Image by npr.org By Hannah Bourgeau
Staff Writer After the death of Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia this February, there is a vacancy in the supreme court. The Supreme court is used to resolve congressional and constitutional disputes at the highest rank in the United States. Not only is the Supreme Court the final decision maker but it also has a duty for keeping the president and congress in check. Without a ninth justice, there will be many cases held off because the result may end in a tie between judges’ decisions and leave cases unresolved. President Obama has nominated Harvard graduate, Merrick Garland to fill Scalia’s seat in the Supreme Court. Garland has received praise from both the Republican and Democratic parties, but the Republican party was quick to reject Garland. “To suggest that someone is as qualified and respected as Merrick Garland doesn’t even deserve a hearing, let alone an up-or-down vote, to join an institution as important as our Supreme Court, when two-thirds of Americans believe otherwise, that would be unprecedented,” Obama replies, “I simply ask Republicans to give him a fair hearing, and then an up-or-down vote”. The Republican members of congress have decided to wait until after the 2016 Presidential Election to decide on Garland’s nomination. The new President may or may not decide to select Garland. It is assumed that if a Democratic President is elected, they may appoint a younger, more “progressive” nominee, in spirits to shift the Supreme Court away from conservative, moving toward liberal for years to come. As president, Donald Trump’s decision may be more unpredictable. Garland considers his nomination “the greatest honor of my life other than Lynn agreeing to marry me 28 years ago”. Garland’s response to the nomination has so far been positive and he looks forward to possibly serving in the Supreme Court. Comments are closed.
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October 2018
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