I concur Mary. My Sen. Dick Durbin needs to be replaced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse who knows how to do his job properly. Durbin still won't get rid of the blue slips which is harming our chances of getting judges on district and circuit courts that are in red states areas. He is a weak and feckless man.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse would be a perfect Judiciary Chair, or at least a committee member. He doesn’t take crap from anyone and he’s been after the Supreme Court justices for years!
I certainly agree - and loved The Wrap today. I agree that it has been so much, so often, so bad - that the cumulative news cycles day in and day out have changed us. I know I am changed. And I am one who is still out of great necessity, COVID cautious and to a degree isolated because - no shock - so many Americans have decided if we declare ‘Mission accomplished’ then we DO NOT have COVID as 3rd leading cause of American deaths. We aren’t losing thousands of Americans every single week to COVID - and many more to the dastardly effects of vascular long COVID. So for me; I have lots of sad and angry feelings about our ableist and ageist society. And that’s in addition to every other horrific thing that we are confronted with on a daily basis. I was wondering if there is any chance we could re-charge ‘Good Human of the Week’ ?? It was a real mood lifter for me - and we need to hunt for the hidden rays of light in this darkening sky around us. Much peace to this fine community here. So grateful for all of you. ☮️
Thank you for your succinct and targeted bullets directed at the actions needed to be taken by Judge Roberts and Congress, etc. Please be reminded of Clarence Thomas's history of aggressive sexual behavior with professor Anita Hill's testimony 30 years ago...Justice Thomas has got to go!
Every single one of the "conservative" justices is corrupt, spineless, and criminal. Especially Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett. Sexual predators and religious fanatics should be prohibited from holding the post. As should spineless cowards and feckless corrupt traitors to the oaths they take.
Well articulated, Mary. Agree that Sheldon Whitehouse is the person to tackle this, given his proven record of following the Federalist Society Conspiracy (what else, can we call it, after all?) effort to hijack our Judicial system for extreme right wing catholic values enablement. How shall we proceed? Write our Senators, perhaps?
Although Thomas is not the first black Justice, he still carries an outsized responsibility for being exemplary, especially in this environment of supercharged racism On a personal level, how deep a thinker does one have to be to realize that one's entire identity is betrayed by these extreme rightwing white privileged patriarchal positions? Also, doesn't the Senate Judiciary Cttee that confirmed him owe American an apology for caving to Thomas's cheap shot about " high tech lynching, " when the complainant was an extremely credible person with the courage to speak up for herself and women who are in that situation,obviously not someone remotely associated with lynching? And doesn't Biden owe us more than a weak apology when he puts the rights of 50.5 % of the population (55% of voters and the bedrock of the Democratic party, women, behind that of black men? There should be no competition between demographic groups for equal human rights and justice. WE ALL DESERVE EQUALITY. But pure politics should not put one group ahead of another. Yes, I am referring to Clyburn turning Biden's tide in the last election.
But Clarence Thomas is clearly a poor representative among men of any color, just as Ginny Thomas is a poor representative of women of any color. The difference is: she didn't take an Oath to be impartial in the highest ranks of our Judiciary. I think Sheldon Whitehouse's call to enforce ethical laws of GOVERNMENT, of which the Supreme Court is one very important element, is spot on. It must be done, because Clarence Thomas clearly cannot withstand temptation and hypocrisy doesn't seem to bother him at all.
This is another example of how our crazy reliance on “norms” for the last 250 years is now about as effective as “bringing the light into the body” was for COVID. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but these people are not like your your father’s president. Richard Nixon had some small sense of shame. We have now learned from virtually every member of Trump’s cabinet, from Republican House members, and now from these right wing Federal Judges, that these ethics rules need to be codified with regular legal enforcement as part of it. I don’t think we can count on Justice Roberts to do anything. Checks and Balances also seem to be a myth. Ethics reforms and laws need to be on the agenda for all future Pro-Democracy candidates running for anything in the Federal Government.
Back in 2004, the late Justice Antonin Scalia was questioned about flying on Air Force Two with then Vice President Dick Cheney for a duck hunting trip in Louisiana and he said “if it is reasonable to think that a Supreme Court justice can be bought so cheap, the Nation is in deeper trouble than I had imagined.”
This country is in deep trouble, more than most of us can or want to imagine.
Thank you Mary for this brilliant, clear and concise summary of the danger we face with our current Supreme Court conservative majority and providing much needed solutions.
I only discovered this fact recently, while listening to the #sisters in law podcast. I must confess I laughed a little, seemed a delicious kind of poetic justice.
I concur Mary. My Sen. Dick Durbin needs to be replaced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse who knows how to do his job properly. Durbin still won't get rid of the blue slips which is harming our chances of getting judges on district and circuit courts that are in red states areas. He is a weak and feckless man.
I second Sheldon Whitehouse for chair. I just read his book “The Scheme”. He is who we Ned to take on this corruption.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse would be a perfect Judiciary Chair, or at least a committee member. He doesn’t take crap from anyone and he’s been after the Supreme Court justices for years!
