Letter to the Editor

Democracy is on the ballot

By Ted Millar, Milton
Posted 6/30/22

Last week, three Supreme Court rulings illustrated how decades of legalized political bribery are chipping away at democracy, driving it closer to resembling fascist Hungary, Turkey, and Middle …

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Letter to the Editor

Democracy is on the ballot

Posted

Last week, three Supreme Court rulings illustrated how decades of legalized political bribery are chipping away at democracy, driving it closer to resembling fascist Hungary, Turkey, and Middle Eastern autocracies.

First, the court’s right-wing majority undermined the separation of church and state by decreeing the state of Maine must fund religious education as part of a school voucher program that defrays tuition for students in the most rural areas. This is not a “states’ rights” canard. It’s a part of deliberate, well-funded coordination between Washington and so-called “Christian” dark money groups to chip away and ultimately destroy public education.

SCOTUS ruled unconstitutional a century-old New York law requiring residents to secure permits to carry guns in public. Again, not a “states’ rights” canard. It’s deliberate, well-funded coordination between Washington and wealthy donors to push back against common-sense gun legislation.

SCOTUS upended 50 years of “settle law” when it overturned Roe vs. Wade, for the first time in history revoking rights instead of granting them. Again, not “states’ rights”, but well-funded coordination between Washington and “Christian” dark money groups.

Justice Clarence Thomas has indicated SCOTUS will not stop there. Prior interpretations permitting same-sex marriage, inter-racial marriage, and birth control are in peril.  

Congress has constitutional authority to regulate the court. One way is to expand its size, which has been done seven times.

Congress must codify Roe, Lawrence v. Texas, Loving v. Virginia, Griswold v. Connecticut, Obergefell v. Hodges.

It’s not hyperbole that democracy is on the ballot this November.