This is the worst drug epidemic I've seen in my lifetime.

In his brief 21 years on this earth, Michael Smith Jr. touched countless lives.

I'm not the first to have raised these democratic concerns. Many have faulted the court for its lack of clarity in certain cases and many have criticized its recent lack of deference to decisions made by state legislatures and Congress.

The court's recent decisions have made life more difficult for the democratic institutions that perform the day- to-day work of our nation.

Since its inception, our Nation has stood on the foundations of compassion and justice.

When it comes to our Constitution, judges perform, certainly, an important role. But the people, acting through their elected representatives, should play an even more important role.

This is the worst drug epidemic I've seen in my lifetime.