For years I bent over backward to give Thomas the benefit of the doubt. I even researched his jurisprudence especially where it concerned civil rights.
Turned out I was wasting my time. Motherfucker was just corrupt.
For years I bent over backward to give Thomas the benefit of the doubt.
Why though?
We used to try to think that Supreme Court justices took their lifetime appointments and unique place in our democracy seriously. Turns out, they’re corrupt asshole politicians like all the rest. At least on the Republican side.
I even researched his jurisprudence especially where it concerned civil rights.
Because they're not class conscious and made it a race thing. While completely overlooking Anita Hill's story.
I worked for a city government in sewer automation inspections and I wouldn’t take a coffee from contractors because I wanted it crystal clear who I worked for. We can be friendly but if you go off spec then that’s the end of the conversation.
How the fuck this was ever allowed is shocking.
Conservatives have a very… interesting idea of what morality is, which is more than a bit ironic considering they see themselves as extremely moral and "good" people
When your mindset is that everything you do is good and everything everyone else does is bad, it's pretty easy to be a good person.
This is it entirely, good people do good things, and they determine if they're good people by how much they agree with them.
They have the whole thing backwards; normal people determine if someone is good by the morality of their behavior, and they can't comprehend this.
A while back, evolution was under attack, I think it still is ... regardless ... Kenneth Miller talks about the root of these in his take down of intelligent design: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohd5uqzlwsU&t=509s
We had a guy from the Navy come to our shop to inspect our product. He wouldn't even let me go grab him a burger from McDonald's.
Was he from the Navy or from the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps? We have had a couple of FDA auditors from the USHSCC and they were former Naval officers working on a second retirement. They were nice enough when you prove you are open but they absolutely will not accept anything but water. Maybe coffee.
LOL, no, he stopped his inspection and went to McD's with me and saved a receipt for his cheeseburger.
I had a job fixing state owned equipment and I was hesitant to take a damn bottle of water offered on a hot day case someone thought it was a bribe.
We expect scandal and fraud from our elected officials. That's why they do it so brazenly and in the open. They know the people have no power because the system is rigged; especially if you're a Republican.
Edit: Why the downvotes? Tell me where I'm wrong. Our elected officials choose judges, so it's the same pool of corruption.
I don't know if you know this but the supreme court isn't elected.
I am well aware. But who selects those judges? Who is supposed to check and balance those judges? OMG, it's our elected officials! You're not contributing and just making asinine comments.
I guess but we're literally talking about the judges specifically in this thread who currently have lifetime appointments and no enforceable ethics code sooo
You're almost getting it! And why is there no enforced ethics code? Because our ELECTED OFFICIALS refuse to make one!
What do you mean by "especially if you're a Republican"?
The system is rigged by and for Republicans. We've repeatedly seen them break the rules, ethics, and the law with no repercussions. They have destroyed, from the inside, the checks and balances that governed elected officials. Look at Trump for the shining star of open corruption with full court Republican deflection.
Okay, yep, very true... Dems are bad too, but at least they still try to hide their corruption
I hope they can get some reforms through, take some power away from the Republicans who own justices. I don't have a lot of hope, but maybe this time there's cause for some?
There will be no reforms before the election, for sure. The Republicans control the House and will not allow any. They like it this way.
After the election? Well, if Harris wins and we can give the Democrats control of the House and keep the Senate, then maybe? But without 50 seats in the Senate, they won't be able to get anything through unless they do away with the filibuster.
It's what has me iffy on them threatening civil war. On the one hand, I don't want to see people die. On the other hand, if it happens and is swiftly put down, then it won't matter what the states who participated on the losing side say - That's flat out treason, so they would HAVE to capitulate to the terms of the winners with said terms at least including, "Every politician that was for it being removed, banned from politics, thrown in jail, and lots of reform done to prevent these fucks from ever being able to lock up the political process again"
i feel like "reform" isn't strong enough of a word for what needs to be done with the supreme court. "fucking overhaul" sounds closer
It needs "reform" as in it needs to be completely dismantled and re-formed with all new justices.
with term limits. i don't know if i'll ever forgive RBG, no matter how much respect i had
If not term limits, a mandatory retirement age
Mandatory retirement age for all public officials would be nice. Tag it to mean life expectancy, -10 years.
It would incentivize politicians to take care of the population in the long term.
I do especially like the idea of basing it on average life expectancy; if they want to hold on to power, they'll have to try and make people live longer. Biggest bang for their buck will be universal healthcare
Funny, because to me the meaning of reform can be as serious as using the guillotine.
