Even before yesterday’s news about Justice Kennedy, I had been thinking back all week to Masha Gessen’s prophetic and educational essay “Autocracy: Rules For Survival.” It was published shortly after Donald Trump was “elected” in November 2016, in the wake of what felt like America’s biggest national tragedy. The only thing I could tell myself at that time was that because I voted for Hillary Clinton, I didn’t own what happened next. I refused to own it: I had done my part, I had donated to Democratic campaigns, I had volunteered, I had written about Donald Trump’s unhinged racism, his blatant white supremacist urges, his violent misogyny and more. I voted, I did my part and what happened next wasn’t my fault. In fact, all I felt was rage towards those who voted for him, and those who voted for Gary Johnson and Jill Stein.
I’m not a prophet, but it was the most basic kind of prophecy to understand back then that sh-t was going to get bad. Re-reading “Autocracy: Rules for Survival” just reminds me of how much we’ve lost in the past two years. Believe the autocrat: Trump told us exactly what he wanted to do during the campaign, and he’s been doing it. Do not be taken in by any signs of normality: the past two years have been an onslaught of bullsh-t, both from Trump and from the people working to normalize the autocrat. And #3 on Gessen’s list: Institutions will not save you. Back then, in November 2016, I didn’t heed that one as much as I should have. Journalists far and wide have failed us repeatedly, as the Fourth Estate has largely been left neutered by Trump. The American system of “checks and balances” is dead with Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell. And the faith we had in the courts to keep Trump in check? That’s over. That’s canceled.
On Wednesday, Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement from the Supreme Court. Kennedy was widely seen as the “swing vote,” and he truly was the “fifth vote” on many 5-4 rulings. Kennedy was appointed by Ronald Reagan, and generally when SCOTUS justices retire, they try to do it during an administration of the party which nominated them. But this one is different. Coming on the heels of the stolen Scalia seat, this means that when Trump nominates some far-right judicial wingnut, the court will have FIVE hard-right justices voting in lock-step. And that’s game over. Imagine this: Robert Mueller finally gets off the f–king dime and starts indicting people, including Donald Trump. Trump pardons himself, and some group sues him, saying that of course he can’t pardon himself. The case goes to the Supreme Court. On a 5-4 vote, they confirm that Trump can pardon himself. And we’re stuck in hell.
Of course, that’s not to mention all of the other hellish Handmaid’s Tale rulings that a hard-right court will make. This is as hopeless as I’ve felt in a long time, since November 2016, really. America is over. It’s canceled. We had a good run as a country. But now we’re Trumplandia.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Democrats are making the argument that the Republicans have to follow the “McConnell rule”, since the traitorous turtle used that to steal a Supreme Court seat from Obama. I get it.
But know this: if Hillary Clinton were under investigation for what amounts to treason, for conspiring with a foreign power, the Republicans would burn the country down before they would let her appoint a justice.
Why aren’t dems doing the same??
In no way should a man under this kind of investigation be permitted to appoint a supreme court justice. And yet…
+1000!
+1000000
I have asked the same (I am a legal immigrant but cannot vote) and it baffles me that the far – right held the supreme court seat hostage (and obstructed numerous federal vacancies) during the Obama years but in 2016 they were more or less rewarded for it.
An American friend says that Republicans tend to vote party while Dems tend to vote ideals.
I don’t know how true that is and I don’t like making sweeping generalizations but her characterizations seems accurate from my observations. Maybe someone can shed further light.
IMO, voting your ideals is admirable but in the end when your rights are being stripped away maybe a hiatus is necessary in order to get control of the government.
And BTW, that “blue wave” we are hoping for? I am not so confident. Neither am I so sure Mueller will deliver anything on Trump. I think he’ll fall short. I truly hope I am wrong.
Anyway, Repubs are going to come out in force. They may be disappointed in Trump to varying degrees but they like what he’s done with SCOTUS. They will defend his right to appoint judges. So the Senate is going to be a huge fight. And we’ve seen this week how they are leaning with the travel ban and the abortion clinic ruling in CA.
And now Kennedy retiring?
And I am so worried about RBG. I hope to heaven she makes it the full term.
Again, I truly hope I am wrong on everything.
Yesterday, I just sighed and turned from the news. I really don’t want to know anymore. I need to live in ignorant bliss for a while.
@Abby, this is a great comment and you sound more intelligent than most MAGATs out there. I wish you could vote.
One thing Republicans have traditionally been better on is long-term strategy. I know so many people who personally dislike Trump but voted for him solely on the SCOTUS issue – because your SCOTUS appointments will outlast you, and shape the law a lot more. Dems are notoriously crappy about the long game, and it shows so, so much. I can’t even blame the GOP for playing dirty pool – the problem is we have a party who won’t respond in kind.
It shows a better understanding of politics and civics than most voters, period. Regardless of their political ideologies.
My colleague and I just had a discussion about this the other day. Immigrants are required to pass a civics exam before they can become citizens and have the right to vote, but anyone born here can vote without having the first clue about how government actually works.
You may be right about many things but this: a HUGE blue wave is coming!!! Every Dem or Independent I know is so fired up about this vile human being destroying our country that we are going to vote in huge numbers. Hopefully, Trump’s little trip to Russia doesn’t work in their screwing up the election this year, too.
Democrats have one BIG problem. They don’t vote in midterms. Republicans because of their demographic, always vote. In 2014 we lost the senate and that allowed McConnell to successfully pull that un democratic stunt. The biggest job we have in November is making sure that the people who historically stay home on Election Day, do not. There are more Dems in this country and every year there are less white people, the republican base. We can take back the country if we all stay involved and stay mad and stay vigilant.
AnneC,
Good point! Because of demographics, Dems do tend to face bigger challenges in getting to the polls. We can all engage with Democratic Party efforts in our areas to “Get Out the Vote” (aka GOTV).
Things we can do to increase turnout:
* Help voters confirm their registration is still current
* Help provide transportation to and from the polls
* Help connect families in need with childcare on election day
* Help get out absentee ballots IN ADVANCE of the election to voters who may have job or childcare conflicts that keep them from the polls
* Help voters confirm their correct polling location
There is infrastructure through the democratic party to provide these services to people. All we have to do is get engaged, volunteer and stay involved.
The rule is for a presidential election year. President Obama did nominate Kagan during a mid-term year and Senate confirmed her. I think that President Trump should not appoint any SC justices in 2020, which is a presidential election year. I am still upset that Democrat Harry Reid went nuclear to change voting rules (50 not 60 to approve judges).
There is no rule. It’s a made up rule.
True, Darla. There is no rule. Period. McConnell pressed an unethical advantage that will go down in history books as treason.
Yeah McConnell just made that rule up because he didn’t want Scalia’s seat going to a liberal. There is no such rule. Merrick Garland should have had a hearing.
If it were an actual rule, it would be called the nasty turtle rule. I loathe that man.
I agree they shouldn’t be permitted to appoint someone to the court, but I don’t think there are any mechanisms in place to prevent it.
I guarantee if it was the other way around, the republicans would find a way….. #nostoneunturned
Because we Democrats are polite, kind and nice people. Which is why the Republicans kick our teeth down our throats continually. Obama was totally bullied by McConnell. I love Obama, but he didn’t want to be the angry man who fought hard. A huge disappointment. He had the bully pulpit, he should have been screaming about Garland every day.
And my historian nephew says this country is done. Complete. Kaput. He said that this will end when the oligarchs start starving us. Then we will rise up. Not until then.
