Christopher Armitage's article in The Existentialist Republic, "This is way bigger than RICO. Is There a Legal Strategy That Could Put the Entire Trump-GOP Criminal Enterprise in Jail Without Waiting for an Election?" outlines a legal strategy whereby D.A.s and state A.G.'s go after the Trumpers who are raiding our federal coffers or protecting I.C.E. killers by using the bottom-up prosecutorial approach to criminal indictments that brought down the mob in 1985. The strategy just might work. Even if the Supreme Court eventually nixed the local and state prosecutions, the damage would have been done and the crimes and criminals exposed.
I hope that any DC GROUPS WILL PROTEST THIS ACTION BY TRUMP RE HIS TAKE OVER OF PUBLIC GOLF COURSE!
Vicki Baker Indivisible North Coast Oregon
Read this article by
Democracy Forward
It takes a lot to require a Sunday emergency legal filing, Vicki – but this one called for it.
We’re representing the DC Preservation League and two local residents who are working to block the Trump-Vance administration from converting a public recreation space into an exclusive, high-end golf course.
That’s right: President Trump is trying to turn East Potomac Park, a historic public golf course – the only public golf course in Washington, D.C. – into a golf course designed for himself and his rich friends. As recently as April 30, the government maintained in court filings that “no formal decision has been made regarding the nature and scope of any renovations.” But less than 24 hours after that filing was submitted to the court, reports emerged that the Trump-Vance administration will close East Potomac Golf Course at the end of the day on Sunday, May 3, and begin construction – including tree-clearing – today. After that? “Major renovations” will subsequently begin.
Thank you for going “off” on John Roberts, Robert. He deserves all of our disdain and then some. He definitely has been planning the destruction of Section 2 for so many years. The only remedy to this hateful court is to expand the Supreme Court like you said. I especially agreed with your comment to put these extra justices in place immediately and not wait.
My question to you is how long do you think their term limits should be? I read where someone said 18 years. I think that’s too long.
Abort the court! I like it. Short, easy to remember, to the point. Anyone driving by will get it.
No protests in my immediate area so I went across the border into MA. There was a small group. Somewhat disheartening but, after all, people can't risk being fired. I honestly didn't want to go, knowing it would be small, but I did anyway because I can't ask others to do what I'm not willing to do, myself.
Got myself a gift at the local nursery - a cherry bush.
There has been a lot of talk about expanding the Supreme Court. Although I strongly agree that the Supreme Court is in desperate need of reform, I prefer the idea of term limits as laid out by Congressman Hank Johnson (D, Ga). He suggests that each justice serve an 18 year term, rotating through the nine members so that every two years two positions are up for grabs. This means that in every four year term a sitting president can seat two justices with four being nominated in a two term president. I believe this will lead to a more balanced court and will take the terrible politicing out of thenomination process. Of course it is possible that one party could stay in control of the White House for more than eight years but that is rare. And if that were to happen it would be a clear statement of what direction the country is taking. The Supreme Court would, then, reflect that momentum. I am going to continue to have faith that we have a strong and safe system for elections. And I have faith that elections represent the will of the people. Remember that Trump won by a very narrow margin. I wonder where we would be if Biden had never declared his candidacy.
One more quick thing. The numbers for protests are not going down. Whether it is a handful of people on a street corner or on an overpass these protests are continuing every single day somewhere in this very large diverse country. They have been going on every day for a year and a half. That is extraordinary. I have never seen a national movement like this. Stay strong. Go out when you can. And if you can't drive by and honk your damn horn.
What seems to me most important is enough of us keep showing up somewhere every week to keep this movement visible. The number may vary, but it's the persistent presence of protests, and the continuing emphasis on gut-level issues that keeps the movement alive and vibrant, The rallies and flags and signs aren't going to do the job all by themselves, but they make it easier for our legislators and organizations and lawyers to keep speaking up for us. And more and more of them are feeling supported BY US that they are more comfortable standing up. The magas and dogmatic authoritarians are nervous and showing it.
And we LOVE the new era name "John Crow". My wife suggests "John R. Crow" to be even clearer. I hope to see this new name become a viral meme. How do we help you make this happen?
