Because of my strong opposition to Donald Trump and Republican positions on social issues I have eagerly anticipated receiving my ballot and dashing to the post office to vote Democrat for all federal offices.
But now to my absolute shock I am suddenly contemplating voting anti-Democrat, all because of the recently-surfaced plan by some Democrats to pack the U.S. Supreme Court above the current nine with more liberal justices who will presumably be chosen to make law not simply interpret and apply it according to the choices made by the people speaking through their Constitution and Congress.
As a lawyer and former news reporter covering courts I too often saw unbiased, competent judges unjustifiably labeled activists because people didn’t like the policy result of the judge’s decision.
Packing the Supreme Court will only increase distrust of the judiciary.
Further, if Democrats pack the court with like-minded justices when Republicans regain control they will do the same.
This partisan one-upmanship will effectively turn the Supreme Court into a lawmaking body that the people can’t control.
We can vote out members of Congress; Supreme Court Justices serve for life.
If Democrats don’t back down on this issue I will vote Republican for Congress and a third party for President.
I don’t know if we can survive another four years of Donald Trump but I am certain our democracy will not survive continual rounds of court packing that will make our government’s separation of powers little more than a farce.
Cheryl Nielson
Port Angeles