You’re right. Someone mentioned yesterday that the United States is simply a spent force as that entity. There is too much that divides. In all seriousness, could states secede from the Union and reconstitute as another entity? A helluva job to deconstruct but the more liberal states, mainly located on both sides of the land mass, would be better off together.
I agree, and I think they’re trying. I know Kamala Harris has started a petition. But it’s kind of hard to blame the democrats when they’re in the minority right now. They can’t even fkn filibuster. My son, who will graduate college next year is wanting to move to Canada – he has a better chance than I would I think, of making that his permanent home. I told him to go for it and hook me up with that sweet, sweet chain migration.
Democrats – time to stop being nice and take those Republicans down…
Bingo. They need to pull a Cersi Lannister and just blow up the sept.
Christ. I didn’t think anything related to this story could make me smile…
Yes. Dems need to make sure folk are enrolled to vote or that it is current and organise transport to get people to the polls. No excuse not to vote. The Republicans WILL vote now that another SCOTUS seat is up.
I realise Trump is just a puppet of well, everyone, but it beggars belief that he is pro-life when his own sexual history is ultra-filthy; I’d be surprised if he’s not paid – or rather Michael Cohen has – for more than one abortion. And it’s not as if Republicans’ kids haven’t had abortions, or Republicans haven’t wanted their mistresses to have abortions.
I stopped being nice. I stopped being sane. We do not live in a sane world. About an hour ago I literally lost my shit, started throwing EVERYTHING I could get my hands on, started screaming. I was literally doubled over screaming (at my ankles) about what a piece of fucking shit this Orange Anus is. I got so angry that I stormed outside to scream as hard as I could, then came back into the house to freshen up and re-arm myself for a second wave of rage. I cut my hand, broke everything I could, and threw a shovel so hard I needed a full minute to find it. I sobbed in the chicken coop for probably 20 minutes. I am used to feeling helpless, but what does one do with one’s rage? I can channrl righteous indignation, fear, and sadness into something productive, but rage? All I can do is throw more shovels.
Yesterday was the first time I cried. All is lost.
Nope. I won’t give in.
We need the liberal equivalent of church. (And yes I know that there are churches attended by liberals – I attend them!) The GOP moved with religious fervor, either because they wanted a theocracy or because they worship money. We need to be a tight ship that moves with religious fervor and the organization of fundie conservative churches, or rather like the more inspiring example of African American churches during Civil Rights.
Get involved. Be a good soldier for democracy. And CALL EVERYONE TODAY.
+1
Understandable. I went home and drank almost an entire bottle of Rose. It was tough yesterday and it’s tough today.
But, I’m still not giving up hope. So many women fought for what we have now and we have to continue that fight.
I think all of us got lazy under Obama. Even if you hated his politics, he was a decent and thoughtful person. But now Trump has reminded us that we can never, ever let our guard down.
REMEMBER HISTORY, FOLKS!
In 1865, American ratified the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery. Do you think The Court is more conservative now than it was then? Do you think American was less racist then? Good change was made under worse circumstances than these. We have a history of winning not losing. America was never going to be an “improve then sit down and rest forever” situation.
Yes, I think it is important to keep the long game in mind.
I don’t think we are in a worse place than when leaders like JFK, MLK Jr., and RFK were being killed for their politics. Things have been so incredibly ugly and dangerous before, but the courageous souls before us kept going. They fought so hard. We must not give up now. We must honor their struggles and keep going.
People can’t be naive and they can’t leave it up to fate, but you are right that we should not lose hope. The world has always had ugliness and we need to work in any way we can, even if it’s just voting, to stop any more ugliness.
Thank you Elle, I think we all needed that.
Thank you, Elle. I just keep thinking about the early 1970s: the Vietnam War had been raging for years killing millions and millions of young American men and even more millions Vietnamese people of all ages and genders, and Nixon was in the WH and then under investigation. AND the hopeful counterculture of the 60s had given way to a kind of national rage and depression. Women had begun their revolution but it wouldn’t start gaining major ground for years yet. So, I think the U.S. has been in worse shape, or at least as bad as this. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.
I don’t want to be blasé, because I’m not stupid and I can see what a horrible nightmare we’re in.
But I won’t give up. They have been secretly fighting this battle for forty years. The Mercers. The Kochs. The Bradley Foundation. The Federalist. Right wing propaganda mouthpieces. And we have been sleeping. We are awake.
Call Corker, Flake, Murkowski, and Collins and tell them now is the tie to fight for America. Call Schumer and Pelosi and tell them you want bare knuckle politics, as Avenatti tweeted yesterday – a street fighter for good. Get in there. Get bold. Get involved. They want us sad and depressed.
‘They want us sad and depressed.”
So true. We can’t give up the good fight.
Replying to all you lovely internet friends, I have been drinking more than usual but vodka isn’t cutting it anymore. I am going to smoke my head out of myself this weekend, read some, plant flowers, sleep a lot. And then if that helps me I am going to have to find out a way to do something, I can’t vote I am an immigrant not a citizen yet. I am not religious nut I’d Esther was put on the king’s harem then maybe we were all put here to save us all.
Pita, definitely take some time to nurture yourself this weekend! The news can get overwhelming, I know. I once read a bit about treating activism like being a singer in a choir using staggered breathing. We aren’t all going to be able to go all out all the time during this battle. Each one of us will need time to take a break and do some self care. But know that during these times, your fellow warriors are working for the cause. Then, when you feel better, jump back in the fight and allow others to rest.
Dems do have a harder time turning out a midterm elections. Some of this is attitude, but some of it is also the struggle to find child care on election day, or transportation, or getting out of work. Some “Get Out The Vote” (aka GOTV) efforts provide support to voters in need. It may be in the form of driving folks to polling locations, or getting absentee ballots out to voters months ahead of time, etc.
You’re right. They are delighted at the so call liberal meltdown. Did you guys see Jr. say it’s going to be “lit” because Kennedy is retiring? Ughh.
These men are old. Old, with small, limp dicks. Trump, McConnell, Sessions, Pence, Mercer goons, etc. Old, getting closer and closer to death. And they hate women. They want to destroy lives because theirs are almost over.
The Marsha Gessen essay was prophetic and her advice sound. Americans must contact their representatives constantly to let them know that their job is to represent their constituents first, second and last. They must protest like it’s going out of style. And they must vote and take a handful of people each to the polls. Show no mercy to old man thinking. I like Valerie Jarrett’s line, “When they go low, bury them.”
He couldn’t have waited two years?
Please don’t give up, you guys. I know it feels like America is burning and nothing matters and sh!t is really dark right now. But what are we supposed to do, just sit back and take it? I won’t do it. I won’t. Even if democracy is dead, I won’t let it die quietly.
Please keep calling and writing to your congresspeople. Tell them the will of the people still holds sway in this country. Tell them our voices matter and Trump should not be able to choose a Supreme Court Justice while under federal investigation. Tell them we will never forget these atrocities, from the Muslim Ban to the children in concentration camps. Tell them we will hold them accountable and make them uncomfortable until every last one of them has defected from this authoritarian regime. Tell them we will see them at the polls in four months.
Just please don’t give up. Apathy is easy right now, but we can’t give in.
Yeah! Shambles! That’s the way! We have been complacent, we have been kind, we have been considerate – BARE KNUCKLE. We are the majority.
He didn’t want to wait two years. I think that says more about him than anything. He looked at Trump, looked at McConnell, and said “yeah okay, you guys have got this.”
