854 Comments

I believe that the American people have lost all respect for the SCOTUS because of their lack of integrity!

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@ Keith. In part, I blame the parties for not filing recusal motions. 28 U.S. Code § 455 - Disqualification of justice, judge, or magistrate judge. Any justice, judge, or magistrate judge of the United States shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned. Is to the judge's knowledge likely to be a material witness in the proceeding.

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Yes, and I think that the SCOTUS should adopt verbatim the same code of ethics that all other federal judges are required to follow. If they had an ounce of integrity, they would do this!

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DANIEL, Sure wish you could add the SCOTUS to that list.

BTW, thank you all the legal info that only someone of your background and education could provide.

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This so called code is a joke on the public and I blame the corporate media, especially MSNBC, the so called Liberal station. I watched Rachel and Chris wax euphoric.

A so called code without enforcement or penalities is nothing more than window dressing. Officer training from ROTC to Service Academies have an honor code and they enforce it.

When I was in training, an officer candidate, tore a page out of a magazine in the library to write an essay, he was caught and eliminated.

The code that Roberts et al drafted is a joke, pablum for the people, pablum for the "liberal" media.

The so called "liberal" media is terrified and intimidated by Trump. The man has revealed who he is, the new Hitler, he has told us out loud what is in store, yet the "liberal" media treats him like a clown, and are terrified of being labeled with TDS, Trump Derangement Syndrome. If he wins, they will be the first to go after all he says "the press is the enemy of the people". Trump has declare war on over half of the population

Unless the feckless "liberal" (corporate media) wakes up and becomes alarmist, at least for their own sakes, the best I can hope for is that the concentration camps are sited in a temperate location, where there are no extremes of hot and cold.

I wonder if they will have group showers and smokestacks.

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Great Comment. I am trying to find a way to get a petition started that would tell the Corporate Media that we will not watch one second of Corporate Media news untill you start covering the 2024 Trump Biden race fairly.

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With boatloads of Zyklon B and .223 rounds being shipped in daily.

This effing country had better WAKE THE FUCK UP, and SOON, unless it really IS half, or more than half of it 'citizens' which desire a butchering, genocidal, sadistically EVIL, NAZI-HEAVY (as opposed to NAZI-light) regime over them for their (short) lifetimes. ??

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They plan to have those camps in the wide open ranges of hot, sunny Texas, where 15 minute water breaks every 4 hours is frowned upon.

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This is a complete misrepresentation of MSNBC coverage. I urge everyone to watch the 11/13/23 Rachel Maddow Show and observe for themselves the lack of euphoria.

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Exactly, Tim. Instead we have these corrupt judges "laughing all the way to the bank"!

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Great idea, Tim. If SCOTUS were smart, they’d improve upon the code of ethics of the lower courts to show their interest in the Common Good.

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Stan, they are smart. They know that money rules, that perpetuating the ideas of equality, diversity, fairness is a loser. Nothing gained, everything to lose, better to accept bribes than to be ostracized. Even without bribes they are ideological fascists, well six of them anyway.

The only remedy is to ignore the courts, they don't have any power. As the racist Andrew Jackson said" "Justice Marshall had ruled, now let him enforce the ruling".

SCOTUS has no enforcement mechanism. And according to them the laws enacted by the states have primacy over federal laws. So "liberals" need to do something that they should have done 60 years ago, concentrate on state politics, elect Democratic dog catchers, city council, county commissioners and state legislatures.

Unfortunately,. the only office the Dems have really cared about and into which they throw money and energy is the Presidency, and we are left with the mess of he House of Representatives and the Senate, a consequence of Democratic neglect.

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Hear! Hear!!!! 👏👏👏👏

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Absolutely right!

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That's the problem. They have no integrity.

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Nov 14, 2023
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Most of the Judges, at least since Truman,were conservatives when seated, however once seated and no longer thirsting after donor money, they became serious and actually ruled liberally, Like in Roe V Wade.

That is the past, now with people in black robes are sitting on the bench with "for sale signs" around their neck, justice is an archaic word, something for etymologists, anthropologists and social scientists to bloviate over.

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William Farrar;

Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas was someone I admired.

I know his personal life was a bit messy but he had a huge impact on the Court.

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Douglas, William Brennan, Thurgood Marshall & Chief Justice Earl Warren made an outstanding Supreme Court. The court hasn't come close to that caliber since they retired.

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I am not familiar with William Orville Douglas, so I looked him up

on wikipedia. and found these comments of interest

"Douglas was often at odds with fellow justice Felix Frankfurter, who believed in judicial restraint and thought the court should stay out of politics."

Strange person to lionize, a man who didn't believe in Judicial restraint and that the court should stay out of politics. Douglas obviously thought that it should get involved in politics.

And this extract as well: "Judge Richard A. Posner, who was a law clerk for justice William J. Brennan Jr. during the latter part of Douglas's tenure, characterized Douglas as "a bored, distracted, uncollegial, irresponsible" Supreme Court justice, as well as "rude, ice-cold, hot-tempered, ungrateful, foul-mouthed, self-absorbed" and so abusive in "treatment of his staff to the point where his law clerks—whom he described as 'the lowest form of human life'—took to calling him "shithead" behind his back." Posner asserts also that "Douglas's judicial oeuvre is slipshod and slapdash,"

Strange hero, but you must have some reason for making him a hero, please educate me.

