President of the United States Donald Trump has announced that he has nominated Amy Coney Barrett to serve as a new justice on the US Supreme Court.
Attention has turned to Barrett’s stances on a wide variety of issues, such as healthcare, same-sex marriage and of course, abortion.
Barrett is an ardent Conservative, and her views are expected to reflect this. This is likely to include support for the restriction of abortion. This appointment is certainly a positive moment for those campaigning for the right to life for every child.
Trump Chooses Amy Coney Barrett
President Trump insisted that he would appoint a woman – a progressive move that should be praised – to replace outgoing Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away aged 87.
While Ginsburg was a strong liberal, Barrett is expected to lean to the right, and is known to be a devout Catholic with conservative views.
President Trump lauded Barrett as a “woman of unparalleled achievement”, and praised her for having an “unyielding loyalty” towards the United States Constitution.
Barrett graduated from Notre Dame University Law School in Indiana, and worked as a Clerk for the now-deceased Justice Antonin Scalia. Without doubt, she is well qualified.
The Impact on the Supreme Court
The nine-person Supreme Court is, as long as the appointment goes as planned, will hold a 6-3 majority in Conservative-leaning justices. Barrett is Trump’s third appointment, following in the footsteps of Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
It should be noted however, that Conservative-leaning Chief Justice John Roberts usually sides with the Liberals, making the actual make-up of the court 5-4 in favour of Conservative-leaning Judges.
The US Supreme Court decide key laws and policy issues, such as gun control, gay marriage, abortion, healthcare and other key areas. Each justice serves a lifetime appointment.
Could Barrett Help Overturn Roe-Wade?
In a 2013 interview, Barrett stated that she believed “life begins at conception” – something that is aligned with her Catholic faith.
Abortion restrictions have been installed in several states, though Louisiana saw a recent effort to further restrict abortion in their state knocked back by the Supreme Court.
But if Barrett is appointed, there will be an extra Conservative-leaning Justice, which would most likely lead to a similar challenge to be passed.
Iowa, Louisiana and Mississippi are among the States with the strictest abortion laws, but a blanket ruling across the United States is a possibility. Iowa ban abortions at the point of a heartbeat – usually around 4-8 weeks.
The Pro-Life movement has been boosted by the Presidency of Donald Trump, and there are hopes that if this appointment goes through, that finally, the 1973 Roe-Wade decision will be overturned.
The Takeaway
The appointment of Amy Coney Barrett is without doubt a highly-positive moment for the United States. Barrett is expected to show commitment to the United States Constitution, and she will undoubtedly play an important role in the upcoming years.
She is highly qualified for the role, and will surely turn out to be an excellent justice that is full of integrity. It is great to have someone like Barrett on the Supreme Court.
