The Supreme Court in the USA continues to lose respect and popularity for their abortion rulings and interventions in Trump’s behalf. The overturning of Roe versus Wade may prove to be the second worst decision in their long history and equally as politically damaging as the first.
The Dred Scott decision of 6 March 1857 when they pronounced that people of black African descent could not be regarded as citizens was described as the Court’s “greatest self-inflicted wound” and had a crucial role in the start of the American Civil War four years later.
The Dred Scott decision in 1857 came when tr Uranus in Taurus was square to the SCOTUS Pluto during deliberations. Tr Neptune was also conjunct the SCOTUS Saturn in Pisces; with the SA Pluto opposition the Neptune. Disruptive, leading to uncertainty and asserting power over compassion.
The decision to overturn Roe v Wade finally arrived in June 2022, with pointed hints the month before, when tr Uranus along with the North Node in Taurus was square the SCOTUS Sun and moving to square the SCOTUS Pluto which is relatively similar to the above. And there was that momentous history-changing Uranus North Node conjunction approaching two months later in August. See post 17 June 2022. That arguably may have been the trigger for what transpires in future years like the Dred Scott decision.
During SCOTUS decline in recent years with a right-wing slanted imbalance and corruption allegations tr Pluto has been squaring the SCOTUS Neptune. There will be some ructions in this June to August with tr Uranus square the Mars Jupiter conjunction, extending into early 2025.
What may upset the apple cart is tr Pluto opposition the Uranus but that does not crop up until 2029 – so the knock on effect of recent misjudgements may take time to produce a substantial backlash.
Judge Jackson couldn’t provide a definition of the word woman, stating “I’m not a biologist.”
That seems to be something quite reasonable to expect from a doctrinaire diversity hire, not a voice from the highest court in the land.
I imagine that there’s plenty of blame to go around when it comes to the reputation of the US supreme court.
@PC, that was a right-wing political trap relating to the politics of opposing the rights/existence of transgender people, not a legitimate question.
Citizens United case has had a more profound impact damaging democracy in the USA.
You get Trump and self interested parties tied to the wealthy skewing policy and judicial appointments for their financial benefit not the greater public.
Probably more important than abortion. But it is not as galvanizing for a change in the law and its interpretations as abortion for women. Especially since women outnumber men in the US. Many men especially younger ones are apathetic about voting.
When asked by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) to name the five freedoms, Barrett was able to name freedom of speech, press, religion and assembly, before looking puzzled and saying, “What else am I missing?”14 Oct 2020
I’m fascinated that some on this thread see signs of Barrett being some kind of fair minded justice. She helped overturn Roe vs Wade and she seems keen on forgetting our constitutional right to protest. I’m not holding my breath that she becomes anything other than what she has shown herself to be.
@Anita, my point is that she doesn’t seem quite as bad or doctrinaire as Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and, the worst, Alito and Thomas. She may be reachable on a few issues, though, as an extremely devout Catholic, clearly not on abortion, but maybe on care for women suffering catastrophic and life-threatening pregnancies and miscarriages.
Good response. She has multiple children, and any woman who has given birth has to understand the dangers of childbirth. The men do not understand how dangerous it is. I was going to say the same thing about her being a devout Catholic.
It actually went like this. The senator asked: “What are the five freedoms of the First Amendment?” and the 48-year-old, replied: “Speech, religion, press, assembly.” Ms Barrett then paused and started counting with her fingers, before she added: “Speech, religion, press, assembly… I don’t know — what am I missing?”. The right to petition the government (ie to protest) forgotten. UNBELIEVABLY laughable-any new citizen of the US is supposed to know that in the citizenship test to become a citizen. The woman is a ninny with NO business being on the SC.NONE.I see alot of ACB apologists. Very sad.
Thank you so much for this analysis.
If Biden wins a second term and the Democrats hold a majority in both houses, we will likely see the reforms Sen. Whitehouse has proposed. I am also hopeful that the light will shine brightly enough on Clarence Thomas’ corruption that he will be forced to resign.
There are no doubt more skeletons poised to fall out of closets (in addition to whatever we still don’t know about Kavanaugh’s past); for instance, many would still like to know what Trump said to Justice Anthony Kennedy to induce him to retire in 2018.
