Roe v Wade

With Two Weeks To Go, Voter Enthusiasm And Participation Is Highest For Midterm Election!

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With early voting having begun, already there are strong indications of voter enthusiasm and commitment, so the participation in voting in midterm elections is on the road to an all time high level.

The question that remains unanswered is whether the enthusiasm is centered about the danger to American democracy presented by MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump, and the issue of the Dobbs V Jackson women’s Health Organization Supreme Court case on destruction of abortion rights as was declared in Roe V Wade a half century ago.

The polls are so conflicting, and often have been incorrect, after the fact, so there is a waiting game as to how the American people at large are expressing their views.

Hopefully, we will not discover that Donald Trump and his minions have managed to “pull the wool over one’s eyes”, and have Trumpites showing greater strength than the approximate one third of the population believed to be vehement Trump supporters!

The Supreme Court Opens Its Most Controversial Term In Decades!

Ronald 2 Comments

Today is the opening day of the Supreme Court term, and it likely will be its most controversial term in decades.

With a solid right wing tilt of six Justices, the Court seems likely to go against public opinion on many areas of constitutional law, including

Affirmative Action
Gay Rights
Voting Rights
Environmental Regulations
Religion
Free Speech
The Powers of State Legislatures

Public opinion image of the Supreme Court has dropped dramatically, and there have been massive negative reactions to the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in late June which declared abortion unconstitutional, nearly 50 years after Roe V Wade was decided in 1973.

The minority liberals on the Court, specificially Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, have been very outspoken in their criticism of the extremist agenda of the present Court, the most conservative, by far, since the 1920s!

There is much to fear as basic constitutional rights are being eliminated, it seems, with glee, led by Justice Samuel Alito (appointed by George W. Bush) and Clarence Thomas (appointed by George H. W. Bush), but joined in by the three Donald Trump appointees (Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett) in most decisions, leaving Chief Justice John Roberts almost as an outsider, having little impact on trying to tame, to some extent, the rightward swing of the Court!

The only good news is the coming to the Court of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first African American female in the history of the Supreme Court, and the fact that all three liberals now on the Court are women, along with Amy Coney Barrett.

But the future of constitutional law is in danger from the extremist agenda of the majority, an alarming situation!

Abortion Rights Gain Massive Victory In Kansas, Making It An Issue In November Elections!

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In the wake of the shocking Supreme Court decision in Dobbs V Jackson Women’s Health Organization in June, reversing Roe V Wade and abortion rights, yesterday Kansas, a strong Republican and conservative state, chose to continue to keep abortion rights in the state constitution.

The vote was 59 percent to 41 percent, and the turnout was twice the normal amount in a midterm primary in Kansas, 900,000 votes, instead of about 450,000 votes.

This gives hope that abortion rights will be a major issue in November, and help Democrats keep control of Congress and win many state election contests.

Women, young people, and educated suburbanites are seen as outraged by the Supreme Court taking away a right granted 49 years ago, and hopefully, abortion rights will be protected after the election, as pro choice people are going to fight tooth and nail in every state, as they just did in the “Sunflower State”!

Senators Susan Collins And Joe Manchin Were Bamboozled By Supreme Court Nominees!

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It is now clear that Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia were bamboozled by Supreme Court nominees Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.

All three claimed that they understood that Roe V. Wade was established law, and that they had no intention of conspiring to reverse abortion rights.

This is a major embarrassment for both Collins and Manchin, and sullies their reputations long term, although it seems clear that they are arrogant personalities, who really do not care about public opinion, which is overwhelmingly pro choice on abortion.

The three Supreme Court Justices, by all ethics and morality, should be forced off the Supreme Court for lying under oath before the US Senate Judiciary Committee, but of course they will face no such action.

And all three were chosen by a President, Donald Trump, who lost the popular vote by 2.85 million, and who was put into office by Russian collusion, confirmed by a Republican Senate majority in 2010 to be reality.

The Supreme Court has lost any respect or reputation, and clearly has become a right wing extremist group wishing to destroy much more than abortion rights!