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Nov 14, 2023
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For myself, I think the deterioration of the spirit is limited to grifting politicians, starting with, but not limited to Richard Nixon. Once people saw how someone in power could behave as he did, the masses followed. Also, during his rise, unemployment among factory workers started to plummet leaving many men unemployable with too much time and grievance on their hands. Not a good combination. I agree that those days of our elected officials believing in their oath of office are gone. But I want them back.

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James this quality of America is nothing new. It has been with us since the founding. Remember our immigrant ancestors and here I include Jamestown and Massachusetts , lied cheated, stole and kiledl the native inhabitants.

The Jamestown Massacre of 1622, aka Powhatan Surprise Attack, was defensive, as the colonists, and Virginia then was not a colony, it didn't become so until 1624, when James I revoked the charter of the Virginia Company of London, which financed the Virginia venture as a joint venture enterprise to find and exploit gold and silver.

The adventurers and indentured servants were killing the natives,. stealing their land and cheating them in trade. They tired of it and accurately saw the future.

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Deterioration of the American Spirit? Like the nativists who defined the Irish as non white, fought them and tried to drive them out.

Like the white settlers who murdered and dispossessed the inhabitants of this broad land

Like Andrew Jackson who expelled all of the natives to Oklahoma, along the trail of tears which claimed thousands of lives.

Or the planters and the stupid pig farmers and plowboys who died and paid taxes that their "betters" could continue to live in luxury provided by their slaves.

That human spirit?

It hasn't deteriorated by has now openly manifested, given license to come out of the closet by the wannabe Hitler.

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Nov 14, 2023
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Do you remember what happened the last time that was attempted? Hint: FDR. look it up.

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Nov 14, 2023
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Goddamn right expand the court. The only way to correct its naked corruption.

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the push for more justices is to match the number of federal court districts, which is 13? And, frankly, everybody is partisan, including people on this page; so what's your solution?

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Nov 15, 2023
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Then get rid of it, and we will not have to worry about their abject, devout corruption, and codifying of fascism. ;)

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David, an independent judiciary is the bedrock of a civilized society. Even the barbarians of yore knew that. But the fascists of today do not want a civilized society. They want to overturn the existing order so that they can seize power. We should not aid them.

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Daniel, as Donald Trump racks up convictions, can they be appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court? Do you think all the appeals can last until after the election? Now that some of the Supreme Court justices have proven that they are for sale to the highest bidder we may be in deep doo doo if we are relying on convictions to disqualify him for office.

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There's always the 14th Amendment. Can you imagine how fast SCOTUS would provide tRump with a "get out of jail free" card the very INSTANT tRump's appeal hit the SCOTUS docket? What's our OWN government setting the US up for? Being looted by fascists and their oligarchic supporters who want to establish "one world order" through the defunding of the American Rule of Law and the destruction of our democratic Republic???

That would mean 100% of average Americans would be forced to live under the orders of an authoritarian dictator and I'm certain NO average American wants that. No thanks.

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Some (many??) just do not care, as they somehow delusionally 'think' (something which they are ultimately INCAPABLE of doing!) that their precious gas and food prices will be lower under their SHITler's fascist REGIME.

Also, as long as their SCUMp persecutes (or obliterates) all of the 'others' who are NOT extreme rightwingnut, lily-white, racist, ANTI-SEMITIC, Christian misogynists like they are, they may not even care if they are paying THREE TIMES what they currently are under 'Sleepy Joe', such is their engrained hatred, and hypocrisy.

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I understand your concerns but you DO realize that all the truths you've mentioned have occurred because of the utter monopolization of digital media and that's just ONE MORE THING our government has allowed to happen. Average Americans are completely at the mercy of 4 monolithic untaxed corporate entities who only release "news" information that suits their purpose. There IS a majority of decent people in the US today. There always HAS been. Personally, I MISS the Fairness Doctrine, (1949 - 1987), which existed back in the analog days. There were NO personal opinions on the news and people were better informed until 1987 when, again, our government repealed it instead of updating it to prevent propaganda, misinformation and personal opinion to obfuscate the FACTS.

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Just Me;

Bring back the Fairness Doctrine. It wasn’t perfect, but look at what has replaced it!

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How much you want to bet (and I LOATHE gambling, in any form!) that POS fascist asshole Rupie Murdoch, misogynist/molester supreme scum Ailes, and all of the rest at the then fledgling Goebbels Nooz heavily paid off/bought members of Congress and the Senate to let that DIE, and NEVER EVER bring it back to life?!?

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we have blown it in so many ways. Vigilance really was necessary and lots of smarts too.

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Well now I wouldn't say that. Remember: Bunkerboy is DESTITUTE . . . and that's BEFORE he pays the MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS he owes to the woman he raped and the people he stole from!

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He will never pay the fines and judgements, He never has and never will, and he will continue operating in NY, if not in his own name then via Ivanka,Eric and Jr, just wait until Barron grows up.

Trump has no money worries, he has the Saudi's and Putin, and more importantly his idiot base that is willing to forgo food and medicine to send the grifter their retirement checks.

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Possibly.

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Then thank goodness he made those remarks in the Veteran’s Day speech that solidly identifies him as a Fascist. I have a sense that this speech and the ones that are sure to follow may be the beginning of his loss of popularity. Also i read that he hates to be called a “Fascist.” If that is the case, those who oppose him might use that term repeatedly in the media to cause him to continue his outrageous assertions and threats and further reveal his “Heart of Darkness.” These types of remarks may well be the strongest motivators to get Democrats and Independents out to vote against him. The election may no longer be Trump vs. Biden, but Fascism vs. Democracy. I like the clarity. Thank you, Donald.

