I'm sick about it too. and today's NYT head story: the Sienna poll showing trump at 48% vs Biden at 43% among all registered voters. I honestly can't wrap my head around it, except that half the country watches Fox News, which should be sued for selling misinformation by more than just smartmatic and dominion. I keep thinking of a class action by voters harmed by fox's misinformation campaign.
Writing as a Canadian, it is sad that Thomas does not realize that his legacy will be that he was the most outrageous grifter in the history of the US Supreme Court. Further, his willingness, and that of his colleagues, to ignore and reverse precedent (and even advocate for same!) will lead to a more liberal Court (by which I mean a less classist and corrupt Court) overturning most of the controversial decisions of this Court. The effect of that approach will be to successfully find a vein in the already already prepped for execution (by this Court) concept known as precedent.
So much for hundreds of years of common law. AND so much for the rule of law that posits as a key element of its legitimacy that prior decisions will be respected and, at least in theory, not subject to the purely personal preferences of presiding jurists (or the preferences of a fishing camp buddy).
The need for an impartial arbiter to resolve disputes is FUNDAMENTAL to a sustainable democracy. And, at some point, growing inequities in the US (I should add "united" in name only) , protected, promoted (and invented) by this Court, will fertilize the nothing-left-to-lose sentiment we have seen growing throughout the nation. "Just burn it down" will become an entirely reasonable option for both the right and the left.
John Roberts' legacy will be that he helped strap the Court to the gurney.
It looks, from the outside, where this kind of corrupt judicial re-activism is absolutely inconceivable, that the US is moving towards the end of democracy, without the help of its fascists, thanks to the corruption of one of its most important institutions.
Sabrina - you might want to think about an alternative career (or I could help get you called to bar here).
I read an op ed about climate change recently (can't recall who wrote it), where the author embraced a climate denier monument on the DC mall. His point was that there's a time gap between today's political malfeasance (in failing to act on carbon emissions), which won't become undeniable and totally obvious for 50 years or so. I think it's even worse with Thomas, Alito and Roberts in that the damage they are causing isn't immediately visible. Adding a lifetime appointment corrupts them completely. I also share your pessimism about democracy surviving, I don't see how it can given the popularity of ignorance (largely, but not exclusively, on the right)
Agreed. The RNC combined with Citizens United makes it unlikely that corporate interests and billionaires will ever pay their share, or be regulated, or stop carbon emissions, and they will continue to fund the RNC in quid pro quo for legal protections from the bench as well as Congress.
I feel like this is the ballgame and I'm sick about it. Keep up the great work, Sabrina!
I'm sick about it too. and today's NYT head story: the Sienna poll showing trump at 48% vs Biden at 43% among all registered voters. I honestly can't wrap my head around it, except that half the country watches Fox News, which should be sued for selling misinformation by more than just smartmatic and dominion. I keep thinking of a class action by voters harmed by fox's misinformation campaign.
Writing as a Canadian, it is sad that Thomas does not realize that his legacy will be that he was the most outrageous grifter in the history of the US Supreme Court. Further, his willingness, and that of his colleagues, to ignore and reverse precedent (and even advocate for same!) will lead to a more liberal Court (by which I mean a less classist and corrupt Court) overturning most of the controversial decisions of this Court. The effect of that approach will be to successfully find a vein in the already already prepped for execution (by this Court) concept known as precedent.
So much for hundreds of years of common law. AND so much for the rule of law that posits as a key element of its legitimacy that prior decisions will be respected and, at least in theory, not subject to the purely personal preferences of presiding jurists (or the preferences of a fishing camp buddy).
The need for an impartial arbiter to resolve disputes is FUNDAMENTAL to a sustainable democracy. And, at some point, growing inequities in the US (I should add "united" in name only) , protected, promoted (and invented) by this Court, will fertilize the nothing-left-to-lose sentiment we have seen growing throughout the nation. "Just burn it down" will become an entirely reasonable option for both the right and the left.
John Roberts' legacy will be that he helped strap the Court to the gurney.
It looks, from the outside, where this kind of corrupt judicial re-activism is absolutely inconceivable, that the US is moving towards the end of democracy, without the help of its fascists, thanks to the corruption of one of its most important institutions.
Sabrina - you might want to think about an alternative career (or I could help get you called to bar here).
I read an op ed about climate change recently (can't recall who wrote it), where the author embraced a climate denier monument on the DC mall. His point was that there's a time gap between today's political malfeasance (in failing to act on carbon emissions), which won't become undeniable and totally obvious for 50 years or so. I think it's even worse with Thomas, Alito and Roberts in that the damage they are causing isn't immediately visible. Adding a lifetime appointment corrupts them completely. I also share your pessimism about democracy surviving, I don't see how it can given the popularity of ignorance (largely, but not exclusively, on the right)
Agreed. The RNC combined with Citizens United makes it unlikely that corporate interests and billionaires will ever pay their share, or be regulated, or stop carbon emissions, and they will continue to fund the RNC in quid pro quo for legal protections from the bench as well as Congress.