Last night Thomas Goldstein gave a lecture in the sunroom of the memorial union. Goldstein has argued twenty-five cases in the Supreme Court and created scotusblog.com that covers cases going on in the Supreme Court, and is largely credited as a premiere legal internet sight. He also is a professor at Stanford and Harvard law schools and teaches Supreme Court litigation.

The debate takes place in the sunroom of the memorial union that slowly goes from quiet when I first get there, too packed and buzzing with discussion about the supreme courts and wonderings of which cases Goldstein will address.

Though the room is full of noise when it is announced Goldstein will begin his lecture everyone quiets down so they will be able to clearly hear what he has to say.

He starts off by thanking everyone for coming, and saying that he will be talking with us about the Supreme Court that he “spends his days and nights thinking about.” He also says he loves talking to “non-lawyers” and teaching them information on the Supreme Court.

He goes into talking about the importance of the Supreme Court “The only court specified in the constitution,” and how the Supreme Courts main purpose is “Figuring out what the constitution means and applying it.”

Goldstien says “The constitution is vague and poorly worded” and adds “Taking on the task of deciding what it means has let the Supreme Court greatly shape American life.”

In this way he says “the meaning of the constitution continues to change every ten, twenty, to forty years.”

As an example on the way supreme court justices must make decisions he brings up Row vs Wade “justices have to find a way to separate being morally opposed to something but still believing people should have that right.”

Instead “The Supreme Court must look at two things when deciding something; What will this law mean? And does it violate my individual rights?”

He moves on to Fisher vs University of Texas, the affirmative action case. Affirmative action is the ability to decide acceptance and diversity in classes. Goldstein said “The Supreme Court is going to dramatically change affirmative action, they strongly believe affirmative action is racist.”

After talking about these main issues he goes on to talk about how the Supreme court has the biggest impact on American life and will decided what the president can doing during his term.

“ This puts a main point on the fact that the presidential election will greatly effect the Supreme Court elections.” He says that if Obama stays president the Supreme Court will be more liberal, where as if Romney wins it will be more conservative.

“President’s legacies are their Supreme Court appointments, they will be there from twenty-five to thirty-five years.”

He strongly stresses that the opinions and power of one supreme justice can shape American society “constitution isn’t as strong as ideas as new justices that are coming into office.”

He says the next issue the Supreme Court will discuss on November 26 will be the issue of same sex marriage and Proposition eight; the approval of gay marriage in California and the change of it.

So far he says their opinion is “said giving rights to same sex marriage of constitution and taking it away in reasons of hate is unconstitutional.”

Goldstien discussed many topics that are controversial in American society and supreme courts effect on the decisions on these laws, and how the justices we have can completely shape the way American people live.

After the lecture two students were asked their opinions on the debate:

Kelsi Kordick senior at Iowa State majoring in History and Political science, says “its nice to see his context on the Supreme Court and see the history of the justice system, its really interesting.”

And when asked if she agrees with him saying the members of the Supreme court changing can greatly effect the shape of American society she replied “Oh yeah, I definitely agree it would effect it tremendously.”

She also adds that in the future of the Supreme Court and its laws “It would be nice to see consistency across the board without political ideologies getting in the way.”

Justin Housten a senior at Iowa State majoring in Journalism (broadcast journalism) says “I thought lecture was interesting and agree with her that the Supreme Court justices are very important, which means it will be crucial who is elected president.”

In response to the affordable health care act with Mitt Romney he says “I believe if Romney is elected that could change, He’s said in his speaches that’s something he is going to go after right away and he is a very intelligent man and will know what it takes to change that.”

In the end the president elected greatly effects the justices in the Supreme court and in effect will shape the future and the lives of the people in the United States. This is just one more reason showing that if you are able to vote, you definitely should if you strongly believe in either candidates beliefs.