Barack Obama recently gave a speech in front of Planned Parenthood, in which he denounced the Supreme Court’s recent decisions, claiming if he were President he would look into potential nominees hearts when deciding who to select for vacancies on the Supreme Court.

“[Chief] Justice Roberts said he saw himself just as an umpire,” Obama said. “But the issues that come before the court are not sports; they’re life and death. We need somebody who’s got the empathy to recognize what it’s like to be a young teenage mom.”

“In those 5 percent of cases, you’ve got to look at what is in the justice’s heart, what’s their broader vision of what America should be,” Obama said, adding that justices should understand what it’s like to be gay, poor or black as well.”

First of all, the Supreme Court should by no means try and understand what it is like to be gay, poor, or black. Their sole function in our country is to pass rulings based on Constitutional law. The Constitution of the United States does not distinguish between sexual orientation, race, or economic class, therefore it is not the job of the Supreme Court to do so either. State legislatures, and Congress are elected to represent the people, including those who are gay, poor or black, therefore it is their job to understand the plight’s of those groups and pass legislation accordingly.

Chief Justice Robert’s comment about seeing himself as an umpire is an accurate one. In sports there are predetermined rules which everyone needs to abide by. It is the umpires job to enforce those rules evenly, and without empathy. Should an umpire at a baseball game allow one player to cork his bat simply because he is gay? Of course not, the rules (i.e. laws) apply equally to everyone.

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Constitution, Election 2008, Politics