90 Days, 90 Reasons - Day 5, Reason 5 To Vote For President Obama - Supreme Court
DAY 5 - REASON 5: Supreme Court Supreme Court Supreme Court.
In 2008, when a number of my friends (including my mother) were disappointed not to have Hillary Clinton as the first female party candidate in history, and were considering not voting in protest, I would say, “I understand. But Supreme Court Supreme Court Supreme Court.”
And I did understand. We would talk about the history of women being pushed aside to allow a man to flourish, and I would say, “Yes, that’s a totally legitimate frustration. Your anger is justifiable. But Supreme Court Supreme Court Supreme Court.”
The fact is, I’m an Obama fan. But I’ve never tried to persuade anyone that he is an exact representation of their political outlook. It’s not necessary. Because: Supreme Court Supreme Court Supreme Court. After George W. Bush’s presidency, we were looking at a Court with four vacancies in the near future. Obama filled two of those vacancies in his first term—with women. Pretty amazing women. Pretty amazing women who the right tried to tear down in some of the most disgusting confirmation hearings I’ve ever come across: hints at lesbianism, reverse “racism,” etc. But they made it. They are justices on the Supreme Court—for life. And without those women, the Affordable Health Care Act would be dust right now.
After all, many call the Roberts Court the most conservative court in American history. What we now have: two more vacancies looming in the very near future, of liberal justices Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. If Romney is there to nominate them, then there could be a right wing Supreme Court for most of the remainder of my life. The average retirement age of a justice is 78.7. Chief Justice Roberts is only 57.
What will come up before the Court? Certainly gay marriage. Certainly more aspects of health care law. Almost absolutely abortion—the right will bring every pet cause to their rubber-stamp court. It will almost not matter at all who controls the other branches of government—the Court can singlehandedly undo all progress since the 1950s: civil rights, equal protection clauses, collective bargaining rights, immigration law, gun control, United Nations charter, government wiretapping, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, eminent domain, not to mention deciding election controversies like the one in 2000. If you like the Citizens United decision, where corporations as “people” can anonymously fund political candidates and essentially purchase elections, then you are going to love what could be coming down the pike if Obama is not in office.
And hey, I love this guy! I have a dozen reasons I’ve been overjoyed with Obama’s presidency, and for sure a couple where I want to text him late at night with WTF? Or even wonder what if Hillary had been in office? But I always shake myself out of it and say:
“Andy. Remember. Supreme Court Supreme Court Supreme Court.”
—ANDREW GREER
Andrew Greer is the author of four works of fiction, most recently The Story of a Marriage. His next novel, The Other Lives of Greta Wells, comes out in June 2013.
San Francisco, California
