From The Straits Times · · 1m 10s
Justice Kagan calls court rulings 'destructive to democracy'
US Supreme Court Justice Kagan warns conservative court decisions have worsened political polarization and democracy.
In brief
US Supreme Court Justice Kagan warns conservative court decisions have worsened political polarization and democracy. US Supreme Court Justice Kagan says recent rulings have made democracy 'very destructive' by enabling partisan gerrymandering and campaign finance corruption. Originally reported by The Straits Times.
Justice Kagan's warning
US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan says the court's conservative majority has undermined democracy and created a race to the bottom in how congressional districts are drawn.
“the court's conservative majority has undermined democracy and "created a race to the bottom" in how congressional districts are drawn”
Partisan gerrymandering impact
Kagan states both political parties have engaged in a race to the bottom through partisan gerrymandering, depriving citizens of voting equality.
“both political parties have been engaged in a race to the bottom in terms of doing these partisan gerrymanders, effectively depriving masses of citizens of their rights to voting equality”
Political polarization
Kagan warns that red and blue states are redrawing maps to win seats, making the country 'very destructive to our democracy'.
“in this election, and the next election, we are seeing large states with substantial numbers of people who vote for republicans and who vote for democrats, and the states are going to be tried to turn all red or all blue in a way that i think is very destructive to our democracy”
Voting rights ruling
The court gutted a pillar of the Voting Rights Act in April, prompting redistricting across the South to eliminate majority-black districts.
“the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, in april gutted a pillar of the voting rights act, a landmark 1965 civil rights law that aimed to prevent racial discrimination in voting”
Campaign finance impact
Kagan says the court's June campaign finance decision has created opportunities for donors to corrupt candidates through quid pro quo arrangements.
“the one place where the court has allowed campaign finance regulation to operate is to prevent quid pro quo corruption, kind of money for favours, and the court never seems to see the opportunities for doing exactly that”
Consequence for democracy
Kagan warns that the court's decisions have created a democracy that doesn't work as well as it should, with widespread corruption concerns.
“i think you know the people of america look around this political system and think that all this money, chasing all these political candidates, is a nightmare, and they're right”
The essence
US Supreme Court Justice Kagan says recent rulings have made democracy 'very destructive' by enabling partisan gerrymandering and campaign finance corruption.
