U.S. Supreme Court & judicial system

[clairecloutier]

I'm feeling so down today.

It's not that I was expecting Romney to stand against this. Unlike many, I'm under no delusion that he's "better" than other Republicans.

It's more just the gradual realization of how bad it's all going to be. When I think about the thousands of people whose voting rights have already been suppressed due to Shelby v. Holder, and how that could get much worse under a 6-3 court, and when I think of the 22 million Americans who stand to lose their health insurance if Obamacare is invalidated, I feel miserable.

I don't think people fully realize what is happening here, and how their own rights could wind up being limited or abridged or undermined by this far-right court. Plus, God knows what such a court would do with contested election results, which is a very possible scenario this year.

It's funny because Republicans talked about how they considered the 2016 election their Flight 93 election, and I never understood that, but it seems clear that that that's the scenario Democrats are actually facing in 2020.

Lots of articles/opinion pieces out there about this, but I found this one from E. J. Dionne particularly good:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-supreme-court-struggle-is-about-democracy/2020/09/20/6eafb098-fb6a-11ea-8d05-9beaaa91c71f_story.html

 

[Spikefan]

I’ve never felt oppression as a white woman born in the mid 70’s. I do not take for granted all that the women before me fought for and I vote for those who want to advance progress for all. However, too many white women continue to vote against their own best interests or don’t vote at all. Maybe it’s time they learn what it’s like to lose some rights they took for granted- I hate it but this may be where we are.

I think this nominee will get through and if the Dems cannot take the Senate and Presidency it will not be great for women, not just reproductive rights but domestic violence issues, sexual assault, workplace discrimination. Barrett believes felons should be allowed guns (won’t that be great), wonder if she believes they should be allowed to vote (probably not). Say goodbye to ACA and expanded Medicaid, worker’s rights, LGBTQ protections, environmental protections, voting rights will further be eroded. Sadly, this will further hurt minorities and marginalized communities which is why I don’t want it to happen just so a few might learn. So depressing.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

I don't think people fully realize what is happening here, and how their own rights could wind up being limited or abridged or undermined by this far-right court.

They don't care if they lose rights, as long as the people they hate lose even more. The Republican world view reminds me of my cranky neighbor Joe, who does nothing but stare out his window all day making sure no one parks in front of his house. He doesn't need the parking space, he already has a place for his car, but he cannot stand the thought of someone else getting what he thinks he deserves.

Regardless, now is not the time to give in or get depressed. Now is the time to get busy. Now is the time to vote and to do everything you can to get others to vote. Democrats can win the the power back.

 

[Japanfan]

I’ve never felt oppression as a white woman born in the mid 70’s. I do not take for granted all that the women before me fought for and I vote for those who want to advance progress for all. However, too many white women continue to vote against their own best interests or don’t vote at all. Maybe it’s time they learn what it’s like to lose some rights they took for granted- I hate it but this may be where we are.

Yes.

I was born in 1958 and did take some of my rights for granted. I got birth control pills from a doctor when I was 15, no questions asked. Abortion was legalized in the early 70s and at the time i was not aware of the huge fight women had fought for this right and all that preceded it, going back to voting and before that.

I did not take my right to vote seriously as a young woman - I took it for granted.

Women's fight for personhood began long before my time. I kind of took for granted the rights that gave me to education and participation in society.

Now, I am acutely aware that rights that have been given, can also be taken away.

Women must rise up once again.

The standard has been that when women take one step forward, they take two steps back - read Susan Faludi's
'Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women'.

Now we face not just two steps backwards, but half a century backwards.

I weep for my sisters. I weep for society.

I weep that this may be a situation in which we don't know what we've got till it's gone.

I think this nominee will get through and if the Dems cannot take the Senate and Presidency it will not be great for women, not just reproductive rights but domestic violence issues, sexual assault, workplace discrimination. Barrett believes felons should be allowed guns (won’t that be great), wonder if she believes they should be allowed to vote (probably not). Say goodbye to ACA and expanded Medicaid, worker’s rights, LGBTQ protections, environmental protections, voting rights will further be eroded. Sadly, this will further hurt minorities and marginalized communities which is why I don’t want it to happen just so a few might learn. So depressing.

More weeping.

A bigger fear is that if the US outlaws abortion, the decision will spread favorably throughout the western world.

Again: a right that has been given can also be taken away.

Women's fight for equal access to the rights and opportunities of society - and their basic right to personhood - is not yet done.

