Justice Kennedy announces retirement

[Jimmy Higgins]

link

The 81-year-old Kennedy said in a statement he is stepping down after more than 30 years on the court. A Republican appointee, he has held the key vote on such high-profile issues as abortion, affirmative action, gay rights, guns, campaign finance and voting rights.

Well, that ends that. Time to pack up the bags and move to Canada. Constitutional Law is about to have a large bowel movement thanks to the stolen SCOTUS seat.

 

[Trausti]

 

[starwater]

It's interesting timing on his part. Before the mid-term elections so they can get a conservative on the bench.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

Time to pack up the bags and move to Canada.

Sorry, OTUS, we Canadians are building a wall to keep you out, and you're paying for it.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Time to pack up the bags and move to Canada.

Sorry, OTUS, we Canadians are building a wall to keep you out, and you're paying for it.

Whatever... you have any idea how easy it is to cross the St. Lawrence River? And blending in as a Canadian in Ontario is so easy.

So, eh... how 'boot them Leafs this year? Really disappointin'.

or

Time to go to the 'ortons.

Pretty timeless stuff. Just say it randomly and the average Canadian won't notice a thing... just as long as you stock up the fridge with ten jars of mayonnaise.

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It's interesting timing on his part. Before the mid-term elections so they can get a conservative on the bench.

It usually takes a few months. ​Usually...

 

[starwater]

When has this administration been usual?

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

I wonder if this is as big a gift to Trump and his party as it looks. It could be an impetus to mobilize both the left and for centrists to swing left as well to counter-act the growing institutional power of the right.

One thing is for sure. Hillary's attempt at coronation certainly fucked up the USA. Will the corporate democrats learn from this and put forth a more populist left candidate next time around for president? I still kinda doubt it.They will probably double down on the "you should have voted for us" stuff instead of reforming themselves giving people something good to vote for. Given how Trump is going and now this, they may not feel the need to reform after all. Sad.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Oh, shit, Trump gets another justice

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/su...olidify-court-s-majority-conservative-n887066

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I wonder if this is as big a gift to Trump and his party as it looks.

Yes, yes it is. This will help cement a far-right wing lock on SCOTUS. Short of Roberts turning baby face, this could potentially reverse Roe v Wade and maybe even Griswald v Connecticut if the Christian Taliban wants to.

It could be an impetus to mobilize both the left and for centrists to swing left as well to counter-act the growing institutional power of the right.

It is too late. There could be a massive swing in '18, but SCOTUS would be sealed if they get Kennedy's replacement in quickly.

One thing is for sure. Hillary's attempt at coronation certainly fucked up the USA.

Not this shit again.

Will the corporate democrats learn from this and put forth a more populist left candidate next time around for president?

No, they won't, because America won't elect a liberal Democrat.

 

[Derec]

This gif is so Poe, I seriously can't tell if it was made by a Trump fan or foe.

 

[Mumbles]

It's interesting timing on his part. Before the mid-term elections so they can get a conservative on the bench.

Kennedy also gaver them something to help fire up conservative voters.

Easiest answer - since both are effectively illegitimate, take over two branches, add 2 more justices. The US system is still old and ultimately badly flawed, but that's a short-term problem.

Meanwhile...um, yeah, everyone was told that this would be an end result of giving a narcissistic bigot the WH, so...no point worrying past the 2018 elections at this point.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

When has this administration been usual?

You can only rush the process so much.

First, you need to compile a list of nominees and do extensive background checks. Trump is known for delving deep into the backgrounds of his nominees.
Second, you need the Senate hearings. This is the most important thing of all. The nominee needs to go before the Senate and evade every question before being considered for the position.
Third, the vote. It'll take a lot of time for the Senate to put the vote in their very busy schedule of not passing legislation on anything.

Ultimately, I see no reason to delay a selection and confirmation. But usually a confirmation takes months. Presumably this is Trump's second and last pick for SCOTUS, according to the McConnell rule.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

I wonder if this is as big a gift to Trump and his party as it looks. It could be an impetus to mobilize both the left and for centrists to swing left as well to counter-act the growing institutional power of the right.

