The 2016 election was revolutionary.
After eight years of democratic president, Barack Obama, in the White House, America asked for a change and it got one. Similar to an overcorrection, the people of America voted for the candidate that differed the most from the former administration: Donald Trump. Regardless of my political beliefs, I definitely have to credit president Trump for getting me more involved in politics than I have ever been before. Which is why after some research (a political science class and some light reading), I have come to the conclusion that the 2020 election will be more important and even more revolutionary than that of 2016.
The 2016 election was distinct due to it being one of the few in which the popular vote and the electoral college differed in their outcome. That coupled with the “unique” set of candidates from each party made it a truly riveting journey to follow. Well, the election has passed, the results are in, and Donald Trump is our president. While I have never advocated for accepting an unwanted outcome, I truly believe that attempting to impeach Donald Trump is not doing our country any good and we need to focus on our future.
Our future is 2020.
The 2020 election won’t be about the candidates, but rather the impact that these people will have on the face of justice in America. Following the death of conservative supreme court justice Antonin Scalia, Donald Trump nominated his replacement: Neil Gorsuch. Since Gorsuch replaced another conservative the supreme court still has a 5:4 conservatives to liberals ratio.
So what’s the problem?
Recently, there has been talk from both Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy about retirement, leaving two slots open on the court. According to USA Today, Ginsburg has her law clerks taking her through at least June of 2020; and according to the Washington Post, Kennedy may retire as early as this summer or as late as 2020. With two spots open, the president has the complete power to fill those seats and sway the judicial branch in favor of a specific party. Therefore, if Donald Trump is elected for another four years, the judicial branch would have 6 conservatives with only 3 liberal justices. And if a Democratic president holds office next, then there would be a ratio of 5 liberals to 4 conservatives. While the Republican party already has a majority in the supreme court, according to The New York Times, Justice Kennedy is as close to a centrist as a conservative can get, and if Trump has an opportunity to fill Kennedy’s seat then America will see the most conservative court in nearly a century.
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t focus on getting Trump out of office if that is what he deserves. But it is far more important that our nation doesn’t make the same mistake it made a year and a half ago. If you are looking for a change, vote in the 2020 election.
It isn’t about the candidate; it is about keeping our courts fair for centuries to come.
Photo: Jonathan Simcoe via Unsplash
