Supreme Court Watch

Looking for the light...looking for the light...looking for the light...

Ok found some!!

Did anyone else notice how many long time (but not really currently active members) came back to the forum to post today???

Welcome back! Really nice to see your names in the forum posting once again.

That's what I've got!

Glad to have you here with us again (though perhaps you are often here, just normally in lurking mode?)  Hope you can find some light in our community today and if you do, don't forget to share it with others. There sure is some need. (You know, that whole Olympic torch thing from a few days back when it was also a rather bleak day.)

Oh wait!  I've got more. 

But I'm making that a separate post.

OK, you want some more light?

How about 3 HUGE shining lighthouses?!  The most beautiful 3 lighthouses a ship sailing toward a rocky coastline on a pitch black stormy night could ever hope to see!!

That ship is the United States of America and the lighthouses are named Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan.

Remember their names and put them in your prayers every single day. Send them light and lots of love.  And more light.  Surround them with it.  I'm not kidding.  If YOU think you are having a hard time with what is taking to the United States of America right now, can you imagine what they are going through?

Can you imagine what it is like to be part of THIS SCOTUS right?  How you are part of a historical court destroying democracy and the only weapon you have to fight against this darkness is your voice of decent?   To find the courage to continue to inspire and offer a glimmer of hope to a fearful nation?

If you are the slightest bit empathic like I am, it isn't difficult to imagine.  In fact it is painfully easy.

3 mighty, magnificent, glorious  shinning lighthouses are steeling themselves against a brutal storm. We owe them more than we can ever repay.

See them.  Love them.  Pray for them and THANK them. 

They need our light as much as we need theirs.  

They are truly the supernovas of our time. 

One last one ray of light to embrace for now.  

I would like to actually thank SCOTUS today- for declining to delay Bannon's prison sentence.

Today was prison day for the former W.H. Chief Strategist.  

(Cue the Law and Order sound effect!)

Strategize that Mr. Bannon!

Oh and he starts a whole new trail in September too. This could be a fun fall.  

@ghandigirl I'm way too angry for that!!!! I'm fine! None of these shit rulings really effect my life other than to make me furious!  But what about the millions of women and other humans that ARE EFFECTED NOW! Frankly Im really fing tired of being told everything is going to be ok when its so NOT OK for so many people!  Ima have to take a break because I'm angrier than I recall being!!!!!! Ever!

I still get knocked down by such things, but me being me, I still look for the light, for silver linings. I posted the Philly Inquirer link for their wonderful editorial the day before Jeanne and Baba found it, because I was looking for the light that will lead the way forward. Seeing that others found it independently as well shows that there are other light seekers out there. I believe that we probably have lurkers who found it as well before any of us posted about it. I, too, was feeling rather down yesterday after watching our nation's slip into authoritarianism with the most recent SCOTUS debacle. 

I've dealt with these kinds of folks my entire life. I've seen Karma come for them, every single time. Sometimes it's taken longer than others. The bottom line is that the fascists who are trying to take over picked a showman, a con artist, who's not the sharpest tool in the shed. This is a bright spot in itself. He's been exposed and now convicted/adjudicated as the criminal he is. Those who have been using him to sneak in their agenda chose the wrong person. He's a narcissist. He'll only play their patsy role until it differs from what he wants for himself. He now finds himself a criminal facing sentencing. This is before more upcoming criminal trials. He hasn't been able to get out from under his financial fines either. His billing date is coming due, and he'll end up losing property and losing face by the fire sales that will happen to pay. He's losing his appearance as one of the richest and most money savvy. Another blow to his fragile ego and even more frail facade. But we will thank him in the long run. He is the impetus for showing who many in our government (SCOTUS, congress, agencies) truly are-self servants instead of public servants. He's exposing all those who are bigots, misogynists, etc. in our neighborhoods. You can't clean out the rot until it's exposed. The six pieces of rotting black cloth sitting on the bench are trying to reshape this country, and they will succeed, but not in the ways they think. 

Women were fired up over Roe. This will reinforce the notion that the court is corrupt. How many justices sat at congressional hearings stating that Roe should be upheld? How many swore to the congress that no one, including a president was above the law? Now we know they are lying. Two justices should have recused (and were advised to do so by others) because they've shown they cannot separate their own political beliefs from issues in front of the court. Three of these justices were ruling in a case brought by the man who appointed them, not to mention their connection to the Gore/Bush legal cases where a president was finally appointed by the courts vs being elected by the people. 

