The Supreme Court is the most powerful judicial body on Earth. It handles cases that range from prisoners to the President of the United States.
I believe that it is important to have gratitude for being an American. We are so fortunate to live in a free country, after all our democracy is the prime example for the world. However, in this place of gratuity we must also acknowledge its faults. This is what the nation is currently struggling with; finding that balance between pride of being an American and questioning the government. Too much of either one will only cause more harm than good. Afterall, Washington did say we would be our own worst enemy.
“Their legitimacy is in the constitution, but their power rests on public faith”. If we the people don’t believe that the Supreme Court is serving us, do their job for all of the right reasons, or feel they are being mis-served, their power will be lost. The people and the Supreme Court depend on each other, and must work together to preserve justice. Duties of the Supreme Court include safeguarding liberty, preserving the union and upholding the rule of law. They draw the boundaries of government power which is ironic because there are instances where they take advantage of the system and give themselves benefits like we discussed in class.
They cannot avoid controversy. Controversy is inevitable and is what keeps the country evolving. New ideas can arise from controversy but without a balance of compromise it can destroy a nation. Furthermore, throughout the Marshall years, the Supreme Court earned public respect as a co-equal branch of government. However, thd Dred Scott Case is known as the court’s great self-inflicted wound and temporarily damaged the court’s reputation. Under Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney, the court ruled that Congress had no power to ban slavery and that blacks could never be citizens. This case weakened the court’s authority for years.This instance shows the power that resides with the public. It does everyone a disservice if branches of government do not look out for the people.
Check out https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/dred-scott-case to dive deeper into the Dred-Scott case!
“We are humans”. Members of the Supreme Court are protecting and abiding by the constitution but because they are real people helping other real people, it brings a sense of humanism into the words written on the Constitution. The main goal of the Supreme Court is to protect the constitution and the people.
“After war, consititution was amended to abolish slavery, define citizenship and grant voting rights”. When the court does not do its job, the people take matters into their own hands. History has shown that when the court fails, people take action which more often than not results in change.
Every single person will never be completely satisfied and the government will never be perfect. However, it should always be improving, and learning from the past helps to lead the future. The government, Supreme Court, and the people must continue to move forwards, not backwards. Acceptance and trust between the people and the court is the secret to the Supreme Court’s success and why it continues to play a pivotal role in preserving democracy.
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