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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#326726: Sep 9th 2020 at 8:40:54 PM

Can we even trust these Covid numbers on the US? They are probably much higher than that at this point.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#326727: Sep 9th 2020 at 8:43:37 PM

NVM

Edited by M84 on Sep 9th 2020 at 11:46:31 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#326728: Sep 9th 2020 at 8:53:28 PM

Oh, I know there aren't any actual qualifications. But even Gorsuch and Kavanaugh were judges before being nominated. I don't get what Cruz, Hawley or Cotton have done.

Cruz's was at least an Associate Deputy Attorney General for W. Bush and Solicitor General for the state of Texas. A large number of court cases defended by the state of Texas in the mid-2000 were helmed by him. He was also Bush's domestic policy advisor during the 2000 presidential election and was part of the team to build Bush's legal team for Bush v Gore, including recruiting now Chief Justice John Roberts.

Hawley was the former Mississippi state Attorney General. He also clerked for Chief Justice Roberts and a judge for the US 10th Court of Appeals, and was admitted to the Supreme Court bar.

Cotton has the least qualifications since he was only a clerk for a judge on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#326729: Sep 9th 2020 at 8:59:34 PM

Are they going to push judges through to court pack just cause they might lose an election cycle?

Edited by Memers on Sep 9th 2020 at 9:00:05 AM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#326730: Sep 9th 2020 at 9:01:03 PM

That's literally all that Mitch has done for the entirety of the term.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Resileafs I actually wanted to be Resileaf Since: Jan, 2019
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
#326731: Sep 9th 2020 at 9:49:10 PM

I think we can safely call the Republicans 'Enemies of the Constitution'.

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#326732: Sep 9th 2020 at 10:02:15 PM

[up][up][up] That's all Mitch and Senate Republicans have been doing these past two years. They've basically tabled all legislative stuff to fast track every single judge they can - Trump has filled more positions than Obama in his two terms. And Lindsey Graham is out there urging older judges to retire so they can get young people on the court.

There's not much court packing left to do at this point. It's already happened.

Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#326733: Sep 9th 2020 at 10:08:21 PM

Well I was more meaning the Supreme Court. And... crap nothing can go right this year.

Edited by Memers on Sep 9th 2020 at 10:24:53 AM

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#326734: Sep 9th 2020 at 11:24:59 PM

The only qualification for being a Supreme Court Justice is being nominated by POTUS and approved by the Senate. You could literally appoint Air Bud to the position.

A distressing amount of the oh so vaunted "checks and balances" system of American governance runs entirely on the honor system.

Well, basically they assumed that Congress would hate the President/Supreme Court by default and vice versa, and didn't seem to consider that they might collude together against the American people.

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#326735: Sep 10th 2020 at 12:39:58 AM

Regarding arson, this page explains the California code for reckless burning.

It's either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on whether anything important gets burned (check), whether there's any serious bodily injury, and whether the prosecutor is feeling merciful accepting a plea deal. Which means that since it's a bunch of white guys being put in for assembly-line justice, it's a misdemeanor, particularly because recklessness as opposed to negligence is hard to prove.

(not a lawyer, just someone with strong google-fu)

Edited by Ramidel on Sep 10th 2020 at 11:40:52 AM

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#326736: Sep 10th 2020 at 1:38:45 AM

So legally they could be looking at 6 years, if there’s the political will to push for such a sentence.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#326737: Sep 10th 2020 at 2:16:05 AM

Cruz's was at least an Associate Deputy Attorney General for W. Bush and Solicitor General for the state of Texas. A large number of court cases defended by the state of Texas in the mid-2000 were helmed by him. He was also Bush's domestic policy advisor during the 2000 presidential election and was part of the team to build Bush's legal team for Bush v Gore, including recruiting now Chief Justice John Roberts.

Hawley was the former Mississippi state Attorney General. He also clerked for Chief Justice Roberts and a judge for the US 10th Court of Appeals, and was admitted to the Supreme Court bar.

Cotton has the least qualifications since he was only a clerk for a judge on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

@tclittle Thanks for the information - it sounds like Hawley and Cruz are both not fully qualified for the position and more qualified than I thought they would be. (Of course, ideologically they're all awful.)

Edit:

They haven't given up hope about Ruth Bader Ginsburg dying in the intern so Trump can fill her spot as quickly as possible?

