This is what it looks like when the American empire is fully committed to its death spiral. Skyrocketing gas prices, massive inflation, an economy on the verge of collapse, a quagmire war in the Middle East, a demented fascist in the White House, a Republican-majority Congress engaged in internecine warfare and I could keep going. And to top it all of, a MAGA-packed Supreme Court fully committed to dismantling America’s civil rights and voting rights. Congrats to everyone who voted for all of this.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down a voting map in Louisiana, and with it dealt a blow to a landmark civil rights law and opened the door for other states to redraw their congressional maps in ways that could affect elections for years to come.
It is unclear how the decision, which split 6-3 along ideological lines, will impact November’s midterm elections amid redistricting battles that have raged in multiple states, but several are moving to draw new congressional maps in time. The decision is likely to create new Republican districts across the South for future elections, for the presidential election in 2028 and beyond.
Florida’s legislature approved a new Republican-friendly map within hours of the court’s ruling, and state officials across the South signaled they would pursue changes to their maps that would take effect in time for elections in November.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority held that lawmakers had violated the law when they used race when drawing up a new majority-Black district. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., writing for the majority, said that the court had kept intact the Voting Rights Act but that Louisiana’s new district violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
The majority asserted that the opinion preserved a central tenet of the Voting Rights Act, but the court’s liberal wing, in dissent, argued that the justices had taken the final step to dismantle the landmark civil rights law.
I’m thinking again about how often Hillary Clinton reminded voters in 2016 that the Supreme Court was on the line. Hillary’s prescient warnings were not only ignored, they were scorned. People attacked her for being cynical and extremist for suggesting that decades of civil rights, women’s rights and voting rights could be undone if Donald Trump got to pack SCOTUS. Well, sign your work, MAGA voters. Sign your work, “both sides are the same” voters. Sign your work, journalists who enabled all of this for access to Dementia Don.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- Washington, DC President Donald J Trump during a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. Trump is meeting with the German Chancellor just days after the U.S. and Israel launched widespread attacks on Iran, killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior leaders in air strikes across the region. Pictured: Donald J Trump BACKGRID USA 3 MARCH 2026 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Washington, WA United States President Donald J. Trump walks to the motorcade from the White House residence in Washington, DC, USA, 01 April 2026. President Trump is going to attend the Supreme Court arguments in the birthright citizenship case and will become the first sitting president to attend oral arguments. Pictured: Donald J. Trump BACKGRID USA 1 APRIL 2026 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Justices of the United States Supreme Court during a formal group photograph at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The court opened its new term Monday with a calendar already full of high-profile clashes, including two cases that could end the use of race in college admissions. Featuring: Amy Coney Barrett, Brett M Kavanaugh, Samuel Anthony Alito Jr, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan, Clarence Thomas, John Glover Roberts Jr, Neil McGill Gorsuch, Sonia M Sotomayor Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 07 Oct 2022 Credit: Eric Lee/POOL/CNP/startraksphoto.com/Cover Images
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- Justices of the United States Supreme Court during a formal group photograph at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The court opened its new term Monday with a calendar already full of high-profile clashes, including two cases that could end the use of race in college admissions. Featuring: Clarence Thomas Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 07 Oct 2022 Credit: Eric Lee/POOL/CNP/startraksphoto.com/Cover Images
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- Justices of the United States Supreme Court during a formal group photograph at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The court opened its new term Monday with a calendar already full of high-profile clashes, including two cases that could end the use of race in college admissions. Featuring: Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 07 Oct 2022 Credit: Eric Lee/POOL/CNP/startraksphoto.com/Cover Images
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- President Donald Trump holds a press briefing on the US Supreme Court decision to block the use of an emergency law to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs on most U.S. trading partners Featuring: President Donald Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 20 Feb 2026 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
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- President Donald Trump holds a press briefing on the US Supreme Court decision to block the use of an emergency law to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs on most U.S. trading partners Featuring: President Donald Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 20 Feb 2026 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
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- President Donald Trump holds a press briefing on the US Supreme Court decision to block the use of an emergency law to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs on most U.S. trading partners Featuring: President Donald Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 20 Feb 2026 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
One of my favourite classes at uni was Constitutional Interpretation, and reading the judgements, dissenting opinions, arguments, etc., is genuinely riveting and life-enhancing stuff. So. In the interests of playing devil’s advocate, I ask myself, is there a legitimate fact-anchored argument to remove protections for voters whose civil rights were treated with contempt for so long? Are we really past it, is it no longer relevant? And the answer is no, clearly, that’s like a bad joke. So. I have no idea what grounds this judgement is based on. The “states’ rights” argument was always so insipid and cynical. I mean. I think literally republicans woke up one morning, one time, and realised they would never win another election again, ever, unless they started cheating. That’s the transparent goal. They will use any means necessary — to cite Malcolm X — to cling to power. They’re not a party that belongs in a healthy republic. The best summing-up that I recall reading, in Trump’s first election cycle, was pithy: “The Republican Party is a failed state, and Trump is its warlord.”
