Difficult to hit the ❤️ button, however it does hopefully note that I agree with all you wrote and from whom you quoted, and that I absolutely loathe, with every fiber of my being, that everything I knew in my 6 decades of life is being ripped to shreds.
The real tragedy is yet to come - in another case of "dog catching the car", this decision will upend potentially thousands of regulations. Guess who is most likely to be affected - the poorer and less-well governed parts of the country. We'll all get it, but they will get it first and hardest, as they have fewer resources to cope with whatever fresh hell waits down the line. For what it is worth, the NY Times article on this decision did say that many recent regulations have been written without depending on Chevron; they may survive as they exist now. Rest assured the MAGA crowd have already prepared their "test cases" to send to the courts to break as many regulations as they can as soon as they can. I can only hope (?) that the Dems run on all these campaigns and call out what is going to happen to peoples' lives in the future as the regulations are set aside.....
The right wing has all the weapons it needs. We need spirit and creativity. They have organization and firepower. We must cultivate love, which along with water, is the strongest force in the universe.
I am reminded that during the plague, the wealthy folks barricaded themselves behind thick walls. When the walls were opened, the inhabitants were all dead. The wealthy think they can insulate themselves from nature and natural consequences, but I think they might find out differently.
One of the many things the Constitution specifies is separation. Separation of Church and State. Separation of EACH of the three Branches of Government. Separation of duties of each Branch. These separations were clearly made as checks and balances. Each branch checks what the other two branches do and this (when it is working) gives us a balanced government that - in theory - gives us a rational Representative Republic where extremism is kept in check.
Now look what we have today. Per the Constitution ONLY the Legislative Branch can write legislation, neither the Executive or the Judicial Branches are allowed to make original legislation. The Executive Branch MAY request legislation they want, or veto legislation they don't want (and that veto can be overridden by 2/3 majority. The Judicial branch can decide against legislation written by the Legislative Branch and approved by the Executive IF AND ONLY IF the legislation is not within the scope of the Constitution.
So, what do we have? A not so supreme court writing ORIGINAL legislation to suit their masters in the federalist society (which in no stretch of the imagination is based on the Federalist Papers) and the Heritage Foundation. Hence for a few million dollars in personal bribery. Their base salary PLUS full expenses and benefits is $268,300 for the 8 Associate Justices and 280,000 for the Chief justice. In addition to these salaries, expenses and benefits they are allowed full compensation from any books they write (and all of them do) as well as any gratuities they receive - the only requirement being that they report ALL income received which is where Alito and Thomas ran afoul - they didn't report.
The unreported income is not their worse crime. That is their decision where they are PRETENDING to make judicial statements based on the Constitution, when in fact they are writing new laws to serve their lords and masters.
The Democrats in the House of Representatives have sufficient evidence to write up articles of impeachment against Alito and Thomas AS OF TODAY. They just need to strap on some courage
I’m not surprised that $COTUS overturned the 9th Circuit’s decision that banning camping in public spaces was a violation of the 8th Amendment.
The abject disgust I have for SCROTUS in demolishing the Chevron Doctrine smells of caving to the Robber Barrons of today and fast-tracking Project 2025 cannot even be coherently articulated.
If we do not win it all this November (President, House and Senate) this country is toast.
I am appalled but not surprised. Look who they are in the pockets of. I am beyond furious, and their other ruling today supporting the insurrectionists sent me over the edge. I hate that my first inclination is to renew my passport.
We don't have to be necessarily armed with guns, but we do have to fight back. Let's put our collective heads together and come up with a strategy. The right would love for us to fold, but if I know our audience, there is not a single "folder" in this group. But there are a lot of intelligent, creative, and informed folks who care enough about democracy and the beauty of being the first ever viable multi-ethnic, multi-racial, gender equal democracy that has ever existed. And that includes LGBTQ rights.
I understand how you feel, which is why I took today off to do other things. But we are never too old to fight for what we believe in to the very roots of our souls.
I have never had to worry about the fate of the country while I was worrying about my own problems like I do now. Plenty of arses running things at times, but never an agent of America’s worst enemies. All the while the Bushes are considered elder statesmen when all of them (including Prescott, and Coup of 1933) have been cogs in the wheels of our current despair. Sorry for the rant…
I love the rant. I've been offline after watching 5 minutes of the debate. Can't look at felon Trump any longer or listen to his lies and taking credit for work that Biden and his Administration have done despite him and his cronies. I've been hauling stepping stones around the yard all morning to settle myself so I can write postcards calmly all afternoon. I'm also going to finish the book Raising Them Right which explains a lot about who the ultra-conservatives are and what they want to do to our country. It's hair-raising. Their blind spot may be thinking "The Libs" are wimps, which we are not. Just got my "With Dems, Things Get Better" yard signs delivered. Off to put them up.
