Supreme Court

[Mori Chu]

The Onion as usual has a great take on this.

[In2ition]

I honestly don't understand why Biden hasn't just packed the Supreme Court. I think he's too old-school and timid to do it, but, it's just about the only way the liberals are going to get any influence on that Court for a generation (or more) to come. It's probably too late now.

Is this a case of "I complain when the court doesn't go my way" or "if it's not going to rule in the way I think, I need to change the rules"? I thought that only Reps/Cons did that, according to what I've heard?

[In2ition]

Hmmm

[Mori Chu]

Any day now, they'll be busting down the door of that pizza parlor and arresting all the pedo Dems!!1 #CoNsPiRaCy

[In2ition]

Sure, any day, haha.

I know that one word caught your eye, but I wouldn't count on anyone getting rounded up.

[virtual9mm]

I just don't understand how this is even possible. The President is now above the law. Biden could literally order Seal Team 6 to take out Trump and it would be legal.

Future historians will equate this with Dred Scott at the very best, and will say that it marks the end of American democracy at the very worst.

How is the US anything better than an authoritarian state now?

[Mori Chu]

I just don't understand how this is even possible. The President is now above the law. Biden could literally order Seal Team 6 to take out Trump and it would be legal.

Future historians will equate this with Dred Scott at the very best, and will say that it marks the end of American democracy at the very worst.

How is the US anything better than an authoritarian state now?

I honestly think this is the end of America. Trump is on track to win in Nov, and when he does, that's the end game. He'll never leave, and in his second term he'll cause untold damage. He'll probably appoint 1-2 more SCOTUS Justices, so we'll have a 7-2 or even 8-1 conservative majority there. And I think the GOP will win both the House and Senate, so they'll have no real check on their power. The US is about to become a conservative fascist country. I am thinking about options to move if Trump wins, though I don't think my wife will go for it.

[In2ition]

I just don't understand how this is even possible. The President is now above the law. Biden could literally order Seal Team 6 to take out Trump and it would be legal.

Future historians will equate this with Dred Scott at the very best, and will say that it marks the end of American democracy at the very worst.

How is the US anything better than an authoritarian state now?

I honestly think this is the end of America. Trump is on track to win in Nov, and when he does, that's the end game. He'll never leave, and in his second term he'll cause untold damage. He'll probably appoint 1-2 more SCOTUS Justices, so we'll have a 7-2 or even 8-1 conservative majority there. And I think the GOP will win both the House and Senate, so they'll have no real check on their power. The US is about to become a conservative fascist country. I am thinking about options to move if Trump wins, though I don't think my wife will go for it.

No, it would not be legal. Don't fall for the fear mongering. Assassinating a political rival is against the law.

Prior to this SCOTUS immunity decision, the law was that POTUS has immunity for official acts and no immunity for unofficial acts.

After the SCOTUS immunity decision, the law is POTUS has immunity for official acts and no immunity for unofficial acts.

So far the only person to ever use a drone to murder an American is Barack Obama. He did it before this decision, and has enjoyed immunity ever since without a peep from Dems. Let me see if I can explain this. You cannot commit crimes while performing an official act (even a core constitutional duty) and be immune. This entire ruling is for prosecutors. Prosecutors cannot call official acts “crimes”. If Biden tells someone to murder Trump, he has committed a crime and isn’t immune. If he TALKS to him, regardless of content, he is. You can’t criminalize talking to the VP. Etc.

[Mori Chu]

It's only an "unofficial" act if the very-Trump-friendly SCOTUS says so.

https://www.thenation.com/article/socie ... eme-court/

Take the now-classic example of a president ordering Seal Team Six to assassinate a political rival. According to the logic of the Republicans on the Supreme Court, that would likely be an official act. According to their logic, there is also no way to prove it’s “unofficial,” because any conversation the president has with their military advisers (where, for instance, the president tells them why they want a particular person assassinated) is official and cannot be used against them.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/art ... unity-case

From Justice Sotomayor's dissent:

“The President of the United States is the most powerful person in the country, and possibly the world. When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution,” Sotomayor wrote.

“Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune.

