SCOTUS decided to allow Trump to continue building his absurd and obscene ballroom until they make a judgment as to the constitutionality of a president, without Congressional approval, spending our money to fund major "renovations" of the WH. This was in spite of the order to stop building issued by the federal appeals court for the District of Columbia:
"The federal appeals court for the District of Columbia ruled Friday that President Donald Trump must cease construction on the 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom project.
One of the arguments John Roberts was apparently influenced by was that the project was well under way and it would be wasteful to stop it now. Constitutional expert, Barbara McKay, said that is like allowing a bank robber to continue robbing the bank because the robbery was ongoing.
My take away is that Roberts, who made the decision, while the full court waits to hear the case, is nestled, I hope uncomfortably, in Trump's dirty pocket.
Somewhere, in my little pea brain, while I knew Roberts and I held differing viewpoints, I naively thought he'd abide by the constitution and the rule of law. Traitors, all. BTW, way too many Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court. And the heartbreaking part is to understand that this plan was in the works for decades.
"BTW, way too many Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court."
Correction: too many Opus Dei members on the Supreme Court. These right wing mongrels do not represent Catholicism as it exists today with Pope Leo at the helm.
Exactly. These traitors are loyal to Opus Dei - and this cult needs to be exposed every day for its perverse practices. Apparently, many wealthy elites are members and in the Cheeto’s inner circle. Why isn’t more known about this cult? Of course, Gareth Gore’s book “Opus” should be read by all.
In large measure it can be traced back to the failed 1933 Wall Street putsch against FDR, in combination with the Lost Cause of 1865. The hatred of democracy has deep roots. And the weeds are always just trimmed back, never pulled out by the roots.
You’re exactly right. If it’s wasteful to suspend work currently underway while the court considers the question, logically the waste would be compounded if work proceeds while the court deliberates. All this so that trump can continue another gilded vanity project, by kingly decree, with funds diverted from Congressionally authorized purposes.
I am glad you wrote this. It is an excellent description of all that is happening. We need to do something to stop this crazy. I think we think there is a solution but what is it? Thank you for this effort to discuss it all .
We need bold Democratic candidates; that won't back down to trumpism; that strongly believe in democracy, our Constitution, and our freedoms and rights as American citizens; that have bold and new ideas to improve our Constitution, that will be fair for everyone; who will fix the loopholes that helped trump abuse the system; and that believe in both term and age limits, in all branches of government! It is asking a lot; but with all the damage that has been done the past 6 decades, it will take a lot of hard work to make things better for everyone!
The lower court ruled that the 'national security elements' of the build could continue underground. It only the ballroom above it that was halted - as it should have been. Trump's plan all along has been to present a fait accompli and then dare anyone to do something about it. Roberts just gave him the green light to do just that. Trump currently has 250 construction workers on round-the-clock shifts to get this monstrosity built. By the time the court reconvenes in October, it will likely be done.
What will be wasteful, but entirely necessary, will be tearing down the Epstein Dance Hall and replacing it with a congressionally-authorized and funded rebuilding of the original East Wing. In addition, the next congress needs to pass a red letter law reiterating that no federal properties can be torn down, renovated or remodeled without congressional authority.
Indeed! IMHO, John Roberts has been in Trump's pocket from the get-go. He has been careful mostly to tread lightly, but starting with overturning Roe--handwriting was on the
It's both; and, he considers the WH his permanent residence. I think he believes he can survive a nuclear war in the bunker, including a hospital, he is building below the "ballroom."
He would let everyone, except those he needs to keep his rotting carcass alive, die in a nuclear Holocaust without a second thought.
He's obviously paranoid. Why has no other president felt the pressing need to build a bunker? Deep down inside, he knows he's going to start WWIII, so better safe than sorry? He is Hitler in his bunker or Saddam Hussein in his hole in the Iraqui desert. Sick.
There was already a bunker beneath the East Wing. It just wasn't opulent enough for TFG. And it probably wouldn't have survived a direct hit from a North Korean nuke.
