous regulations, leveling the international economic playing field by revoking NAFTA and other onerous treaties, and bringing jobs back home be better?
Or should we go with one that thinks the government is the best businessman in town? Although there is no actual business experience, every aspect of business needs to be regulated from on high. Moreover, the environmental wackos who want to destroy the national energy business by outlawing fracking and coal mining have to have a seat at the table.
So here’s the perspective.
These issues are on the November ballot. You just will not see them on the printed sheet.
As you pick up the pen to mark the ballot, think of these in the terms of what kind of government and country am I willing to leave my descendants.
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