Letters to the Editor

Court pick the ‘Supreme’ election issue

Sep 12, 2008 11:46 AM

To the Editor.

The most important issue in the 2008 presidential election is not the sinking economy or the war in Iraq or the gas price fiasco or the mortgage crisis.

What is the number 1 issue? It is:

Who will be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court if a current member (or members) retire?

The crises mentioned in this letter’s lead paragraph will vanish in time, and they will be replaced with other crisies.

The nomination of Supreme Court justices is not in that category. The U.S. Constitution stipulates that Supreme Court justices are appointed for life, and who is appointed and by what president is very, very important.

Sen. John McCain has stated that he would — if elected — appoint justices resembling Justices Alito and Roberts. These two justices along with Justices Scalia and Thomas would turn the clock back even further than the current court has if McCain has the chance to appoint new justices.

(G.W. Bush appointed Alito and Roberts. Bush said that he would appoint “strict constructionists.” He kept his word on this issue.)

The United States cannot afford this “luxury.” The court’s rightward movement during the past three decades has to be reversed; however, if it continues, the court will be a carbon copy of the pre-New Deal court.

This country cannot go back to “the good old days” before 1933. If it does happen, the gains of the 20th century will disappear.

Louis A. Carrubba, retired