A move to add members to the Court seems urgent, but can only happen as a long shot at this point, so the nation is a victim of right wing extremism, very disconcerting!

Two Republican Majority Courts Supported Abortion Rights, But Not Now In 2022!

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In the case of Roe V. Wade (1973), decided by 7-2, Abortion Rights for women was made federal law, with five of the seven votes being Republican appointments:

Harry Blackmun (Nixon)
Warren Burger (Chief Justice) (Nixon)
William Brennan (Eisenhower)
Potter Stewart (Eisenhower)
Lewis Powell (Nixon)

In Planned Parenthood V. Casey (1992), a later case on abortion, with some limits, the decision was 5-4, with all 5 in the majority being Republican appointments:

Sandra Day O’Connor (Reagan)
Anthony Kennedy (Reagan)
David Souter (HW Bush)
Harry Blackmun (Nixon)
John Paul Stevens (Ford)

All of these Republican appointed Justices were considered to be “conservatives” in their time frame, although Blackmun, Brennan, and Stevens came to be seen as “liberals’ over time, and O’Connor, Kennedy, and Souter came to be seen as “moderates”.

The definition of “conservative” has changed dramatically in the past half century, so all of the Republican Justices would be seen by right wing Republicans in 2022 as “RINOS”, Republicans In Name Only!

In 2022, in Dobbs V. Jackson’s Women Health Organization, all six Republicans voted to end abortion rights, although Chief Justice John Roberts wanted only further limitations on abortion, and therefore dissented while joining the other five Republicans.

These appointments were by two Presidents who lost the popular vote when they were elected by the Electoral College, along with Clarence Thomas appointed by George H W Bush.

Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh both had charges of sexual impropriety brought against them, while Neil Gorsuch gained a place on the Court that was meant for Barack Obama appointee Merrick Garland, and Amy Coney Barrett replaced the recently deceased Ruth Bader Ginsburg just a week before an election in which Donald Trump lost by 7 million votes to Joe Biden, who should have been allowed that appointment.

First Time Ever A Constitutional Right Granted Has Been Taken Away: Abortion Rights!

Ronald 10 Comments

This has been a very emotional, disturbing 24 hours, causing the rise in blood pressure in millions of Americans!

The Supreme Court has taken away abortion rights after 49 years, as the right wing extremists on the Court, appointed by Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump, both of whom lost the popular vote in Presidential elections, have decided women should not control their own bodies.

This has never happened before, to take away a right granted, and to say that abortion is not in the Constitution, is a ridiculous argument! For instance, political parties, Cabinet members, end of African American slavery, rights to vote for women and racial minorities, Social Security, Medicare, and a massive number of other activities and basic functions of government, all came AFTER the writing of the Constitution 235 years ago! Originalism is preposterous in running a goverment centuries later!

The Trump appointed Justices lied in their confirmation hearings when they said Roe V. Wade was established law, as if it was, there is no justification for making women bear children, especially those who have been victims of rape or incest, or where life and well being of the mother is at stake!

The Court Justices lying are grounds for their impeachment and removal, as they tricked Senators who voted for them, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Susan Collins of Maine!

Crucial Supreme Court Cases To Be Decided In Next Ten Days

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One of the most crucial week to ten days in Supreme Court history is between today, June 20 and the end of the month.

The issue of Abortion Rights is the central focus, with the hint that the Supreme Court is ready to outlaw Roe V Wade.

Also, a very significant Gun Rights case, in the aftermath of the Ulvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York Massacres will be decided.

Also, Immigration Policy regarding the southern border with Mexico is a very controversial case to be determined.

Additionally, an Environmental Protection Agency ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions will be facing judgment of the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Nominees Lied, And Susan Collins And Lisa Murkowski Were Tricked!

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Two Women Republican Senators, considered the most “moderate” Republicans in the US Senate, have made it clear that they are supportive of abortion rights–Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Both interviewed Donald Trump’s three Supreme Court nominees–Neil Gorsuch in 2017, Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, and Amy Coney Barrett in 2020–and all three nominees pledged that they would not touch Roe V Wade.

