Court debate overshadows issues

To the editor:

Various spinmeisters have succeeded in focusing American political thought on the nebulous concepts of conservatism and liberalism. So the current distraction of a choice for a new Supreme Court justice occupies virtually the whole public attention based on these.

As in the past, various compelling forces on individuals and families will progressively move other pressing issues to the fore: the economy, jobs, Social Security, health care, global policy. Whatever will the Supreme Court have to do with those?

GILBERT DEGENHARDT, Cape Girardeau