by Hamilton Jones | Feb 14, 2022 | News, News Slider, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized
We return to another round of seeing who will become the newest member of the highest court, the Supreme Court of the United States. I use the words “another round” because, more often than not, the nominating process is literally like a prizefight. Nine justices make up the court, one being the chief justice, with eight associate justices. Their job is to ensure equal justice for all and to protect the constitutional rights of each citizen. Federal justices have no mandatory retirement and are chosen by the president of the United States, with confirmation up to the Senate. The reason for this “prizefight” is because Associate Justice Stephen Breyer announced he will retire this year after serving for 28 years. He was nominated by President Bill Clinton and is generally associated with the more liberal justices. The sitting president selects the nominee, beginning the Senate debate and confirmation or rejection. This is one of the most important jobs of the president, and it can affect theway we live for generations to come. Former President Donald Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices during his administration: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Cooney Barrett. Trump appointed more Supreme Court justices than any other sitting president since Ronald Regan, who appointed four. Trump’s confirmed nominations flipped the court to have a conservative majority, now outnumbering the liberal-leaning justices, six to three. Justice Breyer’s retirement offers President Joe Biden the opportunity to nominate a liberal-leaning justice who will help balance out the court. This also gives the Democrats the chance to claim a much-needed victory before the 2022 midterms and will help to...