But now, based on the draft of the likely decision of the Supreme Court in late June, all three are supportive of Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, to wipe out fifty years of abortion reaffirmation, and take away a basic right already granted, a totally reprehensible action!

So it comes down to this–all three Trump nominees LIED to Collins and Murkowski, and have undermined faith in the veracity and reputation of the Supreme Court!

By all rights, all three should be impeached and removed, but of course, that will not happen, but the image and historic role of the Supreme Court has been sullied for all time!

And Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski SHOULD support a carve out on the filibuster to allow 51 votes, including theirs, to pass legislation to insure the continuation of abortion rights, and therefore, tell the Supreme Court to go to hell, as a disgrace to the law and the Constitution!

Supreme Court Has Waged An Extremist Right Wing Attack On Women!

Ronald 5 Comments

In 1973, Roe V Wade, giving women the right of abortion, was decided by a 7-2 vote, including five Republican Supreme Court Justices: Harry Blackmun, Chief Justice Warren Burger, William Brennan, Potter Stewart, Lewis Powell.

In 1992, Planned Parenthood V Casey, was decided by a 5-4 all Republican vote, including Republican Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, John Paul Stevens, Harry Blackmun.

The draft opinion on abortion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, and said to have a 5-4 vote, was leaked last night, and it is an extremist right wing attack on women, taking away completely the right of abortion, including even having no exceptions for rape, incest, or life of the mother!

If this draft opinion is not changed by the end of the Supreme Court term, it has declared war on a woman’s ability to control her own body, and will lead to increased deaths by botched abortions, as was the case before 1973!

This bombshell report of what is likely to happen flies in the face of more than 70 percent of public opinion being in favor of abortion rights being retained after nearly 50 years of that right being affirmed!

Also, the fact that four of the five Supreme Court Justices in the majority of this opinion were chosen by Presidents who LOST the popular vote–George W. Bush in 2000 and Donald Trump in 2016–is very disturbing!

Also, the Republican denial of the appointment of Merrick Garland in 2016, while allowing the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett in 2020, both election years, but a double standard on appointment, is outrageous!

The concept of established law, “Stare Decisis”, and “precedent” as part of Supreme Court history may be going by the wayside with this extremist Court!

And poor women, and particularly minority women, will be the ultimate victims, and poverty and abuse will become the norm more than ever!

Only about 25 nations ban abortion, and most of the Western world will look at the United States as a pariah on women’s rights, if this Court decision goes through, as there are already plans for the Republicans to try to promote a nationwide ban on abortion if they control both houses of Congress and the Presidency in the future!

The need for the vast majority of women, and men who understand the importance of preserving the rights of women to control their own destiny, to become engaged in the midterm elections six months from now, is urgent!

The Republican Party Is More Horrendous Than Ever!

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It is hard to believe, but the Republican Party in Congress is more horrendous than ever before!

A party which used to have a substantial number of moderate Senators in the past has gone totally nuts!

Yesterday, this author and blogger condemned the handling of the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson by Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Lindsey Graham, and Tom Cotton.

Now Marsha Blackburn is added to that list making fools of themselves in the hearings.

But even outside of that issue, now we have Indiana Senator Mike Braun who says that Interracial Marriage, declared constitutional in Loving V Virginia in 1967, should never have been accomplished by the Supreme Court.

This is part of setting constitutional law backwards, along with the threat to abortion rights Roe V Wade (1973), and Griswold V Connecticut (1965), which promoted the constitutional right to sexual privacy and legalized contraception for married couples.

Although Braun now has backtracked, it is clear that leave it to the Republicans, and they would interfere with the privacy rights of Americans, not only interracial marriage, abortion, and contraception, but also gay marriage, if given the opportunity.

This is right wing totalitarianism, denial of basic human rights, and going back to the years before the Warren Court (1953-1969) and forward!