Discussion: Gorsuch Arrives At The Supreme Court At A Crucial Moment For Voting Rights

2 Likes

ā€œGorsuch avoided saying anything of substance when asked about voting rights during his confirmation hearings last month.ā€ Wait, don’t tell me. In the very near future he’s going to suddenly develop a strong, well-considered opinion on this very topic.

13 Likes

Golly, I wonder how he’ll decide. Doesn’t the constitution say that blacks shouldn’t be allowed to vote because of their skin color? Why yes it did. It’s as plain as his Pinocchio nose. Right?

4 Likes

Voting is deemed important, but 100 million people who could have did not vote in the last election. 80 million US adults have never voted in their lives. They don’t know what goes on in their state, county, town or DC. These people never engage. Unfortunately, Ralph Nader was right:

There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship.

7 Likes

Gorsuch well understands the issues concerning voting discrimination. He just doesn’t care. Gorsuch was put on the Court to limit individual rights and the effective exercise of those rights, while concurrently eviscerating the restraints on big business and the rich and powerful running roughshod over everyone else. That’s what God and the Constitution intend.

11 Likes

He’s going to join the other 4 Wall Street Rubber Stamps to deny the vote to people of color. But he won’t stop there. He will gladly use the ā€œoriginal intentā€ bullshit to restrict the vote to rich white Christian property owners.

8 Likes

I can hold out the hope that he might surprise us all. It is only a hope.

2 Likes

Question: Has SCOTUS ever been subject to demonstrations?
Maybe this is a silly question, but I can’t remember demonstrations against a particular ruling, or against the court in general.

1 Like

and it’s not like they need any help
Democrats are fully capable of shooting themselves in the foot without assistance
This over at Huffpost this AM made my blood boil
They had better clear out the pussy ass mf moderates
All that moderation and nice guy shit gets you a stolen Supreme court seat and lost elections
Bullshit!
Democrats Say They Sometimes Need To Ignore Elections In Order To Win

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-national-strategy_us_58ee8596e4b0b9e98488f39e?

2 Likes

You are right. And it is time to hold ourselves–and also those who seek office–responsible. Back in the ā€˜70s I worked for Fred Harris’ campaign for President (don’t know who Fred was/is? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_R._Harris At the time, the good-government folks were running public service spots that said, ā€œVote and the choice is yours. Don’t vote and the choice is theirs.ā€ Fred had the guts go criticize that view. ā€œIf we politicians can’t get people to come out and vote, it’s our fault, not theirs,ā€ he said. He was right.

6 Likes

Umm…Ever see one of those anti-abortion marches or demonstrations? They are all against Roe v. Wade. And civil rights marches grow out of *Brown v. Bd. of Education, and similar cases. Indeed, all demonstrations of any political stripe are in some sense comments on Holmes’ dissent in Abrams v. U.S., in 1919, Near v. Minnesota and Terminiello v. Chicago, as well as other free-speech cases.

6 Likes

If fear for voting rights. I studied a number of Gorsuch’s decisions in connection with his nominations, and I believe that he is an ideologue who believes, ultimately, that the rich and those who control huge corporations are better than the rest of us.

I hope I’m wrong.

14 Likes

Ayup.

https://www.google.com/search?q=supreme+court+protest&rlz=1C1PRFE_enUS690US730&espv=2&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwijpt6Hr6HTAhUkHGMKHY_0CasQsAQIOw&biw=1680&bih=920

1 Like

I bet if hearings were televised, the dynamic of the court would be different. Most of the justices are more vain than Senators. Bad coverage would affect them, IMO.

2 Likes

We are so fucked

3 Likes

You’re not wrong. His decisions, his upbringing and personal choices to be a corporate Christo-facist are plain for all to see. He will be more predictable than any other on the court, including Alito and Roberts. I will hold out some hope for Roberts, he’s been there awhile now and even the most reclusive SC Justice can see what the country has become and he’d have to be a self deluding moron to see how bad Citizens United is and how much it is responsible for a lot of this and his legacy. Who knows, he may think, fuck it, roll on with the Corporations are people and Christianity rules schtick but things are dangerous out there and he can’t just ignore it.
And perhaps RBG will get a hold of by gosh, by golly and find a way to get through to him. Here’s hoping!

6 Likes

I have this hopeful day dream. trump goes down hard taking many down with him and since McConnell and others were briefed during the election on the Russian interference and did nothing that will somehow make them complicit too and somehow allow us to yank that bastard off the court and try again. Unlikely, but one never knows these days.

Anyone know if we’ve ever gotten anyone off the court after seating them?

3 Likes

Absolutely correct. The Constitution was written to protect the rights and privileges of wealthy white male property owners. 200+ years later it is still accomplishing its mission.

5 Likes

Samuel Chase was impeached by the House in the early 19th century, but acquitted by the Senate and kept his seat. Abe Fortas resigned under pressure from a Nixon smear campaign.

I think that’s it.

7 Likes

Well if nothing else we will have clue what the next 30 Gorsuch years will look like.