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Should Amy Coney Barrett be confirmed as the next U.S. Supreme Court justice?
Last weekend, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat held by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The nomination of Barrett, a 48-year-old devout Catholic and mother of seven, caused an eruption of responses from both sides of the aisle.
For Republicans, Barrett’s conservative judicial opinions make her a “dream candidate.” Her decisions are known for “care, clarity and a commitment to the interpretive methods used by Justice Antonin Scalia.” But her conservative voting record in cases dealing with abortion rights, gun control and LGBTQ rights raise a serious red flag for progressives.
The speed in which this vacant Supreme Court seat may be filled is also a point of contention. The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin confirmation hearings on Barrett's nomination on October 12, less than a month before the election. While nominating a Supreme Court Justice so close to a Presidential election is not a “norm,” UConn political science professor David Yalof said it is entirely constitutional.
Some questions:
Should Senate Republicans move forward with the nomination now? Or should they follow what was established back in 2016 when they refused to vote on Merrick Garland's Supreme Court nomination and wait until after the election?
How do your views align with Barrett’s positions on issues such as abortion, healthcare, immigration or religious rights?
What values do you want in a Supreme Court justice? What issues do you want brought to the high court?
Talk about it with your friends and family!
Top photo from whitehouse.gov