WILL the US Senate confirmation hearing for President Joe Biden's nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court become just an effort to feed opposition to Biden? America's Supreme Court has only nine members who serve lifetime terms, so perhaps it is understandable that ideologically split political parties will treat the nominee to a theatrical takedown over issues which have little to do with jurisprudence or judicial temperament. This has happened so many times in the last 40 years that no one is expecting anything less with the nomination of Jackson, Biden's first court appointment to replace the retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.
The Court plays an increasingly important place in a society that has large groups at opposite ends of the political, ideological and social spectrum. Abortion, the Second Amendment regarding gun ownership, issues around equality and immigration are all before the Court or about to be there. These issues are big right now, but in the larger sense related to the relationship of the federal government to its citizens and how to protect these rights when state governments have opinions that appear contrary to the national Constitution. More than 20 states want or have already enacted legislations making voting more difficult. Since voting is run by the 50 states and not the federal government, this is a giant issue of fairness.
Historians point to the awakening after the World War II that America's constitutional principles were not equally applied to minorities and women, especially in the southern states.
This story is from the April 4, 2022 edition of India Legal.
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This story is from the April 4, 2022 edition of India Legal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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