Yes. Mike! I can see them hauling the fake gold crap and the brocade drapes down to the bunker with great fanfare from the press. It will be the most tasteless doomsday bunker on the planet, rivaling even Putin's.
At this point, can we clean it up? Once the foundational separation of powers and rule of law [for everyone] have been breached - or ceded - what are the tools to do that? This Supreme Court is particularly culpable in turning over unfettered power to an executive with a clearly unstable and monstrous personality. I'll never understand that betrayal of a sacred trust.
I am encouraged to reread the Federalist papers. The Constitution is but a beautiful old picture without the active engagement of all of its parts. All persons must do their duties, not just support the parts they like.
It might be purposeful to have the Current 6 Justices read (again and again, as necessary) those Federalist Papers. IMHO they either never did or promptly forgot them after achieving the SC.
Thank you for the civics lesson, Steve. We are watching all of this play out in real time. The checks and balances have been eroded so badly to the point that they have all but disappeared. John Roberts, Sam Alito, Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Neil Gorsuch have abdicated their oaths to the rule of law, as well as the Republicans in Congress. They are know-nothings and do-nothings, serving us all up to the Orange Clown in the Oval Office. Keep the faith, my friend. We will survive this. ❤️🤍💙
Other than the Y instead of a T in the first line it was perfect Dr., your brain must be thinking in poetry. I had a woman many many years ago that tripped my brain into that state, it was amazing to me, I've never had it since then. It made me wonder.....
Another thoughtful piece! I write to the Supreme Court’s public information office every time I see the Roberts court corrupting our rights or balance of power to make sure they know someone is noticing. I invite all readers to join me and do this!
I know one thing, older generations were much smarter. My grandfather, Gabriel, whom I never had a pleasure to meet, spoke 5 languages( Hungarian, Italian, Romanian, English, Slovakia). He knew democracy in America was a place to live for freedoms. These young men today must be involved in order to preserve their rights. I am not convinced because I have yet to see them paying attention.
All very true. The enforcement mechanism has been taken over by Trump, Project 2025 founders, MAGA and the Republicans in Congress, but with the will and the option of those that are providing that "hands on" enforcement, a portion of legal and illegal US citizens. How many is hard to say but certainly 80% of those actively left in government positions of authority and enforcement for various personal priority reasons.
How many of the 330 million US citizens have been turned? How many are left to defend the US Constitutional rights? How many are capable of defending against this authoritarian attack?
77 million voted for Trump for various reasons, though mostly because they were racist at heart, although they leaned on other reasons for their actions... Now that their pocket books are being negatively affected they are deserting the Trump regime. They are still MAGA and still racist...and non redeemable. This racism is not something you can cause persons to unlearn. It is a societal poison that has no cure and is not blatantly obvious sometimes to detect.
We can paper over at certain times...but it is going to be around for many generations to come...if the our species survives that long?
Henry: I was born in 1946 in rural Washington State. I recall many instances and controversies in respect to racist leanings of US citizens, regarding Black Americans, Tribal Native Americans and Hispanics in general. I have observed a broad change of perspective among most US citizens who have grown to respect cultural and racial differences among our population, among those who conduct their lives in an above board manner. I have seen family and others close to me who changed their perspectives based on their broader experiences as they went through life, such as through military service. When I served in the army overseas I came to appreciate such differences. I was amazed at what I saw with the different culture and also their relationship to the ecology of their country.
Where you speak of the 77 million who voted for Trump, I can agree many may be racist at heart because they were raised among folks stuck in the tradition of blaming others for their failings, but I believe there are others who were not racist who mistakenly voted for some sort of populist change (foolishly), and others who being young have never been exposed to experiences with others of different backgrounds. I believe meaningful experiences in many cases is the cure.
Agreed... but how are we to accomplish that now or ever? The country is not geared to that type of experiential instruction...can we readjust our national policies do you suppose to accomplish such a task? Instead of 500 billion spent on wars spend 500 billion on USAID with volunteer or incentivized pay perhaps?
