POINT: CNN is now reporting that Justice Roberts planned to dissent from Alito’s majority opinion. He was willing to affirm the 15 week Mississippi law but not overturn Roe in its entirety. That sounds fairly Roberts-like in a way, though it’s notable to me that a Chief Justice would want to be on the dissenting side of perhaps the most historic decision of his tenure when he must have at most equivocal feelings about overturning Roe. In any case, the rapidity with which Roberts’ apparent decision was reported out makes me wonder whether the breakdown in secrecy with this case doesn’t go beyond the leak of Alito’s draft majority decision. Don’t know precisely what this would mean. But keep that in mind. That’s real fast.
Report: SCOTUS Majority Has Voted To Overturn Roe, According To Leaked Opinion
A draft Supreme Court majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade has reportedly leaked, seemingly the first draft of the Court’s coming decision in a 15-week abortion case out of Mississippi.
Continue reading “Report: SCOTUS Majority Has Voted To Overturn Roe, According To Leaked Opinion”Roe Overturned, *Reportedly*
Politico just published what it says is an early draft of a majority opinion in which the Court formally overrules Roe v Wade. The reporting suggests that all the Republican-appointed Justices other than Roberts are supporting the opinion and the decision. Alito is the author of the opinion. It’s not clear whether Roberts may support the decision, will write a concurring opinion or won’t support the decision at all. It’s sobering, shocking to see the words, “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” which the opinion reportedly contains. And yet, really it’s not surprising at all. This has been an open secret for months. Indeed it was inevitable the moment Amy Coney Barrett joined the Court. Still, seeing it … In a different way what’s more surprising is that a draft opinion leaked. As far as I know that’s totally unprecedented. Certainly I don’t think it’s ever happened in a high profile case. And here we are.
Continue reading “Roe Overturned, *Reportedly*”Where Things Stand: Advocacy Group Finds GOP’s Slew Of Education-Gagging Laws Intentionally Vague
Political observers have been theorizing for some time that the Republican Party’s current war on education and school-related issues is all part of a broader effort to create a political illusion. The right-wing media and right-wing politicians are seemingly using each other to make enough noise about faux cultural grievances that it’s impossible to tell where the noise originated in the first place.
Are kindergarteners in Florida being exposed to LGBTQ or gender identity issues in an age inappropriate way? Are math textbooks in Texas indoctrinating kids to become liberal cyborgs? No, but asking the question gives the question a life of its own.
Continue reading “Where Things Stand: Advocacy Group Finds GOP’s Slew Of Education-Gagging Laws Intentionally Vague”Jan. 6 Committee Is Now Looking At Trump’s Post-Biden Subversion Efforts, Too
There’s something you might not have noticed in today’s new batch of requests from the Jan. 6 Committee.
Of Course It’s On Him
In response to a reading recommendation over the weekend I heard from a number of readers who said something along these lines: we’re not the ones escalating. Putin and Russia began this, did all the escalating. Many of these responses came down to this: Putin and Russia are completely in the wrong here. All the escalation is coming from one side.
Abbott’s Theatrical Border Slowdown Cost Texas A Railroad, Mexico’s Economic Minister Says
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) theatrical decision to effectively institute a blockade at the U.S.-Mexico border last month has cost Texas a planned railroad expansion across that divide, the Mexican government said.
Continue reading “Abbott’s Theatrical Border Slowdown Cost Texas A Railroad, Mexico’s Economic Minister Says”Report: Romney Wears Hats In Public To Hide From Trump Hecklers
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), the only Republican to convict ex-President Donald Trump twice in the impeachment trials, doesn’t seem to have the luxury of being Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) in public — at least not when there’s a chance he could be spotted by Trump’s supporters.
Continue reading “Report: Romney Wears Hats In Public To Hide From Trump Hecklers”Jan. 6 Committee Asks Reps. Brooks, Biggs, Jackson For Info
The Jan. 6 Committee issued requests to three congressmen on Monday, focusing on what it described as a plot to “occupy the Capitol.”
Continue reading “Jan. 6 Committee Asks Reps. Brooks, Biggs, Jackson For Info”Trump Asked If Authorities Could Just Shoot George Floyd Protesters, Fmr Defense Sec Says
At the height of the nationwide protests over the police murder of George Floyd, then-President Donald Trump asked if authorities could simply shoot the Black Lives Matter protesters who had taken to the streets in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere, according to a new memoir.
Continue reading “Trump Asked If Authorities Could Just Shoot George Floyd Protesters, Fmr Defense Sec Says”