Shut Up Kristyn! | Misc

53 | i have less rights than i did 2 weeks ago

+ Content warning: This chapter will discuss abortion. If you find this topic triggering, please feel free to skip it.

In case you are somehow unaware, on June 24th, the US Supreme Court overturned the 1973 decision of the case Roe v. Wade, which protected abortion rights on a national level. I have many thoughts on this and decided not only to discuss said thoughts, but also explain some things to the people who live outside of this God-forsaken country.

WHAT IS THE SUPREME COURT?

The United States government is separated into three branches: Executive (the President), Legislative (Congress), and Judicial (the Supreme Court). The reason for this is so we have a "checks and balances" system— basically, no individual branch should have too much power. However, some people have started to point out that the Supreme Court is the only branch where the people don't elect its members. We can vote for the president and members of Congress, but the president nominates justices to the Supreme Court.

Generally, a case has to be big in order to make it to the Supreme Court. A case will go through district and state courts before making it to the Supreme Court. They don't deal with, like, some random person's laptop getting stolen.

Supreme Court justices are appointed for life. The only ways out are retirement, an impeachment that leads to a conviction, death, or resignation. This is another flaw in my opinion because, when the branches of government were created, the average life expectancy was 46-48 years old for men. Now, people are living twice as long. Also, only once justice has ever been impeached, but he was acquitted. This was in 1805.

Justices are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing where the nominee provides testimony of their beliefs and responds to questions that the Committee asks. Then, the nomination is traditionally brought up to the rest of the Senate. The Senate's decision is completed by a majority vote.

It's important to note that the Senate was controlled by the Republicans during the Trump administration, meaning they were more likely to approve his nominees with a majority vote.

The Supreme Court is "ruled" by the Chief Justice, who has significant influence in the selection of cases for review , presides when oral arguments are held, and leads the discussion of cases among the justices. This person is the highest-ranking official in the Judicial branch.

WHO IS ON THE SUPREME COURT?

Below is a list of current US Supreme Court Justices, when they were appointed, their ages, the political party of the President who nominated them, and the President who nominated them.

—John G. Roberts, Jr. — Chief Justice (2003). Aged 67. George W. Bush (R).
—Clarence Thomas (1991). Aged 74. George H.W. Bush (R).
—Samuel A. Alito, Jr. (2006). Aged 72. George W. Bush.
—Sonia Sotomayor (2009). Aged 68. Barack Obama (D).
—Elena Kagan (2010). Aged 62. Barack Obama.
—Neil M. Gorsuch (2017). Aged 55. Donald Trump (R).
—Brett M. Kavanaugh (2018). Aged 67. Donald Trump.
—Amy Coney Barrett (2020). Aged 50. Donald Trump.
—Kentaji Brown Jackson (2022). Aged 52. Joe Biden (D).

*Important: Kentaji took her seat on June 30. Justice Stephen Breyer was involved in the hearing where Roe v. Wade was overturned. He retired this year at 83 and was appointed by Bill Clinton (D) in 1994.