Henry: I cannot provide enough foresight to anything beyond the mid-terms at this point. I am focused on one step at a time. If service to the country in some form was required, I think something like JFK's peace corps, or FDR's programs prior to WWII would help, now that Trump has saddled us to a $44 trillion dollar debt, while weakening the value of our currency. Shifting a significant portion of our military industrial spending away from maintaining large vulnerable aircraft carriers might be one useful step to provide funding to USAID. Just thoughts for now.
I have to think that there is a solution. There will be no silver bullet. It will be combination of this that and the other and perhaps enough such that we can regain some control again. We have a difficult road ahead and the worst is yet to come...we can only hope the country doesn't go over the edge. There is no one out there to help us...we are on our own. 32% is still too high a number...I would rather see 28...perhaps soon. 28% of 77MM... I think can be handled.There will have to be full accountability and it will have to be swift and definitive and we will need to claw back all that we have lost as 44T is got to get down to 30T before we can get back our allies...not sure how that is possible,,,but it has to happen before 2028. We can't deal with the present Dem party.
One of the most difficult obstacles for Madison, et al, to overcome in getting the Constitution ratified was the fear among the public that after 8 years of war to rid ourselves of monarchy, the establishment of a single executive at the head of the executive brach could deteriorate into monarchy or dictatorship. In fact, something like 10 of the Federalist Papers are devoted to assuaging people's fears of just that.
Fast forward to the Roberts Court and we have the unconscionable decision in Trump v US proving the our colonial-era ancestors were right to be afraid. This court has all but eliminated any checks on presidential power while failing to uphold constitutional separation of powers. When the very court designed to uphold the balance of powers becomes the handmaidens of the current president, we no longer have constitutional guarantees. At all.
For a long time, I was one of those who resisted the calls for expanding the court, but now I see the crying need for it - along with a shopping list of other, much-needed reforms. Because it's become abundantly clear that this court will not police itself, nor will it uphold the separation of powers. If Trump is the worst president in American history, and he is, the Roberts Court is the worst Supreme Court in history for enabling him, including just a couple of days ago allowing him to illegally proceed with his Epstein Dance Hall in spite of Congress's authority over federal properties.
The GOP, lead by McConnell, had a plan. They laid in wait, until the right time to attack.
They were patient, and they huddled in a group, to make them strong. Then, when the time was right, they sprang! First, they denied Obama his candidate, for the Supreme Court; because they knew that Schumer was weak, and he wouldn't protest! Then, when trump became POTUS, they let him have three chances to nominate his candidates; even though two were voted on, days before an election! Will both Thomas and Alito retire just before the 2028 elections, so that trump can once again nominate two candidates, one being his friendly judge from. Florida? I wouldn't put it past them!
From Reagan till now, the GOP and its offshoots, with racism as their guiding light, has handcuffed public education with charter schools and religious schools, by taking resources from public schools and plowing them into private vouchers for people who already have their kids in private schools. Hence, the death of non-partisan civics. We are reaping so many whirlwinds in 2026.
Maybe it is in their curriculum; but students ditch "boring" classes. What the younger generation of students need are flashy, loud videos, that teach them history, as well as entertain them. Maybe/Hopefully, they will learn that way! If I were a Middle School or High School teacher, that would be how I would teach American history. Invest in Ken Burns documentaries!
“Originalist” Antonin Scalia famously pronounced the Constitution “dead, dead, dead”, by which he meant that the framers’ values at the time it was ratified are the guiding values applicable centuries later. Madison would have disagreed, but what did he know? “Originalism”, both arrogant and intellectually lazy, has delivered us six Federalist Society fascists hell bent on assuring the Constitution’s literal demise. Remedies must be applied.
And yet they they broadly interpreted free speech as prohibitive of most monetary limits on campaign contributions; the truth is, when the wealthy fund PACS, their loud "shouting" smothers the speech of those with average incomes. Money is not speech and Citizens United gave the wealthiest in America the power to reduce the impact of the voices of average Americans and especially, the neediest.
