Guest opinion: Supreme Court justice confirmation shows the importance of voting in Idaho
We are at a critical moment in this country when it comes to reproductive health and rights. The U.S. Senate confirmed Amy Coney Barrett as the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice, concluding the Senate majority’s unprecedented and illegitimate confirmation process, led by Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and supported by Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch.
This rush to fill the seat before passing any pandemic relief underscores a complete disregard for the public health crisis that has infected more than 8 million people in the United States, including 55,729 Idahoans, taken the lives of more than 220,000 across the nation, and left 7.9% of the workforce without a job.
With so much at stake, Amy Coney Barrett is a threat to any progress we have made and any progress we hope to make while she is on the bench. She has a terrifying record and judicial philosophy on reproductive rights, health care, LGBTQ issues and racial discrimination.
Right now, 17 abortion-related cases are one step away from the Supreme Court. These cases that threaten the spirit of the Roe v. Wade decision with incremental bans, combined with “trigger laws” designed to immediately ban abortion if Roe were to fall mean abortion could be eliminated for millions of people.
Idaho has such a “trigger law” in place, and losing abortion access in this state is becoming a dangerous reality. In rural parts of the state and in communities that already face systemic racism and discriminatory policies, abortion may already feel out of reach. The cases now in front of Justice Barrett will dismantle what little abortion access is left for people in these communities.
This is why elections matter. This is why voting matters. And this is why doing everything you can to elect people who will fight for you and what the majority of the country believes is worth it.
Idahoans want access to affordable health care, reproductive freedom and an economy that works for everyone. Planned Parenthood has endorsed candidates in local races who will fight for these rights.
The candidates we’ve endorsed don’t just show up for reproductive health and rights, they understand the intersections that can prevent people from accessing health care. The candidates we’ve endorsed support reproductive rights, Medicaid expansion, the Affordable Care Act and racial justice.
Do not wake up on Nov. 4 wishing you had done more. Voting early, if possible, is of the utmost importance. Taking the extra steps to make calls to voters, talk to friends and family to make sure they are registered and know how to vote, and recruit at least five other people to vote are more important now than they have ever been.
We were delivered a deep blow in our fight for reproductive justice with the appointment of Justice Barrett, but there is still time to make history and keep future generations safe.