The radically aggressive right wing agenda is taking the US back to the Gilded Age. Robber barons have always needed to be held in check, or their sociopathic greed would stomp all over everyone else. No one thinks they are entitled like the rich.
It's as if these idiot justices flunked science class in high school. But we know the real truth, don't we? They have been bought by the Oligarchs who rule this country.
The concept of freedom in this country is being morphed by the Republicans and the right wing SCOTUS majority. Equal treatment under the law and the principle that personal freedoms extend only so far as the point where they impinge on another's freedoms and well-being is being thrown out of the window. It is occurring across a wide front--restrictions on what can be taught, how people can dress, books being banned, regulations to protect health and safety of the population as a whole, restrictions on voting, access to healthcare and bodily autonomy in the case of abortion aaccess and gender affirming care, and even the institution of laws in red states elevating Christianity as a state religion.
Every day there is new evidence of the erosion of freedom in this country. For every win like the Stewart Rhodes conviction and sentencing there are broader counterbalancing losses like the gutting of the ability of the EPA to protect all of us in the name of dismantling hte administrative "deep state."
The concept of freedom is being distorted and perverted as Republicans are pushing the advantage they have crafted over the past 40 years to gerrymander and adjudicate themselves into minority rule and to obliterate the concept of one person, one vote.
The bullies are acting with impunity almost unchecked at this point. And there is no real freedom where bullies rule.
Bullies, and that is exactly what they are, have sociopathically tried to rule the world for eons. Freedom is a product of good faith, solidarity, and keeping them at bay. I think we all harbor Jekyll and Hyde to some degree, so the problem is never defeated for good; but we can battle abuses of power in the short term and cultivate awareness and empathy as a protective strategy into the future. It is clear we have come to a point of crisis. Technology amplifies our our power to do, and can be helpful and healing, or predatory.
I am so grateful for President Joe Biden and the generous attitude he demonstrates even as he is unfairly lied about and condemned. We could not have a better, wise, compassionate and experienced person as our leader.
It has also been great to see seasoned leadership as well as new and upcoming younger leaders, within the Democratic Party, taking more responsibility for governing and building up our nation, with the support and guidance of their seniors.
We must vote, we must serve in anyway we are able, we must kindly and respectfully speak truth to our friends with clarity. These are dangerous days. Our enemy is powerful and "hungry for MORE!" Our enemy is not kind and polite but rather is seeking unbridled control that includes all the riches of this country (including our wetlands) and the souls of its people.
This enemy is literally everywhere. For instance, I was looking for a book for my grandaughter....the books were in the Christian section.....both were compiled/written by young women who were in Trump's administration. I was horrified! ....needless to say I did NOT buy those books.....but sad to say the "wrong"wing of our government has /is brainwashing so many who are not able to think on their own.......the ropes of totalitarianism are tightening.......WE CAN NOT SLEEP!!!!!
Ok. So what do we do? If power begets more power how does it stop before it has total control. Government contracts will be issued only to those that are compliant and complicit with those in power. Voting laws and gerrymandering become instituted to make sure those that win elections are those the extremist want to be elected. The USA will тАЬlookтАЭ like a Democracy because there is voting but the outcome will be rigged. Laws (some already in place) will require Christian тАЬvaluesтАЭ be implemented in every government agency, school, etc you name it. The Christian right wingтАЭ SCOTUS judges in the majority has begun to legislate from the bench and will continue to do so. As all these continue to manifest Democracy in the USA will be lost. Illiberal Democracy/ Christian Democracy like that in Hungary will be here. ItтАЩs already well on itтАЩs way there here in the USA. So what do we do? Expressing our concerns, venting our frustrations here and other places online is all well and good, we need to have a place to unload the emotional impact of current events, but other than it offering some momentary relief, thatтАЩs all it is, momentary relief. ItтАЩs good to know we are among other of like mind but where do we go from here. What do we do? ItтАЩs looking more and more line the Christian Nationalists are slowly but surely taking over our country. The slow moving coup of the right wing Christian extremists thatтАЩs been underway for years is taking over, state governments, state courts, state voting, state laws, state legislative bodies, and the federal government legislative bodies (Congress and the Senate) and federal courts are moving in this direction too, and have been for years. So what do we do? If the system becomes more and more rigged for the right wing extremists/ christian nationalists, what if anything can we do?
Well put. I fret over this daily. Tired of complaining how bad things are. Few seem to care. I've been on the streets protesting. Pitiful turn outs. I've gone to DC to protest. Again, pitiful turnouts. I've gone door to door in voter drives. Ineffectual. I'm discouraged. I know that's what they are counting on. But when you put in all the time and effort -- both physically and emotionally -- and no one pays attention (especially the "media", which is failing us as well) it's disheartening to say the least.
