It all might come down to one justice

Since the advent of the nomination by George H.W. Bush and approval by the Senate of Clarence Thomas for Supreme Court justice, the court has swung decisively conservative. It's been more than 24 years in the fold. Among nine members, Justice Anthony Kennedy has become the swing vote but usually has sided with the political right on critical issues as the Bush/Gore election of 2000 and the recent Citizens United ruling.

For the first time in American history, religious preferences with its interpretation of the First Amendment in conflict with individual liberties described in the Affordable Care Act will come before the court. It's expected that Justice Kennedy's vote, more crucial than a presidential decree, enacting the role of an ancient sovereign, will change this country for generations spanning countless lifetimes.

James D. Cook

Schaumburg