Amy Coney Barrett is Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee to replace the late, historic and powerful Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg made remarkable headway for women in the United States and left the Supreme Court to make decisions on gender inclusivity and equal rights. Barrett’s nomination puts the Supreme Court at a 6-3 republican majority and has American, and most specifically, American women’s rights, at stake. It is crucial to know what is going on.
Trump’s Criteria
The Senate judiciary committee held hearings for Barrett’s nomination, where democratic and republican senators made speeches in regards to her nomination; the former speaking heavily against it, and the latter pushing for it to advance. My understanding from watching the confirmation hearings is that the two most pressing points for the democrats are the protection of a woman’s right to choose, and the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, which supplies health care to millions of Americans.
Donald Trump has expressed his wishes that the high court “ends” the Affordable Care Act while failing to offer a plan in its place, and Barrett has critiqued Obamacare herself. Therefore, Barrett’s nomination may lead to millions of Americans losing their access to more affordable health care.
A True Right Wing
While Justice Ginsburg is known as a left-wing liberal, Barrett is quite the opposite. While it is known she is a devoted Catholic and has a history with the People of Praise, a community within the Catholic church that pushes nuclear values, Barrett has failed to express her religion publically to the court. It is easy to say Barrett makes conservatives proud of her beliefs, and her nomination poses a negative change to liberty as we know it in the United States.
She’s Qualified??
While watching the committee’s hearings, it is my understanding that republican senators are stressing that Barrett is a qualified nominee and the democrats are pushing against her due to her religion. The highest court in the United States stands to protect the fundamental freedoms of the American people, so it would be important that the justices on the court know the First Amendment rights. When Barrett was asked to name the five rights, she blanked on the freedom that has proven to be so substantial following George Floyd’s murder in March — the freedom to protest. Barrett’s nomination is rushed and threatens our freedoms as American people.
Ignorance is not an option this election season. Wondering what you can do? Educate yourself, have difficult conversations, and VOTE!