Seems to me that women must rise up once again.

 

[PRlady]

If it's going to be Barrett, and I'm betting it will be, be prepared for a little-known case this term that could rewrite the religion/state balance. Fulton v Pennsylvania is about a religious social service agency in Philly that had a government contract for foster care. The city then invalidated the contract because Catholic Charities would not refer children to LGBTQ households and the city prohibits that kind of discrimination. Catholic Charities sued on its "right" to discriminate. If the court rules for it, and not just rules for it but broadly interprets the decision to confer a huge religious exception to anti-discrimination law generally, it would overturn decades of precedent and compromise every general federal law that a religious body (or corporation owned by religious owners AKA Hobby Lobby) wants to get out of.

Roberts will probably push for a narrow ruling but he won't be on the right side of it.

 

[BittyBug]

Everyone is focused on women's rights and voting rights, but there is one right that affects all of us - including those outside the U.S. - environmental rights. The Supreme Court has been the last thing standing between environmental protections and Republicans who are seeking to roll back any and every environmental rule, and exploit public lands for private benefit, usually leaving toxic waste behind and destroying vital wildlife habitat. It may seem esoteric, but we can only be as healthy as our planet, and right now our planet is at a breaking point. "Pro life" should mean all life - including the vastly interconnected ecosystem that is essential to support human life.

I would also say that this has the potential to be the death of our democracy. When a minority of people (not talking about senate seats because that's rigged, but the number of citizens represented by those in the majority vs. the minority) control the will of the majority there has historically only been one outcome - revolution. The sun is setting on the United States as an empire, and one that was once the beacon of democracy.

 

[Buzz]

The Mitt Romney announcement did not surprise me at all.

 

[Polaris]

The Senate MUST be flipped.

Between the Presidency and the Senate, I would prioritize getting the Senate back in Democrat's hands. You can successfully impeach Trump after.

 

[MsZem]

The Senate MUST be flipped.

Between the Presidency and the Senate, I would prioritize getting the Senate back in Democrat's hands. You can successfully impeach Trump after.

I don't think the Democrats are going to get 67 seats.

Chances are that if the Senate ends up with a Dem majority, Joe Biden is the next president.

 

[Polaris]

Le sigh.

 

[demetriosj]

The US really is still existing in the Puritan age with all the hoopla over abortion.

Actually I think it's the opposite. With the detailed ultrasounds available today of fetus's as young as ten week old, it's a lot harder to argue that the fetus is just a bunch of cells we can destroy without a second thought. Heartbeats can be detected as early as ten weeks. The more science we have, the more we see just how complex and living a fetus is.

 

[ballettmaus]

Is there any hope that one or two Senators we're not thinking of won't vote to confirm a nominee?

 

[MacMadame]

Is there any hope that one or two Senators we're not thinking of won't vote to confirm a nominee?

That's my hope.

 

[allezfred]

It’s clear Republicans are ruthless and have no principles or morals when it comes to fulfilling their agenda. Time for the Dems to do the same.

 

[becca]

Once again a duly elected Republican President and a duly elected Republican Senate.

The Senate in 2016 where fully in their rights to refuse to consent to Garland. They are in their rights to agree to Trumps nominee.

Romney is a Conservative why wouldn’t he be and a Conservative court and the Republicans won the right to put a Conservative on the court When they won the Senate and the Presidency.

It’s mind boggling to me that somehow the Republicans are mean for this. It’s their right won fair and square.


It the Democrats controlled the Presidency and the Senate I would consider it perfectly fair for them to do the same. Even if Scalia has a dying death bed wish.

 

[Louis]

Yeah, #NeverTrump is not the same as hand the Democrats a Supreme Court justice. There's a world of Republicanism between the former and the latter.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

becca, you do not appear to understand that "just because you can doesn't mean you should." Pushing through a justice in the middle of an election, without time for proper and thorough vetting, when the president has made it clear he'll be choosing someone who will protect him from the consequences of his criminal behavior and if necessary throw the election for him is not politics as usual. It's dangerous to the future of our democracy.

 

[overedge]

Once again a duly elected Republican President

https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report_Volume1.pdf

https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report_Volume2.pdf

https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report_Volume3.pdf

https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report_Volume4.pdf

https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/report_volume5.pdf

 

[allezfred]

@becca is voting for more of this...

