There are
probably more Americans suffering from illnesses such as heart conditions, high
blood pressure, and associated neurological and other conditions brought on my
stress and related factors since the November 2016 campaign and election, and
the emergence of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United
States. Well, the number of Americans suffering from these illnesses and symptoms
as a result of the drastic Constitutional and governmental changes that have
accompanied Donald J. Trump is about to increase as Justice Anthony Kennedy
announces his retirement and exits the Supreme Court, the nation’s highest
court. President Trump has been on a winning spree since the week of June 25,
2018, with the Supreme Court holding his Travel
Ban 3.0 constitutional, and now Justice Kennedy giving him a well-desired opportunity
to shift the balance of the Supreme Court all the way to the right. Those
Americans concerned about the following issues must worry terribly: marriage
equality, immigration, First Amendment rights, Second Amendment rights,
abortion, and several other issues that have played as longstanding divisive issues
in creating disunity and conflicts across the American landscape.
We are not
certain what Justice Kennedy was thinking when he made the decision to retire
from the Supreme Court since he seems quite healthy and could have stayed until
his last breath. What we are certain of is that it represents a worrisome day,
not just for struggling Democrats, but for the nation as a whole. With the
assertion of vague presidential authority stemming from the recent 5-4 decision
concerning the Travel Ban 3.0, President Trump’s opportunity to place another
justice on the Supreme Court will become another shield for his authoritative
and constitutionally questionable behaviors and decisions. It is a reality that
Donald J. Trump is the 45th President of the United States, and it
is a reality that his behaviors and actions are great causes for concern for
both Republicans and Democrats, as well as for those who are Independents, and
those without political or party affiliation and devotion. Given this concern,
not only nationally, but globally, the opportunity to have another Neil Gorsuch
on the Supreme Court could further empower President Trump in ways detrimental
to how he wields his power and authority to affect democracy, this nation’s
republican form of government, and even the value and reverence of the
Constitution.
Given the
above, one can fully understand why Justice Kennedy’s retirement to which he is
wholly and legally, personally entitled, can become questionable as a matter of
patriotism, as a matter of love of country, and as a matter of care and concern
for the things he has held dear as a preserver of American Constitution, and
hence democracy, and the rights of the American people. While it is indeed
difficult to understand what Justice Kennedy was thinking throughout the “considerable
time” he had to make this decision, one must wonder if Justice Kennedy’s
decision is not premature given the uncertainties and chaos that have
accompanied President Trump to office so far, and the ensuing constitutional
crisis, which is both ongoing and becoming increasingly complex. Whatever the
case, we must wish Justice Kennedy great health and a long life after
retirement, and demonstrate appreciation for how much this great American has
loved and contributed to his nation, the Constitution, individual rights, and
democracy.
About the Author
Dr. Donovan A. McFarlane teaches in the
fields of Political Science and Public Administration to include courses on American
Government, The Presidency, and Public Policy. He has extensively taught in the
fields of Business and Management at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Some of the major courses he has facilitated include International Business, Organizational
Behavior, Marketing, Strategic Management, among other courses. He currently
writes articles in several areas for his Blog, Forum of Business, Organizations, and Society (FOBOS): http://businessorganizationssociety.blogspot.com/
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