Constitutional Law and History of Constitutional Law were two of my favorites. It was a learning curve for sure but once you learn how to navigate it, it’s beautiful to read the decisions – to be able to get into the minds of the justices and their interpretation. I was always amazed at their forethought, which makes me wonder if there is forethought now and I am sure there is so it makes this timeline and this court depressing. I always thought the SC would keep it all in line. How sadly mistaken I was.
If every state had a neutral third party determine the voting district with borders that match counties or other boundaries, then the VRA would not be needed. But they effectively killed the VRA with gerrymandering still in place in almost every state.
They would also need consistent rules for the whole country in terms of registration for voting to be fair.
Many other countries have a federal level organization handle voter registration and managing of the election, but other countries also don’t make voter registration so difficult either.
The U.S. is one of the few countries where the party in power gets to control all of this.
🎯
There’s no grounding in their decisions. There’s no fact-based reasoning. Plus Alito wrote it, who has utter contempt for the Court, so it’s even more garbage than usual. The rumor is that he’s going to retire at the end of this term, so god only knows what 20yo fuckwit they’ll get this time.
They rewrote the 15th Am – written after the Civil War – to benefit white people only. Someone used the phrase “judicial coup” and that’s exactly what this is. We’ll never have a democracy again if we don’t reform and remake this corrupt court.
Kagan’s dissent is excellent. I can only read it in pieces, it’s too depressing. And stupid. Constitutional Law was one of my favorite and best subjects; this timeline is excruciating.
The decion is such gaslighting bs. You can’t use race to draw a non-gerrymandered Black district but you can gerrymander white districts till your heart’s content. Who won the Civil War again?
Btw, I’ve never been prouder, not only to have voted for HRC, but to have worked on her campaigns.
I know I always comment this, but I cannot believe what is occurring in front of my eyes. The way the MAGAs are proud of themselves leaves me speechless. While I was visiting a wildlife conservation park in Australia, there was a woman in the “meet a koala” line proudly wearing her red MAGA cap. I felt like screaming in her face to get f-cked. No koala wants to meet you, you stupid a-hole.
“Who won the Civil War again?” yeah, they’re trying to redo that, too. Rewrite the Reconstruction Amendments today to benefit white people only, “triumphal arch” to the Confederacy (on the Arlington side of the river) tomorrow.
This is devastating. I am heartbroken for my brothers and sisters in the south who are having their voices ripped from them. The rage and loathing I feel for this administration and John Roberts could power the state of California. I am disgusted.
California should just go ahead and redistrict the state to 52-0 Dems. Give MAGA something to really whine and bitch about.
So here is my question, Virginia voted. VA SC said no. Do they realize they are showing that it’s all smoke and mirrors. They are undermining the system and destroying it at the same time.
Everything the Republicans do is so cynical. To paraphrase Van Jones in 2024: Democrats must be flawless; Republicans can be lawless. But it wasn’t the Virginia Supreme Court, it was a right wing appeals judge. That won’t stand.
Didn’t the VA SC pause certifying the election to move forward?
They may be waiting on the appeal which I understand is ongoing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It’s not just the people of color in the South who will suffer. It’s all of us. Tyranny of the conservative minority. I’m so deeply worried about the future of this country, I’m making my kids look at going to college in other countries.
They’re coming for women’s voting rights in the next 5-10 years and so far Dems are so out of step with the reality of what’s needed I don’t see them stopping it. What do we even do? (And don’t say vote. That’s obvious, obviously not enough, and I’m talking about additional measures.)
I am furious and gutted. As I read comments yesterday from African Americans whose parents and grandparents had fought for voting rights — often putting their very lives on the line — I wanted to weep.
The Democrats had better be prepared to remedy some of this. No more obeying the norms. We need people willing to fight dirty.
I am one generation removed from segregation. Both my parents have much trauma associated with that time in their lives the bubble up in small ways. This really does feel like a gut punch. The beginning of losing rights. We tried to warn people but they hated Hillary so much that they couldn’t think about the long term strategy. They are already trying to make jobs in the Federal government whiter (which I knew was coming), and unwind all the hard fought gains of the last 50 years. White supremacy is toxic. When Trump said he wanted to Make America Great Again, he meant he wanted to make us post Reconstruction Gild Age Again. Very sad to see and to know that just by the color of our skin people really feel that we are less than in so many ways.
I don’t know if some well placed hangings for treason after the Civil War would have prevented all this, but I sure wish they had given it a try.
One of my MAGA in-laws once asked me to leave a get-together at his house when I said the problem wasn’t that Sherman ransacked the South, it was that he didn’t ransack it enough. Never been prouder to be thrown out of a gathering.
I salute you! 🫡
Failing to hold the traitors accountable absolutely contributed to where we are today. They wouldn’t have made that same mistake.