The oligarchs have been very successful in dividing Americans against each other. The only path I see forward is to start talking about the fact that it's not about right versus left, but rather the wealthy and powerful against the rest of us. That is the only message I see a chance of getting through. Maybe even that isn't enough and our American Democracy is doomed. So sad.
And why isn't Biden getting on national telvision and addressing the Nation about the debt ceiling? A bit of leadership would be heartening.
Joe needs to do exactly that. Time for some "fireside chats" with clear, irrefutable facts. Thanks Dan Stipe for your activist protests, and never be frustrated for doing something to create social change. And Voting.
This really resonates with me and I have been thinking along these same line all morning. Perhaps one of the creepiest parts of these right wing is their supposed allegiance to тАЬChristian values.тАЭ They make a bullying mockery of Christianity and try to force it down our throats. This will be an ugly battle, but one worth fighting.
When South Carolina passed the 6-week abortion ban, articles declared lawsuits will surely follow. I thought about the religious organizations whose laws protect a women's right to choose. The Episcopal Church is one of them. What if those denominations banded together to bring legal action challenging laws that deny our religious freedoms? Right now we are all forced to comply with Catholic doctrine, superseding many other faiths. Legal actions by organizations powerful enough to stand their ground and win might be worth a try.
So few Americans seem to understand the тАЬfaithтАЭ of our Founding Fathers. Maybe some would look up тАЬDeistsтАЭ and тАЬdeismтАЭ to get some understanding of the тАЬscienceтАЭ that gave US democracy. It was freedom from being ruled as the Radical Republicans of today want to rule. (Of course we had the Puritans too. They seem ascendant today.)
I have loved using SCROTUS. To those who say that my junior high brain is in overdrive, I say that it simply stands for Supreme Court (Reactionary) of the United States.
Keep your cane raised midway.....a whackamole to the masculine midsection! Or in the case of MTG, Kari Lake, etc, the feminine midsection equally targeted. Darn, forgot Boebert
SCROTUS, what a nightmare
SCOTUS is so backwards thinking and FRUSTRATING!! I just wanna scream.
Thanks so much Heather for all your efforts. They are not wasted.
That's not backwards thinking. It's aggressive right-wing agenda. It's getting rapidly worse.
The radically aggressive right wing agenda is taking the US back to the Gilded Age. Robber barons have always needed to be held in check, or their sociopathic greed would stomp all over everyone else. No one thinks they are entitled like the rich.
You're so right.
And I hate it.
It's as if these idiot justices flunked science class in high school. But we know the real truth, don't we? They have been bought by the Oligarchs who rule this country.
They have indeed. And they will destroy us all without batting an eye. Not just us but every living thing that gets in their way.
The concept of freedom in this country is being morphed by the Republicans and the right wing SCOTUS majority. Equal treatment under the law and the principle that personal freedoms extend only so far as the point where they impinge on another's freedoms and well-being is being thrown out of the window. It is occurring across a wide front--restrictions on what can be taught, how people can dress, books being banned, regulations to protect health and safety of the population as a whole, restrictions on voting, access to healthcare and bodily autonomy in the case of abortion aaccess and gender affirming care, and even the institution of laws in red states elevating Christianity as a state religion.
Every day there is new evidence of the erosion of freedom in this country. For every win like the Stewart Rhodes conviction and sentencing there are broader counterbalancing losses like the gutting of the ability of the EPA to protect all of us in the name of dismantling hte administrative "deep state."
The concept of freedom is being distorted and perverted as Republicans are pushing the advantage they have crafted over the past 40 years to gerrymander and adjudicate themselves into minority rule and to obliterate the concept of one person, one vote.
The bullies are acting with impunity almost unchecked at this point. And there is no real freedom where bullies rule.
Bullies, and that is exactly what they are, have sociopathically tried to rule the world for eons. Freedom is a product of good faith, solidarity, and keeping them at bay. I think we all harbor Jekyll and Hyde to some degree, so the problem is never defeated for good; but we can battle abuses of power in the short term and cultivate awareness and empathy as a protective strategy into the future. It is clear we have come to a point of crisis. Technology amplifies our our power to do, and can be helpful and healing, or predatory.
JL GRAHAM, wise words for today and everyday.
I am so grateful for President Joe Biden and the generous attitude he demonstrates even as he is unfairly lied about and condemned. We could not have a better, wise, compassionate and experienced person as our leader.
It has also been great to see seasoned leadership as well as new and upcoming younger leaders, within the Democratic Party, taking more responsibility for governing and building up our nation, with the support and guidance of their seniors.
We must vote, we must serve in anyway we are able, we must kindly and respectfully speak truth to our friends with clarity. These are dangerous days. Our enemy is powerful and "hungry for MORE!" Our enemy is not kind and polite but rather is seeking unbridled control that includes all the riches of this country (including our wetlands) and the souls of its people.