Just a rumor, but I heard there were Republicans trying to get Thomas to retire so he could be replaced with someone younger.

plus the Kentucky guy who I have no idea why he's a threat

The Kentucky guy is the state Attorney General who's been described as Mitch McConnell's protegee

Edited by nova92 on Sep 10th 2020 at 4:46:38 AM

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#326738: Sep 10th 2020 at 6:18:39 AM

The Hill: Trump said he didn't have responsibility to understand pain of Black Americans: 'No, I don't feel that at all'

At one point, the journalist [Woodward] - after pointing out a number of similarities Trump and he share, like race and age - suggests to the president that they have a duty to try have a better understanding of the "the anger and pain" Black Americans feel.

In response, Trump reportedly says, "No ... You really drank the Kool-Aid, didn't you? Just listen to you. Wow. No, I don't feel that at all."


Washington Post: As U.S. air war in Afghanistan surged, investigations into civilian harm plunged

Last year, American warplanes dropped a record number of bombs on Taliban targets in Afghanistan, part of an effort that started in late 2018 to push the Taliban toward a deal to end nearly 20 years of conflict.

In the same period, allegations of civilian casualties reviewed by the Pentagon doubled. But the number of in-depth investigations into those allegations dropped by half. Hundreds of charges of Afghan civilian deaths and injuries as a result of airstrikes received only an initial assessment.


Edit: Sorry, missed the date on an article

Edited by nova92 on Sep 10th 2020 at 6:36:38 AM

speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#326739: Sep 10th 2020 at 6:34:00 AM

You mean the "Kool Aid" of basic human empathy?

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#326740: Sep 10th 2020 at 6:37:25 AM

[up] We already know Trump has none. For anyone.


Also, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) thinks the answer to our current problems is... less democracy. He wants to repeal the 17th Amendment (direct election of Senators) and give Senators 12-year terms. Omaha World-Herald

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#326741: Sep 10th 2020 at 6:39:27 AM

12 years is somewhat long, although I'll say that one needs to discuss whether 2 years is too short.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
TheAirman Brightness from The vicinity of an area adjacent to a location Since: Feb, 2011 Relationship Status: Historians will say we were good friends.
Brightness
#326742: Sep 10th 2020 at 6:41:16 AM

It would be nice if our Representatives could spend more time representing than campaigning, in my opinion at least

PSN ID: FateSeraph | Switch friendcode: SW-0145-8835-0610 Congratulations! She/They
TitanJump Since: Sep, 2013 Relationship Status: Singularity
#326743: Sep 10th 2020 at 6:50:48 AM

If Trump knew all the way back then how dangerous it was yet intentionally shut up about it and encouraged people to commit actions that would spread the virus, doesn't that make him accountable for mass-murder of the american people?

Edited by TitanJump on Sep 10th 2020 at 3:51:18 PM

ShinyCottonCandy Everyone's friend Malamar from Lumiose City (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Everyone's friend Malamar
#326744: Sep 10th 2020 at 6:53:42 AM

[up]Honestly, he'd be no less guilty if he actually didn't know better. Not that there's anything that will stick to him, but anyone in a lesser position would be sentenced with criminal negligence.

My musician page
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#326745: Sep 10th 2020 at 7:00:58 AM

The President is not subject to criminal prosecution for acts performed (or not performed) in the course of executing his office. In other words, presidential decisions: what to do, what not to do, etc. about any particular event or crisis, cannot themselves be culpable acts. Of course, if he actually does something illegal that is not in his official duties, that’s something else.

Edited by Fighteer on Sep 10th 2020 at 10:01:44 AM

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Khudzlin Since: Nov, 2013
#326746: Sep 10th 2020 at 7:50:20 AM

@Septimus Heap US senators are elected for 6 years (only a third of them come up for reelection every cycle - and, afaik, the 2 seats for a given state come up in different cycles). The ones with 2 year terms are US representatives.

megarockman from The Sixth Borough (Experienced Trainee)
#326747: Sep 10th 2020 at 7:57:45 AM

[up]Yes, barring special elections only one of a given state's two Senate seats will be up in any given cycle.

The damned queen and the relentless knight.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#326748: Sep 10th 2020 at 8:20:15 AM

I know, I was making a more general argument that US elections are too closely spaced.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#326749: Sep 10th 2020 at 8:26:27 AM

He can be impeached for it, at least in theory. But the impeachment process is very much broken.

[up] I think a flexible lower term limit would make more sense. Give congress the ability to remove a bad president and hold early elections. But of course for that you'd need to fix congress first, and for that, you need to get rid of parties hostile to democratic government (basically, the republicans).

Edited by Redmess on Sep 10th 2020 at 5:29:12 PM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#326750: Sep 10th 2020 at 9:18:41 AM

Of course. As we found, the President can be impeached for anything. Barack Obama was almost impeached for being too black ... I think.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"

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