I think retiring now will tarnish his legacy permanently because he is ensuring that the “good” decisions he was a part of – abortion rights, gay marriage, etc – will be overturned or significantly reduced in terms of scope.
There are rumblings online that Kennedy’s son is involved with Jared Kushner, Russia…the whole fing thing. I’m officially beaten down now. The evil will rule the world.
More than rumblings. Justin Kennedy is linked with a company that loaned money to Kushner 666 building. His dad was likely encouraged to retire when he did and before mid terms where hopefully people get their ass out and vote blue.
I was questioning (in pretty much a joking manner) that maybe he was paid off b/c why else would a somewhat moderate sane conservative retire just before midterms when Democrats have a good shot to alleviate some of this sh*tshow. Well I got yelled at for spreading conspiracy theories for which I apologized for. It wasn’t my intention. But the friend of mine said how “normal” it was for a justice to retire in July and when their party is in power. And I get that but Kennedy seemed like a reasonable conservative and I thought he would have some sort of will to survive until November just like he did the past 41 yrs. This is not a normal administration even if he is a Republican. If Repubs still won in November I could see him retiring but why before? The whole thing stinks IMO.
I think one of the reasons I will never forgive W (even leaving Iraq out of it) is his appointment of Roberts and these insane conservative judges we are dealing with now. Meanwhile Obama couldn’t even get a moderate in there b/c Republicans are trash.
Nazism, here we come.
This could end up being worse than Trump being elected. Congress and the executive branch are so rotten to the core and now the final check and balance in our democracy is too. The future looks pretty bleak.
I don’t know what to say other than this guy seriously couldn’t wait a couple years to do this or even months for after the midterms?
I am sorry but no matter what people say about his age and service it is still sketchy AF. Why now? Unless we find out something else I am not going to think otherwise.
Also how crazy is it that Ireland has finally toned down its crazy abortion laws and now we are headed that way. I am so embarrassed and afraid.
He left now because at his core he is a conservative (he was appointed by Reagan) and he wanted a conservative president to pick his successor. He left now because he wanted a Republican controlled senate to be in place so his successor would be easily confirmed.
I agree his family connections to the Trump children and their associates are totally sketchy, but not every bad thing that happens is a far right conspiracy.
Not everything but connections during this administration are important to recognize. For once there is a conspiracy and we should always connect the dots. These are people with no moral compass or shame. They are corrupt and laws and decency mean nothing.
A lot of us knew that and have been laughed at when we made our predictions.
All the while he has been filling other judicial spots with more of his wingnuts. And now it is finished. Smoke and mirrors. Wag the dog.
Farewell Lady Liberty. You have been raped and murdered.
I don’t even know where to begin. When Kennedy was appointedto the court, he was a conservative justice and he pretty much still is. It wasn’t until the past ten years that I saw people label him the swing vote, the independent justice and I really have to laugh. Has anyone read Justice Kennedy decisions he wrote? How about that he voted with the majority on the 5-4 travel ban or the recent decision on unions? Or the recent gerrymandering cases? No..you’d think differently about Justice Kennedy, then. Yes, he was the 5th vote on marriage equality and many Roe v Wade cases that came before the court. He is not a liberal justice.
No, he’s not.
No confirmation until after midterms. Darla’s right, up at comment 1 – if Hillary were under investigation for treason, they would burn it down before confirming her justices.
That’s definitely true. I don’t think McConnell should hold hearings but he’s going to. He can’t take that chance of losing the slim majority he holds. Murawski & Collins are the key senators here. They have stated in the past that Roe v Wade is settled…hold them to that. Jeff Flake is retiring…press down on him about the hypocrisy…Corker too..these guys held up a nomination two years during election & now their splitting hairs between presidential & midterms?
I think the better argument is not confirming a Scotus justice while the president is under special counsel investigation. It’s just wrong. And if he is found guilty of pollution (typo for collusion and it stays) with Russia, that is treason and all of his picks for courts and everything else should be overturned.
I read an interesting article from a liberal disagreeing with the “no appointment until after midterms” argument. It stated that Republicans are clearly great at getting people to vote when a Supreme Court seat is on the line – better than Democrats, based on 2016, as the Rs made a much bigger deal of it and it definitely worked in their favor. So the argument is that the new person should be appointed ASAP, as horrendous as they will probably be, to make sure that it’s not a similar rallying cry for R voters during the mid-terms.
I’m still not sure if I 100% agree, but it’s an interesting perspective nonetheless.
@Amy – I’m not sure I understand that reasoning. So according to this article we go ahead and allow this horrendous appointment now or we wait until after the midterms where there is still a possibility we won’t have to accept a truly horrendous choice (if the dems take back the senate).
The first way ensures a definite terrible outcome. And the dems come across as doormats who will then lose a lot of their base support. The second way means just a possibility of a terrible outcome. And at least then the dems show they are willing to put up a fight.
I can see the point @amy is making. With that seat empty, Republicans have a rallying cry for the right. Protect babies! Protect guns! Protect your rights! I can see the campaign ads now. “Joe Manchin wants to put Nancy Pelosi on the bench. DO YOU?!!?!?!?!” and we lose West Virginia.
Also, right now we do have some leverage, in that the Republicans have a razor thin margin. They put someone up who is even slightly anti Roe and I think Collins and Murkowski will break. (maybe?) The whole “delay the vote” thing assumes Dems win the Senate in November. Its possible, but it may not happen. Just because McConnell’s gamble worked out perfectly for him doesn’t mean the same will happen for Dems. If we LOSE seats, and it becomes 45-55 or something, then the odds of a really bad justice getting appointed increased significantly.
So I don’t know what the answer is here. The hypocrisy on the right astounds me and I think the Dems need to fight back because NOT fighting back will also hurt us in the midterms, bc the base will stay home. But delaying the appointment could be a big mistake. It’s a tough call.
Supreme Court Justices aren’t Teflon. They can be impeached just as most judges can. Vote in every election from local to federal and start a campaign to watch all of these judges and roll up our sleeves to get rid of ALL of them. Someone should be sitting in on every case they decide and looking for bias and abnormalities.
Pressure every last one of them. And yes I am willing to look into their personal lives. They do. So why shouldn’t we?
We are on the right side of the argument. We just have to fight for it.
If anything, Dems in this country have to focus on canvasing, registering to vote, helping people register etc. If you want to do something, that’s a great start. Work on getting people to the polls (don’t worry about idiots saying you are busing illegals in, they say that anyway). Older people tend to vote more. There were local elections decided by a small number of votes where I live.
I understand what Amy is saying, but Democrats have to unify and get in front of that.
@ Amy
@ Amy
The argument (of confirming Kennedy’s seat now to take away scotus rallying cry for the repubs) is a complete fallacy.
Whether or not that seat is filled, you can bet they will make the scotus argument *regardless*. In the case where the seat was filled, they’d simply rally round for “future” scotus seats.
Please don’t fall for it. Fight like hell for THIS seat.
He’s definitely not liberal, and that is worth pointing out. I mean he wrote Citizens United.
But he was still better in some cases (not all, but some) than whatever nutso Trump is going to nominate.
This is not the same as Scalia’s seat going to Gorsuch.
There was talk this morning (on the news) of him possibly nominating his good pal, and rabid lapdog Judge Jeanine Perreaux (or however the f@ck you spell it). She dog-whistles for him on Faux “News”.
If Dump wants the Senate to approve his nominee he is going to take a pro lifer from the federalist list provided to him. If he wants to be an idiot he will take a Fox News moron. I think McConnell is running this one and the pick will be a qualified if right wing judge.
