The Senate voted 52-48 to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme on Oct. 27th.
Barrett’s confirmation was the closest to a presidential election in history, and she is the first Justice since 1869 to be confirmed without bipartisan support.
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority has been solidified for years to come.
Michelle Parisi, Adjunct in the Political Science and the Sociology Department, explained how Amy Coney Barrett is an originalist, which is a belief that judges should attempt to interpret the words of the Constitution as the authors planned when it was written.
Parisi also said that her record on gun rights and immigration cases suggests she would be a solid conservative vote on the Supreme Court.
“What has made her popular and an ally for the religious right are her legal opinions and reviews on abortion and gay marriage. Her overall beliefs align to conservative right-wing judge,” said Parisi.
She also said that she does not believe that Amy Coney Barrett was a good pick for the Supreme Court Justice. Parisi said her nomination set the court extremely slanted to the right and that there is a conservative majority on the Supreme Court which can undo all the progressive work that has been done to help our country.
“She was appointed and signed in quickly because the Republicans want power. Having a conservative majority in the Supreme Court gives the Republican Party assurance that their agenda will be held up and any progressive legislation would be turned down or overruled. Also, Trump doesn’t play by the ‘rules’,” said Parisi.
Since Amy Coney Barrett is Pro-Life, people have taken to social media to express their concerns towards women’s reproductive rights being in jeopardy.
Parisi said, “It’s happening now but on state and local levels. Sadly, women’s reproductive rights are up to individual states. We see states like Ohio with the ‘Heartbeat bill’ and just out right defunding of women’s clinics in West Virginia and Tennessee.”
She continued that the states already have devoured women’s rights by making it impossible to get to a clinic. She mentioned that there are only two clinics in all of West Virginia. She also said that other state laws are pushing anti-choice legislation.
“With ACB as our next justice this fight will go from state level to national. Generations of pro-life groups have waited for the day Roe v. Wade and other major court cases involving women’s reproductive health can go on the national chopping board in front of a court with a conservative majority. Anything can happen,” said Parisi.
Sarah Cooper, senior Psychology student, was not pleased with the Supreme Court Justice pick.
“I am not surprised that our president pushed to put in a new nominee although it was not passed when Obama was president. He seems to get his way through arrogance and corruption,” said Cooper.
She also expressed that she does not think Barrett will be a good pick because she will not fight for our rights in the way Ruth Bader Ginsberg did. Cooper also said she believes Barrett was the wrong choice because she does not have the background experience that other nominees have had.
“I absolutely as a female have concerns about her being in the Supreme Court. I am worried specifically for the reproductive rights we currently have being taken away through changes to Title IX that have already happened and probably will continue to happen, and Roe V Wade,” said Cooper.
Eric Schwarts, a senior Political Science student, does not believe that Barrett’s confirmation will result in drastic decisions such as overturning Roe v. Wade or gay marriage rights.
He said, “It’s definitely concerning to see the Supreme Court swayed to one ideology so drastically. The process by which she was nominated and confirmed so quickly directly before an election also showed the GOP’s hypocrisy seeing as they refused to confirm Merrick Garland in 2016.”
IMAGE TAKEN from Al Jazeera
