Citizens Prerogative

Episode discussion topics

• According to the constitution, we have the right to a separation between any church and the laws of our republic. This is also intended to insulate our system of self-rule from a set of outside influences.
• Our republic is intended to be a secular one. People should be free to practice religion, or not, without any state sponsorship of any one religion; including Protestantism, the religion of King Henry VIII, nor any other one.
• The United States has been a historic salad of faith systems, both rich in its diversity and choices for citizens to exercise their freedom. From the U.S. Bill of Rights, Constitutional Amendment I:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

• Take a moment to re-frame ourselves with some history, rather than this being a Christian or Judeo-Christian nation, it was Protestant to its origins. That was the Church the England that was brought over with the founders, not all of them of course.
  
• Today 6 of 9 Justices identify as having Catholic roots and the other 3 are Jewish. It doesn't sound very diverse and in fact, this is a major shift away from the historically Protestant backgrounds that justices used to have. We only highlight these facts because MVP and RWJ found them interesting. This court's decisions will show how true their loyalty is to our constitution.
• There are a number of civil liberties that are at risk given the make-up of our current courts as they are likely to perform an about-face march into the past. In reversing course, they will trample over many freedoms we enjoy today like to marry who we want or have children on our own terms. We may not be able to enjoy tomorrow, simply due to judicial reinterpretation of the constitution. Quite flippant if you ask us and will call into question, as it had happened in the past, the legitimacy of this third co-equal branch of our government.
• This final reminder that we should be left secure in our person-hood by the state according to the U.S. Bill of Rights, Constitutional Amendment IV:
  

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated."

• Calls to Action:
  
  • Explicitly amend the constitution to remove ambiguity from women's freedoms with the Equal Rights Amendment - ERA and also everyone else's with the Equality Act. These could mitigate the court's power to alter our lives at their whim or the minority rule circles in which they exist.
  • Support congressional candidates that are open to establishing term limits on the Supreme Court, life-term appointments are too much now that we live so much longer:
    • For context average life expectancy is now closer to the 80s and back when the court was established, life expectancy was merely 38 years.
    • On top of that, we now have two of the youngest and arguably unwise appointments to the court that may serve for life, possibly 30 years or more based on average life expectancy.
  • Become more aware of your state's supreme court justices and the positions they take on specific issues and whether they align with your values.
  • Ask your U.S. Senator or House Member about unshadowing the shadow docket. We need more transparency for all federal courts, perhaps a C-SPAN for the courts?

Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.

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