Reform is when minor adjustments and changes are not enough. Reform is a complete overhaul.
mozz@mbin.grits.dev to 
For years I bent over backward to give Thomas the benefit of the doubt. I even researched his jurisprudence especially where it concerned civil rights.
Turned out I was wasting my time. Motherfucker was just corrupt.
Why though?
We used to try to think that Supreme Court justices took their lifetime appointments and unique place in our democracy seriously. Turns out, they’re corrupt asshole politicians like all the rest. At least on the Republican side.
Because they're not class conscious and made it a race thing. While completely overlooking Anita Hill's story.
I worked for a city government in sewer automation inspections and I wouldn’t take a coffee from contractors because I wanted it crystal clear who I worked for. We can be friendly but if you go off spec then that’s the end of the conversation.
How the fuck this was ever allowed is shocking.
Conservatives have a very… interesting idea of what morality is, which is more than a bit ironic considering they see themselves as extremely moral and "good" people
When your mindset is that everything you do is good and everything everyone else does is bad, it's pretty easy to be a good person.
This is it entirely, good people do good things, and they determine if they're good people by how much they agree with them.
They have the whole thing backwards; normal people determine if someone is good by the morality of their behavior, and they can't comprehend this.
A while back, evolution was under attack, I think it still is ... regardless ... Kenneth Miller talks about the root of these in his take down of intelligent design: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohd5uqzlwsU&t=509s
We had a guy from the Navy come to our shop to inspect our product. He wouldn't even let me go grab him a burger from McDonald's.
Was he from the Navy or from the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps? We have had a couple of FDA auditors from the USHSCC and they were former Naval officers working on a second retirement. They were nice enough when you prove you are open but they absolutely will not accept anything but water. Maybe coffee.
LOL, no, he stopped his inspection and went to McD's with me and saved a receipt for his cheeseburger.
I had a job fixing state owned equipment and I was hesitant to take a damn bottle of water offered on a hot day case someone thought it was a bribe.
We expect scandal and fraud from our elected officials. That's why they do it so brazenly and in the open. They know the people have no power because the system is rigged; especially if you're a Republican.
Edit: Why the downvotes? Tell me where I'm wrong. Our elected officials choose judges, so it's the same pool of corruption.
I don't know if you know this but the supreme court isn't elected.
I am well aware. But who selects those judges? Who is supposed to check and balance those judges? OMG, it's our elected officials! You're not contributing and just making asinine comments.
I guess but we're literally talking about the judges specifically in this thread who currently have lifetime appointments and no enforceable ethics code sooo
You're almost getting it! And why is there no enforced ethics code? Because our ELECTED OFFICIALS refuse to make one!
What do you mean by "especially if you're a Republican"?
The system is rigged by and for Republicans. We've repeatedly seen them break the rules, ethics, and the law with no repercussions. They have destroyed, from the inside, the checks and balances that governed elected officials. Look at Trump for the shining star of open corruption with full court Republican deflection.
Okay, yep, very true... Dems are bad too, but at least they still try to hide their corruption
I hope they can get some reforms through, take some power away from the Republicans who own justices. I don't have a lot of hope, but maybe this time there's cause for some?
There will be no reforms before the election, for sure. The Republicans control the House and will not allow any. They like it this way.
After the election? Well, if Harris wins and we can give the Democrats control of the House and keep the Senate, then maybe? But without 50 seats in the Senate, they won't be able to get anything through unless they do away with the filibuster.
It's what has me iffy on them threatening civil war. On the one hand, I don't want to see people die. On the other hand, if it happens and is swiftly put down, then it won't matter what the states who participated on the losing side say - That's flat out treason, so they would HAVE to capitulate to the terms of the winners with said terms at least including, "Every politician that was for it being removed, banned from politics, thrown in jail, and lots of reform done to prevent these fucks from ever being able to lock up the political process again"
i feel like "reform" isn't strong enough of a word for what needs to be done with the supreme court. "fucking overhaul" sounds closer
It needs "reform" as in it needs to be completely dismantled and re-formed with all new justices.
with term limits. i don't know if i'll ever forgive RBG, no matter how much respect i had
If not term limits, a mandatory retirement age
Mandatory retirement age for all public officials would be nice. Tag it to mean life expectancy, -10 years.
It would incentivize politicians to take care of the population in the long term.
I do especially like the idea of basing it on average life expectancy; if they want to hold on to power, they'll have to try and make people live longer. Biggest bang for their buck will be universal healthcare
Funny, because to me the meaning of reform can be as serious as using the guillotine.
Reform is when minor adjustments and changes are not enough. Reform is a complete overhaul.
YES
Democracy is but an illusion.