This Is What It Takes For Us To Get A New Supreme Court Justice

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed away on Saturday, and now the U.S. government has another fight on their hands over who will succeed him. Add in a contentious relationships between a Republican controlled Congress and a Democrat controlled White House in an election year, and we’re left with even more uncertainty over who will be our newest Supreme Court justice or how long they’ll even get to serve.

The selection of a U.S. Supreme Court justice is a time honored process. Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution states that the President of the United States gets to nominate him or her, and that the Senate gets the confirm the president’s choice (or not). That goes against the assertions of Republicans like current senator and presidential candidate Ted Cruz, who says, “It has been 80 years since a Supreme Court vacancy was nominated and confirmed in an election year. There is a long tradition that you don’t do this in an election year.”

President Obama pledges to nominate “a very qualified candidate in due time,” reminding The People, “Your job doesn’t stop until you’re voted out.”

Pundits believe that the Republican-controlled Senate will not like any of Obama’s nominees. If this is the case, he can nominate someone to serve without Senate approval, while they’re in recess. With all these moving parts, the fight to replace Justice Scalia promises to be an exciting one.

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