Today the Senate Judiciary Committee deadlocked, 11 to 11, on whether to send Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court to the full Senate for a vote. The Democrats can still move the nomination forward through procedural measures, and three Republicans—Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Mitt Romney (R-UT)—have said they will vote for her, so her confirmation is assured (even if Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), who has not yet said how she will vote, votes no).
According to Hungarian friends, while the opposition to Orban tried to organize into a unified coalition so they didn't split the opposition vote, the center-left opposition was allied with the major right wing/populist opposition. Members of that party either voted for Orban's Fidesz Party, or for splinter further-right parties, which ended up locking out the opposition and giving Orban his biggest victory yet. My Hungarian friends are now planning to move to Denmark and become Danish citizens. The EU open borders are alowing a "brain drain" from Hungary as those who can't stand what is happening leave.
It's really no surprise Hungary is in this position. Prior to 1918 as part of the Austro-Hungarian empire/Holy Roman empire for 900 years, Hungary was the center of the reactionary conservatism of the empire. Then in 1921 they got the fascist Horthy "regency" that allied with Hitler for WW2, then in 1946 they got one of the tightest Stalinist dictatorships. 1992 saw democracy, but it wasn't able to deliver as promised, with the result that Orban became PM 10 years later. With a "democratic tradition" like this, the whole thing is unsurprising.
Thank you Heather for another fine newsletter. Judge Jackson does not deserve the treatment Republicans are giving her. There are at least a couple republicans under investigation in Florida for those actual charges. Meanwhile, Florida governor Desantis is doing all that he can to cover up and withhold information related to the inquiries there. And this is where the truth really lies. There are those that do the dirty deeds while being covered up by their party, and the continuation of lies and misinformation attacking the foes of the so called righteous party of false lies to their constituents. It should be an easy choice, but then again this is why they are so involved in the dumbing down of American citizens and the teachings allowed in the schools.
Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz were posturing for their QAnon base. Why did they so visibly hate Ketanji Brown Jackson? Because Judge Jackson was the Federal judge who sentenced QAnon follower Edgar Maddison Welch to 4 years in jail for charging into Comet Ping Pong (a pizza parlor in Georgetown DC) on December 4, 2016, carrying a fully loaded AR-15 military-style rifle and revolver seeking to investigate a viral QAnon Internet rumor known as “Pizzagate.”
Edgar Welch believed a false conspiracy theory that linked Hillary Clinton to an alleged child-sex-trafficking ring run from the family restaurant, where Clinton’s presidential campaign chairman, John Podesta, occasionally dined.
In imposing the sentence, in 2017, Judge Jackson said she was handing down a penalty she said was needed to uphold the rule of law against vigilante justice.
Note: Federal prosecutors asked for a 4 ½ year sentence, Judge Jackson imposed 4 years. Neither Hawley nor Cruz accused Judge Jackson of being lenient in that case.
I predict that Hawley's and Cruz's fascination with child pornography is designed to line up with QAnon's continuing assertion that a cabal of Democratic politicians, liberal Hollywood actors, and high-ranking government officials, who worship Satan, are running a child-sex-trafficking ring and simultaneously plotting against Trump-a conspiracy that Trump refuses to renounce.
When Heather's daily email failed to show up in my inbox, I realized how very essential her column Letters from an American is to me. It is the first thing I read every morning and without it, the day doesn't seem to start right. Thank you so very much, Heather, for providing context and insights into the hot mess that is our country at this time. Please know that you are deeply appreciated.
Thank you. I can read and Like your letter on Facebook but I like to see the notes etc on Substack. and also love having your letter as a first piece of mail in my morning.
I feel so despondent, seeing our democracy unravel, and the republicans have become the problem, instead of a fair second party. Are we doomed? the dems eat their own, allowing reublican ideology to take hold. we have extremes within our own party and they are unfettered, not like the Republican party with closing the ranks over every issue. We see this with Q anon actually holding seats in our Senate. as if we were enabling a fascist state by default. It is such a sorry state of the Union.
I have to say something gained from painful personal experience yet see as profoundly relevant to understanding the deflection tactics that authoritarians, DeSantis, tfg, tGOP, QAnon, Fox & far-right media, sacrilegious (oops, I mean, religious) folks, and the like employ and that is this: those that push white hot lies and make scathing accusations about others particularly regarding the topic of sexual abuse and predation of children, hold dark and secret culpability of such harm themselves. The reason so many 'seemingly average' people/voters buy into and lap up the dirt and agree with this subversive manuevering is because they are from homes and situations where they received neglect and abuse in the form of trauma, and have been conditioned to distrust anyone who speaks the truth (that there are people who actually aren't malicious). The really unfortunate part is most go on to perpetuate and project that buried trauma onto their children and everyone else who they see as a threat to their unconscious 'identity,' and they will fight anyone who challenges that false belief, as it is hidden even from themselves. Attack and defend until all are destroyed.
