This week People For the American Way released a new report on the importance of the Supreme Court in the 2012 presidential election.

With less than a week until Election Day, the report highlights what is at stake for the future of the Supreme Court and its impact on the lives of individual Americans. Covering the potential impact on issues ranging from civil rights and workplace fairness to laws about money in politics and basic voting rights, the report examines pivotal court cases decided by the Roberts Court and analyzes the likely impacts of a Court shaped by Governor Mitt Romney.

As Romney himself notes, a Romney Court would include more justices like Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Antonin Scalia–the Justices who brought us Citizens United, who slammed the courthouse door shut on women fighting pay discrimination, and who consistently twist the law beyond recognition to rule for corporate interests over the rights of individual Americans.

The appointment of just one new conservative Justice would have profound consequences. As the report notes:

“With so many cases affecting nearly every aspect of our lives being decided by slim majorities – often just one vote – the stakes for Supreme Court nominations couldn’t be higher.”

With lifetime time appointments and the power to eliminate critical rights, a Supreme Court nominated by Mitt Romney is just too dangerous — and too extreme — for America.