(UnitedVoice.com) – While the political rhetoric has escalated over the last 20 years, the US Supreme Court stayed largely unscathed. However, the retirement of two liberal justices and the death of another opened the door wide for former President Donald Trump to appoint three justices during his four-year tenure. While Democrats tried to limit Trump’s impact on the government, they couldn’t stop him transforming the courts.
In each high-profile hearing by the Senate to confirm Trump’s appointees, the Left argued the future conservative justices were radicals. The problem was the radicals were the ones asking the questions, not answering them. Now, the media and Democrats are preparing for many cases in which the conservative 6-3 majority could make law, and they are none too happy about it. Instead of sitting back and accepting its rulings, the Left is fighting back, and they’ll do everything they can to discredit the High Court.
The Left Moves to Discredit the Court
The Constitution and public acceptance of Court rulings give the Supreme Court legitimacy. Throughout American history, Americans rarely, if ever, questioned either, until now. As the polarization of politics widens, the Left needs a political issue to help it hold power. With the levers of government controlled by Democrats in the White House and Congress, there isn’t anywhere else for them to look at the moment but the Supreme Court. So, they will use the Supreme Court as political opposition to realize their political goals.
On October 4, the high court begins a new term. Several vital issues are on the docket for Democrats; abortion, guns, and religion vs. discrimination. Those who pay attention to the Supreme Court know the judicial philosophies that guide each justice and the precedents they’ve already set over the last few years.
Instead of letting the Court rule on the merits and allowing these cases to speak for themselves, Democrats and the media seek to get ahead of the issues as if they are political campaigns. They use words like “legitimacy” to describe the court’s potential approval rating ahead of the cases. It’s as if Democrats believe public opinion sways the Court more than Constitutional law. It doesn’t work that way, but that won’t stop them from trying.
Is the Left Trying to Bully the Court?
Several Justices spoke out over the summer months to defend the Court’s rulings and its independence as a third but equal branch of government. That may or may not work. Public opinion is a fickle business, independent from findings and facts commonplace in a courtroom.
So, why the heated rhetoric by the Left against the Supreme Court?
There could be three factors at play, and they may all exist at the same time. First, the Left is afraid the Court will work against them. Since the Court ruled in Roe v. Wade in 1973, it has often sided with the Left. It took Conservatives decades to place originalists on the Court who would seek the original intent and meaning of the Constitution. The Right-leaning majority is a direct threat to Democrats’ agenda, and they can’t allow the Court to undo all the Left has done over the last 50 years.
Second, the court could overturn Joe Biden’s radical agenda on immigration, targeted tax laws against the rich, voting rights, social justice, and climate change. If they don’t put pressure on the Conservative Justices now, they won’t be able to later.
Third and last, the Democrat’s real goal is to activate the Liberal base for upcoming elections. The more they demagogue the Court, the higher the Democratic turnout, or so they hope.
So yes, of course, Democrats are trying to bully the court. It’s not about changing the Justices’ minds. Democrats hope to manipulate voters to cast ballots for their candidates and agenda.
Their plan is cynical at best — that’s the world we live in today. Fortunately, it won’t stop the justices from objectively looking at the cases and the law and making good rulings. Unfortunately, Democrats will use the High Court as a game piece to achieve political gains.
Don Purdum, Independent Political Analyst
Copyright 2021, UnitedVoice.com
