Jeff Zentner

Because the next president will appoint two, maybe three, Supreme Court justices

I write novels for adults and young adults. But I still work the same day job I worked before I was ever published—as a state government lawyer. In this job, I regularly contend with the immense power of the courts to dictate the terms of everyday American life. This is why I’m proudly supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

The United States Supreme Court is composed of nine justices. They serve for life, which means it’s not unusual for them to serve for decades. There are currently justices on the court who might outlive me.

They’re appointed by the current president. The former host of The Apprentice appointed 33 percent of them. They’re the final and sole arbiters of the meaning of the Constitution and our laws. What does this mean? Suppose Congress unanimously passed (can you imagine?) a law mandating universal health care, and the president signed it into law. If five justices on the Supreme Court interpret the Constitution to find no congressional authority to pass such a law, guess what happens? No law anymore. The Supreme Court cannot technically pass laws, but they can strike them down and issue decisions that function as de facto laws.

In 1973, the Supreme Court found that the Constitution protected a woman’s right to reproductive self-determination. Forty-nine years later, the present Supreme Court overruled that decision. Or rather, six justices, all appointed by Republican presidents, overruled that decision. Six people that were only voted upon through the presidential ticket decided that women don’t have a right to control their own reproductive choices.

I trust Kamala Harris to appoint justices who will honor the humanity and dignity of all Americans. We must move the center of gravity of the Court back toward progress, or the most ambitious presidencies of our lifetimes will run into a wall.

Jeff Zentner is an award-winning author of novels for young adults and adults.