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And thank you as well Marc.

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A great quote by Harry Truman:

“The only thing new in the world, is the history you never learned.”

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This was a forgone conclusion already (even IF the wrongly pedestalized 'justices' were truly NON-partisan, and NOT bought), since obsessively nebbish Garland waited infinitely too long to even BEGIN to think about these prosecutions in the first place, while wringing his hands, and clutching those pearls.

He and the DoJ just played right into the SHITler's hands, and allowed him to slither his way out of any semblance of accountability (just like he ALWAYS does) let alone actual justice.

I do not believe in the whole heaven and hell thing, nor any theological ideologies at all, but this evil fascist asswipe SCUMp MUST have some demonic form, or entity watching over him, and promoting him in order to be able to avoid ANY consequences at all for all of his overt criminality, for his WHOLE scummy low life.

Not to mention being vehemently supported, and REWARDED for starting up a NAZI 4th REICH, in order to do MAXIMAL EVIL to many, if not ALL in this land.

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The sad part is we're preaching to the choir. None of those who need awakened to this reality will even entertain paying attention. They're too busy playing with fake memes and ticktok nonsense!

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Parties do not often file recusal motions against a particular Justice for fear of reprisal. That is why it is so important that Justices be honest enough to recuse themselves when necessary. Unfortunately, it is apparent that many of the current Justices do not meet that standard.

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Cowards all.

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You forget that SCOTUS is not covered by 28 U.S. Code s 455. In this case they are above the law!

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They most certainly are. "Justice."

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NO ONE is ABOVE the LAW, period.

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Always wondered about that. I suppose counsel would have to know that an individual justice is vulnerable. I tried to get a superior court judge to recuse himself once and nearly wound up in jail.

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Please correct me if I am wrong, but it seems to me that the impartiality of a judge is ground zero for that position of power and any and all decisions in a fair Democracy form of government. Otherwise are we not playing by the rules of another form of governing?

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THE PUBLIC: "The least the SCOTUS could do is have a code of ethics.

SCOTUS: "Never let it be said we didn't do the least we could do!"

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The hard working SCOTUS, hardly working! 😆

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👍

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The least they should have is some ethics and integrity.

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Thoughts & prayers on that! 🙄

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DZK; Absolute power corrupts absolutely!

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Then that absolute power should be taken away from these criminals. ;)

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How could anyone lose respect for Touchy Sam and Suds . .when you didn't have any in the first place? . ...the Witch citing ruling being a little . . r they kidding?

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Not to mention Long Dong .. of Coke can pubic hair Fame. The real winner . .not Fisty Josh .. of The Danforth Biggest Mistake Award . ..tho the Show Me's Wholesome Masculinity Defender is a close second. .. .#the space takes . ..

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And no doubt also because of the lack of integrity on the part of the Senate in packing the court with right-wing ideologues.

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Paul Cohen; Why in hell didn’t president Obama put up a good fight for Merrick Garland?

Feckless. Big disappointment!

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He had no legal way to do it. The Constitution says “advice and consent” of the Senate. McConnell should have been removed for not doing his job, which was to consider Merrick Garlands nomination.

And yet you blame Obama.

See how Faux nooz works so well?

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If you believe,as you say, the McConnell should have been removed, then what David Skoglund might mean by putting up a fight is for Obama to say McConnell should be removed...I don't know that Obama didn't say words to that effect, but if he did it wasn't loud enough.

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no drama Obama.

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Obama nominated Garland, a man who served as moderator for the Federalist Society and was vetted to Obama by the most right wing of Senators at the time, Orrin Hatch -UT, and I blame Obama for being so needy, and Biden for putting a fox to guard the hen house.

Garland has done nothing to protect the country, and everything to protect Trump and the right wing. He was shamed, by the media and his peers, into placing Jack Smith in charge of the investigation and prosecution of Trump

He even selected Aileen Cannon, as the judge over the classified documents case. The media has elected to buy into the b.s. about "the wheel" (from the wheel of fortune, but Garland controls the so called wheel, and on top of that the excuse about prosecuting in the district where the crime occurred is transparent, B.S. As the crime occurred in DC where Trump had Nauta and his staff of putting the boxes on his airplane, not in Florida where he stashed them.

So little critical thinking, even among "liberals" and "lefties". We are surely screwed when our allies are gullible and lazy thinkers

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Or uninformed

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It doesn't appear Garland selected Cannon https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/judge-aileen-m-cannon-trump-indictment-b2355852.html If you have information about how Garland controls the wheel please share.

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The media is chock full of apologia. And I personally trust the media. I have been watching it kow tow to the Powers that be for 50 of the 84 years I've been on Earth, the other 34 years I was totally involved my occupation.

Here is my info about Garland and the wheel. He is Attorney General and his hands on the steering wheel and the so called "wheel". and the frosting on the cake is that he directed (yes he did, he is in charge) that the Trump documents trial be held in South Florida, using the excuse that was were the crime occurred.

Problem is that he lies, the crime occurred in DC where Nauta and workers loaded the boxes of documents, including classified documents on Trump's plane.

Deal with that.

If your intention is to defend Garland. Defend this. The FBI investigate Matt Gaetz, they have the goods, he violated federal Law, the Mann act, and is guilty of statuatory rape, yet Garland has done nothing. and there he sits, smug and snug, free to destroy Democracy.