Amen. Especially this: "If those measures seem too extreme for you, do not tell me. Instead, tell your Black friends and neighbors that their right to vote must be subordinated to political decorum, that they must be patient enough to wait decades for 18 year term limits to result in a modest turnover in the Court, that their right to vote must respect the “legitimacy” of the Court and the ossified rules of the Senate, and that change must be slow and incremental because that’s the way Democrats do things. Tell them, not me, that we must be “nice” to Republicans because if we aren’t, Republicans will do mean things like ignore the Constitution, suppress voting rights of Black Americans, tell women they are not in charge of their reproductive choices and bodies, and deny LGBTQ people the right be free from discrimination by businesses offering services to the public."
Thank you, as always, Robert, for your insight, optimism, and problem-solving skills.
I agree with you and Josh Marshall: we have the tools at hand to remedy the court.
But Democrats have to be smarter and bolder. As a resident of Maine, I am disappointed and demoralized by the choice of Graham Platner. As many of you know, Janet Mills was one of the few governors to stand up boldly against Donald Trump. As an older woman, she was passed over in favor of Platner, who is inexperienced and has thus far shown questionable judgment. I fear another John Fetterman. As we know, this is the honeymoon period. A candidate is never stronger than during the interview. Democrats can’t afford to be putting forth weak candidates and looking the other way when they show some of the very attributes we are reacting against in the Republican Party. https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/graham-platner-makes-controversial-call-after-janel-mills-exit-new-tattoo-reddit-allegations-emerge/ar-AA22bHtd
Great photos today, and a very heartening demonstration of who really has the power in this country provided that we stick together, stay active, and VOTE.
"The anti-voting artifices of the Jim Crow era employed the fiction that voting requirements like literacy tests, poll taxes, and property ownership were race-neutral. They were not. Their intent and effect were to discriminate" It is important to note that the measures themselves are not inherently discriminatory; it is the application of those requirements only to people of color, women, and anyone else those in power feared that is discrimination and that is what we must stop.
In respect of the Louisiana v FDA ruling, while we are reforming the once and future Supreme Court and eliminating the 'Shadow Docket', we need to put an end to the idea that a District Court can issue rulings that are effective outside its jurisdiction.
The republicans were the ones complaining about that when Trump admin and state magas were losing lawsuits. This is something to be careful about, because we can't have it both ways and they can't either... but right now it's the courts where the decisions get made.
You're quite right about neither 'side' being able to have it both ways, so the resolution is to eliminate the possibility for either side and limit the ability of a single court with limited jurisdiction to make rules for the whole country. One of the reasons for a hierarchical court system is so that each level can resolve conflicts between courts at the level below. An unfortunate but probably inevitable result of Congress' inactivity is that government action has become limited to executive orders that are subject to change every 4 years and court decisions that are subject to change at any time, especially since the Supreme Court has mitigated the impact of stare decisis.
After an incredibly difficult and disheartening week, participating in my own Newburyport May Day Strong protest and seeing these wonderful pictures has given me a boost! Thank you to Robert Hubbell and all of my fellow activists around the country!
Haven't had a chance to read every word yet or check out ALL the terrific protest signs (did love the "This little piggy..." quintet!). But just to share my vision of an improved SCOTUS. Absolutely increase the size, impose term limits, etc., but I'd like to reimagine how it all works. Way too riggable now, too stackable. I'd like there to be a pool - a large pool (maybe dozens) - from which varying sized juries (7, 9, 11, 15? - depending on the type of case) would be randomly selected (draw names from a hat or whatever, and every hat would hold the name of every justice). I'd like reasonable but generously lengthy term limits (because, ideally, age and experience bring wisdom), and, potentially, vastly improved recommendation/qualification processes (because we need justices with excellent minds and character). My thought is that - for one thing - many, many more cases could be heard (vs backlogged), and deliberations and outcomes would be far less predictable. Anyway, in my dreams. Getting off my soapbox now ...
Going to throw this in right now, because before we get to the part where we get to "fix" the court, we have to get through the coming elections and gain control of the house and especially the Senate, in case there are one or two openings on the Court. If we have the Senate, and they do their job, we can keep Trump (Heritage Foundation, etc) from filling those seats at all if we have to. Just something to tuck away in case we have a chance to use it. The first order of business before we can even think of the big reforms is winning the ability to get to them.
I would think the winter months had some impact on attendance as well.
We need to eliminate the Electoral College. What needs to pass in state legislatures is the National Voter Compact. The popular vote should decide who wins the presidency.
Thank you for THIS rant! I am cussing every single day.
