Unsurprisingly, the American public is cynical toward lawyers and the government. While Senators, the President, and members of the executive administration all strive to improve our country, many times continuous political bickering leaves a distaste in the public’s opinion. The process of confirming a nominee to the Supreme Court serves as such an example. At first glance, the confirmation process appears to be a series of petty arguments between politicians with a mutual dislike for one another. Sadly, much of the media exacerbates this negative image by depicting the President announcing a candidate followed by a number of Senators, many of whom represent a different political party, immediately expressing their disagreement with the selection. A series of senatorial debates follow concerning the implications of this nominee sitting on the bench for life, swaying colleagues toward one political side versus another. Interestingly, many politicians admit the necessity of working together to focus on resolving the issues at hand rather than simply debating party ideals. Often times, however, these admissions seem to be made in vain and reiterated after each political battle. Are they just comments, or was work performed at a much more complicated level than we realize? Despite the differences of opinion, and the occasional strong remarks, the system functions effectively and continues to evolve. Still, we must always be prepared to take action as society evolves due to tragedies, changes in the environment, breakthroughs in science, and countless other reasons. Fortunately, the Framers drafted the United States Constitution to account for such change and keep the co-equal legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government in check with one another. Goals may not be accomplished as swiftly as some would prefer, but in most instances we find that issues are rightfully thought through and thoroughly debated, at least with respect to the task of selecting Supreme Court Justices. . . .
