I hope it doesn't get lost today that the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that will decide whether gun owners can legally transform AR-15s into machine guns that fire 800 rounds a minute, and there's a good possibility the answer will be "yes." 💀 https://t.co/8qEAp66tvM— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) February 28, 2024
As it is now, yes, it is beyond redemption. The minority party controls it, which is problematic enough. Worse is that since Justices decide when to leave unless they die, these partisans are going to time their retirements to ensure continued control, like Kennedy just did. So that means unless the Dems win like 5 elections in a row, there’s no path to get the Supreme Court in line with the nation.
Not just control, you need to have 60 votes to do it. There is no chance of SCOTUS being expanded as you will never get a single Republican Senator to vote for cloture on a bill that expands it.
OK, we go the MAGA route. Presidents get full immunity. Biden wins or doesnt win - doesn't matter. He never leaves. He removes Con justices by force. Then appoints Libs in their place.
I was arguing before the Supreme Court and when I mentioned “stare decisis”, Sam Alito said “We don’t do that here,” and the other justices started snapping in acclamation. I sat down, ashamed.— New York Times Pitchbot (@DougJBalloon) February 29, 2024
You DO realize that, as wonderful, equitabke and nice a country thaybwould create for ALL Americans, it woukd be derided as TOTL. The outcome doesn't matter anymore, we're now passing judgement on the process...
Libertarians probably think they'll be fine when the dust settles. Given they're overwhelmingly White, it's probably true.
But make sure you all show up in overwhelming numbers in November, rain or shine or bullet dodging, so you can elect members of congress and the president that can propose and sign legislation you want into law…. that will immediately be reversed by this SCOTUS.
The Senate rewrites its rules every session and the filibuster is one of those rules. So no, they don’t need 60 votes, they just need 51 willing to get rid of the filibuster. Well, 50 since in this scenario we are assuming a Democratic president.
That's great until Republicans take over and Democrats have no way to put up roadblocks on legislation they don't want.
1. So? That’s democracy. 2. For the foreseeable future, in all seriousness, they don’t have a legislative agenda beyond tax cuts. And th y can do those via reconciliation anyway. 3. They get what they want in the end from the courts anyway.
Yes, they do. Look at the state level where they control the governments and you will see exactly what their agenda is. They will do it at the national level as soon as they get the chance.
They’ve tried that stu in hard right states because they can pass the laws. But they recently had unified control and didn’t do any of those things. Maybe times have changed and they’d do it the next time they have unified control. Or maybe they wouldn’t because that stuff is so unpopular. Finally, I get that you have to turn every issue into one where LGBTQ is front and center but a) having a functioning democracy is a precursor to protecting minority rights, so it has to be the first priority and b) I think I need to remind you that the GOPs can get rid of the filibuster too. Having watched the last 8+ years I don’t think Republicans will ever show self restraint. They will only show restraint if they’re stopped, of if they fear voters.
You have to stand before you can walk. They didn't have a favorable Supreme Court. They do now. They have no qualms pursuing unpopular legislation. Completely irrelevant to what I wrote.
Agreed. Look no further than abortion bans and, now, IVF bans. Neither one of these bans are popular, but the Republican party wants to do that.
Maybe Merrick could start small and invesitage who paid all of Kavanaugh's debts. My bet it was that sneaky liddle private school bastard Squi!
The Republicans didn't have 60 votes in the Senate in 2017, so they couldn't pass anything except for their one reconciliation bill per year without getting some Democratic votes. They used one of their reconciliation votes to pass the Trump tax cuts, but the rest of their wackadoodle agenda, they had no chance, because of the 60 vote requirement at the time. Also, Roe v Wade hadn't been overturned yet, so passing national abortion stuff in Congress at the time was pointless. For what it's worth, I agree with you that Democrats should change the rules if they have full control in January, and I also think that Republicans will do that at their earliest opportunity, because demographics will only make it harder and harder for them to get full control as time goes by, and because they're collectively crazier now than they were in 2017.