Trump Justice? A Preview of Cases in the Supreme Courts First Term in the Trump Era
Table of Contents
1) Voting Rights
2)Workers’ Rights / Corporate Power / Arbitration
3)Religious Liberty and Speech
4)Immigration
5)Privacy From Police Searches
6)Conclusion
The erosion of democratic norms we have already seen during the Trump era poses a significant threat to our system of government and the liberty it is supposed to protect. That makes it all the more important to stand up to threats to our fundamental rights and to our democratic form of government.
As the Supreme Court opens its new term, it does so in the shadow of an administration that has ignored or destroyed civic norms, brushed aside or encouraged racism and anti-Semitism, and regularly peddled falsehoods on a wide range of subjects.
Under our Constitution, the federal courts—especially the Supreme Court—should stand as a bulwark against threats to our democracy and our rights. However, the Court itself has been affected by the erosion of democratic norms. Throughout 2016, conservatives prevented the Senate from even considering President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to fill Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat. As a result, the vacancy was available for President Trump to fill. Judge Neil Gorsuch was confirmed after the Senate majority changed the chamber’s rules to overcome the opposition to Gorsuch and make his confirmation possible.
The Supreme Court whose term begins October 2 is not the one it would be under ordinary democratic norms. Nevertheless, this is the Court that will be deciding cases that will be critical to protecting our democracy and our rights. Among the issues the Court is scheduled to address:
Is there any limit on a political party’s ability to gerrymander their opposition’s supporters and deprive them of the chance of winning elections?
Can corporations get around worker protection laws by forcing their employees to sign agreements waiving those protections?
Does the First Amendment create a constitutional right to discriminate against LGBTQ people?
Can immigration authorities detain immigrants indefinitely without a bond hearing?
Is President Trump’s Muslim immigration ban legal?
http://www.pfaw.org/report/trump-justice-a-preview-of-cases-in-the-supreme-courts-first-term-in-the-trump-era/
US Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121.
It is about the courts, it always has been and always be about the courts, the Constitution since it was written and the amendments that were ratified, everything centers around the courts...............we need to get out and vote