He's a senior member of the Judiciary Committee & I suspect, the only reason anything is being said about this behavior.
From your lips to God’s ears. Yup. Illegitimate court all the way.
Mary: Most Succinct Perfect Newsletter Yet Nothing to Add I will share more I'm In Awe of Your Writing already shared 3x before reading: excellent
I certainly agree - and loved The Wrap today. I agree that it has been so much, so often, so bad - that the cumulative news cycles day in and day out have changed us. I know I am changed. And I am one who is still out of great necessity, COVID cautious and to a degree isolated because - no shock - so many Americans have decided if we declare ‘Mission accomplished’ then we DO NOT have COVID as 3rd leading cause of American deaths. We aren’t losing thousands of Americans every single week to COVID - and many more to the dastardly effects of vascular long COVID. So for me; I have lots of sad and angry feelings about our ableist and ageist society. And that’s in addition to every other horrific thing that we are confronted with on a daily basis. I was wondering if there is any chance we could re-charge ‘Good Human of the Week’ ?? It was a real mood lifter for me - and we need to hunt for the hidden rays of light in this darkening sky around us. Much peace to this fine community here. So grateful for all of you. ☮️
Thank you for your succinct and targeted bullets directed at the actions needed to be taken by Judge Roberts and Congress, etc. Please be reminded of Clarence Thomas's history of aggressive sexual behavior with professor Anita Hill's testimony 30 years ago...Justice Thomas has got to go!
No One Is Above Law Including Justice Roberts and The Sanctioned Donations aren't Special THATS BRIBERY EXTORTION etc
Every single one of the "conservative" justices is corrupt, spineless, and criminal. Especially Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett. Sexual predators and religious fanatics should be prohibited from holding the post. As should spineless cowards and feckless corrupt traitors to the oaths they take.
Well articulated, Mary. Agree that Sheldon Whitehouse is the person to tackle this, given his proven record of following the Federalist Society Conspiracy (what else, can we call it, after all?) effort to hijack our Judicial system for extreme right wing catholic values enablement. How shall we proceed? Write our Senators, perhaps?
Although Thomas is not the first black Justice, he still carries an outsized responsibility for being exemplary, especially in this environment of supercharged racism On a personal level, how deep a thinker does one have to be to realize that one's entire identity is betrayed by these extreme rightwing white privileged patriarchal positions? Also, doesn't the Senate Judiciary Cttee that confirmed him owe American an apology for caving to Thomas's cheap shot about " high tech lynching, " when the complainant was an extremely credible person with the courage to speak up for herself and women who are in that situation,obviously not someone remotely associated with lynching? And doesn't Biden owe us more than a weak apology when he puts the rights of 50.5 % of the population (55% of voters and the bedrock of the Democratic party, women, behind that of black men? There should be no competition between demographic groups for equal human rights and justice. WE ALL DESERVE EQUALITY. But pure politics should not put one group ahead of another. Yes, I am referring to Clyburn turning Biden's tide in the last election.
But Clarence Thomas is clearly a poor representative among men of any color, just as Ginny Thomas is a poor representative of women of any color. The difference is: she didn't take an Oath to be impartial in the highest ranks of our Judiciary. I think Sheldon Whitehouse's call to enforce ethical laws of GOVERNMENT, of which the Supreme Court is one very important element, is spot on. It must be done, because Clarence Thomas clearly cannot withstand temptation and hypocrisy doesn't seem to bother him at all.
Mary, have you sent this to various newspapers (Washington Post, New York Times) letters to the Editors? It's good and I wish everyone could read it.
This is another example of how our crazy reliance on “norms” for the last 250 years is now about as effective as “bringing the light into the body” was for COVID. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but these people are not like your your father’s president. Richard Nixon had some small sense of shame. We have now learned from virtually every member of Trump’s cabinet, from Republican House members, and now from these right wing Federal Judges, that these ethics rules need to be codified with regular legal enforcement as part of it. I don’t think we can count on Justice Roberts to do anything. Checks and Balances also seem to be a myth. Ethics reforms and laws need to be on the agenda for all future Pro-Democracy candidates running for anything in the Federal Government.
Back in 2004, the late Justice Antonin Scalia was questioned about flying on Air Force Two with then Vice President Dick Cheney for a duck hunting trip in Louisiana and he said “if it is reasonable to think that a Supreme Court justice can be bought so cheap, the Nation is in deeper trouble than I had imagined.”
This country is in deep trouble, more than most of us can or want to imagine.
Thank you Mary for this brilliant, clear and concise summary of the danger we face with our current Supreme Court conservative majority and providing much needed solutions.
Well, he died in a resort for wealthy game hunters in West Texas. Everything kept very hush hush. Natural or murder.
I only discovered this fact recently, while listening to the #sisters in law podcast. I must confess I laughed a little, seemed a delicious kind of poetic justice.
Something to really think about. This is an excellent article.
You are so spot on Mary!
Oh Mary, we are so fucked
Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
-Lord Acton