Threat to Health Care and Civil Rights

Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative judge with a stated opposition to the Affordable Care Act and many Civil Rights laws, was confirmed on Monday, October 26, 2020, as the next Supreme Court Justice.

Only Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins defected, while Democrats boycotted the formal vote.

"After refusing a Democratic nominee to the Supreme Court because an election was eight months away, they will confirm a Republican nominee before an election that is eight days away," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who is a Democrat.

"The Republican majority is lighting its credibility on fire. This hypocritical, 180-degree turn is spectacularly obvious to the American people. The American people will suffer the consequences of Judge Barrett's far-right, out of the mainstream views for generations," Schumer warned.

The high court now has three appointees of President Donald Trump and a 6-3 super majority.

It also sets up a window for Trump to sabotage the General Election, one in which polls show he trails by double-digits heading into the final week of campaigning.

"In the crudest possible disparagement of Justice Ginsberg's work, the Senate has continued its court-packing with the confirmation of far-right extremist Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. Not only an insult to the memory of a tireless advocate for human rights, outspoken protector of equality, and lifelong advocate for justice, the move is an unapologetic and hypocritical power grab by Trump and his co-conspirators in the Senate," stated Marcela Howell, the president, and CEO of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda.

Among the issues the Supreme Court will soon hear are Pennsylvania ballot extensions.

Just two days before Barrett's confirmation, the GOP in the Keystone State asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block a ballot receipt extension that would allow them to be counted if received within three days of Election Day -even if they do not have a legible postmark.

Three Wisconsin petitions are also before the court that concern Democrats who ask the justices to allow the counting of ballots six days after the election and whether COVID vulnerable voters and others in the state can secure replacement mail-in ballots via email.

Also, a Republican candidate for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District has asked the court to intervene in a case concerning whether his election takes place on November 3 or on February 9.

The controversy arose after the recent death of Legal Marijuana Now Party candidate Adam Weeks which caused the contest to be moved to next year as required by state law.

The court is preparing to hear whether a New York prosecutor will get access to Trump's financial documents from January 2011 to August 2019, including his tax returns.

It's believed Coney would side with Trump, raising concerns that if the high court has to decide the 2020 presidential election, the president will retain the office because he's appointed Coney and two other justices: Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Schumer noted that abortion rights are also on the line.

Many believe Barrett's confirmation signals the end of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision.

In Mississippi, a federal judge struck down the law in November 2018, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling late last year.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said she believes Barrett would uphold Roe v. Wade.

"I believe that, given how she outlined, not only to me but how she spoke to the issue of reliance when she was before the committee, I believe that she will look at that and weight that in any matters in any cases that come before her that take up Roe v. Wade," Murkowski said.

"I don't see her overturning the decision in Roe v. Wade, based on based on the weighting of other reliance factors," she added.

Another significant case facing the U.S. Supreme Court this fall is the Affordable Care Act's fate, which Barrett has gone on record opposing.

With no replacement for the health care law - commonly known as Obamacare - it's estimated that more than 22 million Americans will lose coverage. That number includes a large swath of African Americans and others with preexisting conditions.

"Without a replacement in place for Obamacare, the loss of this act will make things more difficult for those who need healthcare the most, in particular, the underrepresented and under served communities, and those with preexisting conditions," stated Dawon Hawkins, the Chief People and Training Officer for the health care startup Xcelrate UDI.

"Obamacare has provided affordable healthcare for millions of Americans,

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