Garland had no intention of investigating much less indicting Trump, until the J6 committee and his peers came down on him, he still hasn't done anything about the traitors (insurectionists) in Congress like Boebert who text the go signal of 1776, to the crowd on the steps of the Capitol (I saw that with my own eyes on J6, video'd from the floor), nor Comer, Biggs, Jordan and Hawley, he has left them there to undermine and destroy our democratic republic.

And what charges has he leveled against administration actors, who actively tried to destroy our Democracy, and I mean Mark Meadows, Jeff Clark, and the traitors that Trump appointed with his EO 13957, as schedule F civil servants, not to mention his acting Cabinet members, especially in DOD, DHS and NSA. Like Ryan and now, Four Star General Charles Flynn brother of Mike Flynn (whom Biden inexplicably promoted and assigned as Commander Pacific Forces. Charles sat at the desk of the sec of Defense and refused to answer the phone that was ringing off the hook, when Nancy Pelosi and others,were frantically calling trying to get authorization to have the National Guard come to their rescue.

Fortunately the Gov of MD. Larry Hogan, had mobilized the Maryland Strike Force, and finally Pence after hearing Hang Mike Pence in the corridors called the acting Sec of the Army, who actually didn't have the authority to release the National Guard, but being a recent Acting Secretary, did not know he didn't have the authority, and finally did the job that Gen Flynn that the Acting SecDef, Christopher Miller would not do.

There is evidence of a clear conspiracy from Trump to his cult in Congress, to his acting officials in DOD,and there sits Merrick Garland like a stone wall, immutable and immovable.

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I disagree. He had the bully pulpit and he didn’t use it. He was way too passive. He should have called McConnell out very loudly, which he most definitely did not do. Faux nooz? Nah!

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This is a big problem with my party, the Democrats. You have to fight to maintain public opinion and push your message. Sometimes the gloves need to come off. The opposition does this very well and those bullies routinely steal our lunch money. The Merrick Garland for Supreme Court fecklessness was a good example.

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Exactly David, considering that Garland is a right winger, and worked for the Federalist Society, and has done nothing except to protect Trump and the right, by inaction and in the case of the documents in Florida, protecting Trump by moving jurisdiction to Florida, when the crime occurred in DC, and appointing a Trump sucking judge, Cannon to adjudicate the trial.

Stupid Dems orgasm ed over the Mueller investigation, which turned out to be a nothing burger, and still have not learned a lesson. Yet they still have not learned the lesson. In part because venues of mis and disinformation, like even MSNBC, WAPO and NYT, keep them distracted by chasing the current shiny object. Not subjects of real importance. Have you seen any media really point out and beat the drum continuously, that Trump is a Hitler in waiting. out of his own mouth, they bloviate, wring their hands, but will not stand tall and call him and his followers out.

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I was really disappointed at Obama's lack of use of the bully pulpit during his presidency, especially given his great oratory skills.

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Do you really think that Garland, a right winger, would be any better of a choice. Obama was naive and just wanted a win, so he asked the paragon of right wingers, Orrin Hatch, for a nominee that could get votes from Republicans and the theocratic neo fascist Hatch, vetted Garland, a man who had been employed by the Federalist Society.

Instead Biden brought the Fox inside the hen house. And his reward is having his son being indicted by Garlands Trump humping DOJ. Smart move Joe.

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William Farrar ; "Trump humping DOJ? You are sexualizing this? twisted! As I said ; troll!

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Merrick Garland? The man personally chosen by that paragon of fascism, Orrin Hatch-R-UT. Obama, a good man, but naive and over his head in the beltway, was at the mercy of the "conservative" institution, that dominates the political scene, and even his cabinets.

He asked the infamous right wing extremist Hatch for a name that the Republicans could get behind, because he sorely needed a win, and Hatch nomnated a darling of the right who also happened to serve (10 times) as moderator for the Federalist Society.

A man who sat on his hands, while J6 committee exposed the treason inside Congress, and didn't even move on Trump until shamed into it by the Democrats and Media.

And he still hasn't pursued justice against the ring leaders in congress, like Boebert who texted the go signal to burst into the Capitol, by typing 1776 into her iPhone.

The worst thing that has happened to this administration is Trump humping Garland, and his DOJ which is fully staffed, as is the FBI, Secret Service, NSA, DHS by Trump humpers appointed in his final week, and made protected civil servants (Schedule F_ by Trumps Executive order 13957, which Biden foolishly revoked on Day I, with EO 140003. He could have used Trumps EO to get rid of Trump's schedule F, and embedded his own Schedule F. But he let the criminals stand to infest the cabinets.

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If Garland was such a conservative darling, why wouldn’t McConnell allow him to be considered for the opening on the Court?

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McConells recalcitrance had nothing to do with ideology, and everything with politics. He just had to deny Obama a win, there was an election coming up, and the Republican base keeps score cards.

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Let’s call it what it was: McConnell

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If Garland was appointed to SCOTUS, we would still have six conservative right wing judges,only five of them would be Catholic though.

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Keith Olson: Maybe they could redeem themselves by quickly finding tfg guilty and disqualified under the 14th amendment section 3 Disqualification clause! It would not be a heavy lift, as it is self executing! Of course, it will not make them a bundle, but they might keep their jobs! (And heads).

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It’s an interesting issue. Justice Luttig has I think the correct view of disqualification. But ppl think it’s a Court issue. It really isn’t. The Courts seem to want to think drumpf transgressed against the United States. What he did was transgress against the Constitution. But now we let the Supreme Court decide everything so hard to tell what they’ll do. Piss off the only people who think they’re doing a great job, the MAGots?

