20 March 2017

The Hot Seat

The United State Senate will begin confirmation hearings today for Neil Gorsuch, who Donald Trump has nominated to fill the current Supreme Court vacancy.

In anticipation of this, Time magazine published an excellent essay yesterday (link here) with the title "Neil Gorsuch’s Dissertation Opposes Same-Sex Marriage." The piece was written by Corey Brettschneider, who is both a lawyer and professor of political science at Brown University.

Professor Brettschneider notes that, in his doctoral thesis, Gorsuch "thought it obvious that the United States Constitution did not protect a right to same-sex marriage. If he still holds this view, he could join forces with other justices to reverse the Court’s protection of this right."

Same-sex marriage, as Brettschneider explains, is a matter of "autonomy in intimate matters" -- meaning we have the fundamental right to determine our own intimate issues. But Gorsuch does not believe in that right, as Brettschneider carefully proves in his essay.

Mr. Gorsuch is courtly and polite, but we mustn't let that overshadow the fact that he would be highly dangerous on the United States Supreme Court. If confirmed, he would be further to the right than Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and the late Anton Scalia, all vehemently anti-LGBT.

A clear majority of Americans recognize that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right, as are many other important LGBT rights. However, certain judges and justices are determined to apply a theocratic litmus test to court decisions, through the legal fiction of originalism, and Gorsuch is one of those.

We therefore must prevent Neil Gorsuch's confirmation.

Current Senate rules require 60 votes to overcome filibusters of Supreme Court nominees. If that's what it takes, Gorsuch should be filibustered until he or the White House withdraws his name and a more moderate nominee is put forward.

If you haven't done so already, call your Senators today and every day until Gorsuch is put to a vote. Tell your Senators to vote "no" on Gorsuch's confirmation and also to support any necessary filibusters.

If you don't already know your Senators names or their telephone numbers, you'll find all of them by clicking here.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous06:15

    Esperemos que se logre algo.Amigo venezolano,Cucuta

    ReplyDelete
  2. What is always making me cry ou laugh is to see that «HATE» is running your country spirit to rule you.

    More since January 20th and even before because «HATE» of Obama and Démocrates caused them to loose the election.

    Quite an achievement when you put so much GOD in your philosophy of living and by your actions, you show all the contrary of that same GOD's LAWS.

    LOVE, HOPE and CHARITY are the most important laws that Jesus was teaching in his life and Gospel.

    Why so much HATE in your so religious country?
    You've put in office that kind of man that is twitting so many lies and hate.
    Not surprising he is putting all those hating men in his administration.

    I'm also flabbergasted to see that being a «poor» or even a «low middle class» citizen in USA makes you vulnerable about your health care.

    You're a RICH society, spending «gazillions» of $$$$ on war weapons, on space science but not able to put in place a «UNIVERSAL» healthcare system for ALL AMERICANS.

    Still LOVE isn't part of your DNA.
    As I follow that Trump Care replace and repeal, I see that it's going to be a way for insurance companies to do lot of money and give people less protection with HIGHER costs and deductibles too.

    Here in Canada, we have a UNIVERSAL healthcare system: doctors, hospital etc.. are paid by our government healthcare.
    If we want more «protection» we can pay for private insurance that covers what isn't cover by the Healthcare system.
    When we are working, most employers are providing those private healthcare insurances with a small among of $$$ from the workers.

    Why USA cannot provide a UNIVERSAL healthcare system to ALL Americans?
    Maybe because «MONEY» is the only GOD you believe in...

    USA is such a contradiction society.

    ReplyDelete

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