Since Reagan, the sole aim of hard core far right Republicans was to help the wealthiest among us at the expense of the rest of us, particularly those most in need of government support. Grover Norquist is the beating heart of today's GOP and all who remain in that party have gone to the far right end of the political spectrum. We are not using the wrong political description of them when we call them fascists. That is exactly what they are.
Those six fascists see themselves as the dictator’s high priests, a notion of which we must disabuse them as soon as possible. Establishment Dems failed to do that the last time they (we) had the chance, so we must also replace them with more committed, more aggressive democrats/Democrats without delay.
Seeing the results of the primaries, I think that most if the Democrats agree; we need bold, new blood! I guess Schumer isn't up for reelection-too damn bad!
SCOTUS has enabled Trump to build his big beautiful bunker in preparation for the 2028 coup . I hear myself and think I am besotted by paranoia, but every unthinkable act has become reality.
The next President must make John Roberts and his crew resign. And he can. As the Unitary Executive, the next President can do whatever he or she thinks is necessary to protect America. For example, start an illegal war. There have been no consequences for the executive to do this. Hence, it's perfectly proper for the executive to fire or make resign those justices that are a threat to American Democracy. John Roberts should be made to offer his resignation on Day 1. No excuses, he's a traitor. As are the rest of the Republicans on the Court. Get rid of him first.
SCOTUS decided to allow Trump to continue building his absurd and obscene ballroom until they make a judgment as to the constitutionality of a president, without Congressional approval, spending our money to fund major "renovations" of the WH. This was in spite of the order to stop building issued by the federal appeals court for the District of Columbia:
"The federal appeals court for the District of Columbia ruled Friday that President Donald Trump must cease construction on the 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom project.
'The President has no — and claims no — constitutionally assigned authority over that property, which is designed and maintained for the use of all Presidents, current and future, and for the American people,' the court ruled."https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/appeals-court-rules-trump-needs-231727693.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall
One of the arguments John Roberts was apparently influenced by was that the project was well under way and it would be wasteful to stop it now. Constitutional expert, Barbara McKay, said that is like allowing a bank robber to continue robbing the bank because the robbery was ongoing.
My take away is that Roberts, who made the decision, while the full court waits to hear the case, is nestled, I hope uncomfortably, in Trump's dirty pocket.
What a mess we have to clean up.
John Roberts is a traitor. Period. Full stop. As they say.
Somewhere, in my little pea brain, while I knew Roberts and I held differing viewpoints, I naively thought he'd abide by the constitution and the rule of law. Traitors, all. BTW, way too many Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court. And the heartbreaking part is to understand that this plan was in the works for decades.
"BTW, way too many Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court."
Correction: too many Opus Dei members on the Supreme Court. These right wing mongrels do not represent Catholicism as it exists today with Pope Leo at the helm.
Exactly. These traitors are loyal to Opus Dei - and this cult needs to be exposed every day for its perverse practices. Apparently, many wealthy elites are members and in the Cheeto’s inner circle. Why isn’t more known about this cult? Of course, Gareth Gore’s book “Opus” should be read by all.
"Gareth Gore’s book “Opus” should be read by all."
I consider it essential reading in this time. I read it about a minute after it came out.
Thanks for the correction. Although if the court expands, we do need some more faith diversity on the court.
Absolutely 💯.
In large measure it can be traced back to the failed 1933 Wall Street putsch against FDR, in combination with the Lost Cause of 1865. The hatred of democracy has deep roots. And the weeds are always just trimmed back, never pulled out by the roots.
Thank doG for Smedley Butler.
Yes. Unfortunately our military leadership of today (that Kegseth has promoted) lacks his integrity.
General Butler must be spinning in his grave.
You’re exactly right. If it’s wasteful to suspend work currently underway while the court considers the question, logically the waste would be compounded if work proceeds while the court deliberates. All this so that trump can continue another gilded vanity project, by kingly decree, with funds diverted from Congressionally authorized purposes.
I am glad you wrote this. It is an excellent description of all that is happening. We need to do something to stop this crazy. I think we think there is a solution but what is it? Thank you for this effort to discuss it all .
