Our Supreme Court still having only eight Justices is continuing to halt progress via the ability for a 50-50 split. While there is nothing technically wrong with not even considering a new Justice for the remainder of Barack Obama's term, the hindrance of progress on social issues is an embarrassment (though I do wish I could collect pay and benefits for not doing my job if it wasn't flat out inappropriate).
Enter: DAPA - Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents
DAPA is an executive action that defined guidelines for a DHS program to defer deportation and allow for a three-year renewable work permit. This is awarded to an applicant who is in the USA illegally, but is the parent of a legal US citizen (usually by birthright) or resident.
Not surprisingly, there is a clear party-line split on this action. This may be splitting hairs of semantics but keeping families with children together seems to be 'family-value' oriented, a phrase which many conservatives love to toss around on many social issues. Alas Republicans are by-and-large against DAPA.
Certain Texans with political power have a large issue with DAPA and decided it to be unlawful. In a District Court an injunction was filed to block Barack Obama's executive action an 25 states jumped on board as well. This made it to a Court of Appeals and then most recently it was brought before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court of the United States viewed the proceedings surrounding DAPA with an added new direction. The Supreme Court asked the question, "Are the states allowed to sue?" to which Texas claims the cost of subsidizing driver's licenses for individuals not lawfully in the US would be an undue financial burden.
The people of America look up to the Justices of the Supreme Court expectantly for moral guidance and when it came down to the line there was a 4-4 split causing no change in action and no real judgement. This disappointing end to a saga should be proof enough that the Senate should stop stalling and give us back a functional Supreme Court with an odd number of Justices.