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Years ago, my friends and I agreed that SCOTUS was bankrupt.

Now we wonder why in the hell it took so long for the flares to finally go up!

The Powell Memo is available for everyone to read. Please read it.

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Without a doubt

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I agree!

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Nov 14, 2023
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I wish it was different this time,but I strive hard to remember the Democratic party doing anything definitive and aggressive to beat the fascists inclined. These people just didn't spring out of the soil in full bloom. they were sprouts when William F Buckley was fertilizing the soil.

Look at the old tired race horses that they pull out of the paddock and lead to the starting gate. Old tired people with no real values, but have paid their dues, padded around the paddock waiting to be called to the gate. Hillary, Terry McAuliffe, Biden, and Biden only won because an extra 8 million people, tired and afraid of Trump, turned out to vote. A head of cabbage could have beat Trump then, now is a different story, the corporate media depends on advertising revenue for the very same Plutocrats that back and finance Trump, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society.

Fascism is the preferred form of government for industrialists and financial institutions.

Mussolii's fascist Chamber of Deputies, was staffed by representatives from corporations.

Hitler's rise to power was financed by financiers like Prescott Bush's Harriman and Brown, Henry Ford, GM, Krupp, IG Farben and Bayer.

Friedrich 'Fritz' Thyssen, (1873–1951) was a German businessman born into one of Germany's leading industrial families. Thyssen was impressed by Hitler and began to make large donations to the party. He later became disillusioned and at the onset of war escaped to Switzerland and then France. Too late, wise.

The Crime and Punishment of IG Farben is a must read, if for nothing else it shows the coordination and cooperation between American and Germany corporations.

You can buy it from Amazon

or download it here: Free https://www.academia.edu/49222235/The_Crime_and_Punishment_of_I_G_Farben

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Yes, a head of cabbage might have been able to defeat Trump, but Biden did a lot of good for people with his economic policies.

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Katherine B Barz ; and President Biden is no head of cabbage!

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I believe I G Farben was broken into three different companies, two of which are Bayer and BASF. Good stuff William Farrar.

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At its core, Fascism is a merger of state and corporate interests.

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I agree. Thanks David.

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Laurie; How do you define fascism if my description is BS?

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Nov 14, 2023Edited
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I.G.. Farben was a corporation, not a person. Otherwise a good response Janet.

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tell the public the R's will get rid of access to contraceptives, in addition to their plans for a national ban on abortion.

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Nov 14, 2023
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Leftie fact check: We hate the fact that conservatives are pushing the country into fascism.

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And willy-nilly, too!! The speed of descent is breathtaking.

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No kidding!

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BLATANTLY and OVERTLY now, as the 'quiet parts' (as all of the pundits say) are not just 'said out loud' currently, they are SCREAMED through a 10 trillion watt PA system. :(

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Leftie Fact Check ; They are not conservative in any way ; They are radical with a rabid political agenda that ignores the Constitution and the rule of law! they are activists, not proper jurists! these are Facts!

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Totally agree! I prefer the “radical right”. “Conservatives” seem to have left the plañet.

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I would go with "fascist", at least in the cases of Alito & Thomas. And Trump, Miller, Bannon, Flynn & some members of Congress like Jordan, Johnson, Gosar, Gaetz, MTG & Tuberville have reached the Nazi stage.

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Jaime Ramirez ; Don't forget that Thomas is supported by a Nazi ; Harlan Crow.

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The basis has to be crime, rather than politics.

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Thanks for telling it like it is, I agree wholeheartedly.

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Laurie - 🎯

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No, what we hate are a bunch of religious partisan hacks masquerading as justices on the highest court in the land.

These aren’t judges; they are activist appointees that have superseded their authority; finding ridiculous justifications to uphold their parochial beliefs, with no basis of fact for their despicable and convoluted decisions.

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Unfortunately, that is not a basis to revisit their opinions. Crimes like bribery and perjury are.

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Agreed, but my point was that no one is against these justices on the basis of their conservatism as “leftie fact check” was implying.

These justices aren’t conservative, unless their religious affiliation is part of their conservative ideology, absent the conservative part.

That said, what penalties do these people actually face under the new ethics codes? None as far as I can tell. There is no enforcement mechanism to speak of. So what penalties exist?

For every million they take in bribes, they’re docked four hours of pay? How will we know they are even abiding by the code of ethics? It’s an honor system, just like before. They just put some lipstick on the pig.

That said, how can we trust these people to interpret the most ambiguous document this country has ever created; which is the basis for our legal system, when they can’t even fill out a financial disclosure form properly?

Just asking for a friend....:)

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Crimes are prosecuted by DOJ.

It's possible that the culprits can be attacked collaterally -- in 1983 actions. On their bar licenses.

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Exactly what is the crime have they committed, if there are no laws against what they are doing in the first place? What law requires them to recluse themselves of cases based on conflicts of interests? What law prevents them from taking bribes or what they call accepting money and gifts from friends?

They can only be held accountable by Congress based on the constitution of checks and balances. Yet, like Trump, the RepubliCon’s in Congress are carrying water for these people.

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Hi Daniel. As you know, you are my font of knowledge when it comes to the law. These good folk, should be aware of your background.

But I do have a question. Yes crimes are prosecuted by the DOJ.

But Judges can be removed from office.

Here is my reasoning. The Senate, not the House, ratifies the appointment of Judges. The Executive nominates the Judges to the Senate for confirmation.

My logic is that the authority that has the power to put them on the bench, has the power to remove them.

