Influencing the next generation

David Morris of AlterNet reminds us that a central issue of this election season (though one wouldn't know it from the media) is who will appoint the next justices of the Supreme Court. Scalia's seat is still to be filled. Ginsberg, Kennedy, and Breyer are likely to retire or die in the next four years. That's four new justices. Those appointments will affect our lives for the next 30 years (yeesh, Thomas has been on the court for 25 years and could go for another 10). These appointments could solidify either a conservative or progressive majority.

And no, Morris is not making grand statements. He reviews some of the big decisions of the last decade or so that have solidified the conservative hold on America, or just barely approved progressive policies that would be easily reversed. These things include democracy (unlimited campaign spending), voting rights, corporate power (the growing trend of forcing complaints into arbitration, which favors corporations), ability of unions to organize, gun control, immigration, a woman's right to choose, protections against discrimination, justice, and health care.