Okay, But Why Do Nine People Get To Decide Our Rights?

The Supreme Court gets to make decisions that affect our most fundamental rights. When it ruled on Roe vs Wade in 1973 and then overturned that ruling in 2022, it determined our ability to access reproductive care. And in 2015, their ruling on Obergefell vs Hodges gave same-sex couples the right to marry the person they love. Just last year, they ruled that Trump has absolute immunity for “official acts” he commits as President.

It’s concerning enough to think that they’re ruling along party lines, since there are currently six Justices appointed by Republican presidents and only three appointed by Democrats. But the Supreme Court also has no official standards of ethics. Just think — the highest court in the country, making these incredibly important decisions, with nothing stopping them from ruling according to extremist ideology or even greed. 

Justice Clarence Thomas, for instance, has accepted millions of dollars of gifts from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. And his wife Ginni is a far-right extremist who pushed for Republicans to overturn the results of the 2020 election. How could we possibly trust him to rule fairly on a case like Trump vs The United States?

Congress has the power to change the way that the Supreme Court works — from rules about ethics, to how many Justices there are, to whether they should have lifetime appointments. So talk to the people in your life about the Supreme Court. We deserve to know if these decisions are being inspired by a deep understanding of the Constitution… or a million-dollar vacation to Bali.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

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