Alleged unwanted hysterectomies and other abuses at ICE facility prompts investigation

Immigration attorneys said detainees described experiences where parts of their Fallopian tube and their ovaries had been removed while in custody.

amp.usatoday.com

 

[Aussie Willy]

Once again a duly elected Republican President and a duly elected Republican Senate.

The Senate in 2016 where fully in their rights to refuse to consent to Garland. They are in their rights to agree to Trumps nominee.

Romney is a Conservative why wouldn’t he be and a Conservative court and the Republicans won the right to put a Conservative on the court When they won the Senate and the Presidency.

It’s mind boggling to me that somehow the Republicans are mean for this. It’s their right won fair and square.


It the Democrats controlled the Presidency and the Senate I would consider it perfectly fair for them to do the same. Even if Scalia has a dying death bed wish.

Ummm the Republicans would instead be pulling the same sh*t they did in 2016 regarding the SC if the shoe was on the other foot. That is why they are hypocrites.

 

[becca]

Ummm the Republicans would instead be pulling the same sh*t they did in 2016 regarding the SC if the shoe was on the other foot. That is why they are hypocrites.

Once again if the Democrats controlled the Senate in 2016 Obama’s nominee would have been confirmed.

If the Democrats controlled the Senate in 2020 I would have no issue with them saying no to Trumps nominee.

Either way they lost elections which gave Republicans power to do both moves.

Elections have consequences.

I wouldn’t agree with Republicans threatening to burn things down and pack the courts if the Democrats controlled the Presidency and Senate. I would tell Republicans you lost the election deal with it. The Democrats earned that seat.

i guarantee you if the Democrats pack the courts the next time the Republicans came to power they will do the same.

Mitch’s move was a power move. He made it clear he felt it was fair for the opposing party to do it.

If the Democrats controlled the Senate I am sure he would agree that them withholding the vote was fair game.

 

[taf2002]

The Mitt Romney announcement did not surprise me at all.

It surprised me. Why would he vote for impeachment & flip now?

@becca, Trump did not win "fair & square".

 

[becca]

It surprised me. Why would he vote for impeachment & flip now?

@becca, Trump did not win "fair & square".

He is President it is what it is.

 

[Aussie Willy]

He is President it is what it is.

And the country is going to sh*t because "it is what it is".

 

[Aussie Willy]

Once again if the Democrats controlled the Senate in 2016 Obama’s nominee would have been confirmed.

If the Democrats controlled the Senate in 2020 I would have no issue with them saying no to Trumps nominee.

Either way they lost elections which gave Republicans power to do both moves.

Elections have consequences.

I wouldn’t agree with Republicans threatening to burn things down and pack the courts if the Democrats controlled the Presidency and Senate. I would tell Republicans you lost the election deal with it. The Democrats earned that seat.

i guarantee you if the Democrats pack the courts the next time the Republicans came to power they will do the same.

Mitch’s move was a power move. He made it clear he felt it was fair for the opposing party to do it.

If the Democrats controlled the Senate I am sure he would agree that them withholding the vote was fair game.

I think if you saw some of the quotes that come out of Republican's mouths back in 2016, quite a few were saying that there should never be a SC nominee in an election year. Some of those quotes have been posted here. Now they are totally backtracking.

Doesn't matter what colour you try to shade it, they are still an absolute bunch of hypocrites.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

If the Democrats controlled the Senate I am sure he would agree that them withholding the vote was fair game.

You cannot possibly believe this.

 

[once_upon]

He is President it is what it is.

Like 200,000 and climbing? It is what it is. I have hate that cliche since the first time I heard.

Its a cop out

 

[Spikefan]

And women will still get abortions even if illegal, “it is what it is”.

 

[demetriosj]

Like 200,000 and climbing?

You don't seriously think Joe Biden and the Democrat/Leftists would have done anything that would have stopped Cvid? They were accusing President Trump of being xenophobic. Easy to be a Monday morning quarterback.

 

[Aussie Willy]

You don't seriously think Joe Biden and the Democrat/Leftists would have done anything that would have stopped Cvid? They were accusing President Trump of being xenophobic. Easy to be a Monday morning quarterback.

Well for one they might have actually expressed some sympathy and tried to treat it with the seriousness that it deserved. And followed the pandemic handbook that was created under Biden. And not lied to the public about the how deadly it was. And not made stupid claims about treatments that were not going to work. And not suggested injecting disinfectant. And not directly contradicted experts about it and would have deferred to them. And subsequently those experts wouldn't be receiving death threats and abuse for just doing their job.

And that is only a start about how Biden would have handled it.