Jeannine Pirro has a TON of skeletons in her closet (her husband’s too). I would imagine someone would try to talk him out of that one. But knowing Trump, it just might happen.
This. While Kennedy did have the swing vote on many liberal SOCIAL cases, like marriage equality, on all other cases he was still conservative. However, with the potential list being passed around about perspective justices, we won’t even get a potential swing voter this time. It’s going to be a hardcore conservative. Probably some old white guy as I texted a friend yesterday. I’ll fall over if they nominate a woman or a POC.
I told all my friends/family who were voting for Jill Stein in protest because they disliked Hillary Clinton, that it was not about Clinton versus Trump, it was about the Supreme Court. They didn’t listen. Well, now maybe they will. I’m bitter, but will be voting in November. Not that it will do any good in the Red State Trump-loving area I’m in, but I’m still going to do it.
The pick won’t be old. It’ll be Gorsuch’s age, intentionally young enough to serve a generation.
@Rapunzel – yes he said yesterday that he wanted someone who would be on the bench for 40 – 45 years. So it’ll be a young white guy.
It may be a young non-white, female Scalia. This way, the right will do the “we are not racist” routine and Dems will falter as they did with C. Thomas.
But he was fairly balanced, I thought?
Roe v Wade and Gay marriage are toast if the GOP gets the majority on SCOTUS. This is why the conservatives supported Trump no matter what. They wanted this. This was the end game.
Yes and even if Dump is removed tomorrow Pence will nominate a similar type of judge. Maybe if Mueller comes up with serious charges against Dump and Pence, the whole election is delegitimized, but that’s unlikely to happen to Pence.
People needed to vote and they didn’t, so Roe v Wade is gone. At least for now. State legislatures will have to be turned blue to protect abortion rights on a state level.
I do think that Roberts would want his legacy to be protected so I think that if Dump tries to pardon himself it’s not going to work. Roberts upheld the ACA so while he is super conservative I don’t think he is full on corrupt. Dump is violating all the norms of the rule of law and for any lawyer, left or right, that’s got to kill them on the inside.
But again, people need to vote like mofos in November. Give the Dems power to do something. It’s the only real way. Do not rely on RBG. She is super cool but she can’t change the math at this point.
Yup.
This is what I wrote to my congressmen after getting this news yesterday:
“I’m writing to remind you that the will of the people still holds sway in this country. In our sacred and time-honored system of checks and balances, the people at the most important check. Every day, we grow more committed to holding those in power accountable and steering our country in a more humane and compassionate direction. We will never accept or forget this administration’s Muslim ban. We will never accept or forget that this administration’s kidnapped young children and placed them into concentration camps. We will never accept a Supreme Court with one stolen seat and another chosen by an illegitimate, Russia-compromised president. We will continue to resist. You will continue to see and hear from us. No official involved in this administration will be allowed to be comfortable when they continue to uphold this authoritarian regime. You want civility? You’ll have civil disobedience. See you at the polls in 4 months.“
Don’t let them think they’ve broken us.
ETA: this is the email I just sent to Chuck Schumer (sharing in case anyone wants to copy/paste) :
“Greetings Mr. Senator,
Thank you for your many years of service to the Democratic Party. We the people appreciate all that you do. I’m writing to tell you that it’s time. We, your fellow Americans, implore you to set aside notions of “civility.” We are no longer looking for civility when the future of our democracy is so clearly at stake. We are in need of civil disobedience. You must put up a fight. You must demand that Trump be barred from choosing a Supreme Court Justice while under federal investigation. You must not let these traitors to democracy add to the seat they’ve already stolen. Fight, Senator. We are. Will you?
Thank you again.
In humble respect,
Shambles 😉 “
Shambles, I love that. With your permission, I’d like to copy that and send it to my representatives.
Yes!! That’s why I shared. Thank you for speaking.
Shambles – I’m assuming I have your permission as well.
Thank you for your words; all I can do is cry.
Shambles, I literally cried when I read your first letter. As a former history teacher this is what I tried to impart on my students about how the checks and balances makes America unique and keeps our form of government in check. I still believe that but it’s becoming harder everyday.
I hope you don’t mind if I steal your letter and mail it to my Senator. Not that it will do any good, but I like to remind Senator Rubio when I call his office monthly to berate them on something he’s done/not done that this independent voter doesn’t like what he stands for. Thank you for posting that.
Thank you! This is great. Copying and sending.
Shambles, great work. You covered everything that needed to be said in a rational, articulate way and your passion and determination comes through loud and clear. Makes me feel a bit better in these dark days.
Thank you for this! Just copied and sent to my Dem Senator. I always feel like I’m so inarticulate and this conveyed my feelings beautifully.
Thank you!! I will be sending these out today, too! I will also send it to my email list to spread it out to all. You are the best, Shambles!
And no, Kennedy couldn’t wait. Here’s why (spoiler, corruption as usual)
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/donald-trump-supreme-court-236925
F*cking disgusting.
I don’t know about corruption but I do know Kennedy isn’t this independent or swing justice everyone keeps …he’s a conservative. Chief Justice Roberts was the deciding vote that upheld the Affordable Care Act…is he a liberal? Kennedy was deciding vote on the recent travel ban. How about the gerrymandering cases brought by Wisconsin, North Carolina & Texas…all but one thrown out & the one sent back to lower courts. Look at his votes on Voting Right Acts cases. Everyone needs to get a grip…the Supreme Court has been leaning conservative since Bush.
I thought it would come out he was ill. But no, just evil like the rest.
Yes, this is the story that reporters should be digging into. Apparently, Kennedy was called into a meeting with Trump, and then after that meeting he announced he would resign. Hmmm. The Kremlin, Cambridge Analytica and other evil ones (like Erik Prince and his “security” company) have compromising material on many people. They clearly have something on Kennedy, or on his kids (who are involved with Peter Thiel and other big money movers and shakers). I would bet on it.
That said, I am not going to be afraid. My opinion is that we have three branches of government for a reason, and it’s way past time that we took back the House and Senate to pass laws that serve the people. As for the Supreme Court, we do have weaknesses there in Thomas and Gorsuch, but not all is lost. I have faith that truly unjust Supreme Court decisions will not stand over time. I say that as a lesbian who was thrilled to be able to get married after that decision, but honestly I appreciate even more that all polls that young and old are far less homophobic now than they once were.
I sure thought the same thing yesterday. I couldn’t tell if I was just going down the left wing equivalent of Breitbart brain.
Thanks for posting that. So unsurprising. Does anyone know if there is a rule that the Supreme Court is required to have 7 members? Suppose the dems take a majority in both houses ( big if, because all the right wing crazies are motivated by this SC pick and will be out in full force now). Would it be legally possible to install 2 extra judges to balance both the stolen seat and possibly Kennedy’s seat filled by a treasonous/criminal president? Is it unconstitutional to have a 9 seat SCOTUS?
FDR tried it and was almost universally criticized for it. Honestly, it would be a horrible precedent. If one president succeeds in stacking the court with sympathetic justices during their term, that opens the door for everyone that follows them to try it.
There is no constitutional requirement for a set number of Supreme Court justices. There is in fact a good argument for enlarging the Supreme Court to a considerably larger number of justices so that no one SCOTUS seat can hold this level of impact for so many decades. A lengthy term limit, like 18 years, would be preferable to court packing, but would require a constitutional amendment.
