On Monday, March 21, 2016, Senator John Cornyn of Texas posted an article to CNN entitle Public Should Have Voice in Picking Next Supreme Court Justice. In the piece Cornyn clearly states his opinion as to when the next Supreme Court Justice should be chosen and that is when the next president is in office. The vacancy in the Supreme Court causes it to posses an even number of Judges, which leads to a potential inability to break tie votes in what are arguably the most important court cases in the nation. Cornyn argues that because the Senate is controlled by Republicans, who were voted to serve by the people, that the people must want his party to hold back the progress of the Obama administration. "The American people made clear that they wanted a check on the Obama
administration when they put Republicans in charge of the Senate in
November 2014." He postulates that representation in the Senate is the people picking the next Justice and that should not be Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland.
Senator John Cornyn of Texas has been representing the great state since 2002, before which he was the Attorney General of Texas for one term, and an associate justice of the Texas Supreme Court. He earned his law degree at St. Mary's University School of Law. Cornyn may very well be the definition of right wing conservatism. Not surprisingly he was a strong proponent and ally to former President George W. Bush. His political positions include: Pro- Patriot Act, Iraq War, tax cuts, T.A.R.P., and NRA; Anti- abortion, same sex marriage, family leave, universal healthcare, Veterans' Education Bill 2008, and "Murderabilia". Cornyn, based on how he represents himself in the article, may also be an Originalist and Textualist in his interpretation of the Constitution. His readership should include that of CNN, his constituents, others in the law field, and the opportunity for a broader audience.
While Cornyn may be qualified to speak about the law, in my opinion, his credibility is largely in question. In 2004 during the debates surrounding the equal rights of same sex couples he's quoted as saying, "It does not affect your daily life very much if your neighbor marries a box turtle.
But that does not mean it is right... Now you must raise your children
up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same
legal footing as man and wife." Which leaves one to wonder. This is just one of many questionable quotes and/or decisions.
Cornyn states Americans want this delayed appointment of a Justice simply by electing an oppositional party than that in the White House. In fact, the most recent data indicates this is incorrect. He further states the gravity of choosing the next Justice, claiming that "... the next Supreme Court justice could change the ideological direction of the court for a generation..." Being an adamant conservative and traditionalist this is not at all surprising. It is, however, revealing. In saying you don't want anyone else to have control, you reveal that you want said control. Also not surprising, but, in my opinion, it is frightening. Cornyn's only solid evidence on why a delay might be permissible, is that it is not the first time it has been attempted and by both parties. He uses historical dates and names to recall when these things occurred which strengthen his argument, however, that is as far as he takes them.
I disagree with Senator Cornyn on most everything, and this is no different. I think that the cases being decided by the Supreme Court are far too important to even have the potential to tie. Attempting to halt social progress and have it your way, by trying to wait it out is cowardly and foolish.