Now for some of the points of light. Several of these 'justices' were decried by the legal profession as not worthy of the bench before their nominations. This is evident in their recent rulings. This will be their undoing. For example, they've noted that only THEY can determine what is an official duty or personal objective of the president. They've effectively stripped the congress of the constitutional rights to be an oversight of the other two branches. The government was set up in three branches to have checks and balances. Do you think that those in congress will take kindly to being demoted unilaterally? Do you think the public will either-especially after Roe?  Now, on to what else this egregious ruling will bring. An election September/October surprise for Abby (no longer Mango- but Abby - as in Young Frankenstein's Abby normal). Lawrence O (MSNBC) pointed out yesterday evening, now by Supreme Court Order, the January 6, which they've been delaying because of this ruling, will need multitudes of hearings to decide what is personal and what is official duty on the part of the former president. Hearings are not trials. They are not bound by the rule that individuals running for public office cannot have trials within 80 days of an election. So hearings can and will be scheduled for this fall so that Jack Smith can lay out all his evidence (now required by yesterday's ruling), inclusive of calling all witnesses. So we will have all the evidence these MIB (Morons in Black) tried to keep from seeing the light of day presented in the weeks just prior to the election. 

We have Abby trying to get his convictions overturned already. This shows how utterly ignorant he is. His convictions were not about actions taken while president. They were actions he took to gain that office. He has no immunity for things he did prior to being president. The most he can gain is possibly a delay in sentencing. 

I applaud all three justices and their dissents. I think that Sotomayer's questioning of Abby's lawyer should be played over and over again in the media. It isn't hyperbole in her dissent, where she notes that a president can order an assassination of a rival and be immune. She purposely asked about this scenario in open court. I also found it notable that she didn't use the customary "I respectfully dissent". There was no "respectfully" included. Jackson clearly called out the MIB and noted they were trying to entitle and empower grifters. 

This attempt to corrupt our constitution, our rule of law, our way of life, and our future is blatant. Reform will come to prevent it from happening in the future if we do our jobs. If we make our voices heard. If we do whatever we are capable of regardless of how much or how little that may be on a personal level (not all have funds to give to campaigns, or time to volunteer for political activities, etc.). Just know that whatever you can contribute-from simply telling someone you won't vote for a convicted criminal, to saying prayers, to working with mantras, to calling your legislators asking for SCOTUS reform, none of it is too little or too late. 

@cindy ^^^^^ this!!!!' Yes!!!! Thank you for brilliantly summarizing!!! 💙🌊💙🌊💙🌊💙🌊💙🌊

🙏🏻💜🪽❤️🙌❤️🪽💜🙏🏻

@lovendures thank you for helping me/us redirect our thoughts.   We are anxious and weary but we can’t lay down.   Fight with light.   Thank you for helping us with that.   Have a blessed day everyone.

Posted by: @cindy

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Women were fired up over Roe. This will reinforce the notion that the court is corrupt. How many justices sat at congressional hearings stating that Roe should be upheld? How many swore to the congress that no one, including a president was above the law? Now we know they are lying. Two justices should have recused (and were advised to do so by others) because they've shown they cannot separate their own political beliefs from issues in front of the court. Three of these justices were ruling in a case brought by the man who appointed them, not to mention their connection to the Gore/Bush legal cases where a president was finally appointed by the courts vs being elected by the people. 

 

@cindy, thank you for your entire message.  I chose to excerpt the part about Dobbs, specifically, because we saw the mass-mobilization it created two years ago.  My hope is that this latest ruling pulls in additional people who care about preventing a king/dictator from ruling, even if they are pro-life (or lean pro-life).

I'm a gay man who will always remain child-free by choice...but, even though Roe doesn't have a direct impact on me, I've always supported reproductive freedoms under the philosophy that we all need to support each other's needs (even if it's an issue from which we're personally inoculated).

I find myself "doomscrolling" on social media amidst of the defeatist narratives circulating out there from regular people -- and from pundits, some politicians, public figures, etc. -- I'd like to think some of it is the initial shock and/or anger from yesterday's ruling.  The worrisome part of me obsesses over whether they will remain stuck on in that mindset for the next 4 months.  Are people going to remain trapped in hopelessness, resigned to the assumption that democracy has permanently died?  Or are they going register new voters, remind people of this ruling's severity on a daily basis, emphasize how Trump could come after ANYONE (not just people on the Left)?