I think we are at a point of crisis where we must beat back fascism using every lever of power we are able to reach. If our election system is not fully corrupted and it is somehow possible for us to attain a Democratic president and 50 or more Democratic senators in 2020, I think it is time for a serious discussion of court-packing. Assuming Kennedy’s replacement is confirmed before November, which I believe McConnell will move heaven and earth to do, a minimum of 4 out of nine SCOTUS justices will have been named by presidents who not only lost the popular vote, but were installed in extremely fishy circumstances that spoke to fundamental compromises of our elections. This is unacceptable for the future of a democracy where the supreme court holds the level of power that ours does. Either we need to impeach those justices, or we need to add some seats. I think the results of the former would be even worse than the results of the latter.
I also think that, if we can keep from descending into autocracy by 2020, change is coming that will relegate the Republican party to a historical backwater. California is the demographic and political future of the United States as a whole, in terms of the Republican party as it is currently constituted being able to cling on only in a few very white enclaves. I hope that something better will arise to supplant it, because we need at least two strong parties in order to have good government that is not riddled with cronyism and corruption.
Great link, Darla, thanks. And I don’t know how to interpret this as anything but the final moments of the American democratic experiment. And some days I think that’s okay, given that our current country was born with the twin original sins of the near genocide of Native Americans and the formal enshrinement of slavery in the formation of our government. So maybe this entire system has to be collapse under the weight of those sins before we can have anything even close to a fair form of government. I’ll still fight, and I have hopes that in ten or twenty years a new, stronger, better form of gov’t will emerge here, but I don’t expect anything besides fascism and turmoil in the coming years.
Great point Jess. Let it burn to the ground and from the ashes maybe a better government can form. Sad though.
Yes, it does. We pretend that what came before was perfect but it never was. This is an opportunity to change things. As painful and scary as it is this was coming for a long time.
At this point, America’s only hope is dangerous cholesterol levels.
😂
Amen!
Watching this from Canada yesterday was…interesting. It appears the Handmaid’s Tale is more prediction than fiction. Hell, we already have frightened refugees (mostly POC) fleeing to Canada from the United States in unprecedented numbers. LGBTQ next, and then women. Yep, I read this book.
I don’t envy you the fight to come, but it must be won. Now I’m off to send a thank you note to my PM Trudeau who despite his faults (and they are many) gives me hope.
but let’s not get complacent, there is a growing and virulent style of Canadian trumpism (far right, anti-everything that is not a rich white straight man). We also need to be vigilant!
Oh absolutely! I see you Nazi Med…I mean Rebel Media and Ezra and the rest of them. Believe me I make sure my older and less in tune relatives know they are bull***t. Thankfully so far they are listening.
exactly! level-headed Canadians really need to step up now, I see worrying signs that we are in for a rising populist (IE: racist, sexist, super-con etc etc) movement here
UGH. Ford. Can’t stand him.
The conservatives have been tweeting out lies about the swing set at the summer home trying to blame Trudeau for it. It’s a government owned home and any has lived in one for a long time now but still has the gall to pretend Trudeau is abusing the system. His advisor founded the Rebel with Ezra. They are going to go with lies because it worked for the idiot who supported Dump and Ford. (Although a dog could have beat Wynne this election since they hated her so much)
You will start hearing your relatives repeat these lies. Fact check the shit out of them. The moderates will have an open mind.
Tabitha Southey shared a great thread on twitter today about the CPC lies they are trying to get away with.
Uh we Canadians should be as scared as Americans. Former PM Harper (a warning predecessor to Trump) signed us away to USA for excuse of security. Any American military or police member can walk into Canada and arrest any Canadian for any reason. Or search us, our property, hold us for any investigation without giving any notice or reason other than “national security”. And our Canadian government will back them up. Trudeau is on board with this.
We are not safe in Canada.
I heard on the news former PM Harper is going to Washington next month to visit 45. He may have left office but he wants to stir the pot
Gross
RBC – he’s actually meeting with NSA Bolton, not Turnip. Might help at this point…we can only hope, re: NAFTA
It’s all so disheartening. I watched “Do the Right Thing” a few nights ago, for the first time. At the end I just wept because of how so many things in the movie are still the same 30 years later and it’s not getting better with how this administration panders to certain demographics. Makes me feel helpless and depressed. 🙁
Things are bad now but I think that the difference is that things are bad across the board for lots of demographics now. I don’t feel that things have gotten worse for Native Americans, because they’ve always been horrible, well at least since the contact with Europeans. And things have historically been bad for African Americans, I mean if a group has to launch a campaign titled Black Lives Matter I don’t think that things are going that well for them either.
In spite of its clamorings for freedom and liberty this country has always been deeply conservative…I believe this but I do have to also admit that this is an entirely new level of horror. But I also think that it is disingenuous to position it as being great until November of 2016.
Unfortunately what you said was true. Welcome to being black in America. For us, it’s business as usual.
Tangie and Renee2, I’ve thought a lot about this as a white woman since Trump has been elected. The rage and depression I’ve had since then is probably like what a lot of people of color have always felt in this country. I’m not quite sure what to do with that awareness, but it’s certainly made me realize just how privileged I was to be able to live here for decades, dealing abstractly with the racism and sexism (and other isms) that I knew still existed here, but not really have to feel it like a gut punch every single day.
Those feeling hopeless, I totally understand. But let me tell you what’s getting me through this difficult period. Our world is governed by two major rulers: Mother Nature and Father Time. They rule our world and nobody can stop them. You can’t fight nature or time. They will kick your ass. And Trump and the GOP have no respect for nature or time. Especially time. Father Time has one very specific rule. That rule is you can’t go back. Ergo it is not possible according to the laws of time for MAGA to succeed. You cannot stop time and you cannot reverse it. The GOP wants to go back, back, way back to a prior time in American history and that cannot succeed. It is not possible. They may get their victories, but in the end father time will correct this because his only rule is that we go forward, not backwards or neutral. Yes, GOP may take control of Scotus . They may reverse Roe V Wade. They’ve may reverse gay marriage. They may make our country a living hell. But it won’t last. It can’t last. It’s unnatural. The world has changed. Young voters are coming up, and they won’t stand for this anymore. They will vote leaders in who make a difference. They will fight. They are young and passionate and will get stuff done. Trump and his minions and followers cannot stop progress. They simply cannot. Father time will see to that.
@ Rapunzel
Everything you wrote is wonderful and I kneel and kiss your feet for the optimism and grace of the picture you painted.
But I’m going to say that it’s THAT type of magical thinking that got Trump in office. There was ABSOLUTELY NO WAY a half wit, know-nothing pseudo-terrorist like Trump could ever, ever get into office. Yet, here we are.
Everything is possible. Absolutely everything. Even the most unthinkable things. The only way to block it from happening is to stand up and fight it like we’ve never fought before.
Now.
Bella- I’m absolutely not saying don’t fight. I’m fighting. Just saying that what Trump and company want is literally impossible. They can’t actually take us back. They can’t actually make America what it was 50 years ago. Because time goes forward, and progress is unstoppable. People have changed, and will fight. Young people will grow up and they will vote these f*ckers out. And even if America won’t get off his a*s and do anything about itself, the rest of the world will keep on going and the rest of the world will do something. These a*sholes won’t win. Not permanently.
Oh, and I totally agree that we shouldn’t let that make us complacent with respect to votes. I totally didn’t think this way at the election. And even if I had I still wouldn’t have voted for Trump. I’m totally not trying to say that there’s no way Republicans won’t win and we shouldn’t care about our votes. We absolutely need to vote.