Yea Susan. I used to lug stepping stones, mulch, sod, etc. no yard now, but I miss being outside so much. Seems the repubs are being their same old disgusting selves. Dems are freaking out. They need a chill pill. If I turn on MSNBC, seems they always have his orange arse on. Ordering a shirt and donating to maddogpac.com. Will do postcards when I get some critical paperwork done. Where do you get yours?
When I posted this on my FB page, I added this as an intro: "If for no other reason, we must turn the spigots on with a gigantic blue tsunami and flush out the autocrats and theocrats in government, reform the SCOTUS and add more seats to it. Six people are destroying our democracy. SIX."
Oh, they're getting a pretty big assist from nervous upper-level Democrats (mostly, I notice, of the XY-chromosome variety), who want Biden to step down but can't come up with a viable, electable alternative. Thank you, Gavin Newsom, for pushing back.
I guess why not? They're already practicing medicine, and managing elections, why not the environment, the SEC, the whole shooting match? It's right in the name - SUPREME court. I guess congress is going to have to pass a law that says that courts need to defer to agencies. That's their tagline for overturning shit - "congress can do something about it".
This is beyond bad. All wage and hour regulations, gone. Environmental regulations, gone. Federal highway traffic safety regulations, gone. Virtually anything your well being is relying on is gone for the asking by the Koch brothers. Or Elon. Etc.
The fix is to codify the Federal Code of Regulations. But the MAGAts control the House and the Senate doesn’t work without a supermajority of 60%. We are screwed and the Confederates finally got what they wanted.
Is there an iota of surprise. I expected it. I also expect that chump will be given some kind of immunity for his treachery against the country he swore to “serve and protect.” It’s coming and the injustices are laughing their arses off. Let’s be Churchill. Success is never giving up after repeated failures.
I have to sat as a Biden supporter, that if He STILL cannot consider expanding the Court, even after all the blatant corruption and destruction of our legal and regulatory system, then we do need someone else in the White House, someone who can make that leap to a better future. Clinging to an untenable tradition, while knowing that his future agenda will not materialize because of this Court and the Senate filibuster, means that he is not up to the times we live in now. He can change - will he?
I agree - the ability to make these reforms (expand the Court, end the filibuster) is there. But, is the political will there also? If the Dems will not act, they are no better off than if they could not act. Alito's false claim aside, Congress does have the right and Constitutional authority to limit the Court in various ways, per Article III.....
I'll throw this out as an example of what could be done EASILY, wth the political will and opportunity. Here is the solution to the current Supreme Court - the Judicial Reconciliation Act of 2025 - "The number of United States Supreme Court justices shall be equal to the number of United States Circuit Courts of Appeal. The number of United States Circuit Courts of Appeal shall be an odd number." That's it, all you need, passed as regular, normal legislation by Congress. There is nothing in the Constitution that prohibits this adjustment of the Court's makeup to provide one SCOTUS justice for each of the 13 US Circuit Courts.....
I just saw the story in the Times. I didn't think my heart could break again over the news (after last night's debacle) but it seems it can — because it did. Damn it.
as I just said in my previous comment on your previous post, if they were taking up a collection for certain things, I'd contribute. and, yet again, there are those two lines from "It's All Right Ma, I'm Only Bleeding"...
Difficult to hit the ❤️ button, however it does hopefully note that I agree with all you wrote and from whom you quoted, and that I absolutely loathe, with every fiber of my being, that everything I knew in my 6 decades of life is being ripped to shreds.
You and me both, Karen. It's what pisses me off.
They cannot rip us all to shreds unless we let them. There are a lot more of "us" than there are of "them."
The real tragedy is yet to come - in another case of "dog catching the car", this decision will upend potentially thousands of regulations. Guess who is most likely to be affected - the poorer and less-well governed parts of the country. We'll all get it, but they will get it first and hardest, as they have fewer resources to cope with whatever fresh hell waits down the line. For what it is worth, the NY Times article on this decision did say that many recent regulations have been written without depending on Chevron; they may survive as they exist now. Rest assured the MAGA crowd have already prepared their "test cases" to send to the courts to break as many regulations as they can as soon as they can. I can only hope (?) that the Dems run on all these campaigns and call out what is going to happen to peoples' lives in the future as the regulations are set aside.....
