Lackluster race will reach far beyond four-year term

Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 28, 2000

On the surface, the impending presidential election seems like a great big yawner, but it shouldn’t. As presidential races go, calling this race lackluster is like saying Dan Quayle isn’t a good speller or that Jimmy Carter smiled a lot.

Think about it.

The two leading candidates have struggled to make themselves look more interesting than the other. With the economy still booming, most Americans couldn’t give a hoot about the election or any of the so-called issues.

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On the surface, many people will say no &uot;real&uot; issues exist. The president can’t really radically change anything substantive, can he?

If voters dig just a bit below the surface, however, they’ll find regardless of which candidate earns the honor of becoming the 43rd President of the United States of America, this election stands to shape America’s future.

The next commander in chief will likely name at least one, perhaps several, new Supreme Court justices. The impact of these appointments will live on for years after the president has long since retired to a beach house somewhere to write his memoirs.

Abortion, school prayer, gun control, states’ rights and dozens of other controversial issues all come down to what the Supreme Court rules.

The issue is perhaps the least talked about but most important one that will be decided next Tuesday. Presidents almost always choose like-minded Supreme Court justices.

Don’t let apathy ruin our future: Get involved, learn what each candidate stands for and the kind of person he’ll place on the high court and make an informed choice on election day.

America’s future hangs in the balance.