I’m with you Rapunzel. Somehow, we’ll figure this shit out across the world. (Massive hug) 😘😘😘
@Bella. Yes and yes and yes to the magical thinking. @Bella-I’ve been to Turkey, I’ve lived in Saudi Arabia, I have Iranian friends. Trust me, while in the big picture I do believe time moves forwards, there are detours beackwards that last lifetimes.
Rapunzel, thanks for interjecting this timeless wisdom. Yes, we are collectively on a path that is constantly moving forward, even when it seems to have taken us a few steps back. Without darkness, there is no light.
Come here and give me a non-creepy hug. I need one and I like your wisdom and outlook.
Oh Rapunzel I hope you are right. But the women of Iran and Afghanistan may disagree with you.
Louisa- probably. But I gotta have hope or I’m gonna drown myself in Jameson. Or mojitos. Or both. Yeah, probably both.
Well said, and something I needed to hear.
This is why we always have to VOTE, for every election, and most importantly to get the rotting old GOP out of power in Congress and the White House.
This is going to be bad, for sure, but it’s not going to be forever. Most of the justices are up there in age, and there’s going to be some changes ahead. We need to be sure the right people are making those changes.
I agree with you. Nothing like this ever lasts and usually in place of it comes something better. We have been able to live without conflict for a long time but that time is over now.
I keep waiting for rock bottom so we can start climbing up – every week there is a new low. I am trying not be be discouraged but this feels awful.
When I heard the news I literally thought-i better have a another baby quickly so I’ll have some options if things go wrong. 🙁
Someone wrap RBG in bubble wrap and keep her healthy. This will set the US back decades and will damage at least a generation or two.
Aw, Scal. Funny, my reaction more and more to this endless nightmare has been why the f^&k did I ever bring kids into this world? I cannot even begin to describe my fears for them. Sigh.
Ditto, Esmom. As horrible as this all is, I might be able to handle it a little better if I wasn’t worried about what will happen to my kids in the years to come. And yes, even without kids I’d worry about all the children who have to live through this hell, but as a mom it makes it even harder to cope with the constant nightmare.
Ditto Esmom. I’ve been annoying the other kids with hugging them and apologizing for the world.
Sigh.
Well, we’re f*cked.
But this is where we get the revolution right? RIGHT? I mean, that’s what everyone who sat out the last election or voted third party told me. The same people who now are defending their decision by telling me to get over it and stop living in the past – which is code for “I don’t want to take responsibility for my decision”. And maybe I would get over it except for the number of people who aren’t sorry and STILL say they’d do the same thing. Revolutions are paid for in blood-I hope you’re ready to cough up the price.
Oh, and Kennedy can go f*ck himself for his selfishness. The price for this move is the last bit of democracy this country is clinging to. Democrats will talk a tough game about holding off picking a new justice until until the next elections, but they’ll fold at the first sign of resistance just like they always do.
Now we get to experience what a true dictatorship looks like.
you guys need a revolution or something, a massive general strike. I don’t know what but christ, if there was ever a time for revolution, it’s now.
Yea, right. The majority of people here don’t really care, they really don’t. I saw yesterday that the voters of 3 states basically just have changed the course of our country for decades to come. We’re screwed. I’m so depressed today. And I will write this again, I wrote it upthread but there are some things circulating online about Kennedy’s son and his involvement with Jared Kushner and Russia back channels. But who cares, the evil people continue to win, win, win. I’m so sad today.
i feel pretty helpless watching this from Canada but please know that we are supporting you guys, marching on June 30th against Trump’s evil immigration policies in solidarity with the American marches, and hopefully making sure this doesn’t happen to us as well
The most important part of Kennedy retiring is that all of us must vote blue in 2018. If we vote blue and McConnell follows the McConnell Rule for SCOTUS appointments during an election year, then the Dems can block any potential right-wing judge.
If not, then up to 25 states will abolish abortion and they will win court cases in the SC.
Think about that.
You are assuming McConnell will follow that rule (which isn’t really a rule, just something he made up to suit his purposes). The Treasonous Turtle knows no shame. I am willing to bet good money he has no intention of waiting and will find some convoluted, non-logical reason to justify it. We will have a new justice before election day and there is nothing we the people can do about it.
Kennedy has secrets of which Russia is aware.
Clearly.
Supposedly his son is involved with Kushner…
I was in hysterics yesterday. Trying to convince my trans son, like I have many times since 2016, to leave for Canada or Europe. But he’s starting law school in the fall and he is determined to stay and fight for the rights of his community and other marginalized groups. He gives me hope. As does Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and so many other young progressives who are working to save our country. So to paraphrase Gloria Gaynor “We will survive”. Side note, Ocasio-Cortez is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. I joined yesterday. If you are in the US give them a thought.
I think this news is hard because it confirms that SCOTUS wont save us. It wasn’t going to save us anyway – recent decisions prove that – but I think many of us still had hope that when it “really” mattered, when it was “really” important, SCOTUS would defend the constitution. (I’m not sure what would “matter” more than the Muslim Ban, but maybe the whole Trump pardoning himself thing?)
And that was all probably a pipe dream anyway, but its depressing to have that confirmed.
What I fear most is that he will find a way to abolish term limits. Terrifying.
FDR tried to stuff the Supreme Court, and as much as I love Franklin Roosevelt, it didn’t work. Plus, then we got term limits for presidents. I’m trying to stay positive and look at historical precedents and know eventually Trump will go. It’s hard today, but I can’t give up hope. It’s either that, or ask for asylum in Europe.
I fear that all of his kids with the exception of Tiffany,will follow after him. People are stupid enough that they’ll vote for them too.
Also, worth pointing out that four justices will be appointed by presidents that lost the popular vote. And one of those presidents was put in the White House by SCOTUS itself. (Bush did win in 2004, but I feel like that was going to be a tough one bc incumbents are so hard to beat.)
Nah, it’s not over. And to assume it is because of SCOTUS is diminishing the atrocities that others have endured and overcome. I am a Afro-Latino. The things that happened to my parents, and their parents, and their parents…I come from people who have experienced some of the worst horrors a person can go through and come out the other side of it. I will not disrespect my parents or ancestors by giving my opressors my hope and my faith.
As far as I’m concerned, they can pry this country, the one my ancestors built with their blood, sweat, and tears, out of my cold dead hands.
Yes!!
I love you.
Thank you! Your above post with the emails you wrote was beautiful and I appreciate it more than I can say! 💗
Marty, that was beautiful.
@ Marty
God, I wish we could surgically implant your words into every liberal across the world. Brilliant.
Thank you, Marty. This is a fantastic perspective and one we all need to remember in the days and weeks and months and years ahead.
Agreed. There has always been ugliness in this world and in this country. We can’t just give up and say ok it’s over.
