Major Update at the US Supreme Court

[bucolic_frolic]

Major Update at the US Supreme Court

You know friends, with the Supreme Court continuing to rule in ways that often violate the express text of the Constitution, it's time to do more than just talk about expanding the number of justices on the Supreme Court. It's time to prepare for the fight that lies ahead to expand the number of Supreme Court justices, as I just discussed with my friend and partner in The Legal Breakdown Brian Tyler Cohen.

As Brian persuasively argues in this new book, "The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World":

"The first order of a filibuster free Congress should be reform of the Supreme Court. Not the second or third or fourth, it will be too late to save the Republic and our independent judiciary. If any subsequent reforms are to stand a chance at surviving, we cannot leave in place a rogue branch of government with the power to strike down anything that doesn't import with its far right ideology."

______________________
All the star power in our party and the DNC and it's left to an independent journalist Brian Tyler Cohen to strategize the landscape ahead when a Democratic Congress and President meet SCOTUS-6R. Everything Dems do will be invalidated.

Dems need to stride forward and let the chips fall, let Republicans balk, just like they did to us.

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. That's what I been tryna tell youse guyz

There can be no restoration of lost rights and no repairing of the damage and destruction of the Trump era without first expanding the court and killing the filibuster to do so.

P.S. BTC is not an “independent journalist” - AFAIK, he does not do any original source reporting, he makes his living as a clickbait merchant and rage farmer, albeit from a progressive perspective.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. He is described in the video as an independent journalist, is an author of two books

Clickbait merchant? No, just no.

[Fiendish Thingy]

3. He makes the bulk of his income from clickbait videos on YouTube and podcasts.

He doesn’t do any original source reporting, he just comments on and reacts to stories in the news.

If he meets the definition of “independent journalist”, then every person who posts on DU is an independent journalist too.

[thesquanderer]

6. re: "every person who posts on DU is an independent journalist too" -- True, if we find a way to monetize it. (nt)

[Wonder Why]

7. I beg to disagree. Packing can lead to more packing when they come back and they will.

The solution is true reform of the Court. Lying during appointment hearings should be specifically a reason for removal as should the grift of taking money for speeches, book writing, not putting one's money in a blind trust while being paid a federal salary. Tax returns for all high level government positions should be required to be published within 6 months of the filing date. Failure to honor their two oaths of office is grounds for impeachment.

It's not the number but the character, honesty, ethics and morality of the Justices that is the problem.

[Fiendish Thingy]

9. The more the merrier

Dems must never again govern out of fear of what republicans might do if they regain power.

The bigger the court, the less influence any single Justice has, and the more difficult it is to form reliable, consistent voting blocs.

We must live in reality - no Justice will ever be removed from office when the threshold to do so is so high.

I’ll repeat myself in case you didn’t read it clearly the first time:

There can be NO restoration of lost rights and NO repairing the damage and destruction of the Trump era until the court is expanded, and the filibuster is killed to do so.

THAT is the reality we face, not some imagined “oh no, the republicans will do it too” doomer fantasy - we are already living through the worst nightmare in the history of the nation since the Civil War, and now is the time for courage, not cowardice.

Nothing else matters.

[Wonder Why]

10. I read your posting closely and understtod your point. But I disagree with it. We are both entitled to our opinions.

[Fiendish Thingy]

11. Indeed we are

But only one of our opinions enables the survival of democracy in the US.

While your other ideas for court reform are good, most aren’t possible without amending the constitution, and any others passed by legislation would either be blocked by the filibuster or overturned by the MAGA majority on the court.

On this day of revolutionary remembrance, it is critical to remember that There are trade offs for allowing politics-as-usual to continue.

Whatever the worst fears are that you imagine may come from Dems killing the filibuster and expanding the court, the benefits would be greater, and the real life effects of allowing the MAGA majority on the court to continue its reign of terror unimpeded would make your worst imagined fears of the risks of court packing pale in comparison.

I guarantee it.

[delisen]

4. I think of him as a commentator

I need this type of commentary which synthesizes and can also suggest paths forward.

Otherwise it seems like just a constant barrage of crises and separate disaster points. I think it keeps us from focusing.

We are in a war, Winning a war takes focus, strategy , and planning.

Just reacting to every explosion keeps us constantly on the defensive.

[ekelly]

5. So, no major update AT the Supreme Court n/t

[kentuck]

8. BTC is correct