Oh, my! Politics, hatred, and what else?

Politics: The internet is abuzz with news of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s unexpected death—in Texas of all states. Some say he was at a luxury resort; others that he was at his own home. Whichever, few people are mourning, and I think that’s sad. No, I didn’t like him, didn’t like his politics, his arrogance, his bias. But I truly believe we should rejoice in no man’s death. My condolences to his family, especially in light of the vitriol being spewed out, some even hoping it was a prolonged, agonizing death. What is wrong with people? Where have we lost our humanity?

I doubt few of us can absorb the impact this will have on American citizens. Republicans are clamoring that no new justice should be appointed until after the presidential election, which goes contrary to the Constitution and to precedent. Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell have already begun shrill objections to the appointment before the deceased is even in the ground and before the President has even thought about a replacement. Democrats are suggesting everything from Obama resigning so Biden can appoint him to waiting for the election so that either Bernie or Hillary can appoint him. I’ve seen Elizabeth Warren’s name mentioned, but I think she likes the Senate and is valuable there. There is an irony here—many of us think President Obama’s next job should be on SCOTUS---bad timing. But my mom had two sayings: “The Lord works in mysterious ways,” and “The mills of the Gods grind extremely slowly but they grind extremely finely.”

And probably few of us realize how important SCOTUS decisions are to our daily lives. One of the most serious responsibilities of a president is to appoint justices. We’ve been left with a conservative court, and may now that will change.

The court is almost evenly split now, maybe even leaning left since I’ve read that Justice Clarence Thomas always took his cues from Scalia and will be adrift without him. I don’t know what major cases are pending, but it’s bound to be an interesting and divisive time.

I’ll leave that topic with this frightening question: Who would Donald Trump appoint?

Be of good faith!

Meanwhile I am disheartened to see the Clinton and Sanders camps sniping at each other. I will support either as a candidate because I think it’s important—essential—to put another Democrat in the White House and hopefully clean house in the Congress. When I suggested we as liberals or progressives or whatever are shooting ourselves in the foot by making accusations against one or the other candidates that might resonate in the campaign after the conventions, I got vituperative, mean emails from someone who hates Hillary. Again, where did all our hatred come from?

I want to live in a country known for its humanity and compassion, not one where the poor are ignored, we have a clown car, and Bruce Jenner is the Woman of the Year. Yes, I too will be of good faith.