Why The 2016 Election Matters - Supreme Court Edition

This:

The Supreme Court has thwarted President Barack Obama’s drive to expand his executive actions on immigration by making as many as five million immigrants currently in the U.S. illegally eligible for quasi-legal status and work permits. 

By dividing 4-4, the justices left in place a lower court order forbidding the president from launching a new program to grant “deferred action” status to illegal immigrants who are parents of U.S. citizens or green card holders.

So, the four Republicans on the Court were able to thwart President Obama's humane action to allow special status for undocumented alien parents of children who are citizens.  How white nice of them.  You can add this to the long list of anti- democratic rulings by the Republican Roberts Court.

If the President's highly qualified nominee to the Court had been treated fairly and confirmed by party- before- country Republican nihilists, is there any doubt the President's action would have been upheld?  Can there be any question why it is so important -- if only for this reason -- to have a President and Senate who will fill the vacancy on the Court with a progressive with humane values rather than a bigoted, small- bore reactionary Republican?

Elections matter.

BONUS:  Once again, our go- to guy Charles Pierce --

Tell me again how this upcoming election doesn't matter. Tell me again how there's no real difference between the two major candidates. Tell me again why you would risk having a vulgar talking yam appoint the tie-breaking justice, and likely at least two others besides. Tell me again why you're voting for Gary Johnson or Jill freaking Stein. Then tell the four million people whose lives just got tossed into the MixMaster.

I'll hold your coat, and call the ambulance when they're done with you.

BONUS II:  Here's the text of the President's remarks on this decision and on the affirmative action ruling.