It would be impossible to share how I got here in the span of a comment, so just suffice it to say I have no more questions for myself after 57 years of research, development and testing given me by my Source. All that fear and horror heaved on my person never touched the perfect soul who's writing here now and showing up to serve a greater cause.
Thank you so dearly, Dr. HCR, and this strong and capable community for showing up, too! You are all appreciated way more than you know.
Got your letter, thank goodness. Reminds me of Pavlov…if I don’t get your letters, I don’t get the treat of being front and center behind the details of the day. With that said, I hate polls. Who exactly participates in them? Just readers? They aren’t accurate, in my opinion but nonetheless, here we are in the land of Armageddon. Judge Jackson has been raked through the coals as if she was a slave woman and they fear her because she is so much smarter than they are. The R’s are a disgusting abhorrent group of racists, fascists, originalists, and Federalists. (I may have been redundant here.)
Bucha was devastatingly horrifying and Biden was right to repeat his words about Putin being a war criminal. Imagine putting yourself in that war. You are fleeing your beloved home, possibly without your family as they’ve been killed or left behind. You come across these atrocities, bodies scattered…the babies. You want to scream but you can’t for fear a Russian gun-happy soldier will shoot you down. Your heart is racing as you seek refuge, something “normal”. This is what it was like for both of my parents fleeing Hitler in their countries of Germany and Poland. And don’t think it can’t happen here because it is just the beginning. This is why we must ask the hard questions of all of our reps. We must demand that they not be meek but very vocal about their disgust with their so-called colleagues. Hard not to be afraid for the future.
overturn Gideon v. Wainwright, the 1963 Supreme Court decision that says states must provide defendants with legal counsel.
“meritless to the point of demagoguery.”
“child porn,” “pornography,” and “pornographer” 165 times. “sex” (“sexual assault,” “sex crimes,” and so on) 142 times.
“pedophile” 15 times and “predators” 13 times, one time more than the Bill of Rights
overwhelming majority of the comments came from Republicans attacking Jackson
Republican opinions, though, have changed dramatically. Now just 31% say she’s qualified, and 47% say she’s unqualified.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis delayed the release of public records involving a Florida state official, Halsey Beshears, who is linked to the underage sex crimes investigation in that state. Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is also under investigation in that case.
calling for a strong government to enforce right-wing social policies.
Ron DeSantis on March 28 signed a bill banning kindergarten through third-grade public school teachers from talking about sexual orientation or gender identity, a measure its opponents have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
DeSantis called Disney’s opposition “radical” and tore into “woke” corporations.
Black rights, LGBTQ rights, and so on.
Pushing Orbán’s voters yesterday was a referendum on the ballot that included questions like: “Do you support the unrestricted exposure of underage children to sexually explicit media content that may affect their development?”
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also applauded Orbán’s approach to “sex ed” and tweeted:
it was a done deal thanks to his manipulation of the mechanics of elections—Orbán reaffirmed his friendship with Russian president Vladimir Putin
Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv,
Russian soldiers raped and executed civilians. “You may remember I got criticized for calling Putin a war criminal,”
“The hearings for Jackson had Republicans questioning abortion rights, of course, but also the right to birth control, interracial marriage, and gay marriage.” So, exactly what is Justice Thomas’ position on interracial marriage rights? Or will he recuse himself on that issue? Such hypocrites!
The R's in the Senate haven't said a word as far as I know against Gaetz, and the very real possibility of his sex exploitation of a minor. It is beyond hypocritical that they are all in favor of Kavanaugh, credibly accused of attempted rape, and opposed to KJ based on their false accusations that she is "soft" on sex crime defendants.
Republicans are emulating Russian propagandists to great effect. Their idol, Putin, must be proud. Media lapdogs are complicit in creating yet another false reality.
Resent email has yet to arrive. Read from substack.
I wrote to my US Senators yesterday asking them to confirm Judge KBJ.
This is despite the fact I live in Kentucky. represented by MM (Senate majority leader) and RP (tea party self licensed eye doctor.)
Ever since reading your daily letters, I find it important to write my elected officials. They need to hear a different point of view.
