This Election is Not About Clinton or Trump

For me, it never has been. It wouldn't have mattered to me if we nominated Biden or Bernie or Hillary. It wouldn't have mattered to me if they nominated Kasich or Bush or Cruz or Trump.

I agree with Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan on one thing. This election is about the Supreme Court. All other issues pale by comparison. There will be as many as three new appointments. The first one will tip the balance of the Court immediately. The Republicans are willing to publicly call Trump a racist in one breath, and support him in the next. It's all about the Court. They get it and we should, too.

Whatever you think of Hillary (and, by the way, I love her and always have), she will appoint Justices who will side with us on all the key issues. Citizens United, Civil Rights, Voting Rights, Women's Rights, Union Rights (my chief concern), LGBT Rights, Environmental Rights and the list goes on. We here, at Democratic Underground, as well as the Democratic Party as a whole, are a coalition of people who have priority issues. Mine is Labor. Each of these decisions break along party lines. The Justices appointed by Republican Presidents tend to vote against us, the Democratic appointees vote with us. Occasionally, Justice Kennedy will swing our way. We know that a Conservative, Republican justice will be replaced immediately due to Scalia's death. Our hero, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, most likely will retire during the next Presidential term. Kennedy is then the next oldest. So, there is a very good chance a Conservative, A Liberal and Swing vote will be replaced during the next four years. Those terms are lifetime, and usually run for 30 years.

This is no time to quarrel among ourselves. This is no time to debate issues that we can debate during the primary process 4 years from now. This is a time to look at what will shape our lives and the precedents on issues that are important to us for the bulk of our lives (or, in my case, the rest of my life. I'm 63 years old).

Let's keep our eyes on the prize. This is a once in a generation opportunity, either for us or for them. This really is a perfect analogy of "don't bite your nose off to spite your face."

I am working to get Hillary elected President. When issues come up, I won't mind disagreeing with her, after the election. But I know what's important right now, and that's the Supreme Court. And we only have one chance to advance our causes. That chance is the election of Hillary Clinton. Period.