That is what I feel too. Great post. 🙂
To all of those who claim that elections do not matter, I say to you: THIS IS WHY ELECTIONS MATTER. Democrats and Liberals sat out the 2010, 2014, and 2016 elections and this is what we got for it. A congress packed full of Right wing nuts, who are frothing at the mouth to get in a strict constructionist Jurist, who will strike down any societal gains we’ve made. It’s not all about the presidential election years. Who we send to congress matters just as much. How can we vote for our president, yet do not vote for the congress to help her/him deliver on their promises? Then blame them for not delivering. I can’t even blame Republicans. They knew what was at stake and they showed up and fought anyone who stood in their way. This isn’t Kennedy’s fault, this isn’t McConnell’s fault, this isn’t Trump’s fault, this isn’t Hillary’s fault, this isn’t Obama’s fault. This is our fault as voters for not getting up off our asses and voting in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan. That Mother-fer won Pennsylvania by 11,000 votes. All of those votes could’ve easily come from Philly. All the neighborhoods that will be impacted by this Supreme Court for generations – poor women, minorities, LGBTQ people. This is a lesson. GET UP AND VOTE. VOTE IN EVERY PRIMARY, EVERY SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION. EVERY STATE ELECTION, EVERY MIDTERM, EVERY OFF YEAR AND EVERY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION!
Yes, vote! But I do have to quibble with your argument about Republicans not being to blame. Republicans are absolutely to blame. Because Republicans are the ones that didn’t do their civic duty by voting for the right candidate. Just saying. Only a moron would have voted for Trump. The problem is not just lack of voting but lack of informed voting. Also, I am not convinced that those 11,000 votes were legit. I seriously think Russia tampered with vote tallies.
Also, we need to fight for the godd*mn end of the electoral college. That is the number one thing I see which discourages folks from voting.
Oh , and let’s take down Sinclair media and Fox News. Their spread of propaganda is what’s really f*cking up people’s minds when they vote.
I agree with you 100% that Trump didn’t win legitimately.
I don’t know if we need to end the electoral college, but we do need to correct it. There is a power imbalance due to The Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929. It is unconstitutional and disenfranchises largely populated states. In order for the electoral college to be just, representation needs to reflect population.
I recall hearing the morning of the election that some precincts in Detroit were having issues with their voting machines. Michigan was lost by 10,000 votes. That was not a coincidence. I don’t think Russia and Cambridge analytics targeted every state but they got to the swing states and third party votes helped.
The midterms will really matter and I hope people see that.
This makes me terrified that the rethugs will now actually come out in force for the midterms when before, they were the less energized party. If they think they can secure a new scotus justice (that’s even assuming we can hold an appointment off with the machine McConnell rule), than they will come out en masse. I feel so sick. This news plus the other scotus rulings is too much.
VOTE IN THE PRIMARY for a PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT
VOTE in the Mid-term Election for the DEMOCRAT.
The check on the US Supreme court is the US Congress, and you want Human and Civil Rights-based Progressive Democrats in there protecting and expanding laws and amendments for us.
Also, you want to make sure that you vote for the primary and mid-terms for your state assembly-person too. You need to have protections of HUMAN and CIVIL rights at your state’s level. You want dual protection at the the state and federal level.
The primary is happening NOW. then the mid term. YOU HAVE TO VOTE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT. Voting in the primary and midterms election in unbelievably low year after year. IF you want to expand and protect Human and Civil rights, you have to vote in these too. You have to pay attention to the state assemblies too. YOU CAN DO THIS.
-Register to Vote (democrat)
-Vote Progressive Democrats in the Primary
-Vote for the Democrats in the Midterm Election.
-Join Our Revolution.
We are so f*cked.
That’s all I’ve got. I have absolutely no confidence that even if Mueller were to be able to prove that Trump’s entire administration are Russian shills, that anything will be done about it. The GOP is a bunch of gutless wimps. The only hope we have is that the Dems win one chamber, or that the orange one drops dead on one of his golf courses. And I can’t believe I’m saying that.
TODAY IS ONE OF THE WORSE DAY IN MY LIFE. And Yes we are so F#$ked. There is nothing we can do about the Republican sitting the next SC J, we are not the majority in Congress. However, we have to vote come November, we can’t give up now.
Btw, The Dotard is going to meet with Putin next month because IMO he’s compromised. Who knows he maybe a Russian 🕵️♀️.
Let’s see how the stock market do today. When his people starts to lose their jobs and the money they made from the stock market disappears they may come to their senses, jmo.
Republicans vote more than Democrats in the primary and mid term elections, year after year. This is how this is happening. The primary are happening now. Then, the mid term elections.
You need to vote progressive democrats in the primary.
You need to vote for the Democrat (not the republican) in the mid term.
YOU CAN DO THIS NOW. REGISTER to Vote. Go to Our Revolution to learn about the progressive democrats. Pay attention to the state assembly too, because you want human and civil rights laws and amendments protecting you too in the state you live in. THEN, VOTE in the Primary (now) Then, vote in the Mid-term Election.
I am registered!
Yes! Not enough Democrats are voting! We have to get the numbers up. Too many people are staying home. Apathy is the road to authoritarianism. VOTE and help others vote!!
I cannot stress this point enough. And if you like a candidate, volunteer and canvas as much as you can!! Help register people to vote. These midterms DO MATTER.
Right on, let’s turn our collective freak out into ACTION, my EMPOWERED SISTERS.
-REGISTER TO VOTE for Primary, and then Midterm ELECTIONS. Do this NOW.
-RESEARCH WHO ARE THE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS at federal, state and local levels.
-VOTE for THEM!
Plant your feet and raise your fists.
Make a noise. Make a stink. We have numbers on our side. The big rally is on the 30th. A lot of young people have become activated. The African American community is fed up and won’t back down anymore.
And if Trump and his supporters keep up this monstrous behaviour, they are going to radicalize more than one generation of citizens. There will be a backlash.
Reverse R v W…. what a thought in my lifetime. I think this is the first time I’m loooking forward to menopause. But seriously people have moved back in time. After the gloriously Roman civilization collapsed we had the dark ages. Kennedy’s retirement is suspiciously orchestrated. I’m not one for conspiracy but something spooked him out of there or he really is a far righ douche more than we thought. Democrats have to come out in numbers, vote and beseech their reps to pull no stops. I’m counting on the youth to come out on our side. I’ll do anything to get this piece of history the Trump dragged in go down in flames eventually. I hope majority and good humans will overcome greed and hypocrisy.
When i found out about the retirement I was gutted. Roe v wade is gone. Im a pro life to a limit. No 5 mth abortion or stuff like that. But a woman should not be forced to carry a child. Her body, her choice. This is why i dont vote for republicans. The majority is sooo extreme, its sick. Im so sorry America. Its also why im pissed at friends of mine who did not vote in 2016. Sooo many people stayed home. Obamas plea Vote dont boo was not heeded.
Women aren’t having second trimester or later abortions because they changed their minds. Those are wanted pregnancies that get discontinued for health reasons.
women don’t get late term abortions for fun – it’s because there is something devastatingly wrong with the baby, or the mom needs to abort for her health. Don’t buy into the lies the pro-birth/anti-choice (I refuse to call them pro-life) folks like to spew.
Late term abortions are usually if their are serious health issues to the baby or mother or miscarriage. It was the later that cause the Irish abortion referendum. A 17 week pregnant woman was having a miscarriage and as there was still a heartbeat she was refused an abortion and was told to let the pregnancy end ‘naturally’ – she asked for the abortion as the risk of an infection from a rupture in the foetal membrane was very high. A few days later she fell ill and was diagnosed as having an infection (from the foetal membrane) and later septic shock, she miscarried and died from the septic infection a few days later. She repeatedly asked for a termination and was refused at every turn. it was ruled at the inquest that if she had had the termination she would have survived.
This story is why we must never stopped fighting, the anti-choice people do not care, its all about controlling and subjugating women.
The non-voters, never Hillary voters, plus Russian trolling got us here. Trumpers took advantage of it.
Third term abortion makes up less than 2% of the abortion statistics. Banning it at that point is what gets women killed because it’s usually a medical emergency.