According to Hungarian friends, while the opposition to Orban tried to organize into a unified coalition so they didn't split the opposition vote, the center-left opposition was allied with the major right wing/populist opposition. Members of that party either voted for Orban's Fidesz Party, or for splinter further-right parties, which ended up locking out the opposition and giving Orban his biggest victory yet. My Hungarian friends are now planning to move to Denmark and become Danish citizens. The EU open borders are alowing a "brain drain" from Hungary as those who can't stand what is happening leave.
It's really no surprise Hungary is in this position. Prior to 1918 as part of the Austro-Hungarian empire/Holy Roman empire for 900 years, Hungary was the center of the reactionary conservatism of the empire. Then in 1921 they got the fascist Horthy "regency" that allied with Hitler for WW2, then in 1946 they got one of the tightest Stalinist dictatorships. 1992 saw democracy, but it wasn't able to deliver as promised, with the result that Orban became PM 10 years later. With a "democratic tradition" like this, the whole thing is unsurprising.
Thank you Heather for another fine newsletter. Judge Jackson does not deserve the treatment Republicans are giving her. There are at least a couple republicans under investigation in Florida for those actual charges. Meanwhile, Florida governor Desantis is doing all that he can to cover up and withhold information related to the inquiries there. And this is where the truth really lies. There are those that do the dirty deeds while being covered up by their party, and the continuation of lies and misinformation attacking the foes of the so called righteous party of false lies to their constituents. It should be an easy choice, but then again this is why they are so involved in the dumbing down of American citizens and the teachings allowed in the schools.
Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz were posturing for their QAnon base. Why did they so visibly hate Ketanji Brown Jackson? Because Judge Jackson was the Federal judge who sentenced QAnon follower Edgar Maddison Welch to 4 years in jail for charging into Comet Ping Pong (a pizza parlor in Georgetown DC) on December 4, 2016, carrying a fully loaded AR-15 military-style rifle and revolver seeking to investigate a viral QAnon Internet rumor known as “Pizzagate.”
Edgar Welch believed a false conspiracy theory that linked Hillary Clinton to an alleged child-sex-trafficking ring run from the family restaurant, where Clinton’s presidential campaign chairman, John Podesta, occasionally dined.
In imposing the sentence, in 2017, Judge Jackson said she was handing down a penalty she said was needed to uphold the rule of law against vigilante justice.
Note: Federal prosecutors asked for a 4 ½ year sentence, Judge Jackson imposed 4 years. Neither Hawley nor Cruz accused Judge Jackson of being lenient in that case.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/pizzagate-gunman-sentenced-to-four-years-in-prison-as-prosecutors-urged-judge-to-deter-vigilante-justice/2017/06/22/a10db598-550b-11e7-ba90-f5875b7d1876_story.html
I predict that Hawley's and Cruz's fascination with child pornography is designed to line up with QAnon's continuing assertion that a cabal of Democratic politicians, liberal Hollywood actors, and high-ranking government officials, who worship Satan, are running a child-sex-trafficking ring and simultaneously plotting against Trump-a conspiracy that Trump refuses to renounce.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/10/donald-trump-qanon-town-hall
When Heather's daily email failed to show up in my inbox, I realized how very essential her column Letters from an American is to me. It is the first thing I read every morning and without it, the day doesn't seem to start right. Thank you so very much, Heather, for providing context and insights into the hot mess that is our country at this time. Please know that you are deeply appreciated.
Thank you. I can read and Like your letter on Facebook but I like to see the notes etc on Substack. and also love having your letter as a first piece of mail in my morning.
I feel so despondent, seeing our democracy unravel, and the republicans have become the problem, instead of a fair second party. Are we doomed? the dems eat their own, allowing reublican ideology to take hold. we have extremes within our own party and they are unfettered, not like the Republican party with closing the ranks over every issue. We see this with Q anon actually holding seats in our Senate. as if we were enabling a fascist state by default. It is such a sorry state of the Union.
The resent letter finally arrived.
I have to say something gained from painful personal experience yet see as profoundly relevant to understanding the deflection tactics that authoritarians, DeSantis, tfg, tGOP, QAnon, Fox & far-right media, sacrilegious (oops, I mean, religious) folks, and the like employ and that is this: those that push white hot lies and make scathing accusations about others particularly regarding the topic of sexual abuse and predation of children, hold dark and secret culpability of such harm themselves. The reason so many 'seemingly average' people/voters buy into and lap up the dirt and agree with this subversive manuevering is because they are from homes and situations where they received neglect and abuse in the form of trauma, and have been conditioned to distrust anyone who speaks the truth (that there are people who actually aren't malicious). The really unfortunate part is most go on to perpetuate and project that buried trauma onto their children and everyone else who they see as a threat to their unconscious 'identity,' and they will fight anyone who challenges that false belief, as it is hidden even from themselves. Attack and defend until all are destroyed.