DOJ is not involved in putting them on the bench, and except for prosecuting them for crimes, has no voice in removing them from the bench. That power lies with the Senate alone, not the House.

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Daniel Solomon: They do both ; they take bribes and perjure themselves.

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If a case is brought before a future court dominated by sane, responsible public servants, the abusive and corruption-promoting Roberts opinions certainly can be reversed.

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Maybe in the year 2525. if man is still alive. The only way to reverse, say, Citizens' United, is to get evidence that that the opinion of say, Thomas was influenced (which is possible). As it stands probably need a Constitutional amendment.

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That’s not the only constitutional amendment we need. Add to that the second amendment and the electoral college. It’s not the strength of our democracy that has allowed us to collapse, it’s our failure to correct the structural errors of the past. Every good that we have will remain aspirational until such time as we reconstitute ourselves.

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Key word "future" Judges are appointed for life, and all the FASCIST inclined are relatively young. That means that the court has no chance of changing ideologies until most of us are dead, or if Gaia keeps melting down, until all of us are dead.

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Just a reminder. Vote Blue. If the Senate has a true majority, we can impeach and remove Thomas, Alito, and Roberts!

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amen - if you excuse the phraseology

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Crime shouldn't be political. Lots of "conservatives" including some judges appointed by Trump feel the same.

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Daniel Solomon: They are not 'conservative' . They are criminals with criminal intent. The evidence is evident!

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Note the quotation marks. Self described.

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That’s only a part of what I hate about it. I cannot believe anyone is comfortable knowing there is major influence peddling and even once exposed the court has no shame and no credibility.

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No Leftie, you are just glad that the hypocrites on the Right have the upper hand for controlling the people in all aspects now. No health control for women, no LGBT rights, No voting rights for the New Generation of Young voters, Suppression of the communities most known to vote Blue, and that is only the beginning of their control. SCOTUS should vote for the people, not for the hypocritical Conservatives who think they should rule the people. Move over Free County, here comes Fascism and Dictatorship.

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Define ‘conservative’ as it applies to this SCOTUS and their decisions. Is it the unethical behaviour, the disregard of the constitution or just the outright disregard for human decency?

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Wayne : Conservative? Not applicable! They are radicals! As you said " outright disregard for human decency!"

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Freedom loving people hate apartheid rule. Elitist clump of SCOTUS radicals pass laws in direct opposition to people’s wants and needs. We’ve dead children bleeding out in classrooms and these freaks loosening access to and proliferation of weapons of war on our streets. SCOTUS’ hands bloody, they’ve no credibility, utterly compromised. Dark NRA dollars slosh within lifestyles of Thomas, Roberts, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Coney-Barrett...

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Yeah, real 'pro-lifers' on that POS SCOTUS bench.

They are about as 'pro-life' as Himmler, Goebbels, and Mengele were towards Jewish life.

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I’d find an explanation of the term “conservative,” as you use it, highly entertaining.

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Jacque Leighty: What the MAGA ' 'conservatives' are doing to this country is no laughing matter, nor should it be entertaining in any way, unless you identify with them, of course.

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I like your comment, too, Laurie. The humorless rant is not as funny as the attempt to pass fascism off as “conservative,” but it serves as a helpful reminder not to get lost in the ideological eddies that are sweeping away the balanced congeniality on which a vital civilization depends. Thanks for that!

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Jacque ; I was putting the word 'conservative in 'quotes' because I don't believe these are conservatives at all!

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Jacque Leighty ; Such 'scintillating repartee!' Thanks for that!

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I hate the conservatives on the Court for lying in their confirmation hearings, and decreeing that corporations are people, my friend.

And at least two, more like three, are illegitimately on the court.

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Gee I wish I could edit misspellings. Get ahead of myself when I’m angry

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You can edit. Just click on the 3 dots on the right of your comment 😀

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Political appointment has NOTHING to do w ethics unless you are suggesting yourself that there is a link between a conservative majority and lack of ethics? Now there is a thought…

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There definitely is a lack of ethics from the Right. When money is what guides you instead of compassion, common sense and caring for the people, especially those in need, the elderly, the sick, the disabled and our Veterans, there is a big empty space in ethics in all parts of the Right. Greed is their middle name.

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Excessive, compulsive, and psychotic GREED is their ONLY name, with POWER LUST being their nicknames.

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Conservative is one thing; corrupt is another.

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6-3 Conservative?

More like 6-3 theocratic fasicst.

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A corrupt judge isn’t ‘a conservative’. He or she is corrupt period. As if these three or four don’t know what corruption is! Come on.

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True. However it is the majority that has the runny nose.

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I of course am aware that Mitch McConnell has stacked the SupremeCourt, and I fully believe Biden should add 9 more SupremeCourt justices, or 20 more, whatever it takes.

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Of course, it’s a joke. I would, however like to ‘tip my hat’ to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse for putting pressure on the Supreme Court to even go this far! Hopefully, he and his committee will continue on and maybe, just maybe, something with a little more teeth will result. I’m not optimistic, but Sheldon Whitehouse has done a masterful job in exposing so many of the SCOTUS’s antics thus far. The sheer EXPOSURE of their exploits and wrong-doings has been nothing short of enjoyable to watch. It’s time to see some TRUE accountability.

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Love Whitehouse! Wish we had more like him.

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He IS a warrior, the best kind! :)

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Yes, he's also 1 of the best on climate & the environment.