We need bold Democratic candidates; that won't back down to trumpism; that strongly believe in democracy, our Constitution, and our freedoms and rights as American citizens; that have bold and new ideas to improve our Constitution, that will be fair for everyone; who will fix the loopholes that helped trump abuse the system; and that believe in both term and age limits, in all branches of government! It is asking a lot; but with all the damage that has been done the past 6 decades, it will take a lot of hard work to make things better for everyone!
The lower court ruled that the 'national security elements' of the build could continue underground. It only the ballroom above it that was halted - as it should have been. Trump's plan all along has been to present a fait accompli and then dare anyone to do something about it. Roberts just gave him the green light to do just that. Trump currently has 250 construction workers on round-the-clock shifts to get this monstrosity built. By the time the court reconvenes in October, it will likely be done.
What will be wasteful, but entirely necessary, will be tearing down the Epstein Dance Hall and replacing it with a congressionally-authorized and funded rebuilding of the original East Wing. In addition, the next congress needs to pass a red letter law reiterating that no federal properties can be torn down, renovated or remodeled without congressional authority.
Indeed! IMHO, John Roberts has been in Trump's pocket from the get-go. He has been careful mostly to tread lightly, but starting with overturning Roe--handwriting was on the
gilded wall.
For fuck’s sake. It’s not a ballroom - it’s a bunker.
It's both; and, he considers the WH his permanent residence. I think he believes he can survive a nuclear war in the bunker, including a hospital, he is building below the "ballroom."
He would let everyone, except those he needs to keep his rotting carcass alive, die in a nuclear Holocaust without a second thought.
He's obviously paranoid. Why has no other president felt the pressing need to build a bunker? Deep down inside, he knows he's going to start WWIII, so better safe than sorry? He is Hitler in his bunker or Saddam Hussein in his hole in the Iraqui desert. Sick.
Well, we all know what happened to those thugs in the end! I am so sick and tired of this baby president, that the sooner he is gone, the better!
Yes we do, Donna! I think it's already happening to him in the form of his dementia.
There was already a bunker beneath the East Wing. It just wasn't opulent enough for TFG. And it probably wouldn't have survived a direct hit from a North Korean nuke.
Yes. Mike! I can see them hauling the fake gold crap and the brocade drapes down to the bunker with great fanfare from the press. It will be the most tasteless doomsday bunker on the planet, rivaling even Putin's.
Probably for himself and his family to use when he refuses to leave office! (I don't think anyone else would be allowed in the bunker!)
Amen.
Pretty much put a rubber stamp on the continued construction that is going on after being told to stop.
At this point, can we clean it up? Once the foundational separation of powers and rule of law [for everyone] have been breached - or ceded - what are the tools to do that? This Supreme Court is particularly culpable in turning over unfettered power to an executive with a clearly unstable and monstrous personality. I'll never understand that betrayal of a sacred trust.
I am encouraged to reread the Federalist papers. The Constitution is but a beautiful old picture without the active engagement of all of its parts. All persons must do their duties, not just support the parts they like.
It might be purposeful to have the Current 6 Justices read (again and again, as necessary) those Federalist Papers. IMHO they either never did or promptly forgot them after achieving the SC.
Reading this today made me want to read them myself, are there recommended editions that anyone knows about?
Thank you for the civics lesson, Steve. We are watching all of this play out in real time. The checks and balances have been eroded so badly to the point that they have all but disappeared. John Roberts, Sam Alito, Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Neil Gorsuch have abdicated their oaths to the rule of law, as well as the Republicans in Congress. They are know-nothings and do-nothings, serving us all up to the Orange Clown in the Oval Office. Keep the faith, my friend. We will survive this. ❤️🤍💙
Yhe Paper Tiger
The Constitution is made of paper,
It has no sword, no shield, no jailer.
It cannot march, it cannot fight,
It cannot force the wrong to right.
It lies beneath the glass so still,
A hostage to the human will.
It does not bleed, it does not shout,
It watches while we sell it out.
