Makeup of U.S. Supreme Court Hangs in the Balance
A single appointee to the U.S. Supreme Court could decide whether Roe v. Wade remains the law.
"This is a historic election," Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, told USA Today. "With the next president having the opportunity to appoint one, two or even more justices," the election could change the law "on the life issue."
During the final presidential debate, Sen. John McCain repeated his opposition to Roe v. Wade, saying, "I think that decisions (regarding abortion laws) should rest in the hands of the states."
Meanwhile, Sen. Barack Obama described himself as "somebody who believes that Roe v. Wade was rightly decided."
The winning candidate could make a series of life-tenured appointments: Five of the nine Supreme Court justices are 70 or older. The two eldest, John Paul Stevens, 88, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 75, support abortion. The three other justices who have voted to uphold Roe are Anthony Kennedy, 72; Stephen Breyer, 70; and David Souter, 69.
Contact: Jennifer Mesko
Source: CitizenLink
Source URL: http://www.citizenlink.org
Publish Date: October 31, 2008
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