On September 18th this year, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away from cancer complications, after serving for 27 years. Nominated by Bill Clinton, Ginsburg was a huge advocate for women's' rights and gender equality. One of her longstanding beliefs was "the government has no business making that choice for a woman," speaking in regards to the issue of abortion.
Roe v. Wade was a revolutionary case, in that it's ruling in 1973 declared that the right of a pregnant woman to an abortion, without unreasonable government restriction, is protected by the Constitution of the United States. In the first trimester, abortion is completely legal with no restriction, the second requires medical reasons, and the final trimester does not allow for abortion at all. This ruling was made in order to balance the power of the pregnant woman, the state, and the unborn fetus.
With Ginsburg's passing there suddenly was an uproar regarding who would replace her now vacant spot on the Supreme Court. Trump, in 2016, stated that if he had the capability to nominate a Supreme Court Justice, he would appoint one that would overturn the Roe v. Wade case. If the ruling were to be overturned, the right to an abortion would up for the states to deliberate over individually, as opposed to the nation-wide precedent we have now.
Judge Amy Coney Barrett was nominated by Trump to replace Ginsburg, and Republicans rejoiced after they learned about her deeply religious and conservative values. Democrats, however, are frightened, because we are aware of what this means for women's reproductive rights. Barrett refuses to answer the question regarding her plans on Roe v. Wade, however, in the past she has implied through her votes on abortion cases that the government should have more power over abortions, and even voted in a favor of a law that would make it mandatory for the parents of minors seeking abortions to be informed.
This is incredibly scary. The appointment of Barrett only requires a presidential nomination and a majority vote from the Senate, which does consist of more Republicans than Democrats (53 vs 45). There has never been a Supreme Court nomination during a general election before. Biden implored Republicans to be wary of this nomination, and that if he were to be elected in November, he should have the right to knock down Barrett and nominate Ginsburg's successor instead.
It is incumbent for us to vote in this election because it isn't just a matter of picking between two people. Republicans and pro-lifers may be celebrating with this news, but the results of this election and the subsequent Supreme Court Justice nomination may revert reproductive rights to what they were like prior to 1973, which is very unsettling to me as a woman. As a nation, we need to move forward, not backward.
We need to vote.