Deep sigh. Heartbroken.
Heartbroken. Furious. Terrified. But not surprised.
If anything this should everyone that Presidential elections have consequences far far beyond the oval office.
All the way back in 2000 people were warning that electing Bush would give repubs SC seats. Many folks didn’t listen. 2016, same thing, with Clinton herself loudly warning about how critical it was. Many folks didn’t listen. And now here we are. Apparently, the toddler had to touch the hot stove. SMH.
She gave a whole speech in Wisconsin where supposedly she didn’t go!
This too will backfire on them. It will be interesting to watch and if the Dems get back in office, they need to codify so many laws.
In 2020, Elizabeth Warren ran on expanding the Supreme Court but we just had to have Biden as the nominee because “a woman can’t win”… or something.
One of the saddest aspects of this is that now black folks will be represented by white Congressional members who do not give two shits about their needs. Like, these white Republicans genuinely do not want their votes nor do they care about them AT ALL.
Whoever runs in 2028 MUST get serious about expanding the Supreme Court. And don’t tell me that it cant be done FFS GET CAUGHT TRYING. We cannot continue with this right wing activist SC that’s hellbent on dismantling democracy in order to fulfill their Project 2025 objectives. Enough.
Only Congress can expand the court. Yes, it’s good to have a president who is willing but had Biden tried Manchin and Sinema would have obstructed. Bottom line: we need a Congress willing to pass a total reform agenda. President alone won’t get it done for many things.
GET CAUGHT TRYING. We have got to stop with the endless excuses about why something cannot be done because that’s loser, defeatist shit. Trump and the GOP just DO, they don’t find reasons why they can’t.
Latest CNN poll has Dems at 28% approval–that’s lower than Trump–and a HUGE reason why is because Dems are endlessly ineffective at getting any part of their agenda accomplished. And don’t tell me that it’s simply because GOP has control of Congress when JUST YESTERDAY 42 Dems voted in FAVOR of FISA Section 702, a bill that makes it easier for Trump to spy on Americans. Why?? Why break with your party to help a fascist POTUS spy on your own constituents???? Dems too busy helping the GOP achieve their agenda instead of stopping them with one of the only levers of power they have left.
Meanwhile just last week, Trump reclassified marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug in states that have licensed it for medical purposes and directed the FDA to give drug makers access to programs that could reduce approval times for psychedelic therapy. Both of these things have huge bipartisan support. All it took was one phone call from Joe Rogan and the EO was signed.
Biden waited three years to move to reschedule marijuana and couldn’t manage to get it done because he insisted on some lengthy DEA review blah blah blah.
There are so many things Dems could be doing and frankly, could have done, to prevent the madness we are currently living with. Codify Roe, expand the SC, abolish the filibuster etc etc–but most importantly, JUST DO IT. If it fails, it fails. We just want to see them TRYING.
Biden had more pressing 💩 to get done following the pandemic disaster left by Trump. I absolutely agree this court expansion must happen in 2029. But in 2021there was only so much runway for progressive policy. Our political system wasn’t built to make massive reform happen quickly. Get mad at the founders. And Republicans are breaking laws to do this and have prepared to do it for decades!
There’s one more difference between Republicans and Democrats that makes it much easier for them to do what the party wants to do. They are a small tent party composed of mostly white males and white male adjacents. They all do as they’re told even if it endangers them politically. Democrats are very diverse and have many members of Congress occupying swing districts. Add in ideological differences and it’s like herding cats to get everyone moving in the same direction. We got rid of Manchin and Sinema only to end up with Fetterman. It’s maddening.
@Kitten: “GET CAUGHT TRYING.”
This, a thousand times this.
F’ing do something with the power you do have, Dems. The rest of us are screaming into the void out here, we just want to see you fighting FFS.
If you don’t try because it might not work, well, then it never will work.
I’m still mad that Elizabeth Warren wasn’t the Dem nominee in 2020 (and that we didn’t elect HRC and Kamala Harris).
I’m so devastated by this that I’m trying to amuse myself by imagining Justice Coney Barrett discussing current events with her kids — including her adopted Black children from Haiti. I hope her kids are the questioning sort.
She is the worst kind of adoptive parent — the white savior type. I remember an early photo of her family soon after her nomination. Her Black kids were literally on the fringes of the family.
That subtle rumbling we are all feeling under our feet is Jack and Bobby spinning in their Arlington Cemetery graves. Shame on SCOTUS (the majority).
Nice work F*&ers. I literally hate these people.
I’m so over the overt racism and the gaslighting that it’s not racism. So majority Black districts are bad but states can gerrymander to their hearts content to create majority white districts and that is okay, normal and allowed? Some crafty lawyers need to sue based on demographics and go after all these majority white districts where non whites have been intentionally disenfranchised.
I hope wherever Mitch McConnell he is suffering, waddle-necked asshole.