This opinion reflects the views of an individual staffer, not the Harbinger as a whole.
“The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice,” Sen. Mitch McConnell said in March of 2016. “Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.”
How I wish I could hear this statement made on the news now. Unfortunately, this sentiment from McConnell was made in the last year of President Barack Obama’s presidential term, not President Donald Trump’s. And now with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg gone, I have little faith in our government as hypocritical Republicans are pushing for Trump’s Supreme Court nominee’s confirmation.
In 2016, nine months prior to the November election, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed away, leaving a spot on the bench to fill. Obama nominated a successor, but Sen. McConnell and his fellow Republican senators blocked the nomination so that a vote couldn’t occur until after Obama’s term was over. However, Republican senators are now ignoring the unfairness in allowing Trump’s nominee to be voted on.
The argument for Republicans in 2016 was that the nomination was too close to Election Day, so it was only right that the American people could have a say in Scalia’s replacement by waiting until after the election to select one. Justice Ginsburg passed away just 46 days before 2020’s Election Day, and Trump has named Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for Ginsburg’s position.
Typically, the statement made to dismiss situations like this is that life isn’t fair, but it should be understood that a democracy should be fair. Legally, Trump is allowed to have a nominee, but it is unethical given it’s clear infringements on democracy –– there should be equal representation between political parties to ensure that the voices of all the people are heard.
Sen. McConnell stated on Sept. 30 that he believes Judge Barrett is highly qualified for the Supreme Court, and the Democratic senators are dismissing her abilities due to her political beliefs. Judge Barrett’s confirmation would sway the Supreme Court’s political stance 6-3 to conservative Republican for a considerable amount of time –– being only 48, she would remain on the bench for many years in the future.
My entire generation will be affected by this decision for the rest of their lives and for our children’s lives. Every decision the Supreme Court makes is going to swing right to a point where our country will be running on conservatives who have policies against abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.
These shifts of power between our country’s main two political parties within the majority of the Senate, House and Supreme Court are what allows politicians to overturn authority, for instance, Republican senators blocking Obama’s 2016 nominee. We’re still suffering the after effects as Republican senators switch their position on whether a Supreme Court Justice should be confirmed in an election year to aid their party by getting members to higher offices.
Republican senators blocked Obama’s Supreme Court nominee in 2016 claiming that it was “a principle, not a person” –– it was not a principle, but the Democratic party. The Republican Senators could care less about the principle; they only care that the opposing party’s beliefs are shut out so they can dominate the government’s decisions. And now as major players in the Republican party are going back on their 2016 statements, it’s clear their contradictions have nothing to do with upholding the law, but to serve their own agenda.
Many Republicans suggest that if a democrat was president, they would not wait until the next election to nominate a replacement Justice. I agree with this statement –– they would jump on the opportunity to even out the representation in the Supreme court –– however because the senate leans right by 53-47, I believe the nomination would be blocked.
If Justice Barrett is confirmed, everything that Justice Ginsburg worked for towards abortion rights in her career would be deconstructed. I strongly agree with Ginsberg’s views –– particularly on abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality, all of which she’s for –– and I believe that our country can only prosper if we uphold her legacy by protecting the policies she put in place and precedents she set.
Though Barrett isn’t forthcoming over her view on abortion rights, with the combined force of her, the two other Justices Trump has appointed and the remaining three Republican Supreme Court Justices, the decision of Roe vs. Wade could be overturned. Every woman and person with a uterus in America would be stripped of their right to choose what happens to their body.
All hopes of greater enforced gun control could be diminished by one decision, one confirmed nomination. Again, Barrett is not upfront about her views on gun laws, however in a 2019 7th Circuit panel dissent, Barrett fought to grant a man with a felony the right to own a firearm.
Think about what her support on the Supreme Court for gun rights would mean for the thousands of schools that will open up after COVID-19 following six months of a stay-at-home order and the lives that could be compromised. I worry that conservative Republicans who are anti-gun control are allowing our soon-to-open schools to not only be fragile due to the pandemic, but the threat of shootings and gun violence.
If Judge Barrett’s nomination were to be confirmed, every Supreme Court ruling will favor the Republican party’s beliefs. The Democratic party will slowly shut out as conservative views overtake the government and jeopardize the well-being of American citizens. Based on Republican hypocrisy, the Supreme Court nomination needs to be blocked like it was for Obama so the American people can have a say in the nominee to ensure the protection of our democracy.
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