As the U.S. Supreme Court opens the first Monday in October, Justices face several decisions that could have sweeping consequences for American society.
After two previous sessions providing “blockbuster” rulings — on the validity of same-sex marriage and the Affordable Care Act — what is on the docket could make this year no less contentious.
What is more is that the decisions this time there could be a marked shift to the right, writes Richard Wolf in USA Today.
Possible rulings could be in two cases against racial minorities, as well as abortion rights in as many as two others. The Justices could also uphold government-meeting prayers, relax restrictions on wealthy political donors, negate federal environmental regulations and take some of the teeth out of ObamaCare.
According to Wolf, the SCOTUS will work through the federal shutdown, and through various cases before them could limit the ability of the U.S. government to take on states and municipalities. They will also hear a challenge by abortion opponents to a law in Massachusetts establishing a 35-foot buffer zone around health clinics that perform abortions.
One indication of what is to come is the power flexed by Chief Justice John Roberts, who ruled against the Voting Rights Act. That decision made it easier for southern states to implement new voting restrictions.
Another clue is in perpetual swing vote Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, who required the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages. Kennedy also ordered lower courts to scrutinize affirmative action closely at public universities for possible violations.
Cases on same-sex marriage, voting rights and affirmative action face the high court again in the near future. The SCOTUS call for closer examination of racial preferences at the University of Texas’ is back after making its way through the lower court. There are also new challenges filed against voting restrictions in North Carolina.
The court could revisit the defeat of California’s Proposition 8 gay marriage ban, this time in a Virginia case that seeks to legalize same-sex marriage.
Tom Goldstein, publisher of Scotusblog.com and a regular Supreme Court litigant, tells USA Today that such cases are “making their way to the Supreme Court like a rocket ship, or a series of rocket ships.”
