A seat in the nine-member Supreme Court became vacant after Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg died after her illness. She was appointed by Bill Clinton and represented the liberal wing of the court.
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Forty-eight-year-old Coney Barrett is the exact opposite. Her views are often described as extremely conservative. On the first day of the hearing, the judge devoted her presentation primarily. Hard questions were raised on Tuesday.
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She did not respond to the question about abortions
Probably the most pressing topic of her nomination is induced abortions. According to a Supreme Court ruling in the 1970s, abortions are permitted throughout the United States on the basis of a verdict on the controversial Roe v. Wade.
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Barrett did not answer Senator Dianne Feinstein’s question as to what she thought of the landmark decision. According to him, he does not want to comment on cases from the past until it is confirmed by a member of the court. “It’s worrying not to get a direct answer,” Feinstein said.
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In 2006, however, Barrett signed a statement strongly condemning the historic decision. “It’s time to end the barbaric legacy of the Roe vs. Wade and restore the law that will protect the lives of unborn children, “the campaign announced at the time.
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However, she told the Senate Legal Committee on Tuesday that her Catholic faith would not influence her legal judgment.
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She talked about sexual “preference”
When senators asked what they thought of the criticism of the court decision that allowed gay couples to marry, she declined to comment, referring to the so-called “Ginsburg rule” named after her predecessor. At her hearing in the Senate, she refused to speculate on how she would vote in specific cases.
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“I have never discriminated against anyone on the basis of their sexual preference and I will never discriminate against anyone on the basis of sexual preference,” she said.
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Her choice of words aroused outrage. “The notion (preference) suggests that sexuality is a matter of choice. No, ”said MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin.
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“Sexual preference,” a term used by Justice Barrett, is offensive and outdated. The term implies sexuality is a choice. It is not. News organizations should not repeat Justice Barrett’s words without providing that important context.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 13, 2020
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Sport it Obamacare
Another point of contention is the fate of Obamacare, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which has expanded Americans’ access to health insurance. Democrats fear that confirming the conservative Barrett to the role of supreme judge could pose a real threat to him. Donald Trump wanted to cancel him, but he failed.
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Democrats are fighting for Americans’ health care.
A vote by any Senator for Judge Amy Coney Barrett is a vote to rip away health care for millions and end protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions in the middle of the COVID pandemic.#WhatsAtStake
– Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 13, 2020
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“Every senator voting for Amy Coney Barrett is also voting for the removal of health care from millions of Americans with birth defects during a coronavirus pandemic,” Democratic Senators chief Chuck Schumer warned.
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Barrett denied consulting with the White House on how to decide a possible dispute over Obamacare: “That would be a gross violation of judicial independence.”
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They were supposed to wait until after the election, the Democrats are angry
Democrats do not agree that the current president has nominated his candidate for the vacancy at a time when elections have virtually begun. According to them, such a decision should be made only after the election.
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They also point out that the same argument as they have now was used by Republican Senator Mitch McConnell in 2016, when he blocked an attempt to fill then-President Barrack Obama, a few months before the election, not weeks like now. At the time, McConnel was opposed to the president making such a decision in an election year.
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Trump already expects that the result of the election will be challenged in court
For Republicans, Barrett’s nomination is crucial. White House chief Donald Trump said he was ready to question the results of the November election and push the case to the Supreme Court. If Barrett were confirmed to be in office, the Conservatives would have a 6 to 3 majority.
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