I'm trying to figure out my role in all of this.  Because of my disability, there is a limited amount that I can do (for my own mental health) in terms of interpersonal contact.

Posted by: @lovendures

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That ship is the United States of America and the lighthouses are named Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan.

Remember their names and put them in your prayers every single day. Send them light and lots of love.  And more light.  Surround them with it.  I'm not kidding.  If YOU think you are having a hard time with what is taking to the United States of America right now, can you imagine what they are going through?

Can you imagine what it is like to be part of THIS SCOTUS right?  How you are part of a historical court destroying democracy and the only weapon you have to fight against this darkness is your voice of decent?   To find the courage to continue to inspire and offer a glimmer of hope to a fearful nation?

If you are the slightest bit empathic like I am, it isn't difficult to imagine.  In fact it is painfully easy.

3 mighty, magnificent, glorious  shinning lighthouses are steeling themselves against a brutal storm. We owe them more than we can ever repay.

 

@Lovendures, you are absolutely right about the three Justices you've named.  I think about them all the time.  I definitely am grateful to them for enduring that snake pit.  On the other hand, by virtue of their positions, they have a lot more connections to the movers-and-shakers in politics (even if they have to limit those discussions to when they're at other people's homes) than I'd imagine any of us do.

I think this is where the helpless fear comes in, at least for me.  I have plenty of ideas for what the messaging should be, between now and Election Day.  What are the key reminders that need to be repeated endlessly for voters...but, as is the case with most Americans, I'm not well-connected.  It's difficult for me to find a starting point as to who I could reach out to...if there's any chance my suggestions might gain some traction.

@anita The Electoral College was created in our Constitution, and you can't change it without an amendment to the Constitution.

An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress, or, if two-thirds of the States request one, by a convention called for that purpose. The amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called in each State for ratification.  ( https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-constitution/#:~:text=An%20amendment%20may%20be%20proposed,in%20each%20State%20for%20ratification. )

There is leeway for how states implement their Electoral College votes, whether they use, as most states do, a winner take all system where all electoral votes go to the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state. Or whether the electoral college votes go to the candidates who win each of that state's congressional districts. Either way, Anita, the president can't make the change.  However, if Trump becomes president, he will surely break the Constitution and have his kangaroo Supreme Court back him up. But Biden and past democratic presidents would obey our Constitution.   https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/publications/youraba/2019/october-2019/q--the-electoral-college--is-it-open-for-interpretation-by-the-c/#:~:text=In%20part%2C%20that%20is%20because,Electoral%20College%20representatives%20are%20chosen.

@jeanne-mayell  A good explanation of how the Electoral College works.

https://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/how-hillary-won-the-vote-but-lost-the-election/

Posted by: @jeanne-mayell

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You are not alone in those feelings. I expect that nearly everyone in this sensitive community has felt anger about what is happening to our country. Anger can temporarily spur us to action, but we need light to see a way forward, and we need heart strength to move forward.

 

 

Or, as in my case, it can lead to carbs. Yesterday I sat all day (having the day off) watching a K-drama and eating carbs-ramen cup noodles for lunch, mac & cheese for dinner, and I won't admit how many ounces of chocolate chips from the baking cabinet. Today I resisted buying flowers in the box store garden department where I went to get a new pool vacuum head, but ended up with a bag of Flipz. Sigh....

For those who don't know where to turn their anger or what to do with it, go out into nature. Sit and be silent, or yell if you're alone, if it will make you feel better. If you're not good in conversations with others, write your congressperson or email them from their contact page. You can vent there and let them know you want SCOTUS reform, you want Roe codified, EPA restored, voter's rights restored, etc. without having to talk to anyone directly. You can be heard without confrontation. This link gives you a list of all congress members. Find yours, click on their name to get to their web page, where most have a contact submission form, or use the office number if you want to call. Same for your senators which can be found here.  The senate have a democratic majority, ask them to start having some SCOTUS oversight hearings now.

The SCOTUS doesn't have a comment line or contact us form. Cowards. Flood them with letters showing your discontent at the following address. I've included phone numbers, but I don't know that you'll get anywhere by phone. 

Supreme Court of the United States
1 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20543

Telephone: 202-479-3000
TTY: 202-479-3472
(Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

There's no need to eat your anger (taking notes for myself ...), let it out. Our current president said very clearly last night that he neither needs or wants additional powers or immunity. Tell them that no other president in history has asked for such immunity, and they've functioned without the hypothetical threat scenario that they've invented so they can act as political agents instead of justices. No need to swear, but no need to deny what you think of them and their decisions either. It only costs you some time, a little paper, printer ink, envelope and a stamp. Let them deal with the overflowing mail rooms and get it off your chest. 

