An important balance

With the untimely death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the conservative cause, the Constitution and this great nation lost a genuine patriot. I rank Justice Scalia high on my list of American heroes.

The way the death of this great man and the vacancy he leaves on the court has been politicized by politicians of both parties is disgraceful. I think it is also reprehensible that the president elected to snub the departed justice by not attending his funeral Mass.

Justice Scalia was a strong conservative voice on the court for 30 years. We cannot allow the balance that he brought to the court to be lost through the seating of a replacement that will seek to undo three decades of progress. President Barack Obama once told GOP leaders with an arrogance that rivals Donald Trump that elections have consequences and he had won. The president did win and has the right to nominate a replacement. The same construction that gives him that right gives the Senate “advise and consent” powers over his nominee.

On the subject of elections having consequences, the Republicans won the Senate in 2014. It is important to remind all that the 2016 election will have 34 contested Senate seats, so the Senate leadership could change again. With that in mind, it is important to realize that maintaining Republican leadership in the Senate is just as important as whom we elect to the White House.