McConnell's judicial project — blocking Garland, nuking the filibuster for Gorsuch, rushing Kavanaugh through despite credible sexual assault allegations, and ramming Barrett through 8 days before an election — created the 6–3 conservative supermajority that has reshaped American life. Here is what that Court has done:
1. Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health (2022): Overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. Over 25 million women of reproductive age now live in states with abortion bans or severe restrictions. Maternal mortality rates, already the highest in the developed world, are projected to rise. Rape victims, including children, have been forced to carry pregnancies to term.
2. New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022): Struck down century-old concealed-carry restrictions, requiring states to allow more guns in public spaces.
3. West Virginia v. EPA (2022): Dramatically limited the EPA's authority to regulate carbon emissions from power plants — gutting the federal government's primary tool for addressing climate change.
4. Sackett v. EPA (2023): Narrowed the definition of "waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act, removing federal protection from over half the nation's wetlands and millions of miles of streams.
5. Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (2023): Ended affirmative action in college admissions, with immediate measurable drops in Black and Latino enrollment at elite universities.
6. Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP (2024): Upheld a racial gerrymander in South Carolina, giving state legislatures a green light to dilute Black voting power.
7. Trump v. United States (2024): Created sweeping presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for "official acts," fundamentally altering the constitutional balance of executive power.
Reference List:
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, 597 U.S. 215 (2022)
N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022)
West Virginia v. EPA, 597 U.S. 697 (2022)
Sackett v. EPA, 598 U.S. 651 (2023)
Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard, 600 U.S. 181 (2023)
Alexander v. South Carolina State Conf. of the NAACP, 602 U.S. ___ (2024)
Trump v. United States, 603 U.S. ___ (2024)
Guttmacher Institute, abortion access data
Brennan Center for Justice, judicial appointment data