This enemy is literally everywhere. For instance, I was looking for a book for my grandaughter....the books were in the Christian section.....both were compiled/written by young women who were in Trump's administration. I was horrified! ....needless to say I did NOT buy those books.....but sad to say the "wrong"wing of our government has /is brainwashing so many who are not able to think on their own.......the ropes of totalitarianism are tightening.......WE CAN NOT SLEEP!!!!!
Ok. So what do we do? If power begets more power how does it stop before it has total control. Government contracts will be issued only to those that are compliant and complicit with those in power. Voting laws and gerrymandering become instituted to make sure those that win elections are those the extremist want to be elected. The USA will тАЬlookтАЭ like a Democracy because there is voting but the outcome will be rigged. Laws (some already in place) will require Christian тАЬvaluesтАЭ be implemented in every government agency, school, etc you name it. The Christian right wingтАЭ SCOTUS judges in the majority has begun to legislate from the bench and will continue to do so. As all these continue to manifest Democracy in the USA will be lost. Illiberal Democracy/ Christian Democracy like that in Hungary will be here. ItтАЩs already well on itтАЩs way there here in the USA. So what do we do? Expressing our concerns, venting our frustrations here and other places online is all well and good, we need to have a place to unload the emotional impact of current events, but other than it offering some momentary relief, thatтАЩs all it is, momentary relief. ItтАЩs good to know we are among other of like mind but where do we go from here. What do we do? ItтАЩs looking more and more line the Christian Nationalists are slowly but surely taking over our country. The slow moving coup of the right wing Christian extremists thatтАЩs been underway for years is taking over, state governments, state courts, state voting, state laws, state legislative bodies, and the federal government legislative bodies (Congress and the Senate) and federal courts are moving in this direction too, and have been for years. So what do we do? If the system becomes more and more rigged for the right wing extremists/ christian nationalists, what if anything can we do?
Well put. I fret over this daily. Tired of complaining how bad things are. Few seem to care. I've been on the streets protesting. Pitiful turn outs. I've gone to DC to protest. Again, pitiful turnouts. I've gone door to door in voter drives. Ineffectual. I'm discouraged. I know that's what they are counting on. But when you put in all the time and effort -- both physically and emotionally -- and no one pays attention (especially the "media", which is failing us as well) it's disheartening to say the least.
The oligarchs have been very successful in dividing Americans against each other. The only path I see forward is to start talking about the fact that it's not about right versus left, but rather the wealthy and powerful against the rest of us. That is the only message I see a chance of getting through. Maybe even that isn't enough and our American Democracy is doomed. So sad.
And why isn't Biden getting on national telvision and addressing the Nation about the debt ceiling? A bit of leadership would be heartening.
Joe needs to do exactly that. Time for some "fireside chats" with clear, irrefutable facts. Thanks Dan Stipe for your activist protests, and never be frustrated for doing something to create social change. And Voting.
Professor Richardson should be hired by the DNC to write them for Joe.
This really resonates with me and I have been thinking along these same line all morning. Perhaps one of the creepiest parts of these right wing is their supposed allegiance to тАЬChristian values.тАЭ They make a bullying mockery of Christianity and try to force it down our throats. This will be an ugly battle, but one worth fighting.
When South Carolina passed the 6-week abortion ban, articles declared lawsuits will surely follow. I thought about the religious organizations whose laws protect a women's right to choose. The Episcopal Church is one of them. What if those denominations banded together to bring legal action challenging laws that deny our religious freedoms? Right now we are all forced to comply with Catholic doctrine, superseding many other faiths. Legal actions by organizations powerful enough to stand their ground and win might be worth a try.
So few Americans seem to understand the тАЬfaithтАЭ of our Founding Fathers. Maybe some would look up тАЬDeistsтАЭ and тАЬdeismтАЭ to get some understanding of the тАЬscienceтАЭ that gave US democracy. It was freedom from being ruled as the Radical Republicans of today want to rule. (Of course we had the Puritans too. They seem ascendant today.)
Exactly.
WilburтАЩs SCROTUS is the penisultimate! (To be anatomically accurate, Sotomayor, Kegan, and Jackson are not pricks.)
I have loved using SCROTUS. To those who say that my junior high brain is in overdrive, I say that it simply stands for Supreme Court (Reactionary) of the United States.
Ally How many SCROTUS justices does it take to screw the American public? Five with another one to tighten the screw.
Yup
Please watch your language. De Sanctimonious will come for you if de Trump doesnтАЩt get you first.ЁЯдг
Virginia IтАЩm shaaaaaking in my walker with cane raised high (or low?).
Keep your cane raised midway.....a whackamole to the masculine midsection! Or in the case of MTG, Kari Lake, etc, the feminine midsection equally targeted. Darn, forgot Boebert
Becoming too many to count or imagine disastrous consequences of absurd actions....
Great name, Wil!
Is this why Neil Gorsuch was put on the court? His mother's revenge.
Yes. Agree. They are becoming a domestic terrorist group of sorts.