If you want to get rid Trump, impeach his a$$!
What makes you think we don’t want to?!
Republicans are in charge of both houses, it is not happening as long as they are in power and now with a conservative court on top of it. Please read up on our system before commenting like it is that easy to do.
As Awful as this is, the three Republican Female Senators (Susan Collins-ME, Shelley Moore Capito-WV and i forget the third one) have stated in the past they would never let ROE v WADE reverse. Thus i am hoping they will not confirm a superme court nominee who has staunch anti abortion views. Rebulicans need all their senators but 1 to pass any nomination.
This is a welcoming hopeful thought. Thanks for this today.
Don’t believe them. They’ll say anything until the the dotard and Mitch sweetened the pot.
Collins wasn’t going to cave on healthcare either. Until she did. And all it took was a lie from McConnell and a visit from Princess Nagini.
Trusting a Republican politician is like turning your back to a bear.
I don’t trust them.
Democrats are too disunited to do anything
Nope…that isn’t the problem, its apathy & cynicism and refusing to vote at all.
I’m just f*cking livid, honestly. I was sad and upset yesterday, but now I’m just angry. I’m angry at people who didn’t vote. I’m angry at people who castigated Hillary Clinton as a fool and liar despite the fact that she literally called of this shit happening. I’m angry at people who didn’t take Trump seriously for what he was. I’m angry for Kennedy pulling this shit knowing damn well checks and balances are gone. I’m angry thinking about the fact that Roe v. Wade will likely be overturned in my lifetime. I’m angry thinking of all of the women who will suffer, even die, from the result of outlawing abortion. I’m angry thinking of the children who will grow up poor, abused, miserable, and unwanted. F*ck this shithole country and f*ck everybody who voted for this man.
Ditto, Veronica. I pretty much say this to myself at least ten times a day.
The one positive, women are going to wake up to reality created by conservatives. When it happens its going to tank the Republican party. There isn’t enough white men or Christians to vote them into power if women vote in large numbers. If women rise up in mass, their goose is cooked. They may gloat if abortion is struck down but it wake up and embolden a younger generation of women. It could be waking a sleeping dragon. Have hope in this, this could be the future destruction of the Republicans when the boomers die and age out.
Jill Wine-Banks (one of the prosecutors in Watergate) said on her Twitter that the Dems should just not show up so Turtle head doesn’t get a quorum to set up a vote. I don’t know if that is legal or not but I want this stalled until after the election.
Turtle head and his horrible wife do not deserve to eat and shop in peace (did anyone see that twitter video where he acted like a chicken butt and ran to the car while his evil wife shook her finger at those college kids?).
Nancy and Chuck should screw decorum and really get down and fight.
That actually seems like a great idea. I’ve seen this happen at the local level. I think it’s legal but like most of politics, likely not without its risks.
McConnell is truly one of the most craven, cynical, evil bastards in this sh^tshow.
I love Jill and #jillspins.
Then Turtle Head will probably make up another rule saying that he doesn’t need quorum. He is well and truly the architect of the destruction of our democratic practices. Horrible, power-obsessed turtle man.
Once again Trump taking away Women’s rights, unless you’re a rich conservative that can afford an abortion from a “real” doctor, to choose. On the other spectrum is he sterilizing the women in the summer camps to limit the population of POC? The evil never stops with these people. VOTE EARLY AND VOTE OFTEN as James Michael Curley advised the citizens of Boston. How I long for the good old days of political corruption.
To say that I am disappointed in this white man is an understatement. Goodbye, Roe v Wade. Goodbye, Affirmative Action. This is bigger than Trump’s election. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I have spent the last 30 minutes poking around in the Immigration section of Canada’s website.
lol…I’ve been asking my husband since the election about moving to Canada, I would in a heartbeat!
You know, I actually did it myself for the first time yesterday. I’m skilled labor with no children – I got a pretty good chance of going in, lol.
What’s considered skilled labor? IT? I own a fairly successful small business, that can work from anywhere. What are my chances, do you know? I was doing the exact same thing this morning btw!
Nope, not giving in, giving up or giving way.
And I well remember the days before Roe, and I’m not scared about it going back to the states if Roe gets “cancelled.”
Black and brown and many other targeted groups ALREADY live in a police state and all of us live in a survelliance state. I hope something positive will come from this, that now people’s minds will wrap around the reality of this crazy country and fight back.
While I’m glad to see Schumer et al reminding everyone of the McConnell rule, I don’t see how they can stop this. They simply don’t have the numbers in the Senate to block it. But I hope to hell they do everything they can to stop it, chaining themselves the chamber floor if necessary, until the midterms anyway.
Either way, I’m tired of playing by McConnell’s rules, which he changes at his whim. He stole a SCOTUS seat from the people already, now he’s gloating on Twitter. The gloves have to come off. No more “civility.” There are no better angels of his nature to appeal to; he hasn’t got any. He’s a cyborg from hell who wants the country to become a theocracy for white people. He is treason personified.
I felt a bit sick when I heard about Kennedy. Putin is waging geopolitical war against America and Europe and is winning. I am a campaigner who took part in the campaign to legalise abortion in Ireland because compassion should always win over conservative ideologies. I wept with joy when we won because the old ideas about women not allowed to have agency over their bodies are dying. I hope that those horrible ideas are not going to gain ground in the US again. I don’t know what can be done but an injustice done to a woman anywhere is done to all of us.
John Lewis 6/27/18
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. #goodtrouble”
Stay strong and focused.
Saw this at Daily Mail. Mika B of Morning Joe show: “Ivanka and I tried to raised “women’s Issues with her father at cozy White House lunch and he said, ‘yeah, honey, yeah’ claimed Mika B as she detailed relationship with trump before their Feud.”
As I remembered Mika and Joe are one reason we have this monstrosity. He used to be on her show almost every day during the start of his campaign. Mika also never gave Hillary a fair shake. Even this morning they were taking pot shots at her for the campaign she ran. Never talked that the dotard is a false president because he did not get the popular vote.
Mueller will only be able to issue his report to Congress. They will decide whether to elevate that report to the deputy attorney general. Whom Trump selects and can fire. This Mueller saga has never been about charging Trump. He’s special counsel, not independent. Trump knows this.
I’m honestly at the point of just wishing they’d split the country down the middle and make 2 sovereign nations — one for us and one for the rightwingers. They can have the red southern states, and we can take the north and Cali. They can pass every ass backwards law they want in their country. Ever since the Tea Party it’s been clear they only care about power and winning and white, Christian men. We now have diametrically opposed moral codes and points of view. There is no compromise with them anymore; they won’t accept anything other than an extreme rightwing theocracy. So let’s call it and go our separate ways.
I want a divorce goddamite.
God I’ve been feeling the same way for a while now. And to think if blue states form their own nation, the crazy next door one won’t last as it’s relied on the blue to stay afloat.
Your comment is archaic. The south being republican and the north and Cali being democrat no longer exists. Splitting this nation down any middle is impossible politically. That is why Ohio and Michigan voted for trump and a Democrat recently won in Alabama. Please don’t inaccurately blame the south for trump!
Jesus, calm down. Have you looked at a map of how counties voted in 2016? Of course, there Democrats in the south and Republicans in the north. Of course, no split would be perfect. I guess we know where you live!
I’m not uncalm, just like being factual. I live in Florida which was extremely close. You said the “north” which made it sound to me that the entire north was with Hillary, as we all know not the case.