Roberts on Roe, presidents being above the law at his confirmation hearing: NY Times, Twitter video

Kavanaugh on presidents being above the law at his confirmation hearing: Twitter video

Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, Barrett on Roe at their confirmation hearings: factcheck.org

Gorsuch confirmation hearing about president being above the law: CNN, AP

Barrett on presidents being above the law at conformation hearings: NPR

For some, if it is too much, step away. No social media, no news, etc. Recenter yourselves. The fight will still be here when you're ready to resume. You can still do little things as I noted before, like sending light, prayers, asking for guidance, and being still. Listen to music that puts you in a good mood. Watch movies or shows that do likewise-lift your mood or take you away so you can escape for brief periods. 

In the meantime, watch as things progress, and rejoice in small steps of progress. Epstein's documents were released yesterday, and Abby's phone number is on plenty of phone messages. Rudy got disbarred today in NY. Bannon went to jail. 

Bear in mind that you are dealing with folks who are gaslighting and trying to indoctrinate the public. The debate was not a debate, it was propaganda.  What we are dealing with are literally assaults from those who have intentions of overthrowing convention. Realize this and then know that this is not politics as usual, it will take a different approach to deal. Find the approach (or the best way to deflect the noise) that works for you. These aren't normal times, so it's not you. 

@cindy Yes. 

Thank you. Others have pulled quotes so I don't need to do so. I had my "Spirit says YES"  shivers throughout your post as well as throughout a post from @lovendures a little earlier this morning. That post, about our three brilliant, strong  "Lighthouses" who are unyieldingly, lovingly, powerfully multiplying the guiding Light,  was glorious---the metaphor so brilliantly (pun intended) shared. 

I was wondering yesterday why I was merely angry not scared, and musing over why  the "dread" we empaths here often feel didn't seem to be noted in posts. The two of you wrote the "why," eloquently. Light wins. 

The underbelly of darkness, silly fools, are now SEEN and can be vanquished and dissolved,  where for decades they slunk in the dark and made tiny chages here and there, unnoticed while building to this attempt at overthrow.  Devious. Silent. Creeping. Now those machinations are exposed.  The Light pierces their murky mucky manipulations. They are SEEN and in being seen, they lose the very power they sought to grab. 

I feel t's dementia will be even more clearly and publically on display, well before November. The "min" (I prefer lowercase for dark bots) will be overturned themselves, and vilified down history's lane. 

I give thanks because Joe Biden is re-elected (by our VOTES!!!) and thus dems BLUE, which just happens (!) to be Archangel Michael's Ray of Will, sustains democracy.  Battles may have been lost, the Light, never.

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.

Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered…Full of darkness, and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end, because how could the end be happy?  How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?  But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it'll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why.

    But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam?

Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo...and it's worth fighting for.

Frodo: “I wish it need not have happened in my time.”

Gandalf: “So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

Posted by: @tesseract

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I was wondering yesterday why I was merely angry not scared, and musing over why  the "dread" we empaths here often feel didn't seem to be noted in posts. The two of you wrote the "why," eloquently. Light wins. 

I've been thinking a lot more about my role when it comes to ushering in the light.  I realize Jeanne mentioned working with one's local Dem Party HQ, but I live in a very rural district...so the overall impact I'd be making, when combined with my social phobias/handicaps, would be minimal.

I feel that, at least at the moment, the most effective thing I can do is write advocacy letters to public figures who are involved in politics. I've done this before, in relation to an agricultural sustainability campaign I used to work on.  I know that it works, because I've had public figures (to whom I've written letters) literally phone me, in person, to acknowledge my work.

I'm hoping some of you here can help me brainstorm more key points and messages on which our public figures should consider focusing.  Here's what I have, so far -- and I haven't placed any of it into my form letter yet (that's what I plan to do, this week)...

1.) A lot of the people who voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 didn't think he was serious about having absolute control over everything during his presidency...many of them chalked it up to hyperbole so he could win support on the campaign trail.  Now that we have the July 1st U.S. Supreme Court ruling, we should be able to pull over a chunk of those votes who now realize that, yes, indeed, Trump is dead-serious about becoming a dictator.

