Democracy, Equality, and the Supreme Court Essay

Democracy, Equality, and the Supreme Court - Essay useOur regular elections work to keep the government in check as special interests, elected officials, governmental groups, and lobbyists jockey for the inside track at making laws and enacting policy. As these differing political and social forces meet, our civil nightspot demands that their disagreements be line uptled peacefully and that the participants will honor the settlement. The real power of Americas Democracy does not take a breather in the people, elected officials, special interests, or lobby groups. Our rule lies in our body of law and the constitution. everyplace the centuries, laws, rights, and freedoms take been challenged and debated. The US Supreme Court, the highest arbitrator in the land, has been the seat of responsibility for progress and the expression of these freedoms. Our individual(a) and collective rights are protected and directed by the decisions made by the Court. We can measure and contemplat e our nations progress by looking at the history of our Democracy through the court of laws decisions.The persona of Marbury vs. Madison set the precedent that the Supreme Court would be the ultimate and final voice in constitutional questions and could lift any law seen as contrary to the constitution. The court was further granted the power to determine the fairness of the actions of the various branches of government and laid the foundation for the courts power, as well as our belief in a system guided by law and not men. Though the effort was initiated over rather peanut quarrels among the Republicans and Federalists, its effect has been paramount and enduring.Marbury vs, Madison has been the basis for bringing other landmark cases before the Supreme Court. The court had laid the groundwork as an arena to fight for individual rights as granted by the constitution. The case of Derd Scott vs. Sandford is an interesting case in that it was hoped that the courts decision would diminish further debate on the slavery issue. However, the courts purpose that states could not outlaw slavery further divided the nation and led to the Civil War. Through great political pressure and deep differences, the court ruled that the constitution did not provide protection from slavery. This was not the failing of an unsympathetic court, it was a shortcoming in the constitution. But our founders had made provisions for the constitution to be fixed as the future would dictate. The decision ultimately led to the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments which constitutionally guaranteed citizenship and equal rights for African-Americans and antecedent slaves.Other decisions by the court have been viewed by history as contrary to freedom and liberty. In some of these cases, the court has overturned a previous ruling as changing times have dictated. Two such cases were Plessey vs. Ferguson and Brown vs. Board of Education. Plessey vs. Ferguson argued for definition of equality as gua ranteed by the 14th amendment. The case was brought when Plessey, a Louisiana black, was arrested for violating the Separate Car Act. He had challenged the law that legalized segregation in public conveyance and elsewhere. The court upheld Louisianas segregationist laws under a finding that came to be known as