Terry Kupers (CA)
Christopher Armitage's article in The Existentialist Republic, "This is way bigger than RICO. Is There a Legal Strategy That Could Put the Entire Trump-GOP Criminal Enterprise in Jail Without Waiting for an Election?" outlines a legal strategy whereby D.A.s and state A.G.'s go after the Trumpers who are raiding our federal coffers or protecting I.C.E. killers by using the bottom-up prosecutorial approach to criminal indictments that brought down the mob in 1985. The strategy just might work. Even if the Supreme Court eventually nixed the local and state prosecutions, the damage would have been done and the crimes and criminals exposed.
I hope that any DC GROUPS WILL PROTEST THIS ACTION BY TRUMP RE HIS TAKE OVER OF PUBLIC GOLF COURSE!
Vicki Baker Indivisible North Coast Oregon
Read this article by
Democracy Forward
It takes a lot to require a Sunday emergency legal filing, Vicki – but this one called for it.
We’re representing the DC Preservation League and two local residents who are working to block the Trump-Vance administration from converting a public recreation space into an exclusive, high-end golf course.
That’s right: President Trump is trying to turn East Potomac Park, a historic public golf course – the only public golf course in Washington, D.C. – into a golf course designed for himself and his rich friends. As recently as April 30, the government maintained in court filings that “no formal decision has been made regarding the nature and scope of any renovations.” But less than 24 hours after that filing was submitted to the court, reports emerged that the Trump-Vance administration will close East Potomac Golf Course at the end of the day on Sunday, May 3, and begin construction – including tree-clearing – today. After that? “Major renovations” will subsequently begin.
I love these newsletters and their messages of hope. Thank you!
Thank you for going “off” on John Roberts, Robert. He deserves all of our disdain and then some. He definitely has been planning the destruction of Section 2 for so many years. The only remedy to this hateful court is to expand the Supreme Court like you said. I especially agreed with your comment to put these extra justices in place immediately and not wait.
My question to you is how long do you think their term limits should be? I read where someone said 18 years. I think that’s too long.
Abort the court! I like it. Short, easy to remember, to the point. Anyone driving by will get it.
No protests in my immediate area so I went across the border into MA. There was a small group. Somewhat disheartening but, after all, people can't risk being fired. I honestly didn't want to go, knowing it would be small, but I did anyway because I can't ask others to do what I'm not willing to do, myself.
Got myself a gift at the local nursery - a cherry bush.
There has been a lot of talk about expanding the Supreme Court. Although I strongly agree that the Supreme Court is in desperate need of reform, I prefer the idea of term limits as laid out by Congressman Hank Johnson (D, Ga). He suggests that each justice serve an 18 year term, rotating through the nine members so that every two years two positions are up for grabs. This means that in every four year term a sitting president can seat two justices with four being nominated in a two term president. I believe this will lead to a more balanced court and will take the terrible politicing out of thenomination process. Of course it is possible that one party could stay in control of the White House for more than eight years but that is rare. And if that were to happen it would be a clear statement of what direction the country is taking. The Supreme Court would, then, reflect that momentum. I am going to continue to have faith that we have a strong and safe system for elections. And I have faith that elections represent the will of the people. Remember that Trump won by a very narrow margin. I wonder where we would be if Biden had never declared his candidacy.
One more quick thing. The numbers for protests are not going down. Whether it is a handful of people on a street corner or on an overpass these protests are continuing every single day somewhere in this very large diverse country. They have been going on every day for a year and a half. That is extraordinary. I have never seen a national movement like this. Stay strong. Go out when you can. And if you can't drive by and honk your damn horn.
What seems to me most important is enough of us keep showing up somewhere every week to keep this movement visible. The number may vary, but it's the persistent presence of protests, and the continuing emphasis on gut-level issues that keeps the movement alive and vibrant, The rallies and flags and signs aren't going to do the job all by themselves, but they make it easier for our legislators and organizations and lawyers to keep speaking up for us. And more and more of them are feeling supported BY US that they are more comfortable standing up. The magas and dogmatic authoritarians are nervous and showing it.
I am so proud of you all!
Thank you, Robert, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!
And we LOVE the new era name "John Crow". My wife suggests "John R. Crow" to be even clearer. I hope to see this new name become a viral meme. How do we help you make this happen?
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
John R. Crow, yup! Perfect touch. Crow has more than one meaning, and putting the initial in there acts like a pointer.
