The Supreme Court is now debating two contentious issues: abortion and gun control. This will reveal the court's true conservative leanings.
One thing is certain for Democrats: the present Supreme Court is a "Trump Court." Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia, sought to warn his Republican opponent Glenn Youngkin with this message.
If candidates like Youngkin, who has a decent chance of winning Tuesday's election, are elected, women in many regions would soon be unable to have an abortion. The national abortion law, according to McAuliffe, is in grave jeopardy because of the court's new conservative majority. States might then determine how to deal with the problem on their own.
It may be clear soon if McAuliffe is correct. This week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on two subjects that have significant socio-political ramifications in the United States: abortion law and gun regulation. On Monday, a hearing was held to discuss a contentious Texas law that effectively bans virtually all abortions. The federal government and abortion facility owners are both protesting this.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday on whether states can limit the right to bear arms in public, as guaranteed by the second amendment. The norm in New York State for a century has been that you have to explain an important reason.
Two plaintiffs, backed by the gun lobbying group National Rifle Association, are defending themselves (NRA). The NRA, which is sympathetic to Republicans, is anticipating that the verdict would have a snowball effect in other states.
On the surface, it is plausible to assume that a court to which Republican ex-President Donald Trump was able to select three justices, including hardline anti-abortion opponent Amy Coney Barrett, has shifted to the right. It's been a long time since the Conservatives had such a commanding majority - 6: 3 -.
The Conservative Party is not a homogeneous group
They do not, however, form a monolithic block: Chief Justice John Roberts has positioned himself as a centrist judge in recent years in this manner. Brett Kavanaugh, who was appointed by Trump and is close friends with Roberts, is now part of this faction, despite Democrats' attempts to block his confirmation due to sexual assault charges.
Furthermore, there is indication that the court does not want to be known as a "Trump Court." It didn't achieve what Trump had anticipated after the November election: the Supreme Court didn't help him stay in power. Other topics, including as immigration and Trump's attempts to reverse Barack Obama's health-care legislation, left him unhappy.
Is “Roe v Wade” on the brink?
It will now be interesting to observe how the court handles the issues of abortion and gun control. The 1973 landmark judgment "Roe v Wade" and a subsequent decision in 1992 appeared to put an end to the abortion debate. Pregnancy in the first three months is, roughly speaking, a private affair in which the state should not intervene.
Texas is currently attempting to circumvent this by outlawing abortions once a heartbeat is found. This is true starting around the sixth week, when the majority of women are unaware that they are pregnant. Even for rape and incest, there are no exceptions.
In Texas, the number of abortions has fallen sharply
The Texans' strategy for getting around "Roe v Wade": Violations are not prosecuted by the state, but rather by private citizens who are rewarded financially for reporting them.
The consequences of a law that exposes doctors and clinics to lawsuits are already being felt: The number of abortions in Texas has decreased by roughly 50% since the regulation went into effect on September 1. Long wait periods for such an intervention have been reported in adjacent states such as Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Other conservative states have already stated that if the Supreme Court allows the bill to pass, they would follow Texas' lead.
Grace Rykaczewski is overjoyed because of this. The New Jersey student was among a group of young, cheerful ladies who gathered in front of the Supreme Court's majestic marble steps on Monday morning. They are waving red heart balloons and banners that read, "Let their hearts beat."
All abortions should be prohibited, the student claims
"Every abortion destroys the life of an innocent kid," Rykaczewski, ponytail, jeans, red T-shirt, explains why she travelled almost four hours to protest in Washington. "It's also traumatic for women."
The "abortion business" continuously promotes the idea that having a child and having a profession are incompatible. They did, however, wish to encourage women and assist them in making the decision to have children. All abortions, including the morning-after pill, should be prohibited, according to Rykaczewski. "For me, the earth begins when I am conceived."
A few meters away, Julie Rice is standing. In a white coat and mask, an emergency doctor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore is shocked by the Texas legislation and fears for the future.
The doctor fears for health care
"I believe the Supreme Court will hollow out 'Roe v Wade.'" Women would no longer be able to get the health treatment they require, and if in doubt, they would try to end their pregnancy on their own.
Rice claims that she feels enraged and depressed, and that she is concerned for her patients. She also holds a placard that reads, "Abortion is health care."
Even if the environment is quiet on Monday, ideological factions battle in front of the Supreme Court. The demonstrations are held side by side, with neither side interfering with the other.
Three hours of hearing
The justices in the "United States v Texas" case heard three hours of arguments on Monday, which were relayed to the protestors through loudspeakers. This suggests that the judges may allow at least one of the two cases to proceed. Kavanaugh, in particular, wants to know if governments may use a system similar to Texas' to restrict other basic rights like freedom of expression, religion, or the right to carry guns.
For this reason, many predict the bill will be struck down by the court. This isn't a final conclusion on the subject.
Abortions are illegal in Mississippi after the 15th week. Abortions are illegal in Mississippi after the 15th week
This might come as soon as December 1, when the Supreme Court hears a Mississippi legislation prohibiting abortions beyond the 15th week. The state wants to reverse the Supreme Court's decision in "Roe v Wade." After that, Julie Rice and Grace Rykaczewski intend to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Rice thinks that if the Supreme Court erodes "Roe v Wade," it would return to a patchwork quilt, as it was before the 1973 ruling. Each state would then have to come up with its own set of rules.