Citizens across the country have a range of reasons for opposing President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch. For Reverend Dr. Robert P. Shine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it's a question of moral leadership. On Saturday, The Philadelphia Tribune published an op-ed by Reverend Shine in which he emphasizes that Senator Bob Casey doesn't have a tough call to make on the Supreme Court when it's clear that Judge Gorsuch hasn't demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting all Americans.
Shine wrote:
You would think that an appreciation for the role of the federal courts in protecting Americans’ constitutional rights would be the first qualification for any Supreme Court justice. But Judge Gorsuch has argued that liberals should stop relying on the courts to pursue what he calls their “social agenda” — little things like equality and the future of public education. The chaos of Donald Trump’s first week reaffirmed how important it is that people can trust the courts to hold the administration accountable when it betrays constitutional values.
The same Judge Gorsuch who shoos ordinary people away from the courtroom finds plenty of room for corporations, ruling that giant for-profit companies can claim exemption from laws protecting their employees based on the religious beliefs of company owners. The Hobby Lobby case was about women’s access to contraception, but it could be used as a way for companies to get around nondiscrimination laws and other worker protections.
You can read his full op-ed here.