Dems need to learn hard ball
Yeah, bringing a butter knife to a gunfight hasn't worked too well.....
A habit that needs to be broken, NOW
The right wing has all the weapons it needs. We need spirit and creativity. They have organization and firepower. We must cultivate love, which along with water, is the strongest force in the universe.
I am reminded that during the plague, the wealthy folks barricaded themselves behind thick walls. When the walls were opened, the inhabitants were all dead. The wealthy think they can insulate themselves from nature and natural consequences, but I think they might find out differently.
One of the many things the Constitution specifies is separation. Separation of Church and State. Separation of EACH of the three Branches of Government. Separation of duties of each Branch. These separations were clearly made as checks and balances. Each branch checks what the other two branches do and this (when it is working) gives us a balanced government that - in theory - gives us a rational Representative Republic where extremism is kept in check.
Now look what we have today. Per the Constitution ONLY the Legislative Branch can write legislation, neither the Executive or the Judicial Branches are allowed to make original legislation. The Executive Branch MAY request legislation they want, or veto legislation they don't want (and that veto can be overridden by 2/3 majority. The Judicial branch can decide against legislation written by the Legislative Branch and approved by the Executive IF AND ONLY IF the legislation is not within the scope of the Constitution.
So, what do we have? A not so supreme court writing ORIGINAL legislation to suit their masters in the federalist society (which in no stretch of the imagination is based on the Federalist Papers) and the Heritage Foundation. Hence for a few million dollars in personal bribery. Their base salary PLUS full expenses and benefits is $268,300 for the 8 Associate Justices and 280,000 for the Chief justice. In addition to these salaries, expenses and benefits they are allowed full compensation from any books they write (and all of them do) as well as any gratuities they receive - the only requirement being that they report ALL income received which is where Alito and Thomas ran afoul - they didn't report.
The unreported income is not their worse crime. That is their decision where they are PRETENDING to make judicial statements based on the Constitution, when in fact they are writing new laws to serve their lords and masters.
The Democrats in the House of Representatives have sufficient evidence to write up articles of impeachment against Alito and Thomas AS OF TODAY. They just need to strap on some courage
You may not have noticed that the legislative branch is pretty much AWOL because of the acute dysfunction of the GOP caucus and its hapless Speaker.
The courage is on another planet from those cowards.
right wing 6 believe they are demigods! forget about their salary, they never have to 'dig into their pocket' for anything!
You nailed it. Thank you.
I’m not surprised that $COTUS overturned the 9th Circuit’s decision that banning camping in public spaces was a violation of the 8th Amendment.
The abject disgust I have for SCROTUS in demolishing the Chevron Doctrine smells of caving to the Robber Barrons of today and fast-tracking Project 2025 cannot even be coherently articulated.
If we do not win it all this November (President, House and Senate) this country is toast.
kudos for the incisive wordsmithing!
I am appalled but not surprised. Look who they are in the pockets of. I am beyond furious, and their other ruling today supporting the insurrectionists sent me over the edge. I hate that my first inclination is to renew my passport.
I'm not going to let these fascist motherfuckers run me out of MY country. Not all of us liberals are unarmed.
We don't have to be necessarily armed with guns, but we do have to fight back. Let's put our collective heads together and come up with a strategy. The right would love for us to fold, but if I know our audience, there is not a single "folder" in this group. But there are a lot of intelligent, creative, and informed folks who care enough about democracy and the beauty of being the first ever viable multi-ethnic, multi-racial, gender equal democracy that has ever existed. And that includes LGBTQ rights.
I’m too old, but the whole planet will be affected by the barbarians
I understand how you feel, which is why I took today off to do other things. But we are never too old to fight for what we believe in to the very roots of our souls.
I have never had to worry about the fate of the country while I was worrying about my own problems like I do now. Plenty of arses running things at times, but never an agent of America’s worst enemies. All the while the Bushes are considered elder statesmen when all of them (including Prescott, and Coup of 1933) have been cogs in the wheels of our current despair. Sorry for the rant…
Hi Jeri,
I love the rant. I've been offline after watching 5 minutes of the debate. Can't look at felon Trump any longer or listen to his lies and taking credit for work that Biden and his Administration have done despite him and his cronies. I've been hauling stepping stones around the yard all morning to settle myself so I can write postcards calmly all afternoon. I'm also going to finish the book Raising Them Right which explains a lot about who the ultra-conservatives are and what they want to do to our country. It's hair-raising. Their blind spot may be thinking "The Libs" are wimps, which we are not. Just got my "With Dems, Things Get Better" yard signs delivered. Off to put them up.
