Now that he’s made his pick for the Supreme Court, President Donald Trump can claim to have kept a campaign promise: To fill the vacancy on the bench with a conservative in the mold of late Justice Antonin Scalia.
But Trump must remember that Supreme Court justices must act independently and in the best interests of the country – not to promote any particular ideology.
As AFSCME Pres. Lee Saunders put it, “If Judge Gorsuch cannot provide clear answers on fundamental issues, if he cannot demonstrate that he would be an independent voice who will give a fair hearing to all, the nation would be best served leaving this seat on the court unfilled.”
A Supreme Court justice, especially one as young as the 49-year-old Gorsuch, will have the power to influence the direction of our country, for good or for worse, for decades.
That person will have a deep impact on Americans’ daily lives and will likely rule on cases involving workers’ rights.
As Saunders said, “Throughout his campaign, President Trump said that he would stand up for working people and their families. His appointment of a Supreme Court justice is one of the best chances he has to demonstrate the sincerity of that promise.”
The Senate, which has to confirm Gorsuch, has a vital role in maintaining judicial independence. Senators must make sure Gorsuch is independent and will exercise his own judgment, and not adopt the president’s, when making key decisions.