On Friday, the long-dreaded Supreme Court decision to take away the reproductive rights of more than half of the country became official. The decision overturns the 49-year-old Roe v. Wade decision protecting people’s rights to choose whether or not they will have an abortion. This is not the only civil right in jeopardy from this court, as Justice Clarence Thomas wrote he believes similar decisions that rely on the 14th Amendment protecting rights to contraception and same-sex marriage should be “reconsidered” as well. Thomas left off the Loving case from his list, the one that allowed interracial marriages, but don’t worry—I suspect he’d rule against that as well.
The Democratic Party has known for some time that this day was coming. They knew it was coming when Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell stole the Supreme Court seat former President Barack Obama was set to fill after Justice Antonin Scalia died on a “free” weekend stay at a West Texas resort, and Donald Trump was able to fill the seat with Neil Gorsuch. Democratic leadership knew this day was coming when the clearly incompetent Justice Anthony Kennedy retired and Trump nominated alleged sexual assaulter Brett Kavanaugh to the high court. The Democratic Party knew this day was coming when Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away and Donald Trump filled her seat with Amy Coney Barrett, a member of a religious cult/sect of Christianity.
So on Friday, weeks after a draft of this decision leaks to the public, the Democratic leadership announces that they … are not happy with this decision. No action.
RELATED STORY: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ending abortion rights for millions
Democratic lawmakers flanked Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in front of the House of Representatives in order to promote the passing of a gun bill that will do some good things, but nowhere near what needs to be done. Unfortunately, as the protesters in front of them should have clued them into, the Supreme Court announced the whole no-one-has-reproductive-rights anymore thing, so Pelosi and her House Democrats had to consider that their audience was not there for what seems like a very minor victory in a skirmish where we are clearly losing the war.
So what did they decide to do? Associated Press Washington, D.C., correspondent Farnoush Amiri tweeted out a video of these House Democrats, maybe three dozen, standing like a choir on the steps of the House, singing “God Bless America.” What. The. Fuck? The responses from Democratic voters and progressives is thunderous in its frustration with this absolutely incoherent piece of political theater.
To get more perspective.
God bless America? What. The. Fuck????
It’s amazing.
It’s really just profoundly unfortunate. If you are going to play politics you have to be able to do it better than this because right now, at this time, with all of the polling telling you that what you are doing politically ain’t working, this performance comes across exactly like this.
What’s the takeaway?
There’s a fight for our lives and the Democratic Party’s leadership needs to step up or step away. The Republicans that you have had drinks with for decades are not your friends and musical theater is an important art but it isn’t the solution to the problems we face in our government.
Correction: When first published, the story placed the event on the steps of the Supreme Court. The event took place on the steps of the House of Representatives.
Sign and send the petition to Congress: Enact federal abortion protections.