One thing is for sure. Hillary's attempt at coronation certainly fucked up the USA. Will the corporate democrats learn from this and put forth a more populist left candidate next time around for president? I still kinda doubt it.They will probably double down on the "you should have voted for us" stuff instead of reforming themselves giving people something good to vote for. Given how Trump is going and now this, they may not feel the need to reform after all. Sad.

The threat of Trump winning and appointing supreme court justices and federal judges didn't help Hillary Clinton win. Those Democratic Hillary haters decided they would rather stiff Hillary than block Trump. I am not sure these sort of people will have learned their lesson and give us a Democratic Senate and House with a mandate to block these judicial appointments. Rather Trump and the GOP will accelerate their efforts to stuff the courts while they can.

 

[Mumbles]

One thing is for sure. Hillary's attempt at coronation certainly fucked up the USA.

As much as Berie stans like to say this, the simple fact is that Hillary still ran the better campaign of the two, by far. I remember outright Bernie supporters insisting that particular states, particularly those in the south, "shouldn't count" in the 2016 primaries, when in reality Sanders simply refused to compete among wide swaths of voters (nonwhite voters in particular).

But that was over years ago regardless.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

One thing is for sure. Hillary's attempt at coronation certainly fucked up the USA.

As much as Berie stans like to say this, the simple fact is that Hillary still ran the better campaign of the two, by far. I remember outright Bernie supporters insisting that particular states, particularly those in the south, "shouldn't count" in the 2016 primaries, when in reality Sanders simply refused to compete among wide swaths of voters (nonwhite voters in particular).

But that was over years ago regardless.

Sanders tried, he just couldn't wrestle them away from Clinton like Obama managed to. (for people who don't remember, the black vote was behind Clinton for a while before switching to Obama)

Clinton's mistake was not hanging out up north (hindsight) and thinking that enough people would be disgusted by Trump. Not even Trump thought he was going to win.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

Clinton's mistake was not hanging out up north (hindsight) and thinking that enough people would be disgusted by Trump. Not even Trump thought he was going to win.

Clinton's mistake was acting entitled ("I'm with her" instead of "she's with us") and being a corporate stooge without any of the charm of Obama or her husband. Bernie coming along and being the perfect primary candidate to expose those flaws certainly didn't help her in the general election either. Trump didn't have to say or do much to win, other than call her "Crooked Hillary" which easily registered. And he won despite him saying a lot of things that would have turned the public against anybody that wasn't running against Hillary.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

No, they won't, because America won't elect a liberal Democrat.

Certainly not so long as the Democrats refuse to try, and continue to sell out right along with the Republicans.

 

[Terrell]

Bye Bye abortion rights. Expect conservative states where the Republicans are in charge to immediately start passing laws prohibiting it. Same for gay/lesbian rights, and several other. This is another consequence of liberals failing/refusing to fall in line. More consequences of "bust".

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

No, they won't, because America won't elect a liberal Democrat.

Certainly not so long as the Democrats refuse to try, and continue to sell out right along with the Republicans.

Bill Clinton and Obama were moderates at most, very popular moderates. Sanders, while having a platform than 2 in 3 Americans agree with, would lose because the Republicans have a strangle hold on "the message".

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Bye Bye abortion rights.

If we are lucky, it stops at abortion.

Expect conservative states where the Republicans are in charge to immediately start passing laws prohibiting it.

"Fetal heart beat" bills are a go! I wouldn't expect them to ban abortion, but to go the fetal heart beat route because it allows SCOTUS to allow it as a 'reasonable limitation', ignoring that it effectively bans abortion. Watch for "the pill" to be next.

Same for gay/lesbian rights, and several other.

With the recent bullshit Florist decision, SCOTUS has sent a message "sincerely held religious based discrimination (by Christians)" is legal.

This is another consequence of liberals failing/refusing to fall in line. More consequences of "bust".

And it is going to hurt.