Call to Action to Block a GOP SCOTUS Pick

Rabbi Michael Lerner and Rabbi Arthur Waskow have developed a strategy in response to President Trump’s attempt to appoint a new Supreme Court Justice to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

STOP THE CONFIRMATION OF A  REACTIONARY SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

Our Torah urges us to choose life. At this moment, that means blocking the President from choosing the next member of the Supreme Court till the coming election determines who will be the next President. That election gives us a chance to achieve the following:

1. Health care covered by insurance for all and effective public-health policies.
2. The independent moral agency of women to make their own conscientious decisions about birth control and abortion.
3. Protection of Earth and Humankind from the climate crisis and from mass extinction.
4. The full achievement of racial justice in the US.
5. The achievement of elections in which every citizen 18 years of age or older is able to vote, and in which it is not possible for the wealthy and their corporations to use their money to dominate elections.
6. Popularizing the notion that we must build “The Caring Society–Caring for Each Other and Caring for the Earth.”

The present President’s nominee would be almost certain to oppose all of these. Majorities of the American public support them. Yet reactionary (not “conservative”)  Justices have tried to block each one, and one more such Justice could prevent them for decades.

What can we do?

NO CONSENT CAMPAIGN

Every Senator has the power to refuse “unanimous consent” to a myriad of procedural decisions, thereby stalling a bare majority of the Senate from destroying American lives, compassion, justice, and democracy for years to come. Call your own Senators and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urging that they use this tactic until the Majority Leader withdraws all action on a Supreme Court nominee.

Denial of “unanimous consent” for several months would give senators time to reflect more seriously on how to prevent the disaster of a Supreme Court being in position to declare “unconstitutional” every progressive move made by a new President and a more progressive Congress.

Call your friends, relatives, co-workers, members of your religious or civic organization and urge them to also call their U.S. Senator to join this “No Consent Campaign” to stop the President from packing the Supreme Court with another reactionary justice.

A phone call to 1-202-224-3121 can reach each Senator, one at a time. For the sake of your future and that of all our children and grandchildren, call. And call. And call.

~ Rabbi Michael Lerner and Rabbi Arthur Waskow

This New York Times Article also addresses the strategy outlined above. Indivisible is also advocating for this strategy. You can read what they have to say on this issue here.

We urge you to take action as we continue to work for our “unrealistic” (yet realistically necessary) yearnings and policies for a loving and compassionate world.