Today, February 2, 2016, a United States Supreme Court justice appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 died at the age of 79, Antonin Scalia. The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, issued a statement that confirmed the recent news where he praised him for his work in the Supreme Court.
While it is time to be sympathetic and offer our condolences, support, and prayers, the Supreme Court does not have the luxury of contemplating the loss indefinitely and must go on as seamless as possible. It simply cannot function with one of its members missing.
The reason there are 9 justices on the Supreme Court is because there can never be a tie. A real test for civility in the process is yet to come while campaigns for primary elections are in full force and a presidential election is underway.
There is relatively good news for both Democrats and Republicans, which might translate into bad news for the rest of us. The good news for Democrats is that the acting President of the United States gets to appoint the next justice, while the good news for Republicans is that the Senate gets to confirm the president's nomination. With a Democrat in the Oval Office and a Republican majority in the Senate, we might see the most gruesome battle yet.
The confirmation process will take center stage as the nation and the world will watch with meticulous focus, as many have come to realize the importance of the Supreme Court throughout the ages. Voters, citizens, residents, those living within our borders, and the rest of the world have seen the potential of a metamorphosis, where the United States takes wide turns at all sides of the political spectrum.
Rightfully so and regardless of where one stands politically, the country will need to respectfully mourn Justice Scalia's death because one of us has died, a very important person that was part of an important institution of our government. Without a doubt, his interpretation of the law was more than a mere opinion. It was 11.11 percent of what we would potentially hold as the standard as a country.
One of the greatest events in history and civics of the United States of America is about to start, with consequences and repercussion for years to come.