Part 12/14:
This case's roots trace back to the strategic appointments made during the Trump administration, which significantly shifted the Court’s ideological makeup. Trump appointed three justices (Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett), solidifying a conservative majority that is now poised to make landmark decisions.
The significance becomes clearer when considering how justices serve for life, meaning decisions made today will influence American civil rights and electoral politics for decades. Democrats, who historically blocked appointments like Merrick Garland’s in 2016, now face the reality of a court that is more aligned with conservative values — a long-lasting legacy of stacked courts.