I expect the next Congress will force Clarence Thomas out and reopen a sexual misconduct inquiry that was botched when Kavanaugh was nominated. Senator Whitehouse (aptly named) has promised legislation that would impose an inspector on the court that would enforce its code of ethics. Writing as a lawyer, it is inexcusable and corrupt that Thomas would not recuse himself for January 6 and all Trump cases because of his wife’s shady doings. Biden would still have the nuclear option of adding to the number of Justices, which FDR had threatened to do until the Court caved and stopped challenging the New Deal in 1937 after he was elected to a second term. Unlike Canada, the number of nine Justices is not set in constitutional stone in the US. There were more at times in the 19th century. However, I don’t think Biden the institutionalist will go that far if other measures bring slow but effective change and finally a Democratic majority for the first time in over half a century. Barrett is the only pleasant surprise among Trump’s judges. Although she took part in overturning Roe v. Wade, she remains a brilliant legal mind with a sense of fairness her male colleagues do not share. Overall, the four female Justices put the good old boys to shame. We now have a five-female majority for the first time in Canada, which inspires confidence and is about time. For all his inadequacies, Justin Trudeau is truly a feminist and does some things right. Astrologically, both the Chief Justice and Barrett are early Aquarians. I think their professional lives are about to be overturned when they find themselves in the minority in the near future.
@Andre: It’s rumored that Sotomayer has taken Barrett under her wings in a sort of mentor way. Clever if true. And speaking of Justice Sotomayer, I hope she doesn’t go the RBG route and instead embraces humility to step aside during Biden’s second term as she’s not in the best of health.
I’m also not a fan of the “nuclear option” because besides the fact that it’s a slippery slope, it’s also akin to getting rid of the Electoral College system in that the polarization makes it next to impossible. So patience is required.
Additionally, I hope Biden(or Harris) would pick a male Judge to replace Sotomayor as America is more sexist as opposed to Canada, so the last thing we want as a narrative(which is seemingly gaining traction)is Dems being seen as anti-men. There is already a stupid backlash whereas some men are sucker punching random women in the streets. So a man in the fashion of recent former Justice Breyer would be good. Then when another slot opens up, by all means put another lady.
Marjorie, thank you so much for revisiting SCOTUS.
@Andre, I agree with you about Amy Coney Barrett. She has definitely surprised me several times and does not appear the extreme right-wing ideologue I expected. And, @Troy, I hadn’t heard that about Justices Sotomayor and Barrett, but it would make sense. I have heard that Justice Elena Kagan is the consensus- and bridge-builder on the Court now and has forged a working relationship with Kavanaugh. She has her work cut out for her.
@Nicole: I think Goodwin Liu would be a good candidate for the short list. What do you think? Maybe pull some strings with your connections. 🙂
He definitely is not a showboat and hasn’t made much of a splash as a California Supreme Court justice — but that might be a plus for a careful, respected jurist.
Re: Barrett, here’s something I recall from an earlier post by Marjorie (27 September 2020)…
“..What is strange – maybe not – is that her relationship with Donald Trump is anything but cosy with an outright-dislike composite Mars Saturn conjunction. By 2022 tr Neptune starts three years of squaring and undermining that; as well as upending the composite Uranus also from 2022. So if he wins or even if he doesn’t, cases that involve him which appear before the Supreme Court may find him regretting the day he appointed her.”
@ Andre, It takes 67 Senators to remove a federal judge including one on the Supreme Court.
The best Democrats can hope for is to add at least four seats to the court. I am not sure if both the House and Senate would have to approve it or just the Senate but given the Senate map this year I don’t think Democrats will retain a majority in the Senate to do it next year if Biden retains the White House and Democrats gain control of the House, but we can always dream.
Increasing the size of the Supreme Court requires a normal statute/Act of Congress, which means it requires the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost…I mean, the House, the Senate and President to all agree on it.
Once increased, the President can nominate and Senate approve those new justices in the usual way.
Keep in mind that this Senate election is the round most hostile to Democrats. So don’t get your hopes too high.
Official birth times of both Justices Thomas and Alito are available.
Oh the irony of it’s only for these two!