There’s a new Supreme Court Justice in town, and her name is Amy Coney Barrett, or ACB since Americans love acronyms so much. And all I can say to this is WTF.
Amy Coney Barrett is praised by conservatives for her commitment to her Catholic faith, which renders her as the perfect candidate for assisting in the rolling back of Roe v. Wade. And, since Catholics (which now make up six of the nine sitting Judges on the Supreme Court) staunchly oppose abortion or birth control of any kind, ACB is the perfect addition to the highest court in the land.
JK. She’s the worst.
Barrett is a mother to seven children as well as a wife. To her husband. To whom she pledges to submit to. As stated by the core beliefs of a religious group Barrett is associated with, People of Praise. Because, of course, what American people need is to have a member, or another member, of the Supreme Court of the United States, that believe that women are less than men. LMAO. How boring.
Barrett states, however, that her religious affiliation and personal beliefs will not cloud her rulings as a judge. Barrett declined to speak on how she would rule in cases involving the Affordable Care Act, LGBTQ+ rights, contraceptives, and abortion but promises to rule according to law and not personal code.
“A judge must apply the law as written,” Barrett said. “Judges are not policymakers, and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold.”
It’s unclear how she will proceed in court until the time comes because of her refusal to share her views. It’s also unclear how she will proceed, seeing as though she’s never really done this before. LOL.
So, what are Amy Coney Barrett’s qualifications?
Well, her resume states that she has a law degree. I suppose that’s a good place to start. It’s all downhill from there, but if Americans have learned anything these past four years, it’s to stay afloat. So, plug your nose, and let’s dive in. YOLO.
Barrett’s professional history consists of being a law professor, and that’s basically it – well, until Donald Trump nominated her to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017.
Prior to this nomination, Amy Coney Barrett had never worked in government in any legal capacity, had never been a judge, or served in any legislative role. Typically, Supreme Court nominees have worked in areas of this caliber before being nominated and appointed to the highest court in the land. Barrett spent most of her professional life working in academia as a professor of law at Notre Dame. As a matter of fact, Amy has such little experience actually practicing law, that during her 7th Circuit hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee was taken aback and discouraged to learn that Barrett could only recall three cases she had worked on in two years that she worked in private practice, when, typically, nominees provide the committee with ten cases to showcase their work and skill.
Our newest sitting Judge on the Supreme Court of the United States had never even tried a case or argued an appeal in any court prior to 2017. And now she is one of nine trusted members in the highest court to review cases for our rights.
Our newest sitting Judge is Roman Catholic, making her the sixth member of the Court to observe the faith that doesn’t believe in abortion, contraceptives, or, apparently, integrity.
Our newest sitting Judge believes women should submit to their husbands, does not have the best interest of women or LGBTQ+ folks at heart, and has not shown support for affordable healthcare for all Americans.
And, as if all of these characteristics weren’t unappealing enough on their own, our newest sitting Judge is taking the vacant seat left by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who advocated and fought her entire life for women’s rights and rights for all American citizens who have lived under oppression.
Eight days after the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and three days before she was laid to rest, Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to fulfill her seat on the Supreme Court. Eight days. Eight. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in her final moments, shared with her granddaughter that her most fervent wish was to not be replaced until a new president was installed. Even she knew what her death would mean for the state of our country. And it’s a shame it was placed on her shoulders alone for so long.
The process from Barrett’s nomination to Supreme Court confirmation took approximately four weeks and was forced through by the Republican party to ensure the court swayed conservative, and now it does. Very conservative, with Republicans holding the majority of the court 6-3.
This is an intentional move from the Trump administration to ensure conservatives rule, regardless of who wins the presidential race. The hypocrisy in not waiting until after Election Day to appoint a new Justice didn’t go unseen during the vote for Barrett’s confirmation hearing, with the only votes in favor of her confirmation coming from Republicans. For the first time since 1869, a Justice up for consideration for The Supreme Court of the United States was confirmed without bipartisan support.
With only a few days until Election Day here in The United States, and after 88 million Americans (and counting) have cast their vote for president, we have a new member on the court who has the potential to roll back progress this country has made by nearly 50 years. And she will remain on the court for life.
Talks of Biden expanding the court if he wins the race are taking place, which Republicans highly oppose. Let’s consider why.
Republicans want majority rule. They want power. And that’s why it was a race to the finish to nominate Amy Coney Barrett and have her confirmed before Biden won the presidency.
It says a lot, doesn’t it? The lengths politicians will go to in ensuring they win and keep some semblance of power, even if it means millions of Americans will suffer and have their human rights, such as healthcare, marriage equality, and autonomy over their bodies revoked.
In the days following Election Day, The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments against the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare, which covers more than 20 million Americans each year, and now that yet another conservative judge is on the court, the likelihood of the ACA get overturned is high.
“It’s becoming clear that we have a binary choice: We can have the Affordable Care Act, or we can have Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court,” Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) said. “We can have the ACA or we can have the ACB, but we can’t have both.”
And now we have Amy.
Here’s something to remember, regardless of political affiliation, religious beliefs, or core values and morals:
Women’s rights are human rights, and it is our human right to have access to abortions without exception.
LGBTQ+ rights are human rights, and it is their human right to marry whomever they choose, for love is love.
Healthcare is a human right, and it is our human right to not be afraid to go to the doctor out of fear for how much it will cost, and it is our right to be covered under an affordable, accessible, and adequate healthcare plan.
People who disagree with human rights, no matter how quickly you move, no matter what you say, and no matter how long you think you will be in positions of power, your time is limited.
And my saying that?
It’s my right.
TTYL.
Election Day is right around the corner. Are you a voter?
To fight against hate, discrimination, and inequality, donate to the ACLU here. To support women’s healthcare and access to safe abortions, donate to Planned Parenthood here.
