When I voted against confirming Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, I did so knowing they were going to rule with a cruel disregard for legal precedent and our rights. They showed their true colors by overturning Roe v. Wade — an extraordinary betrayal not just of women, but of democracy itself. The Court now consists of a 6-3 conservative majority and continues to rule in Republicans’ favor. Last week they weakened gun safety legislation, took away fundamental reproductive rights, and made it clear that they won’t stop there. Meanwhile, Republican-controlled state legislatures are taking full advantage of the Court’s stance by passing extreme pieces of legislation such as abortion bans, anti-LGBTQ+ laws, and laws making it harder to vote. Progressive priorities like voting rights, combating climate change, and reproductive rights will never get a fair hearing in front of this biased Court. If we don’t take action, the GOP will continue to illegitimately appoint justices, erode the Court’s nonpartisan purpose, and weaponize the highest Court of the land. It’s time we expand the Court to create a better balance of power and put an end to the GOP’s ongoing assault.
I’ll be honest, john — it’s extremely unlikely we will expand the Supreme Court as long as McConnell is ruling from the minority and leveraging the filibuster every chance he gets. That’s why we need to not only protect but expand our Democratic majority in 2022. Then, we can abolish the filibuster, expand the Supreme Court, and continue on the path to progress. I know this moment isn’t easy for a lot of us. I’m grieving for our country, but I’m fighting as hard as I can to make change happen, and I’m not going to bend to the will of an unelected group of six Republican activists in black robes. Yours in the fight, — Tina |