On Amy Coney Barrett
With his announcement today that he's nominating Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, Donald Trump both dishonors the memory of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and endangers millions of working families.
Just one week after Election Day, the Supreme Court will – again – hear a case brought by Republicans looking to strike down the Affordable Care Act. I've got no doubt that Judge Barrett wouldn't even blink before ruling to instantly take coverage away from millions of people and strip away protections for people with preexisting conditions.
This isn't "at some point in the future" or "could one day happen". This is a full-on Republican assault on public health with immediate consequences. Mitch McConnell can press the confirmation process to get Barrett on the Court in just a couple of weeks. Once the Court hears the case, insurance companies could start denying coverage to people with preexisting conditions – cancer, diabetes, COVID-19, and literally hundreds more – before the year is out.
The "at some point in the future" piece only gets worse, though. This court is already the most regressive we've seen in a generation. Adding Barrett means we'll see devastating rollbacks of decades of progress: reproductive rights, clean air and water protections, civil rights, campaign finance. Extremists and corporate apologists in state legislatures nationwide are preparing to introduce the bills that would undermine the values we hold dear.
It's all the more reason we've got to take back Congress. By passing comprehensive, compassionate federal laws to protect our rights and safety, we can fight back against the tidal wave of dangerous conservative legislation and lawsuits that's on the way. We also must look at modernizing the courts, reforming the Senate, and other steps to make sure we don’t institutionalize minority governance.
Contribute now to elect a Congress that will never stop fighting for our progressive values!
Courage, friend. Courage.
Earl