No one should play political games with our judicial system. Too often, ideologues want to use the courts to attack our cherished rights and freedoms. Every confirmation of a judge who has a partisan agenda, and is hostile to fundamental rights and liberties, is a profound loss to us all.
Federal judges rule every day on issues that affect the quality of our lives. They determine whether companies will be penalized for failing to stop discrimination or sexual harassment, whether workers qualify for time off under the Family & Medical Leave Act, or whether women will have access to the reproductive care they need. Federal judges are appointed for life, so the judges appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate will have an impact that lasts for decades.
The stakes are particularly high for women during the judicial review process. Much of the progress that has opened doors for women in the workplace, in education, and in business could not have happened without judges willing to follow the law and extend its protections to all. But today, many of the rights most critical to women are at risk, as battles around judicial nominations have grown more heated and divisive.
The National Partnership has been working to educate decision makers and the public about the records of judicial nominees and the importance of rejecting judges who lack a commitment to equal justice and opportunity. We highlight the potential impact of the most extreme judicial nominees and work to defeat nominees that could undermine hard-won rights. Most importantly, we want to make sure that the courts operate fairly and free of bias, and are not used to turn back the clock on women’s progress.
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