Yea Susan. I used to lug stepping stones, mulch, sod, etc. no yard now, but I miss being outside so much. Seems the repubs are being their same old disgusting selves. Dems are freaking out. They need a chill pill. If I turn on MSNBC, seems they always have his orange arse on. Ordering a shirt and donating to maddogpac.com. Will do postcards when I get some critical paperwork done. Where do you get yours?
When I posted this on my FB page, I added this as an intro: "If for no other reason, we must turn the spigots on with a gigantic blue tsunami and flush out the autocrats and theocrats in government, reform the SCOTUS and add more seats to it. Six people are destroying our democracy. SIX."
Excellent!
Oh, they're getting a pretty big assist from nervous upper-level Democrats (mostly, I notice, of the XY-chromosome variety), who want Biden to step down but can't come up with a viable, electable alternative. Thank you, Gavin Newsom, for pushing back.
Kamala , Kamala, Kamala! Joes wins, resigns! President Kamala appoints Mayor Pete B as veep!
Six boosted by billions of dollars and millions of fools
We really are going to hell in a hand basket.
I fully expect them to say that "yes, Trump is immune" on Monday when that cum sock of a decision is handed down
It will
I guess why not? They're already practicing medicine, and managing elections, why not the environment, the SEC, the whole shooting match? It's right in the name - SUPREME court. I guess congress is going to have to pass a law that says that courts need to defer to agencies. That's their tagline for overturning shit - "congress can do something about it".
They are asking for it. Let’s find a way to give it to them.
Re-elect Biden. Hold the Senate. Win the House. Then expand the court and wipe them out.
Absofuckinlutely, TC.
Great new word
Let’s DO IT !
Feed ‘em to the alligators and crocodiles along with MAGA Mike!
The best idea I've heard today.
This is beyond bad. All wage and hour regulations, gone. Environmental regulations, gone. Federal highway traffic safety regulations, gone. Virtually anything your well being is relying on is gone for the asking by the Koch brothers. Or Elon. Etc.
The fix is to codify the Federal Code of Regulations. But the MAGAts control the House and the Senate doesn’t work without a supermajority of 60%. We are screwed and the Confederates finally got what they wanted.
Thanks for the important insight Gary.
Is there an iota of surprise. I expected it. I also expect that chump will be given some kind of immunity for his treachery against the country he swore to “serve and protect.” It’s coming and the injustices are laughing their arses off. Let’s be Churchill. Success is never giving up after repeated failures.
I have to sat as a Biden supporter, that if He STILL cannot consider expanding the Court, even after all the blatant corruption and destruction of our legal and regulatory system, then we do need someone else in the White House, someone who can make that leap to a better future. Clinging to an untenable tradition, while knowing that his future agenda will not materialize because of this Court and the Senate filibuster, means that he is not up to the times we live in now. He can change - will he?
Bruce, if Biden's elected, we
can bring enough pressure to
change the filibuster and the
court(s). There are more than
enough grassroots
movements out here already
looking to do this if Biden and
Dems hold all parts of gov't.
We MUST!
I agree - the ability to make these reforms (expand the Court, end the filibuster) is there. But, is the political will there also? If the Dems will not act, they are no better off than if they could not act. Alito's false claim aside, Congress does have the right and Constitutional authority to limit the Court in various ways, per Article III.....
I'll throw this out as an example of what could be done EASILY, wth the political will and opportunity. Here is the solution to the current Supreme Court - the Judicial Reconciliation Act of 2025 - "The number of United States Supreme Court justices shall be equal to the number of United States Circuit Courts of Appeal. The number of United States Circuit Courts of Appeal shall be an odd number." That's it, all you need, passed as regular, normal legislation by Congress. There is nothing in the Constitution that prohibits this adjustment of the Court's makeup to provide one SCOTUS justice for each of the 13 US Circuit Courts.....
And we, the people, can
pressure our Dem Congress
and Senate to make these
reforms. Our money and hard
work put them there, they
better work for US or they can look for a new job.
I just saw the story in the Times. I didn't think my heart could break again over the news (after last night's debacle) but it seems it can — because it did. Damn it.
I can't even get out of bed. I am dreading Monday.
I hear you . . .
Mine is in a million pieces, yet it beats on, today
In my dreams lined up against a wall, Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch. And the nut that put them on the court , leonard leo.
And Roberts for his fuckwittery.
Sniveling cowardly impotence? Some Chief.
as I just said in my previous comment on your previous post, if they were taking up a collection for certain things, I'd contribute. and, yet again, there are those two lines from "It's All Right Ma, I'm Only Bleeding"...