Following three straight days of testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, federal appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch is easily sailing through the confirmation process.

Hailing from the state of Colorado, Gorsuch received his bachelor’s degree from Colombia University, his law degree from Harvard University and his doctorate in theology from Oxford University. During his early years, he clerked for Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy. If approved, he would be the first Justice to serve alongside a Supreme Court Justice for whom he clerked.

Before President Donald Trump announced his candidate for the bench, Senate Democrats already promised to filibuster the nominee without even knowing who it was. Such obstructionism is not new to the political process, but it has proven hard for Democrats to make their case against such a qualified candidate as Gorsuch.

What sets Gorsuch apart from most judges is his philosophy that the Supreme Court should strictly follow and interpret the law, and not re-write it. He does not believe that the courts should write the law, but that belongs in the hands of the legislature. Gorsuch believes the courts should refer to court precedence and the law when deciding cases. Gorsuch has and will continue to use the Constitution as a guide for his rulings, but promised to not “return us to horse-and-buggy days” as Democrats are basely charging him of doing.

In his time in the court system, Gorsuch has proven his fidelity to upholding the Constitution, rejecting the activist style of judicial officials and clearly understanding the proper role of the courts in our country. Neil Gorsuch is one of the most qualified individuals to fill the vacant seat left by the late Justice Antonin Scalia and now is the time to place him on the highest court of the land. 

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer and are not representative of The Slate or its staff as a whole. 

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