The aggressive reversal of Roe v. Wade, destroying a constitutional right for women that existed for five decades, let loose a chain reaction that will define the course of America for a generation.
Fateful and indescribably important moments in the history of our democracy will occur from former President Trump’s attempts to steal the 2020 election, the 2022 midterm elections, and — presumably — the 2024 presidential election. These also will shape the next decade of American democracy and American life.
These matters will have a profound impact on our politics and elections — more than experts think, because they powerfully and personally affect either every one of us, either directly or the people we love deeply. Upon such things voters will vote, our nation will rise, and change will come.
I doubt that our troubled nation will stand with five Supreme Court justices, on a court with only 25 percent approval according to Gallup, packed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), whose average approval rating is only 25.5 percent, according to RealClearPolitics.
Even today McConnell threatens, shamefully, that if Republicans win power in the Senate, he may refuse to give President Biden’s nominees a vote. Biden should challenge McConnell aggressively about this. If he does, he will prevail.
I doubt our troubled nation will stand with five Supreme Court justices who, according to their opinions, might next outlaw same-sex marriage and contraceptives, in their rigid view of how all Americans must exercise the lifestyle rooted in their faith. These five Supreme Court justices promised the opposite of what they are doing now, when they were confirmed under oath.
The legal extremism of the Supreme Court in Roe, which follows an attack against gun control, after another mass murder that destroyed the lives of American children, has set loose a hyper-motivated movement for change that is happening in towns, cities and communities across the nation.
Women and the men who love them are organizing, registering, voting, speaking at town meetings, supporting state initiatives and pressuring Congress to act.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is a pacesetter, seeking to defend children in the Golden State from gun violence and to protect women from the Supreme Court’s attack on their rights. He calls on all who believe in justice and freedom to stand at the barricades and fight like hell to condemn those who burn books and constitutional rights, discriminate against LGBTQ neighbors, threaten the rights of our women and the lives of our children.
Countless members of the House and Senate are pushing hard to pass legislation in the House to fiercely protect our rights and way of life, and demand that all senators, oppose all filibusters that would put an end to these protections.
Thomas Paine wrote in December 1776 “these are the times that try men’s souls.” Today we could say these are the times that try women’s souls, as well as the souls of the men who love and stand with them. Their rights were eviscerated by a Supreme Court pursuing a radical agenda, including justices who betrayed the senators who confirmed them, who would never have been confirmed if they had answered with the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
We might also say “these are the times that try children’s souls,”, and all who love those children. We witness the horror of children having to practice hiding under their desks in school, the horror of watching our sons and daughters being mass-murdered, and the horror of certain politicians who lack the courage to stop killers from having the military weapons that mass murder our children and neighbors.
Here we stand.
Most of the American people stand with us.
If we fight hard, we will win.
Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the House of Representatives.