After the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18th (Rest in peace RBG), Trump has nominated Amy Coney Barrett, a Conservative candidate, to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat.
Barrett's nomination comes extremely close to Election Day, just 38 days before November 3rd. Democrats have criticized this decision, especially because in 2016, the Republican Senate refused to hold hearings to confirm Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, almost 8 months before the 2016 election.
So, who is Amy Coney Barrett and what are her views?
Amy Coney Barrett is a 48 year old lawyer who serves as a circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She has a clear Conservative record, based on her previous rulings and law review articles.
Barrett is anti-abortion and critical of Roe v. Wade. Trump has previously stated in 2016 that he would only nominate pro life judges to the Supreme Court, in order to overturn Roe v. Wade. Judge Barrett may not overturn something that has set such a precedent, but in her eyes some precedents are more worthy of respect than others. She has upheld abortion laws in her home state of Indiana. If Judge Barrett is confirmed and she, along with the other Conservative judges on the Supreme Court, vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, the reproductive rights of women in this country will be taken away. Nominating Barrett after RBG, a champion of women's rights, is like some kind of sick joke. Ironic in the worst way.
Barrett is also against the Affordable Care Act, which has helped millions of Americans get health insurance. In 2017, she wrote a law review article where she criticized Chief Justice John Roberts's decision in upholding the Affordable Care Act, saying it went beyond the plausible meaning of the law. Having Barrett on the bench could mean millions of Americans will be stripped of their healthcare.
Barrett also has a record of being against immigrant rights, in one case she backed one of Trump's immigration policies, where he wanted to give a wealth test to any incoming immigrants. In her lengthy dissent, she wrote about why the US has the right to not give permanent resident status, or a green card, to immigrants they think will become dependent on public assistance in the future. She also, according to Vox, has refused to hear cases from immigrants applying for humanitarian protections, or other benefits they have been denied. If Barrett is confirmed, our future will just have more barriers for low income immigrants seeking to enter the US.
Barrett has also spoken on a case regarding campus sexual assault, according to Reuters. The case was in regards to a male student at Purdue University who was accused of sexually assaulting a female student. Barrett's ruling, written on behalf of the 7th circuit, makes it easier for male college students accused of sexual assault to challenge how campus tribunals handle their cases. This ruling allowed the male student to proceed with his theory that the campus treated him unfairly due to sex discrimination. Yes, because men are so discriminated against! That was sarcasm, if you couldn't tell.
Barrett has even more previous rulings which show her true beliefs on key issues such as gun rights, abortion, immigration, health care, discrimination, LGBTQ rights, and more. Barrett's nomination puts the rights of marginalized communities in America at stake and it's scary to think she could be on the bench for her whole lifetime.
There should be no consideration until after inauguration.
Please make sure to register to vote. The election falls on November 3rd. You can register to vote at websites such as:
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