Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

When Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, there was no dissent amongst Republicans, male or female. They all sang the same tune that Barrett was “well qualified” to sit on the bench because she lined up with their judicial philosophy as it related to the constitution. As all nominees are prone to do, they very seldom say anything that will disqualify themselves in the eyes of the party not in power. Republicans are now trying to get the public behind them as they criticize President Biden’s first pick to the Supreme Court, not because that person is/is not qualified, but simply because that person may be a Black woman. No matter who Biden’s pick may be, Republicans know that if Democrats vote as one, there is nothing that they can do to stop that nominee from being confirmed by the Senate. Just don’t let the nominee be a Black woman, and some of them might vote for Biden’s pick. Leave things up to Rafael Edwards Cruz to get the ball moving against a Black woman sitting on the Supreme court because Cruz is “concerned” about Black people all of a sudden. Don’t bet the house on it. If Cruz was so concerned about Black people, why didn’t he vote to help pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act Bill last week in Congress? By taking a stance against voter suppression that affects millions of Black people, the cases that the current Supreme Court will hear would be greatly reduced. Instead, Cruz decides to use race and politics to plead his case in the arena of public opinion, hoping to help Republicans in the 2022 midterms. President Joe Biden only did what Republicans' used to be go-to guy, former President Ronald Reagan did when he nominated a woman (gasp), Sandra Day O’ Connor, to the Supreme Court. Cruz wasn’t in Washington then, but he never criticized Reagan’s pick, nor has he said anything controversial about Trump’s pick of Barrett. So, it was ok for Reagan and Trump to nominate women to the high court, but when President Biden does it, it’s taboo. Cruz and other Republicans brought race into the equation when he said that Black women “are insulted” that he is not putting the “most qualified” person up for nomination, whether that person is White or Black, man or woman. Cruz is saying that Biden is not putting the best jurist on the court and that if a White man or woman is not considered, that’s “tough luck” on them. Cruz doesn’t know who Biden’s pick may be because the president hasn’t made his announcement yet. Nonetheless, leave it to Cruz and Susan Collins to spark the fires of divisive politics. Collins said something very interesting in the media saying, she would “welcome” the first Black woman on the court, but(always a but) the way Biden has handled things was “clumsy”. This is the woman who had a chance to make a bold statement during Trump’s impeachments, but she cowered, hoping that Trump “would learn his lesson”. Perhaps thinking like that is one reason why Collins will never be a nominee to the court.

Collins went on to say that the nomination process is politicized and that the Supreme Court is now being seen as a political institution like Congress. Collins is one of a hundred senators who didn’t defy Trump’s picks to the Court, who were highly conservative to Trump’s liking, which in turn made the Supreme Court just a little more political. All presidents nominate someone who leans to their political philosophy, as that is the nature of the political beast. So, when Cruz “speaks up” for Black women, they should remind him that he didn’t forcibly speak up when Trump referred to his wife as ugly during the 2016 presidential campaign. If Collins really wants to “welcome” a Black woman to the Supreme Court, then she should give her her vote. It’s just as simple as that. Rafael can also drop the “Ted” in his name. We know who you are. Remember, the world is watching. So is God.