Chapter 10 Post - How YOU Can Be Nominated to the Supreme Court!

     Being selected and confirmed as a Supreme Court justice, let alone nominated, is probably one of the biggest honors a citizen working in the judiciary branch can receive. Since it is the highest position within the judicial branch, nominees must be held to the highest of standards in order to stand a chance against the U.S. Senate's review process. There are at least six major criteria that is factored into the President's decision of whether or not a particular person is fit for the job. These criteria are:

1. Competence
2. Ideology or Policy Preferences
3. Rewards
4. Pursuit of Political Support
5. Religion
6. Race & Gender

     Over time, these factors have shifted in importance as the Presidents who have come into office brought along with them different points of emphasis to look for when nominating someone for the Supreme Court. Over the years, these factors have evolved as our society changed to accomodate our changing values and opinions.

     The first factor that is used in deciding a nominee for the Supreme Court is the person's competence. The majority of citizens that have been nominated for the Supreme Court have had some sort of experience, whether judicial, legal, or governmental. This is a factor that I find extremely important since anyone that is going to be chosen for such a prestigious position has to have some form of experience associated with them that makes them qualified for the position. I am glad that this factor has stood firm over the course of U.S. history and hasn't been changed to make it easier to be considered for this huge position. Next, a President's ideology plays a big role in determining who they will nominate for the Supreme Court. When looking for potential replacements on the Supreme Court, a president will prefer people that would want to help reach their political goals, not someone that will become an obstacle. This factor has changed over the years as the presidents that have come into power try to ensure that their agendas are being enforced. I don't really like this certain criteria since it places a lot of potential bias in a president's choice. Of course this is something that is pretty much inevitable as a person's personal choice will always have some sort of bias associated with it. The next major factor, "rewards," is another factor that I consider to be a bit unfair as presidents sometimes place personal friendships ahead of actual experience that a person may possess. 

     In pursuit of political support, a president may utilize a vacant Supreme Court spot in order to gain support from voters around the country. In my opinion, this shouldn't be a major factor in determining a potential Supreme Court nominee as once again, personal bias comes in to enhance a president's political agenda. The last two major factors in nomination criteria, religion, and race and gender, have been the two factors that have changed the most over the course of U.S. history. In terms of religion, the majority of Supreme Court justices have been traditional Protestant followers. However, in recent years, there have been an increase in Roman Catholic justices, a shift that not many people envisioned. This evolution is major as it signifies how our society has changed to accept a wider variety of faiths that hadn't been observed in the past. Race and gender has also been a factor that evolved over the years. In the past, there have only been a handful of women and African Americans that had served on the Court. The last few years have been a significant shift however as presidents have been appointing more diverse people for the job, such as President Obama appointing Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. 

     Overall, as we move into the future and society continues to evolve, the major factors that influence a president's nomination will also change in order to fit with society's changing values. As of right now, I feel that quite a bit of progress has been made in order to allow a wider variety of qualified citizens to become justices, however, I think that more progress can be made to make an even greater impact. If you ever want to have a shot at becoming a Supreme Court justice, make sure you meet all of these factors and have a lot of luck!