June the Month of Gloom:
June was a whirlwind of a month, here is a rundown of the events: the separating of 2,300 families and placing young children in detention centers, the abysmal G-7 summit, starting trade wars with our allies and the terrible rulings by the Supreme Court along with Justice Kennedy retiring, the month of June is one to remember. Sidebar: the separating of 2,300 kids is the most unthinkable act America has done besides Slavery, the Trail of Tears and placing Japanese families in internment camps during World War 2.
It should be noted, the immigration policy is nothing more than a force-fed issue by the GOP who have no real issues to run on, therefore they are creating problems.
Here is a rundown of the Supreme Court Rulings:
1. Employees: Arbitration and Labor Unions
When it comes to working out a conflict between workers and companies, the Supreme court ruled that arbitration is the legal route to take. With arbitration, the conflict will be resolved one on one and not in a class-action lawsuit where numerous employees could have banded together to take a company to court. With 30 years of stagnant wages, employee time theft, the ruling of arbitration is a legal blow to workers. Essentially, the Supreme court has given employers the legal right to screw over workers.
“According to the New York Times, “The majority based its ruling on the First Amendment, saying that requiring payments to unions that negotiate with the government forces workers to endorse political messages that may be at odds with their beliefs.”
According to the New York Times, “The majority based its ruling on the First Amendment, saying that requiring payments to unions that negotiate with the government forces workers to endorse political messages that may be at odds with their beliefs. Labor unions have been the backbone of middle-class workers. Not only that, labor Unions were created because there were no laws to protect employees from practices and harsh treatment from employers.
The undoing protections for employees set America and future generations back to when the people worked with no labor laws and legal protections from the justice system.
2. Voting Rights:
Voting in America has a terrible past with innocent people being physically harmed and laws enacted by racists to prevent groups of citizens from participating. In another blow to America and us the people, the Supreme Court has ruled the state of Ohio can continue with their massive purging of voters.
In a contentious political climate during contentious midterms, this ruling not only sets America back, but allow states to continue with disenfranchising tactics to prevent minorities from voting.
“Nevertheless, the ruling that Ohio can continue to purge voters for missing a “few” elections is a decision not in the best interest of our democracy.”
As stated in the New York Times, “the justices ruled, states can kick citizens off voters’ rolls if they have missed a few elections.” First, what is meant by a few elections? This ruling is extremely vague which gives the Republicans an opportunity to argue missing 1 election as a few. Additionally, for 8 years Republicans have been arguing without any evidence that voter fraud has taken place, and Donald Trump failed voter commission was created based on no evidence.
Nevertheless, the ruling that Ohio can continue to purge voters for missing a “few” elections is a decision not in the best interest of our democracy.
3. Gay Rights: Bake the Damn Cake
For decades, the cornerstone rhetoric of the Republican party is freedom and we the people have choices. Sidebar: this argument comes in handy for when Republicans are discriminating against the LGBTQ community. In another terrible ruling, America’s Supreme Court decided Masterpiece did not have to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. In Mr. Phillips words, “Mr. Phillips turned them down, saying he would not use his talents to convey a message of support for same-sex marriage at odds with his religious faith.
The ruling in favor of Mr. Phillips asks the questions are businesses allowed to discriminate? And, is the first amendment being used the wrong way?
For many of the rulings similar to Masterpiece and the Ohio voting purge case, the first amendment is cited utilizing freedom of speech. Sidebar: in the labor union rulings, the Supreme court ruled paying fees to labor union can enhance the ability of speech for these organizations. Sidebar: the ruling that Corporations are people and allowing massive amounts of money into our political system for decades has allowed money to become speech in support of the wrong organizations.
Sidebar: the ruling that Corporations are people and allowing massive amounts of money into our political system for decades has allowed money to become speech in support of the wrong organizations.
Not only is this ruling questionable, it seems more questions are being asked because of the citizens united ruling where corporations are people. Do the Supreme Court justices not see the issue with this and their ruling on labor unions?
What’s Next for America?
The rulings by the Supreme Court Justices have left more questions than answers and has set America back. From voting rights to freedom of speech, these rulings have left an opening of more issues the future generation who will have to fix and an opening to further dismantle the progress America has made since its birth. Sidebar: the reason FDR proposed a bill to change the Supreme Court was the justices prevented necessary policies from being implemented.
” Sidebar: the reason FDR proposed a bill to change the Supreme Court was the justices prevented necessary policies from being implemented.”
The policies were designed to put people to work with social programs and bring America back from a catastrophic economic collapse. It seems the decisions are a calling for a much-needed realistic change in America’s supreme court.
Sources:
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/7/17/17581384/irs-dark-money-nra-maria-butina-donors
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/18/us/politics/supreme-court-decisions.html
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/18/us/politics/supreme-court-decisions.html
Also published on Medium.