Amen. Especially this: "If those measures seem too extreme for you, do not tell me. Instead, tell your Black friends and neighbors that their right to vote must be subordinated to political decorum, that they must be patient enough to wait decades for 18 year term limits to result in a modest turnover in the Court, that their right to vote must respect the “legitimacy” of the Court and the ossified rules of the Senate, and that change must be slow and incremental because that’s the way Democrats do things. Tell them, not me, that we must be “nice” to Republicans because if we aren’t, Republicans will do mean things like ignore the Constitution, suppress voting rights of Black Americans, tell women they are not in charge of their reproductive choices and bodies, and deny LGBTQ people the right be free from discrimination by businesses offering services to the public."
Thank you, as always, Robert, for your insight, optimism, and problem-solving skills.
I agree with you and Josh Marshall: we have the tools at hand to remedy the court.
But Democrats have to be smarter and bolder. As a resident of Maine, I am disappointed and demoralized by the choice of Graham Platner. As many of you know, Janet Mills was one of the few governors to stand up boldly against Donald Trump. As an older woman, she was passed over in favor of Platner, who is inexperienced and has thus far shown questionable judgment. I fear another John Fetterman. As we know, this is the honeymoon period. A candidate is never stronger than during the interview. Democrats can’t afford to be putting forth weak candidates and looking the other way when they show some of the very attributes we are reacting against in the Republican Party. https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/graham-platner-makes-controversial-call-after-janel-mills-exit-new-tattoo-reddit-allegations-emerge/ar-AA22bHtd
Great photos today, and a very heartening demonstration of who really has the power in this country provided that we stick together, stay active, and VOTE.
"The anti-voting artifices of the Jim Crow era employed the fiction that voting requirements like literacy tests, poll taxes, and property ownership were race-neutral. They were not. Their intent and effect were to discriminate" It is important to note that the measures themselves are not inherently discriminatory; it is the application of those requirements only to people of color, women, and anyone else those in power feared that is discrimination and that is what we must stop.
In respect of the Louisiana v FDA ruling, while we are reforming the once and future Supreme Court and eliminating the 'Shadow Docket', we need to put an end to the idea that a District Court can issue rulings that are effective outside its jurisdiction.
The republicans were the ones complaining about that when Trump admin and state magas were losing lawsuits. This is something to be careful about, because we can't have it both ways and they can't either... but right now it's the courts where the decisions get made.
You're quite right about neither 'side' being able to have it both ways, so the resolution is to eliminate the possibility for either side and limit the ability of a single court with limited jurisdiction to make rules for the whole country. One of the reasons for a hierarchical court system is so that each level can resolve conflicts between courts at the level below. An unfortunate but probably inevitable result of Congress' inactivity is that government action has become limited to executive orders that are subject to change every 4 years and court decisions that are subject to change at any time, especially since the Supreme Court has mitigated the impact of stare decisis.
After an incredibly difficult and disheartening week, participating in my own Newburyport May Day Strong protest and seeing these wonderful pictures has given me a boost! Thank you to Robert Hubbell and all of my fellow activists around the country!
Haven't had a chance to read every word yet or check out ALL the terrific protest signs (did love the "This little piggy..." quintet!). But just to share my vision of an improved SCOTUS. Absolutely increase the size, impose term limits, etc., but I'd like to reimagine how it all works. Way too riggable now, too stackable. I'd like there to be a pool - a large pool (maybe dozens) - from which varying sized juries (7, 9, 11, 15? - depending on the type of case) would be randomly selected (draw names from a hat or whatever, and every hat would hold the name of every justice). I'd like reasonable but generously lengthy term limits (because, ideally, age and experience bring wisdom), and, potentially, vastly improved recommendation/qualification processes (because we need justices with excellent minds and character). My thought is that - for one thing - many, many more cases could be heard (vs backlogged), and deliberations and outcomes would be far less predictable. Anyway, in my dreams. Getting off my soapbox now ...
Going to throw this in right now, because before we get to the part where we get to "fix" the court, we have to get through the coming elections and gain control of the house and especially the Senate, in case there are one or two openings on the Court. If we have the Senate, and they do their job, we can keep Trump (Heritage Foundation, etc) from filling those seats at all if we have to. Just something to tuck away in case we have a chance to use it. The first order of business before we can even think of the big reforms is winning the ability to get to them.
I would think the winter months had some impact on attendance as well.
We need to eliminate the Electoral College. What needs to pass in state legislatures is the National Voter Compact. The popular vote should decide who wins the presidency.