What's really at stake in the November Presidential election? The direction of the Supreme Court and whether our Constitutional rights are protected!!

Yes, history is being made this year by who we chose as our next President. Some see the historical choices between whether we choose an African-American or our oldest President. But others see this election as a battle for the essence of our way of life: for the next President will most likely appoint at least one new Supreme Court Justice and possibly 2. This will determine many issues near and dear to the hearts of all Americans. Will the Court continue its right leaning direction where the right of habeas corpus was suspended? Will the Court eliminate the rights of people to determine what choices they are allowed to make regarding end of life decisions when those individuals can't decide for themselves, as was the case with the family of Terri Schiavo? Will a woman have dominion over her own body in deciding whether or not to continue an unwanted pregnancy? Will the Executive Branch have sole discretion as to renditions of foreign citizens off the streets of cities all over the world? Will the Executive Branch be allowed to determine when it wiretaps U.S. citizens without the approval of the FISA Court?

We are stuck with the likes of Anthony Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito for many years to come, as Supreme Court Justices serve for life. The next President will determine whether our Constitution is upheld or trashed, as has been the case these past 7 plus years under President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

Some decisions have been close as was the recent split decision of the Court regarding reinstating habeas corpus for detainees in Guantanamo. Sec. of Defense Robert Gates wants to shut down Guantanamo as he sees it as a stain on the reputation of the U.S. around the world. Both Barack Obama and John McCain also want to shut it down for similar reasons.

But here we have President Bush and Vice President Cheney who saw fit to bypass the law and put these prisoners there keeping them from our legal system and the scrutiny and fairness which our judicial system is known for throughout the world. They were allowed to do this by the Republican Congress and then supported defacto by the Democratic Congress, too afraid to challenge this President. The media was also complicit by not challenging this President often enough. It took regular lawyers trying to preserve the Constitution to take up the cause of these prisoners who don't really deserve it, to stand up and be willing to fight this battle, not for the prisoners but for our way of life. They believed the Constitution is important enough to fight for. Many on the right see them as unpatriotic. I see them as the most patriotic and I salute them all. We need all 3 branches of government functioning properly. We have had both the Congress and Executive Branch functioning terribly. We almost had the Judiciary branch doing the same if it were not for the 5 voting in favor of restoring habeas corpus and striking down 2 other times the Bush Administration's attempts of circumventing our Constitution.

So what is at stake in the election in November is enormous and will determine the kind of country we live in for the next generation. Get involved in this one as your life depends on it as does the very life of this blessed country. If you are not registered to vote make it a priority in your life.