2.) If we consider how few of the Clinton and Biden voters from 2016 and 2020 are actually going to flip over to Trump, this time around...we should also keep in mind how many groups and organizations a lot of them are involved with.  Everything ranging from campaigns on reproductive rights, labor protections, environmentalism, racial justice, LGBT+ equality, public education, health care reform, voting rights, et. al. -- if each person who is really active within these types of groups could turn out 2-3 new voters, each...think of how much that could increase Democratic turnout, cumulatively.

3.) For those who aren't aware of it, read Simon Rosenberg's Hopium blog on Substack (I'm unsure if I'm allowed to insert the URL/link here in this post)...he offers some phenomenal takes on how Democrats can carve out a winning path.

These are just some preliminary points I plan to hit upon, in my letters.  I also intend to acknowledge and emphasize to them how I realize I'm not a professional campaign operative or a political scientist...but I am a centrist in Middle America who lives in an extremely divided district, so my intent isn't to be presumptuous or bossy, but rather, to offer up insight on talking-points, messages, and strategies that might resonate in places that Democrats have traditionally been unable to reach.

If anyone is willing to add to my list, please share your ideas for messaging or other considerations that the Democratic campaigns might not readily be taking into account.  There could be a lot of elements of which I'm unaware or glossing over...and I'm hoping to keep sending out these advocacy letters up through the end of the campaign season.

The electoral college was created to keep slaves, slaves. An antiquated system designed to keep rural areas in power. Should have been abolished after the civil war. Plus there should be way more congress people then there are now, congress representation hasn't caught up with population. There should be 13 members on the supreme court for the 13 districts. The filibuster another antiquated system has held everything back. 

@robyn-koondel

Posted by: @robyn-koondel

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My new motto:

VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO! 

*as long as you vet them first to make sure they're not a Republican who's pretending to be a Democrat just to get into office and then screw over the people who voted for them (like has happened several times in the last two years)*

Hi everyone,

I lurk on here often but never post. This SCOTUS decision inspired me to post here. First, I want to say, this is the worst Supreme Court decision in US history. It is worse than Dredd Scott, Citizen's United, Roe v. Wade being overturned, and Chevron being overturned. I am not saying this to be negative but because it is true. 

Since the debate, I have felt the energy of the collective. People are feeling anxious. That anxiety was very high yesterday. I think the last time I felt this level of anxiety in the collective was the 2020 election. While anxiety is never fun, I also sense people realizing they need to do something. For many people this will mean donating money including those who have never donated before. I see a lot of money pouring into this election. I also see people who would normally sit back, do what they can. Not everyone has the time or energy for this, but this will be the most mobilized election we've ever had.  

Finally, I was picking up on Biden and Jack Smith. I saw both of them tearing up the Constitution. I have two opinions on what this can mean. On one end, they may see this as SCOTUS tearing apart the Constitution (and honestly they just did). On another end, this may mean that Biden and/or Smith will take some action that under any other circumstances would not be taken. Remember, SCOTUS literally gave Biden almost unlimited power. While Biden is a good person, I would not be surprised if we some sort of Presidential "official act" taken. I don't think anything serious like Seal Team Six, but I wouldn't be surprised if for instance he did student loan forgiveness, enforced it, and then told SCOTUS to eat bricks, I have all the power and this is an "official act." I am not saying he will forgive student debt, that was an example. 

Anyway, if this ruling is what it takes to mobilize people then that's what it takes. The stakes of this election couldn't be more clear. As others have said, this November we are voting for either a Democracy or Dictatorship.

Posted by: @cindy

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He'll only play their patsy role until it differs from what he wants for himself.

Or until those who are using him no longer have any use for him.

Posted by: @cindy

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Two justices should have recused (and were advised to do so by others)

And were in fact required to by law, but since the law apparently no longer applies to those who don't like it, I guess that explains it.

(sorry for the snark...it's not directed at you, I promise! 🤗 I just tend to get reaaaallllly sarcastic when I get mad. ;-) )

Posted by: @tesseract

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I was wondering yesterday why I was merely angry not scared,

Yes, this. I was so angry I was shaking, and I could have chewed nails and spit bullets. I am more calm today, but not by much. I will say that I am still certain that Biden/Harris will win, and the moves by the R's over the last week or so have only solidified my certitude that these people have now signed the death warrants of the R party specifically and the right wing in general. I also suspect that there are at least two justices who will be facing impeachment after the D's take over next year.