Evening thread
Slow day here in the coal mines. What’s on your mind? Is there anything you think I should be paying attention to that I’m not?
Those of you who don’t have paid subscriptions, here’s an excellent opportunity to do so. You will get access to all my paid posts, you’ll be able to join in with the comments, and you’ll be able to peruse my archives at your leisure.
Plus you’ll be helping to aid me, pick in hand, as I dig away at the pile of fools, scoundrels, thieves, and Nazis seeking to undermine our democracy.
What a deal, huh?
The subject has popped up in comments streams before, but I’d like to see something written that truly examines how the Second Amendment as interpreted by SCOTUS, has overwhelmed the First Amendment stifling protests and increasingly expression contrary to right wing dogma. It has also
Imposed on the Declaration of Independence assurance of the pursuit of happiness (I now have to check myself in the presence of legally carried guns, etc). I think the awareness is there but there is not enough in literature that discusses and defines Second Amendment oppression of freedoms.
Well, What's on my mind tonight is the Supreme Court. It is an anomaly among our otherwise democratic institutions: a presidential appointee to the Court needs only the approval of a Senate majority to begin a lifetime on the Court. That process is glaring anomaly among our otherwise democratic institutions. Presidents tend to appoint young ideologues to the Court rather than accomplished jurists. Learned Hand, perhaps our most renowned judge, was never appointed to the Court.
The Court sabotaged Reconstruction just a few short years after the Civil war ended. It took nearly a hundred years for us to partly unwind that travesty.
The court stepped in and declared George W Bush president even though subsequent forensic analysis proved that Bush did not win the election and should never have swerved as President.
The Court effectively granted personhood to corporations.
With its Citizen United and related Opinions the Court effectively legalized bribery of elected officials.
More recently the Court revoked women's right to decided for herself to continue a pregnancy.
I will stop there.
The Supreme Court is a dangerous anomaly in our democratic system of government. It is out of control, the justices have way too much power and are abusing it.
I would like to hear some ideas about how we fix this. Any suggestions ?