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As a proud life-long resident of the smallest state, Sheldon Whitehouse is a champion for showing the country that, yes, David can slay Goliath. (Or at least strip him bare) His unrelenting exposure of what hides behind the black curtain of this Court, and the many abuses that have silently and negatively influenced the course of our country. We need more brave Congress members to stand up for decency, transparency, and morality. Intimidation is a powerful sword that lesser members have been silenced with, and it takes real guts to stand up and do what’s right!!

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Thank you Diane. I really love watching Sheldon Whitehouse. He is extremely “presidential” and for me, he “checks all the boxes”. Do you think he would ever consider running for president if Biden bows out or in 28?

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I don’t know, but it’s a great idea! Imagine a President from little Rhode Island!!

But for the upcoming 2024 race, please, please, please, let it be a Democrat! And let’s hope beyond hope, it’s not the felon!!

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Indeed Diane!

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I'm all for Whitehouse in the White House!

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Sheldon Whitehorse is a lying hypocrite and thus perfectly suited for a Democrat presidential candidate. If it wasn’t for soulless lying, thieving scumbags like Sheldon, we wouldn’t have any democrat officeholders left to look down on!

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I think maybe you mistook Sheldon Whitehouse for somebody else, like maybe Lindsay Graham.

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Or any other Republican in the House and senate.

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Pretty easy to mistake them for one another as they are both soulless power vampires who would do humanity a favor by running up the flag and joining the choir invisible.

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Thus spake the cretin.

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I see we have an enthusiast for Nazis on this forum!

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I appreciate the pressure which Whitehouse has put on Chief Justice Roberts. Little mini steps unfortunately.

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Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is popping up everywhere as a decent, thoughtful legislator. I’ll take his opinions on most all things in governance.

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Feckless John Roberts has reason to avoid any ethical compliance mechanism - his wife’s career. Here is a byline from a January 2023 NYTimes article: “The chief justice’s wife, Jane Sullivan Roberts, has made millions in her career recruiting lawyers to prominent law firms, some of which have business before the court. Now, a letter sent to Congress claims that may present a conflict of interest.”

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Buffalo New York home base for her

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Totally agree! Democrats were asleep at the switch except for Rebbe Reich. Disgusting perversion of our democracy. This PR attempt is stupid and childish. It shows us that the justice system is rotten to the core. No wonder maggots exist. Thankfully at least a few justices are above reproach. Thank god there is some decency in our country. We gotta fight like hell to make this experiment work. There is a real conspiracy to make this country a fascist dictatorship. A real conspiracy backed by real money.

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Not sure why you are blaming this on Democrats. It has only been through excellent reporting and investigation by the press that has unearthed these grievous behaviors.

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As I recall, there were many loud protestations against Thomas, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh based on bad their bad personal life choices.

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Yes, there is a "vast right wing conspiracy." Hillary Clinton has been proven right.

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Exactly!

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We always knew she was, at least I did. No one would say such a thing, on our side, if it were not true. She had nothing to gain.

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Above reproach? 2 out of 9, at best.

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This was and will continue to be purposeful abuse of their power and connections to not only line their own pockets but also influence the decisions of the court. Shameful! And Is the IRS investigating Thomas for tax evasion all these years? They must.

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>misinformation<?? that's a fancy word for LIES, professor reich, as everyone here knows well. and this stupid SCOTUS ethics "rule" (gamesmanship) this is yet another reason that the american public has lost faith in its authorities.

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Lost faith? I haven't had faith in or respected authorities since I was in 8th Grade, and read the Bible through cover to cover, and noticed how the authorities scape goated or accused people, based solely on where they lived, who they were, the color of their skin.

Some right wing asshole thought that he would intimidate me by saying "I bet you are one of those that questions authority". My response was damn right, and only a fool, a mindless fool, trusts and believes authority.

That is hard to digest for those who perceive themselves to be an authority.

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As a kid I never understood that the Law and Order party was really about Law and abusive Order for the majority and tax breaks and scoff lawing for the few at the top. Can I pull back the Jelly beans I sent to Reagan as a kid? I didn't know he was ****ing us so hard at the time.

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I would have sent him something about the size of his beloved jellybeans, but much darker, and produced by large rabbits. ;)

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The new ethics codes are little more than a self-imposed set of rules fit for a group of toddlers in search of some dry diapers. Therse new guidelines have no penalties when it comes to justice abuse. So basically, what they agreed to are a set of rules that has no starch in its collar.

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Those diapers are full of something, but it’s not ethics.

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Nancy--How about 11,780 reasons why Trump lost more than the election.

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Donald, thank you for the early morning laugh. I’m picturing toddlers in black nighties wearing sagging diapers and wilted collars. Feed ‘em some of the pablum they tried to make us swallow.

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Stephanie-- I think it was "Melba" toast.

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Stephanie--Trump has "Desitin" to thank for his lovely complexation, I wonder how he would have fared if his nanny had applied the stuff to the proper designated area.

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Stephanie-- One good thing about living in the area in which you do, there is never any question as to who is to blame for all your states problems. Everything is always "San Andreas's" fault.

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Donald, yep. He’s a slippery guy. And sometimes he strikes. Very unfriendly of him, but I understand he has a good excuse. The plates made him do it.

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Stephanie--Once he had emptied them.

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Stephanie-- It's 3::30 am where you are, don't women sleep where you live?

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Donald, yes, just two or three hours at a time.

(On this side of the Bay, it’s Hayward’s fault.)

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What is more there is no mechanism for bringing up unethical conduct, a necessary step before the absence of enforcement can even come into play.

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Les--The entire idea is meaningless. That old saying "The sound of one hand clapping."

