Barrett will likely provide the final vote to gut the Affordable Care Act, which could throw 20 million Americans off their health insurance. She may also help overturn Roe v. Wade. Both are goals that conservatives have tried to achieve for years. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Amy Coney Barrett Has No Business Ruling on This Election
The president has openly said he expects her to back him in a contested election. She should recuse herself—and we should resist her.
Well before Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to the United States Supreme Court, every step in the frenzied process had seemed terribly amiss.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his party are playing by two sets of rules, ramming through Donald Trump's nomination to fill a Supreme Court vacancy during an election year, despite McConnell's refusal in 2016 to hold a hearing for President Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland.
McConnell claimed at the time that no Supreme Court nomination should be processed in an election year, and that "the people should decide" after the election. Four years later, "the people" apparently only includes those whom McConnell decides should be considered.
As polls continue to indicate that Trump may lose the election, McConnell has thrown away his concern for "the people" out with the garbage in fealty to Trump.
Now comes Barrett, whose record is quite troubling.
Barrett will likely provide the final vote to gut the Affordable Care Act, which could throw 20 million Americans off their health insurance. She may also help overturn Roe v. Wade. Both are goals that conservatives have tried to achieve for years.
She is also likely to vote against Black people's civil rights, as she has in the past. Conservatives will likely try and soften this record by noting she is the mother of two adopted Black Haitian children -- despite her nomination by a president who called that country a "s--hole."
In addition to Barrett's concerning record, Trump has admitted outright that he needs this vacancy filled immediately to give him a conservative majority on the Supreme Court to rule on cases that could emerge out of a contested election.
Stunningly, Barrett recently indicated in her Senate questionnaire that she has no intention of recusing herself from such cases.
In the past, many Americans believed that our government was fool-proof against authoritarianism. There was a sense that ethics, protocol, and precedent would prevail in our political and legal systems. But for many of us, that trust has since evaporated.
The Trump administration has shown that they believe the rich and powerful are above the law. They call for "law and order," but do not believe it applies to them. Now it seems that Barrett may join their ranks.
For months, Trump has spread misinformation about the integrity of our elections. He has called for his base to go to the polls on Election Day to intimidate voters, and has encouraged people to break the law and vote for him twice. He has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and has been clear that he will rely on the Supreme Court to determine the winner of the election.
That should be evidence enough that this president is an agent of chaos who is intent on dismantling our government, and our democratic norms and values. There are many reasons not to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and we will raise our voices about all of them.
But if she is confirmed, out of love for her country, respect for American democracy, and her professed commitment to God, Barrett should stand firm against Trump's lawlessness and lack of moral principle and recuse herself from election-related matters.
That's the least she can do.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Well before Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to the United States Supreme Court, every step in the frenzied process had seemed terribly amiss.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his party are playing by two sets of rules, ramming through Donald Trump's nomination to fill a Supreme Court vacancy during an election year, despite McConnell's refusal in 2016 to hold a hearing for President Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland.
McConnell claimed at the time that no Supreme Court nomination should be processed in an election year, and that "the people should decide" after the election. Four years later, "the people" apparently only includes those whom McConnell decides should be considered.
As polls continue to indicate that Trump may lose the election, McConnell has thrown away his concern for "the people" out with the garbage in fealty to Trump.
Now comes Barrett, whose record is quite troubling.
Barrett will likely provide the final vote to gut the Affordable Care Act, which could throw 20 million Americans off their health insurance. She may also help overturn Roe v. Wade. Both are goals that conservatives have tried to achieve for years.
She is also likely to vote against Black people's civil rights, as she has in the past. Conservatives will likely try and soften this record by noting she is the mother of two adopted Black Haitian children -- despite her nomination by a president who called that country a "s--hole."
In addition to Barrett's concerning record, Trump has admitted outright that he needs this vacancy filled immediately to give him a conservative majority on the Supreme Court to rule on cases that could emerge out of a contested election.
Stunningly, Barrett recently indicated in her Senate questionnaire that she has no intention of recusing herself from such cases.
In the past, many Americans believed that our government was fool-proof against authoritarianism. There was a sense that ethics, protocol, and precedent would prevail in our political and legal systems. But for many of us, that trust has since evaporated.
The Trump administration has shown that they believe the rich and powerful are above the law. They call for "law and order," but do not believe it applies to them. Now it seems that Barrett may join their ranks.
For months, Trump has spread misinformation about the integrity of our elections. He has called for his base to go to the polls on Election Day to intimidate voters, and has encouraged people to break the law and vote for him twice. He has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and has been clear that he will rely on the Supreme Court to determine the winner of the election.
That should be evidence enough that this president is an agent of chaos who is intent on dismantling our government, and our democratic norms and values. There are many reasons not to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and we will raise our voices about all of them.
But if she is confirmed, out of love for her country, respect for American democracy, and her professed commitment to God, Barrett should stand firm against Trump's lawlessness and lack of moral principle and recuse herself from election-related matters.
That's the least she can do.
Well before Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to the United States Supreme Court, every step in the frenzied process had seemed terribly amiss.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his party are playing by two sets of rules, ramming through Donald Trump's nomination to fill a Supreme Court vacancy during an election year, despite McConnell's refusal in 2016 to hold a hearing for President Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland.
McConnell claimed at the time that no Supreme Court nomination should be processed in an election year, and that "the people should decide" after the election. Four years later, "the people" apparently only includes those whom McConnell decides should be considered.
As polls continue to indicate that Trump may lose the election, McConnell has thrown away his concern for "the people" out with the garbage in fealty to Trump.
Now comes Barrett, whose record is quite troubling.
Barrett will likely provide the final vote to gut the Affordable Care Act, which could throw 20 million Americans off their health insurance. She may also help overturn Roe v. Wade. Both are goals that conservatives have tried to achieve for years.
She is also likely to vote against Black people's civil rights, as she has in the past. Conservatives will likely try and soften this record by noting she is the mother of two adopted Black Haitian children -- despite her nomination by a president who called that country a "s--hole."
In addition to Barrett's concerning record, Trump has admitted outright that he needs this vacancy filled immediately to give him a conservative majority on the Supreme Court to rule on cases that could emerge out of a contested election.
Stunningly, Barrett recently indicated in her Senate questionnaire that she has no intention of recusing herself from such cases.
In the past, many Americans believed that our government was fool-proof against authoritarianism. There was a sense that ethics, protocol, and precedent would prevail in our political and legal systems. But for many of us, that trust has since evaporated.
The Trump administration has shown that they believe the rich and powerful are above the law. They call for "law and order," but do not believe it applies to them. Now it seems that Barrett may join their ranks.
For months, Trump has spread misinformation about the integrity of our elections. He has called for his base to go to the polls on Election Day to intimidate voters, and has encouraged people to break the law and vote for him twice. He has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and has been clear that he will rely on the Supreme Court to determine the winner of the election.
That should be evidence enough that this president is an agent of chaos who is intent on dismantling our government, and our democratic norms and values. There are many reasons not to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and we will raise our voices about all of them.
But if she is confirmed, out of love for her country, respect for American democracy, and her professed commitment to God, Barrett should stand firm against Trump's lawlessness and lack of moral principle and recuse herself from election-related matters.
That's the least she can do.