Beware, said Publius, pen in hand,
The demagogue will stalk the land.
He comes not roaring, crowned in sin,
But draped in flags to hide within.
He'll court the crowd with obsequious art,
And turn their fear into his heart.
He'll never ask you for your chain,
He asks you for your neighbor's name.
Give me the press, the stranger, the Jew,
The college, the judge who questioned you.
And when you grant him that dark trade,
The tyrant's bed at last is made.
For what begins in others' loss
Ends nailed upon your own cross.
Then Madison, who knew the beast,
Saw faction rise to spoil the feast.
Not foreign fleets, but kith and kin,
A fever burning from within.
A passion sworn to party creed,
Adverse to every other need.
It wins a vote and calls it fate,
To plunder, punish, dominate.
Do you love law when it cuts your side?
When your hero is the one who lied?
Would you defend the hated writ,
That let your enemy benefit?
If not, then you are faction's tool,
No citizen, but a courtier fool.
We trusted paper barriers then,
Those parchment lines we drew with pen.
Madison laughed, with weary dread,
Those words alone will not hold thread.
For who will say the needed No?
Who will strike the needed blow?
Ambition must by ambition be bound,
Or else no liberty is found.
But what if ambition kneels to bow?
What if the Senate takes a vow
Not to the chamber, not to law,
But to one man, without a flaw?
The machinery still grinds and hums,
Congress meets, the Court still comes,
Elections roll in stately rhyme,
While rot consumes the gears of time.
They warned of cabal, intrigue, gold,
Of foreign hands so dark and cold,
Seeking a creature of their own
To place their puppet on the throne.
We built the walls to keep them out,
And then we let the walls rust out.
And then came Roberts, robed and sage,
In two thousand and five upon the stage.
He said the might of all the state
Must recede before law's gate.
Without that, he proclaimed so clear,
All rights we cherish disappear.
The Soviet charter shone so bright,
With hollow rights and no true light.
Nineteen years of slow decay,
He wrote again another day.
The President, he wrote, is bound,
And yet immunity was found.
Absolute for his core domain,
Presumptive for his broader reign.
The power would no longer recede,
For power found the law it need.
He did not crown a king that night,
He only dimmed the lantern's light.
He said the law still reigns supreme,
While carving out a sovereign dream.
And Congress, that once jealous house,
Is silent as a frightened mouse.
It will not check, it will not sue,
It has learned to love the boot of you.
So now we have the perfect crime:
The document persists through time.
Unchanged, unburned, pristine, whole,
While emptied clean of living soul.
The Capitol still crowns the hill,
The Court sits robed and stately still.
The oath is sworn, the anthem sung,
The bell is tolled, the flag is hung.
And underneath this pantomime,
We normalize the next small crime.
One violation, one excuse,
One more accommodation's use.
One doctrine bent to smooth the way,
One principle deferred today.
Until the question is no more
Is this allowed by sacred law?
But only, in the darkening air,
Is he on our side, do we still dare?
That is how republics die,
Not with a scream, but with a sigh.
Not in the blaze of civil war,
But when no one cares anymore.
The paper cannot make men brave.
The paper cannot dig its own grave.
The price we pay for looking away
Is learning paper cannot save.
The rights were never in the ink.
They lived in what we dared to think,
And what we dared to do and say
Before indifference took them away. -RD
Masterful, RD. Thank you. 💙
Thank you.
Wonderful how a poem can say it all.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻🎯
Other than the Y instead of a T in the first line it was perfect Dr., your brain must be thinking in poetry. I had a woman many many years ago that tripped my brain into that state, it was amazing to me, I've never had it since then. It made me wonder.....
Another thoughtful piece! I write to the Supreme Court’s public information office every time I see the Roberts court corrupting our rights or balance of power to make sure they know someone is noticing. I invite all readers to join me and do this!
I know one thing, older generations were much smarter. My grandfather, Gabriel, whom I never had a pleasure to meet, spoke 5 languages( Hungarian, Italian, Romanian, English, Slovakia). He knew democracy in America was a place to live for freedoms. These young men today must be involved in order to preserve their rights. I am not convinced because I have yet to see them paying attention.