It would be impossible to share how I got here in the span of a comment, so just suffice it to say I have no more questions for myself after 57 years of research, development and testing given me by my Source. All that fear and horror heaved on my person never touched the perfect soul who's writing here now and showing up to serve a greater cause.
Thank you so dearly, Dr. HCR, and this strong and capable community for showing up, too! You are all appreciated way more than you know.
Got your letter, thank goodness. Reminds me of Pavlov…if I don’t get your letters, I don’t get the treat of being front and center behind the details of the day. With that said, I hate polls. Who exactly participates in them? Just readers? They aren’t accurate, in my opinion but nonetheless, here we are in the land of Armageddon. Judge Jackson has been raked through the coals as if she was a slave woman and they fear her because she is so much smarter than they are. The R’s are a disgusting abhorrent group of racists, fascists, originalists, and Federalists. (I may have been redundant here.)
Bucha was devastatingly horrifying and Biden was right to repeat his words about Putin being a war criminal. Imagine putting yourself in that war. You are fleeing your beloved home, possibly without your family as they’ve been killed or left behind. You come across these atrocities, bodies scattered…the babies. You want to scream but you can’t for fear a Russian gun-happy soldier will shoot you down. Your heart is racing as you seek refuge, something “normal”. This is what it was like for both of my parents fleeing Hitler in their countries of Germany and Poland. And don’t think it can’t happen here because it is just the beginning. This is why we must ask the hard questions of all of our reps. We must demand that they not be meek but very vocal about their disgust with their so-called colleagues. Hard not to be afraid for the future.
(my personal edit of HCR's Letter to us all)
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
“originalist” judges
Fourteenth Amendment
abortion rights, of course,
Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch
overturn Gideon v. Wainwright, the 1963 Supreme Court decision that says states must provide defendants with legal counsel.
“meritless to the point of demagoguery.”
“child porn,” “pornography,” and “pornographer” 165 times. “sex” (“sexual assault,” “sex crimes,” and so on) 142 times.
“pedophile” 15 times and “predators” 13 times, one time more than the Bill of Rights
overwhelming majority of the comments came from Republicans attacking Jackson
Republican opinions, though, have changed dramatically. Now just 31% say she’s qualified, and 47% say she’s unqualified.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis delayed the release of public records involving a Florida state official, Halsey Beshears, who is linked to the underage sex crimes investigation in that state. Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is also under investigation in that case.
calling for a strong government to enforce right-wing social policies.
Ron DeSantis on March 28 signed a bill banning kindergarten through third-grade public school teachers from talking about sexual orientation or gender identity, a measure its opponents have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
DeSantis called Disney’s opposition “radical” and tore into “woke” corporations.
Black rights, LGBTQ rights, and so on.
Pushing Orbán’s voters yesterday was a referendum on the ballot that included questions like: “Do you support the unrestricted exposure of underage children to sexually explicit media content that may affect their development?”
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also applauded Orbán’s approach to “sex ed” and tweeted:
it was a done deal thanks to his manipulation of the mechanics of elections—Orbán reaffirmed his friendship with Russian president Vladimir Putin
Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv,
Russian soldiers raped and executed civilians. “You may remember I got criticized for calling Putin a war criminal,”
Zelensky
Russia
*****
“The hearings for Jackson had Republicans questioning abortion rights, of course, but also the right to birth control, interracial marriage, and gay marriage.” So, exactly what is Justice Thomas’ position on interracial marriage rights? Or will he recuse himself on that issue? Such hypocrites!
The R's in the Senate haven't said a word as far as I know against Gaetz, and the very real possibility of his sex exploitation of a minor. It is beyond hypocritical that they are all in favor of Kavanaugh, credibly accused of attempted rape, and opposed to KJ based on their false accusations that she is "soft" on sex crime defendants.
Republicans are emulating Russian propagandists to great effect. Their idol, Putin, must be proud. Media lapdogs are complicit in creating yet another false reality.
We are reduced to being grateful for decency. Outrage at indecency is dead.
"31% (of Americans polled) say they’re not sure what they think." Ironically, it's a "Yahoo News Poll."
I hope we will all work hard on this election cycle to put Democrats in power. We are in scary times.