The U.S. Supreme Court recently announced it will take up a case that could, depending on how it rules, upend governance in America. The impact of its decision could propel an extremist resurgence against virtually all federal oversight. It could seriously affect the ability of the Executive Branch to carry out laws passed by Congress, instead inserting the nation’s courts directly into the policies and rules that govern the U.S.
The case, Loper Bright v. National Resources Defense Council, is the latest in a series of litigation in which conservative revisionists are asking the Supreme Court to overturn established norms. A Supreme Court docket that previously included the anti-abortion Dobbs case now has such pending cases as Loper and Moore v. Harper, the latter brought by our own GOP-led legislature.
Far from seeking enlightened decisions designed to expand our freedoms and rights, these and other cases are nothing more than blatant attempts to replace democracy with an uninformed authoritarianism favored by the few.
The results of elections, as we all know, have consequences. The decision in the Dobbs case was made by the Court’s six conservative judges — appointed by the Reagan and both Bush administrations and famously reinforced by former President Trump’s three appointees.
Is authoritarian rule the goal?
Few could have known the goal of this majority is to limit democracy in America. The aim of this ultra-conservative court is to systematically undermine legislative and judicial decisions which have endured over the past half-century and longer. But this Supreme Court majority is only the tip of a spear to overwhelm majority rule and permanently install MAGA Republicans as the authoritarian rulers of America.
“Democracy — meaning equal representation of all citizens and, crucially, majority rule — has, in fact, become the enemy of the contemporary Republican Party,” New York Times columnist Thomas B. Edsall recently noted.
Where else could we find a better example of the GOP’s Faustian dealings than in the U.S. House of Representatives, where a corps of ultra-right wingers were at this writing threatening to hold the entire country hostage over the debt limit bill? They’re not acting in America’s best interests. Instead, the House, fueled by a minority of MAGA legislators, could undermine the Biden Administration’s domestic achievements — and the constitutional obligation of our country to pay its bills.
What about MAGA at the state level?
MAGA enforcers are continuing an ongoing, nationwide battle to assert minority rule at the state level. In North Carolina and other states, MAGA-fueled legislatures have approved draconian laws
Limiting women’s freedom of choice
Restricting voting rights for minorities
Attacking the LGBTQ+ community
Stifling democracy with outrageous gerrymandering
Reducing funds for public schools
Banning books that offend the sensibilities of white nationalists and religious fanatics
Drowning free speech of legislators who disagree with their strategy.
The MAGA GOP failed to overturn the legitimate 2020 election results in its January 6 insurrection. Now, its goal is to incrementally replace our freedoms with its version of authoritarian rule.
Fortunately, there’s still time for Democrats to reject the MAGA-led coup. We can elect Joe Biden in 2024, and replace David Rouzer — who supported the insurrection — as our representative in the U.S. House. We can elect Democrats to the state legislature as part of a national effort to reject and expunge MAGA politicians. We can prevent extremist, racist and misogynist Republicans from taking over the governorship and other key state offices.
Most important, we can become more involved in politics at all levels. We can write our legislators, take on an active role in local politics, strengthen precincts with our participation, and — most important — vote.
It’s in our hands. Elections have consequences.
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