Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee and What You Need to Know

By Khushi Bhatt

With election day coming up fast and COVID-19 coercing the world, the universe of American politics has been chaotic. On September 18th, the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg shattered the hearts of many Americans. Ginsberg was an inspiration to girls across the world, as she devoted her life to fighting for women’s rights and true gender equality. She spent 27 years of her 87 year life fighting against the system in the Supreme Court. Her devastating passing opened up a seat on the Supreme court, and as presumed, President Trump jumped right at it. 

Donald Trump selected federal judge Amy Coney Barrett as the Supreme Court justice nominee, to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat. Let’s take a look at who Barrett is, and how she has reached the point she is at in her career. 

48 year old Amy Vivian Coney was born on January 28th, 1972, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was born the eldest of seven children and her dad (Micheal Coney) worked as an attorney. Coney grew up with a love for law and always expressed her passionate goals in politics and law. Amy graduated from Rhodes in 1994 magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts. She then studied law at the Notre Dame Law School on a full-tuition scholarship and graduated first in her class in 1997, summa cum laude.

In 1999, she married fellow Notre Dame Law School graduate Jesse M. Barrett, and continued to make a name for herself, clerking for right-leaning Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, working in private practice and teaching at University of Notre Dame School of Law. On May 8, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Barrett to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. 

Judge Barrett has been questioned for her definitive Catholic beliefs regarding abortion, her pro-life stance, and what impact her personal belief system might have on a potential challenge to the precedent established in the abortion rights case of Roe v Wade..  In May of 2019, Judge Barrett stated that she does not have “high hopes” for the Immigration and Nationality Act., solidifying her in the eyes of the public as conservative-leaning.  She has also been criticized for her “strict constructionist” method of interpreting the Constitution, made famous by former boss Justice Scalia’s in legal analysis. 

Evidently, Barrett’s nomination has been extremely contentious. Many Americans question if her nomination would result in various regressions from the lifelong work of Justice Ginsburg.

A Force to Be Reckoned with: A.O.C. Boldly Calls out Racism and Misogyny in Washington

By Marin Yearley

As the youngest woman ever to serve in congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez already amounts to an impressive individual. However, her fearlessness, poise, and evident passion for helping others establish her as far more than just an influential political figure. From her election in 2018, Ocasio-Cortez has worked tirelessly to propel issues of social justice, generating considerable controversy for her endorsement of democratic-socialism; yet, regardless of political affiliation, it is impossible to deny her bravery and tenacity in challenging systems of oppression.

Like many other politicians, A.O.C. has accumulated a significant social media platform, which she uses to propel her efforts for racial and gender equality. Regardless of her opponent, the young congresswoman counters with an outspoken, effective response, notably taking on President Donald Trump several times over Twitter. One especially inspiring instance of this conflict was when A.O.C. called out Trump for his xenophobic, racist attitude, following a rant in which he tweeted that she along with several other democratic congresswoman should “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.” Highlighting the ignorance behind his statement, A.O.C. corrects Trump, saying “Mr. President, the country I ‘come from,’ & the country we all swear to, is the United States. She goes on to criticize Trump’s close-minded treatment of minority groups, claiming “You are angry because you can’t conceive of an America that includes us.” In unflinchingly going head to head with none other than the President of The United States, A.O.C. demonstrates her commendable dedication to standing up for what she believes in.

In addition to her activism on social media, Ocasio-Cortez has established herself as a formidable force in The House of Representatives. After being the target of a sexist verbal assault by Republican representative Ted Yoho, A.O.C. refused to be silenced, publicly denouncing his actions on the House floor. In her speech, A.O.C. emphasized the presence of misogyny in American politics, ascribing Yoho’s remarks to a broader culture “of accepting a violence and violent language against women.” A.O.C.’s actions to illuminate gender discrimination roused other democratic congresswomen to do the same, unleashing a wave of stories detailing their own experiences with sexism from their male peers. In drawing attention to the issue of gender-fueled bias, Ocasio-Cortez’s outspoken condemnation of Representative Yoho represents yet another example of her impact and personal strength.

Through her unwavering resolve against injustice, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez clearly is a force to be reckoned with in Washington. As a result, regardless of political controversy, her efforts to dismantle oppressive power structures establish her as a role model for young girls and all who wish to use their voice for change.