A good learning experience for me. Thank you.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our congressional friends on the right and some on the left reread the Papers!
All very true. The enforcement mechanism has been taken over by Trump, Project 2025 founders, MAGA and the Republicans in Congress, but with the will and the option of those that are providing that "hands on" enforcement, a portion of legal and illegal US citizens. How many is hard to say but certainly 80% of those actively left in government positions of authority and enforcement for various personal priority reasons.
How many of the 330 million US citizens have been turned? How many are left to defend the US Constitutional rights? How many are capable of defending against this authoritarian attack?
77 million voted for Trump for various reasons, though mostly because they were racist at heart, although they leaned on other reasons for their actions... Now that their pocket books are being negatively affected they are deserting the Trump regime. They are still MAGA and still racist...and non redeemable. This racism is not something you can cause persons to unlearn. It is a societal poison that has no cure and is not blatantly obvious sometimes to detect.
We can paper over at certain times...but it is going to be around for many generations to come...if the our species survives that long?
Henry: I was born in 1946 in rural Washington State. I recall many instances and controversies in respect to racist leanings of US citizens, regarding Black Americans, Tribal Native Americans and Hispanics in general. I have observed a broad change of perspective among most US citizens who have grown to respect cultural and racial differences among our population, among those who conduct their lives in an above board manner. I have seen family and others close to me who changed their perspectives based on their broader experiences as they went through life, such as through military service. When I served in the army overseas I came to appreciate such differences. I was amazed at what I saw with the different culture and also their relationship to the ecology of their country.
Where you speak of the 77 million who voted for Trump, I can agree many may be racist at heart because they were raised among folks stuck in the tradition of blaming others for their failings, but I believe there are others who were not racist who mistakenly voted for some sort of populist change (foolishly), and others who being young have never been exposed to experiences with others of different backgrounds. I believe meaningful experiences in many cases is the cure.
Agreed... but how are we to accomplish that now or ever? The country is not geared to that type of experiential instruction...can we readjust our national policies do you suppose to accomplish such a task? Instead of 500 billion spent on wars spend 500 billion on USAID with volunteer or incentivized pay perhaps?
Henry: I cannot provide enough foresight to anything beyond the mid-terms at this point. I am focused on one step at a time. If service to the country in some form was required, I think something like JFK's peace corps, or FDR's programs prior to WWII would help, now that Trump has saddled us to a $44 trillion dollar debt, while weakening the value of our currency. Shifting a significant portion of our military industrial spending away from maintaining large vulnerable aircraft carriers might be one useful step to provide funding to USAID. Just thoughts for now.
I have to think that there is a solution. There will be no silver bullet. It will be combination of this that and the other and perhaps enough such that we can regain some control again. We have a difficult road ahead and the worst is yet to come...we can only hope the country doesn't go over the edge. There is no one out there to help us...we are on our own. 32% is still too high a number...I would rather see 28...perhaps soon. 28% of 77MM... I think can be handled.There will have to be full accountability and it will have to be swift and definitive and we will need to claw back all that we have lost as 44T is got to get down to 30T before we can get back our allies...not sure how that is possible,,,but it has to happen before 2028. We can't deal with the present Dem party.
One of the most difficult obstacles for Madison, et al, to overcome in getting the Constitution ratified was the fear among the public that after 8 years of war to rid ourselves of monarchy, the establishment of a single executive at the head of the executive brach could deteriorate into monarchy or dictatorship. In fact, something like 10 of the Federalist Papers are devoted to assuaging people's fears of just that.
Fast forward to the Roberts Court and we have the unconscionable decision in Trump v US proving the our colonial-era ancestors were right to be afraid. This court has all but eliminated any checks on presidential power while failing to uphold constitutional separation of powers. When the very court designed to uphold the balance of powers becomes the handmaidens of the current president, we no longer have constitutional guarantees. At all.
