American Democracy on Fire (with Steve Vladeck and Moira Donegan)

In this episode of On The Issues, we confront American democracy on fire.  How did we get here and who lit the match? In a 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, the United States Supreme Court gutted a fundamental provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA), landmark legislation enacted by Congress at the height of the civil rights movement to eradicate entrenched patterns of voter suppression and promote equality at the ballot box.  With key mandates in the VRA now eviscerated under the hand six justices on the Supreme Court—led by Chief Justice John Roberts--what’s next?  The Supreme Court has the lowest approval ratings since confidence in the court has been measured.  Many Americans now wonder whether the Supreme Court can be trusted?  

For example, the Supreme Court has emphasized that if women want reproductive freedom and don't like abortion bans, go vote.  What happens when the Court plays a strategic role in diluting voting power and making voting more difficult by stripping away protections? Joining our host Dr. Michele Goodwin in unpacking these issues and more are two very special guests.

Stephen I. Vladeck is the Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Federal Courts and is author of the New York Times-bestselling book, “The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic,” which has won numerous awards.  

 Moira Donegan is writer in residence for the Clayman Institute, and a columnist at The Guardian. Her first book, Gone Too Far: MeToo, Backlash, and the Future of Feminist Politics, is forthcoming from Scribner.