SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – The U.S. Supreme Court has ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place for nearly 50 years, and for many Bay Area politicians – like Rep. Jackie Speier – the news has been devastating.
For more, stream KCBS Radio now.
"The Supreme Court is a weaponized body of the right-wing now," The longtime veteran Congresswoman, who represents California's 14th Congressional District on the Peninsula, told KCBS Radio's Melissa Culross and Doug Sovern on Friday. "It is extreme. I'm calling them the 'Extreme Supremes.'"
"They have taken on these issues and politicized the court," she said. "Half the women in this country are going to lose the right to have control over their bodies."
"There is now going to be government-mandated pregnancy," Speier said.
"Let's be clear, this is not about the sanctity of life," she said. "This is about ensuring that women aren’t equal."
It's just no longer accurate for the Supreme Court to assert that it is not a political body.
It's especially unsettling considering that in their Supreme Court confirmation hearings, it was stated that Roe v. Wade was settled law. "They swore under oath that they would tell the truth, and they said that Roe was settled law," said Speier.
Now, just two to three years later, they have overturned Roe v. Wade, proving they cannot be trusted, she said.
Justice Clarence Thomas in particular has voiced that not only is abortion fair game at this point, but so are other issues, including contraception, LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "Ironically, he didn't talk about how he is in a racially mixed marriage, and under the Loving decision, you could argue that wasn’t in the constitution either," said Speier.
Speier is referring to Loving v. Virginia, from 1967, which legalized interracial marriage in the United States.
"They have manipulated the Constitution to be able to promote their particular political philosophy," she said.
It's also ironic that the day after ruling that states did not have the authority to create certain gun control laws, leaving that to the federal government, they now have put their responsibility for banning abortion back on the states.
In both cases, the court referenced laws from the 1700s. "This is a court that wants to take us back in time," she said. "The constitution is a living, breathing document and yet they want to read it, very narrowly."
"Well then, we should only have muskets, as far as I’m concerned," said Speier.
Going forward, voters need to understand just how critical this coming November election is. "We need to retain the majority in the House and the Senate, or else, it's game over," she said.
And it's time to get rid of the filibuster, which has been hampering the ability of Congress to push legislation forward that would codify Roe v. Wade in the Constitution.
"Then we will be ruled by a majority, not by an extreme minority," said Speier.
DOWNLOAD the Audacy App
SIGN UP and follow KCBS Radio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Related