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A koan

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Les--How about Quran

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Sure enough, or George M. Cohan

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Les--Cagney played him so well.

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Meaningless without enforcement and monitoring.

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William--At least they're attempting to appear honest, even if they are not.

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As a nursing student, I learned that when I received my nursing license I would also have the moral responsibility to act in accordance with my training and knowledge and to care for others. I extrapolated this to mean that any person given a higher duty also takes upon themself the requisite moral responsibility to act in accord with higher moral. I was raised in a military/law household and remember holding Judges and Supreme Court Justices in high regard; for both their knowledge and status. Our Constitution gives Supremes lifetime appointments because in order to adjudicate and interpret our Constitution, they should be free of the cares of day-to-day life, to afford them a level of comfort not guaranteed to any other civil servant. I assumed, and I fully realize the kindergarten meaning here, that the 'weight of the Supreme Court Justice Robe' would also carry a higher moral responsibility to act. What I have witnessed over the past decades is a decay of moral responsibility, a minimizing effect of the moral responsibility they carry, even to the point of denying any moral responsibility at all. My question, how can the highest court in the land, charged with interpreting and maintaining our Constitution within the realm of law and order, be so devoid of any moral conscience or responsibility toward the people they serve? And when challenged on this point, the Justices respond with 'righteous ire' toward the question.

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I recall a Clarence Thomas quote that I heard, “I just want to be rich.”

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Where is the IRS, they have good cause to audit SCOTUS. Then again I forgot, the IRS is infected with Trump lice

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Ruby, thank you for your beautifully worded, clear analysis.

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Material acquisition is a prime driver in human activity. "I just want to be rich." Our system was not adequately built with the checks and balances to maintain a Supreme Court fairly free of corruption, esp. in corrupt times. Maybe Congress could do much more, but not THIS Congress.

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You know what? If we had moral behavior from our Supreme Court, the court would have found a way by now to convict Donald and his enablers. Any doubt about that?

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We all know who they are and what they are. No one respects them and like Trump, Thomas and Alito are going to die sooner than later and will be replaced by decent people if Republicans don’t have anything to do with it. Good riddance! Our main concern should be to change the term limits on the court.

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I doubt they'll die anytime soon...

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One can hope.

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The inherently EVIL always seem to live too long. :(

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Kissinger is a great example.

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Thank you for keeping us informed, Robert. The shocking part is the self-justification of behavior even a second-grader knows is wrong. Talk about a slippery slope . . .

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Don't forget about Dick Durbin, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Congress can impeach a Supreme Court Justice. Remember checks and balances.

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Congress means House AND Senate. House is controlled by the radical right, They will do nothing. However I don't think that the House needs to b e involved, because it is the Senate, not the House, that approves appointments, and he who giveth can taketh away.

The Senate approves and thus te senate can remove.

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Yes, it's probably necessary to impeach Roberts, because even if Biden stacks the court, JR and his confederates will counter this by declining to take up any meaningful cases.

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There's no code here, and no way to enforce any code, if there were a code. It's an insult to the intelligence of every American. And what is lacking perfectly reveals their lack of sincerity and their feckless over-entitlement. Bah!

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We deify and pedestalize them as if they were gods, and they in turn fully expect to be treated as such, and exempt from ANY responsibilities, checks on their power, or consequences at all.

They really ARE 'above the law', it seems, as much as we keep telling ourselves that NO ONE is above the law in this land. :(

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It would appear that codes are like locks-- for honest people. But like locks are necessary. Is it because humanity is prone to dishonesty or that the system itself encourages dishonesty? Just ask’n.

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Justice Roberts codes are locks - WITH THE KEYS LEFT IN THEM. With NO penalty for breaking them, they mean NOTHING.

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What really bothers me, is that their frivolous words on a paper, show they take their fellow citizens for stupid and have contempt and utter disrespect for us. A carefully written, comprehensive code of ethics, in addition to sanctions for justice's past conduct, would have shown honor for the office and acknowlegment of the people's need for justices to make decisions that promote Democracy, not self.

There seems to be a distinct pattern where people in the R party show no honor or reverence for the office they hold. Very sad.

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Here in UK the judiciary is independent of government amd has strict t rules as to its functions..break the rules and you get reported to the Lord Chsncelkor and Bar Council both of which hsve the ability to suspend you or ask you to " retire"..

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My understanding is that, in America, Supreme Court justices can be impeached. I don’t know the process for it.

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Neither does anyone else apparently.

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SCOTUS must NOT become, nor appear to have become, 'above the law'.

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Not become? It clearly already has.

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Too late...

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“It’s only the Supreme Court that is living outside the bounds of the rules.” The Supreme Court has the final say on the law of the land; as such, they have placed themselves above the Law of the Land and the Rule of Law.

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That ship sailed LONG AGO.

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In reality,Congress needs to pass legislation to reel in SCOTUS,with specific information to hold the justices accountable,and also what they can and cannot do.These measures should be put into our Constitution.They should absolutely be subject to federal law.

There also needs to be term limits,and a rule that no one can serve past that limit,i.e.,no second terms.

And since their rulings affect every single one of us,we should have a say on who can and can't be put on the bench.No more tricks with what happened to Merrick Garland,or with ACB.Both actions should have been against the law.We should be able to at least vote to put someone on the bench,as we do for State Supreme Courts.

It has became blatantly obvious that doing this the traditional ways aren't working anymore.

The b.s.that Roberts is trying to pass off as "ethics rules"ain't worth the damned paper it's written on.

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