How can I best help prevent this SCOTUS appointment?

October 1, 2020 3:27 PM

I don't want Trump to be able to appoint someone to replace RBG - at all, but certainly not before the election is over. I wrote to the Senators in my state who both said thanks for writing, and affirmed Trump's selection. So, how can I best support efforts to delay this process? I am feeling scared and powerless in a sea of red around me.

I donated to MoveOn but I'm not really sure what else to do here that will have the greatest impact. I can't throw a ton of money at this problem but I'm open to those types of solutions. I'm feeling scared for my country.

posted by crunchy potato to Law & Government (8 answers total)

The majority of voters think the winner of the election should select the Supreme Court nominee. So, donate to the Joe Biden election campaign. Of course, this will not stop the confirmation by itself, but it will at least put Republicans in a position of doing a highly politically unpopular course of action in order to get the confirmation.

I would set your sights low. The Republicans have the votes and the Constitutional right to confirm a replacement. If they choose to do so prior to the election or prior to a new president taking office, there's little to nothing anyone can do about it - for any amount of money. I believe long-term advocacy is more pragmatic than short-term quixotic action. For instance, I think donating to the ACLU is more effective, as they can do their work regardless of who is in the Supreme Court.
posted by saeculorum at 3:39 PM on October 1, 2020 [6 favorites]

There is a Women's March sort of about the SCOTUS appt., on the 17th. I thought I read that McConnell stated he planned the vote for the 22nd, but can't find it, so maybe that changed. Hearings may start the 12th. The Dems are in Oh Well, nothing we can do mode, many activists for this are Staying In because of Covid. I feel the Dems only know how to ask for money and channel Eeyore. I'm so pissed and frustrated. Will call my R senator some more. In addition to the hypocrisy in light of Merrick Garland being denied hearings and the timing so close to the election, the candidate is too extreme and a poor choice. As well as possibly being on the bench to decide anything about the election is a horrible conflict of interest.

There is a group Protect The Results, planning for action if the election is suspect. Get people riled up now. Another Bush-Gore is just not okay, and the Dems were silent and polite then, too.

Write letters to the editor, call legislators, Vote for real leaders.
posted by theora55 at 3:44 PM on October 1, 2020 [1 favorite]

You might advise your Senators that elections have consequences and they too will be up sooner than they think and this behavior is being noted. The Blue wave in 2017 was no fluke and will repeat. That means state houses, governors, and, we hope, a flip of the US Senate and increased bluing of the House leading to control over many things, not limited to redistricting but also many judges later on. A smart rewrite of any laws this court strikes downs can make the ACA and Roe challenge proof.
posted by Freedomboy at 3:49 PM on October 1, 2020 [1 favorite]

Do what you can to get Biden elected and to flip the Senate. Realistically, Trump can do whatever the hell he wants with the SC opening, and the only way he'll be stopped is the Senate. The salvation is in Biden's ability with a Democratic majority in both houses to add justices to the Supreme Court and then nominate 4 liberal judges.
posted by COD at 4:06 PM on October 1, 2020 [20 favorites]

There are numerous ways you can help get out and protect the vote, including: staffing an election protection hotline, making absentee ballot chase & cure calls, phone banking to let voters know they are eligible to vote, monitoring board of election meetings where absentee votes are counted, poll greeting and monitoring on election day, contactless lit-drops. Feel free to message me if you want me to find some sign-up links to volunteer.
posted by Schielisque at 6:05 PM on October 1, 2020 [6 favorites]

Barrett's confirmation is sort of a foregone conclusion at this point, but as others have mentioned, a large, decisive electoral victory for Biden AND the Senate will A) be difficult to for Trump & the new court to steal and B) be able to mitigate some of the worst upcoming SCOTUS decisions. We don't want this race to be close, and the handful of swing states are the ones that money and energy should be focused on right now.

The whole ballot matters, because state officials will be the ones legislating things like abortion and healthcare once Roe & ACA are overturned on the federal level.
posted by CancerSucks at 7:40 PM on October 1, 2020 [2 favorites]

Honestly I'm not sure Barrett's confirmation is a foregone conclusion, but it would take a massive amount of work and organization to avoid it. There would have to be a very loud, mass movement painting the move as illegitimate and, crucially, unsupported by the public. You'd need giant protests outside Congress, outside senators' homes, outside every courthouse. You would really need to make the case that while the Republicans may have the raw power to push this through, using that power would be an abuse because Americans Don't Want It. You'd need that to be the top story everywhere.

I don't know who, if anyone, is working on that. But I think that's the only way to get around the power imbalance - make using that power a political liability.
posted by trig at 2:29 AM on October 2, 2020 [3 favorites]

Yeah I think the question is, who is doing that organizing. That's my question too.
posted by slidell at 4:55 PM on October 3, 2020