Kavanaugh Nomination - What's At Stake, What Can We Do?
The balance of the US Supreme Court is set to change significantly for a generation or more, following Kennedy’s retirement and Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to fill his seat.
Kavanaugh is a partisan Republican and an extremist, and his confirmation would pose a serious threat to reproductive rights, healthcare, environmental protection, net neutrality, works’ rights, LGBTQ rights, gun violence prevention laws, voting rights and more.
Kavanaugh was one of 25 potential SCOTUS candidates on a list pre-approved by 2 conservative groups - the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation - and given to the president to use. Kavanaugh was chosen because of the corporate and ideological interests he represents and as such his nomination is anti-democratic. Kavanaugh has also said he believes a sitting president cannot be indicted and should be able to hire and fire special counsels. His confirmation must be stopped.
“We cannot sit by while our values — abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, voting rights, workers’ rights, reining in corporate interests — are hijacked by a conservative base desperate to make change not through democracy and the ballot box, but through the judiciary”
What can we do?
1. McConnell says he will hold a vote on Kavanaugh before the Midterms. What we must do is convince 51 senators to oppose this nominee - i.e. all the Democratic Senators must vote no, plus at least 2 Republican Senators.
2. We must make it absolutely clear to our US Senators what is at stake with this SCOTUS vote, and what we expect them to do.
3. A vote for Kavanaugh is:
- A vote to ban abortion
- A vote to end affordable healthcare
- A vote against environmental protection
- A vote against workers rights
- A vote against democracy.
4. Our Senators need to vote NO to his confirmation. They must also understand that the way they vote will be remembered in November.
Here is the list of the Senators we think are worth writing to, calling, tweeting. The list includes MN Senators, as well as Dem and GOP Senators in other states who may be wavering about which way to vote. Normally people should only write their own Senators. However, we think everyone has the right to contact Senators whose vote will impact the future of this country so significantly for the next few decades at least. So write to as many of these Senators as you can.
And if you have friends and family who live in any of the following states - FL, IN, MI, MO, ND, OH, PA, WI, WV - encourage them to write to their Senators too.
5. Senator Tina Smith has come out strongly against Brett Kavanaugh. Sign her petition.
6. Women’s March National has put together a Stop Kavanaugh #DefendRoe action. Check it out and make sure to sign their #DefendRoe petition.
7. Most importantly, commit now to support GOTV efforts to ensure that progressives are elected both in MN and in other states. If your district is safe, sign up to a campaign that needs your support and donate, door-knock, phone-bank for them.
8. For more on details on the fight to #SaveScotus, see what Indivisible is saying and follow groups like NARAL ProChoice MN for actions they are suggesting.