The retirement of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has already triggered political battles on Capitol Hill where confirmation hearings will occur to determine his replacement. While the debates are not unexpected, how can lawmakers demonstrate that they will be amicable with the vetting of any candidate in the confirmation process?
After months of debate about the health care reform issue, the public is exhausted from the back and forth bickering. Attempts to stay focused on the policy issues with seemingly silenced in exchange for heated debates and side-swipes about ideology rather than the merits of the issues. In fact, the American people are most certainly looking for leaders to provide a thoughtful and civil discourse.
To that end, President Barack Obama recently reflected about those he was considering as nominees:
“We cannot replace Justice Stevens’ experience or wisdom. I’ll seek someone in the coming weeks with similar qualities: an independent mind, a record of excellence and integrity, a fierce dedication to the rule of law and a keen understanding of how the law affects the daily lives of the American people. It will also be someone who, like Justice Stevens, knows that in democracy powerful interests must not be allowed to drown out the voices of ordinary citizens.”
In this era of polarized political agendas, what we need from our national lawmakers is for them to be fair-minded leaders. We need them to lead with vision, tenacity, and foresight. Despite partisanship our leaders must emerge at all junctures despite the apparent and perceived challenges.
