Hey hey readers! For those who are unaware, the Supreme Court is the highest judicial court in a country or state. As the highest federal court in the United States, it consists of nine justices and takes judicial precedence over all other courts in the nation. It also functions as guardian and interpreter of the Constitution. The Supreme Court is composed of a chief justice and eight associate justices, all of whom are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. They serve on the Court as long as they choose, subject only to impeachment.
Amy Coney Barrett was nominated by President Donald J. Trump to succeed the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg was infamous for her work pertaining to women’s rights. Appointed in 1993 by then President Bill Clinton, no one knew what would be in store for this 60 year old woman. Ginsburg’s take on feminism truly shaped the way the laws shaped around women today are implicated. She argued that both men and women had to equally divide parental responsibilities, the challenges and compensations of work in order to be truly human. She confronted the fact that women in the same situation as men should reap the same benefits as well. Ginsburg wanted women to have full control over their bodies, and achieved it by appointing laws in their favor. Abortion prohibition by the State, however, controls women and denies them full autonomy and full equality with men.
What could make this nomination to the Supreme Court? Well, it is one less vote in favor of the rights of marginalized communities. It is no secret that Barrett’s track record goes against everything that the late Justice Ginsburg fought so hard for. She has a clear anti-abortion record, she believes life begins at conception. She is also anti-LGBTQ, and thinks Title IX does not extend to transgenders. Lastly, the ‘Affordable Cares Act,’ is supposedly unconstitutional, according to her. How is providing health insurance to citizens that are less fortunate not constitutional? It is beyond me. Trump is trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act as we speak, DURING a pandemic.
Joe Biden understands that the vacancy ties into healthcare and access to abortion. Having Barrett elected to the Supreme Court, women’s rights may be changed opposed to Roe vs. Wade. Roe vs. Wade protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. Biden wants the American people to have a right to choose who gets elected to the Supreme Court. Since the election already started, they should wait to elect Barrett, because the attention is elsewhere. President Trump is pushing the agenda of having Barrett elected onto the Supreme Court BEFORE the election on November 3rd. He believes all nine justices are necessary if the outcome of the election is uncertain. Yet, in former president’s Barack Obama’s final year, he was denied the choice to elect a new justice to the Supreme Court. Now, where is the logic in that?
During the confirmation hearing on October 14th, Barrett clearly was not trying to answer the questions presented to her. It is a tactic that people use when they know that they are guaranteed the spot. Now, there is one clip from the hearing that went viral: What is the five freedoms of the First Amendment. Her direct response was, “Speech, religion, press, assembly… I don’t know. What am I missing?” This is the woman that President Donald Trump has elected to the Supreme Court? The highest federal court in the United States. The last one she was coincidentally missing was protest. People all over are excusing her little “mistake,” but when it comes to making decisions about laws pertaining to citizens, every decision is crucial.
Just today on October 22nd, the GOP broke the rules to advance Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination. Next, it will be moving to the Senate for its final vote. None of the Democratic minority members were present. Therefore, with the nomination of Barrett, we are going back to pre-women’s liberation, pre-health care, pre- democracy, etc.
This can turn out to be a big turning point for the United States. Everything that women fought for will have been reversed. On top of that, LGBTQ rights will be pretty much nonexistent. Not only is this unconstitutional, it doesn’t portray the true American values. Everyone should be equal, regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, and many more factors. It’s scary to see how this will all pan out in the end.