Supreme Court key issue for voters

This Nov. 4th, we will elect the 44th president of the United States. This is an incredibly important election. In many ways, our country is at a crossroad. The Iraq war has been lingering for years.

Terrorism is rampant in many parts of the world. The economy is weaker than it has been in some time. Other more localized problems face many citizens.

One might assume that given the gravity of these issues, many people would be concerned enough to register to vote and go to the polls on Election Day.

However, if the past 50 years is an indication, only 55.1 percent of the voting-age population will probably turn out to vote.

This means that slightly more than half of the citizens will elect our president and representatives, and nearly half of the country's adults will play no role at all in this election.

Facts like this are disturbing when our country is facing so many important decisions.

One issue that our law class has talked a lot about lately is that the Supreme Court of the United States currently has five justices over the age of 70, and several of the justices could retire soon.

Although there is no mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court justices, the probability that these five justices will stay on the bench much longer is slim.

This leaves a tremendous opportunity for our next president to re-fashion the court.

Only six other presidents — Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, Taft, Franklin Roosevelt and Eisenhower — have appointed five or more justices to the Supreme Court.

America's next president could join the ranks of those former presidents and appoint as many. (Of course, Senate confirmation will be needed.) This is something we all need to think long and hard about.

The Supreme Court is one of the most important institutions in our country. The nine justices decide critical points of law, which affect us all.

We don't know what issues will come before the court in the coming years, but if the present mirrors the past, the judicial issues will be exceedingly complex, potentially divisive and assuredly far reaching.

All of this is too important to be taken lightly. As American citizens, we must take an active role in determining our country's future.

We must register to vote by Oct. 4, and we must vote on Nov. 4.

Duncan Pfaehler

School of the Arts Law Class

Bill Smyth

Teacher

School of the Arts Law Class

Saranac Street

North Charleston