The next President will have the power to nominate at least two, and maybe up to four, Supreme Court justices. This is a critical point because the court is closely divided on a number of important issues.
Of the 74 cases that the Supreme Court heard last session, 28 percent of the decisions were 5-4 votes. The next nominees can tip the delicate balance in favor of or against affirmative action, reproductive choice, separation of church and state, workersâ rights, environmental protection, civil rights and the right to privacy--just to name a few. Bushâs idea of a model Supreme Court would be ultra-reactionaries like Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas; Gore said his would be made up of people like Thurgood Marshall, who was one of the most liberal justices.
The right wing must be defeated this November to prevent reactionaries from dominating a Supreme Court that will last for the next 20 years or more.
Bush-appointed justices will:
Affirmative action/racism
* abolish affirmative action (though the current court has already restricted it).
* declare the Voting Rights Act unconstutional. This act eliminates discrimination when nominating judges and ensures that people of color have a chance at being elected to state supreme courts.
Discrimination
* make it harder to prove discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability and sexual orientation in cases like housing and job placement.
* uphold anti-gay discrimination like Coloradoâs anti-gay constitutional amendment and enforce legislation that says lesbians and gays donât have the same right to privacy as heterosexuals.
* overturn equal rights protection legislation already in place such as Vermontâs civil union law.
* continue to allow housing and educational discrimination against people with disabilities. Right wing justices have already voted to make it easier for local school systems and governments to deny children with disablities the right to a free public education.
Gun control
* overturn any gun control measures and allow and handguns to be sold unregulated. Clarence Thomas said that Congress has no authority to pass gun control legislation.
Women's rights
* totally restrict a woman's right to choose.
* overturn Roe vs. Wade and do away with any protections that guarantee women access to a safe, legal abortion.
Environmental protection
* disregard all attempts to protect the environment. Conservatives have already voted against protecting endangered species and wildlife on private land.
Workers' rights
* overturn rulings that protect government workers and contractors from being fired or disciplined for their political affiliations and opinions.
Religion/education
* promote religious groups and activities with public money.
* vote for tuition, vouchers and other aid to go to religious schools.
* permit prayer and religion within public schools.
(Information compiled from "Courting Disaster: How a Scalia-Thomas Supreme Court would Endanger our Rights and Freedoms" www.itsyourcourt.org.)
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