For a long time, I was one of those who resisted the calls for expanding the court, but now I see the crying need for it - along with a shopping list of other, much-needed reforms. Because it's become abundantly clear that this court will not police itself, nor will it uphold the separation of powers. If Trump is the worst president in American history, and he is, the Roberts Court is the worst Supreme Court in history for enabling him, including just a couple of days ago allowing him to illegally proceed with his Epstein Dance Hall in spite of Congress's authority over federal properties.
The GOP, lead by McConnell, had a plan. They laid in wait, until the right time to attack.
They were patient, and they huddled in a group, to make them strong. Then, when the time was right, they sprang! First, they denied Obama his candidate, for the Supreme Court; because they knew that Schumer was weak, and he wouldn't protest! Then, when trump became POTUS, they let him have three chances to nominate his candidates; even though two were voted on, days before an election! Will both Thomas and Alito retire just before the 2028 elections, so that trump can once again nominate two candidates, one being his friendly judge from. Florida? I wouldn't put it past them!
This is what people need to learn in high school so they are equipped to exercise their responsibilities to their country and it’s people.
What use is the rest of what they learn if their freedom and democracy are taken from them.
From Reagan till now, the GOP and its offshoots, with racism as their guiding light, has handcuffed public education with charter schools and religious schools, by taking resources from public schools and plowing them into private vouchers for people who already have their kids in private schools. Hence, the death of non-partisan civics. We are reaping so many whirlwinds in 2026.
Maybe it is in their curriculum; but students ditch "boring" classes. What the younger generation of students need are flashy, loud videos, that teach them history, as well as entertain them. Maybe/Hopefully, they will learn that way! If I were a Middle School or High School teacher, that would be how I would teach American history. Invest in Ken Burns documentaries!
“Originalist” Antonin Scalia famously pronounced the Constitution “dead, dead, dead”, by which he meant that the framers’ values at the time it was ratified are the guiding values applicable centuries later. Madison would have disagreed, but what did he know? “Originalism”, both arrogant and intellectually lazy, has delivered us six Federalist Society fascists hell bent on assuring the Constitution’s literal demise. Remedies must be applied.
And yet they they broadly interpreted free speech as prohibitive of most monetary limits on campaign contributions; the truth is, when the wealthy fund PACS, their loud "shouting" smothers the speech of those with average incomes. Money is not speech and Citizens United gave the wealthiest in America the power to reduce the impact of the voices of average Americans and especially, the neediest.
Since Reagan, the sole aim of hard core far right Republicans was to help the wealthiest among us at the expense of the rest of us, particularly those most in need of government support. Grover Norquist is the beating heart of today's GOP and all who remain in that party have gone to the far right end of the political spectrum. We are not using the wrong political description of them when we call them fascists. That is exactly what they are.
Those six fascists see themselves as the dictator’s high priests, a notion of which we must disabuse them as soon as possible. Establishment Dems failed to do that the last time they (we) had the chance, so we must also replace them with more committed, more aggressive democrats/Democrats without delay.
Seeing the results of the primaries, I think that most if the Democrats agree; we need bold, new blood! I guess Schumer isn't up for reelection-too damn bad!
If Trump didn't commit crime every day he'd die of systemic shock.
A great read! And here we are!!
Roberts uses the Constitution where it fits his goals rather then living by the Constitution regardless of his goals.
Roberts and the 5 rightwing dwarfs are not worthy of the title 'justice'.
SCOTUS has enabled Trump to build his big beautiful bunker in preparation for the 2028 coup . I hear myself and think I am besotted by paranoia, but every unthinkable act has become reality.
I would dearly love a book of your essays.
The next President must make John Roberts and his crew resign. And he can. As the Unitary Executive, the next President can do whatever he or she thinks is necessary to protect America. For example, start an illegal war. There have been no consequences for the executive to do this. Hence, it's perfectly proper for the executive to fire or make resign those justices that are a threat to American Democracy. John Roberts should be made to offer his resignation on Day 1. No excuses, he's a traitor. As are the rest of the Republicans on the Court. Get rid of him first.