Rick Perry has brought up an issue that is little discussed but could loom large in the 2016 presidential campaign: the Supreme Court.
“Something I want you all to think about is that the next president of the United States, whoever that individual may be, could choose up to three, maybe even four members of the Supreme Court,” the former Texas governor said during a recent visit to South Carolina.
The Supreme Court’s impact will be felt in a big way next month, when the justices are expected to hand down major decisions on gay marriage and President Obama’s health care law.
While it is probably the least known branch of government, the Supreme Court has a big influence on American society and its politics. A 2010 decision increased the amount of money spent on campaigns. And don’t forget how the high court basically settled the oh-so-narrow 2000 presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore.
The current court has many elderly justices. The president nominates new justices, and the Senate decides whether to confirm them. President Obama appointed two (younger) members of court, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
During his South Carolina swing, Perry said the 2016 contest isn’t just about “who’s going to be the president of the United States for just the next four years. This could be about individuals who have an impact on you, your children, and even our grandchildren. That’s the weight of what this election is really about.”
The website Think Progress, not normally a fan of Perry, says he’s absolutely right about the importance of the Supreme Court issue:
“Assuming that no justice leaves the Court before the next inauguration, three justices will be over 80 years old when the next president takes office. Justice Stephen Breyer will be close behind at 78 years old. If the next president replaces all four of these justices, that will give their appointees control over nearly half the Court. No president since Richard Nixon has had this kind of influence over the Court’s membership.”
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