{"id":89661,"date":"2020-10-13T07:03:58","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T12:03:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/PERSIAN-HERITAGE.COM\/?p=89661"},"modified":"2020-10-13T07:03:58","modified_gmt":"2020-10-13T12:03:58","slug":"auto-draft-258","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/PERSIAN-HERITAGE.COM\/en\/2020\/10\/13\/auto-draft-258\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court Nominee Barrett: Courts ‘Should Not Try’ to Make Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"VOA \u2014 Confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett opened Monday in Washington, with Barrett telling senators that courts \u201cshould not try\u201d to make policy and should leave that to American presidents and Congress.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Barrett laid out a strict interpretation of the high court\u2019s role, saying it is “not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the hearings started, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the lead Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, immediately signaled that the minority Democrats plan to sharply question Barrett about one major policy dispute \u2014 her view that a 2012 Supreme Court decision upholding the legality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a national health care law affecting millions of Americans, was wrongly decided.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"Supreme<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett arrives for her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 12, 2020.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The court is considering a new challenge to the ACA on Nov. 10, by which time Barrett could be a justice on the nine-member court, deciding whether to overturn the statute or allow\u00a0it to stand.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wearing a black face mask, Barrett listened as senators made their opening statements regarding her nomination, and when they finished, she offered hers. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The stakes for her nomination are high. The Republican-controlled Senate is looking to confirm her appointment just days ahead of the Nov. 3 national presidential election. \u00a0<\/p>\n

In nominating Barrett, Republican President Donald Trump hopes to cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the court before Election Day. His Democratic challenger in the presidential campaign, former Vice President Joe Biden, insists that either he or Trump should make the Supreme Court appointment after the inauguration in January. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cVoting is under way in 40 states,\u201d Feinstein said, adding, \u201cLet the American people be heard\u201d by delaying consideration of a replacement for liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last month.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"Sen.<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaks during a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 12, 2020.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than 7 million voters have cast early ballots in the presidential election. A Washington Post-ABC News poll showed that 44% of registered voters say the Senate should hold hearings and vote on Barrett\u2019s nomination, while 52% say the nomination should be left to the winner of the presidential election and a Senate vote next year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In his opening remarks, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said the hearings would be \u201ca long, contentious week,\u201d but added, \u201cI think I know how the vote will come out.\u201d<\/p>\n

He predicted that all 12 Republicans on the panel would vote for Barrett\u2019s confirmation, with the 10 Democrats uniformly opposed. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"Committee<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>
Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks to the media during a break in the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill, Oct. 12, 2020.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trump complained Monday on Twitter about the Democrats’ objections to the nomination.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Republicans are giving the Democrats a great deal of time, which is not mandated, to make their self-serving statements relative to our great new future Supreme Court Justice,\u201d Trump tweeted.<\/p>\n

Barrett is a devout Catholic, but Biden said Monday her “faith should not be considered. No one\u2019s faith should be questioned.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Republican leaders say they have enough votes in the full Senate to confirm Barrett\u2019s nomination days before the election, a stance at odds with their position in 2016 when they refused to consider former Democratic President Barack Obama\u2019s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland that came eight months before the presidential election that Trump won.\u00a0<\/p>\n

WATCH:\u00a0Barrett confirmation hearing<\/strong><\/p>\n

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