“Let the President violate the law, let him exploit the trappings of his office for personal gain, let him use his official power for evil ends. Because if he knew that he may one day face liability for breaking the law, he might not be as bold and fearless as we would like him to be. That is the majority’s message today.

“Even if these nightmare scenarios never play out, and I pray they never do, the damage has been done. The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law.”

[Superbone]

I just don't understand how this is even possible. The President is now above the law. Biden could literally order Seal Team 6 to take out Trump and it would be legal.

Future historians will equate this with Dred Scott at the very best, and will say that it marks the end of American democracy at the very worst.

How is the US anything better than an authoritarian state now?

I honestly think this is the end of America. Trump is on track to win in Nov, and when he does, that's the end game. He'll never leave, and in his second term he'll cause untold damage. He'll probably appoint 1-2 more SCOTUS Justices, so we'll have a 7-2 or even 8-1 conservative majority there. And I think the GOP will win both the House and Senate, so they'll have no real check on their power. The US is about to become a conservative fascist country. I am thinking about options to move if Trump wins, though I don't think my wife will go for it.

I'll be honest. It has given me pause on my current plan to purchase a house soon in AZ. My CA house hits the market this weekend. Maybe I should just move to the Philippines. I could live like a king there.

[virtual9mm]

I just don't understand how this is even possible. The President is now above the law. Biden could literally order Seal Team 6 to take out Trump and it would be legal.

Future historians will equate this with Dred Scott at the very best, and will say that it marks the end of American democracy at the very worst.

How is the US anything better than an authoritarian state now?

I honestly think this is the end of America. Trump is on track to win in Nov, and when he does, that's the end game. He'll never leave, and in his second term he'll cause untold damage. He'll probably appoint 1-2 more SCOTUS Justices, so we'll have a 7-2 or even 8-1 conservative majority there. And I think the GOP will win both the House and Senate, so they'll have no real check on their power. The US is about to become a conservative fascist country. I am thinking about options to move if Trump wins, though I don't think my wife will go for it.

I agree. Unfortunately.

[virtual9mm]

I just don't understand how this is even possible. The President is now above the law. Biden could literally order Seal Team 6 to take out Trump and it would be legal.

Future historians will equate this with Dred Scott at the very best, and will say that it marks the end of American democracy at the very worst.

How is the US anything better than an authoritarian state now?

I honestly think this is the end of America. Trump is on track to win in Nov, and when he does, that's the end game. He'll never leave, and in his second term he'll cause untold damage. He'll probably appoint 1-2 more SCOTUS Justices, so we'll have a 7-2 or even 8-1 conservative majority there. And I think the GOP will win both the House and Senate, so they'll have no real check on their power. The US is about to become a conservative fascist country. I am thinking about options to move if Trump wins, though I don't think my wife will go for it.

I'll be honest. It has given me pause on my current plan to purchase a house soon in AZ. My CA house hits the market this weekend. Maybe I should just move to the Philippines. I could live like a king there.

Vietnam or Thailand. The Philippines are dangerous.

[Cap]

I honestly don't understand why Biden hasn't just packed the Supreme Court.

He can’t. It would take an act of Congress. 218 votes in the House (assuming you can even get it onto the floor for a vote) and 60 votes in the Senate.

[Superbone]

I just don't understand how this is even possible. The President is now above the law. Biden could literally order Seal Team 6 to take out Trump and it would be legal.

Future historians will equate this with Dred Scott at the very best, and will say that it marks the end of American democracy at the very worst.

How is the US anything better than an authoritarian state now?

I honestly think this is the end of America. Trump is on track to win in Nov, and when he does, that's the end game. He'll never leave, and in his second term he'll cause untold damage. He'll probably appoint 1-2 more SCOTUS Justices, so we'll have a 7-2 or even 8-1 conservative majority there. And I think the GOP will win both the House and Senate, so they'll have no real check on their power. The US is about to become a conservative fascist country. I am thinking about options to move if Trump wins, though I don't think my wife will go for it.

I'll be honest. It has given me pause on my current plan to purchase a house soon in AZ. My CA house hits the market this weekend. Maybe I should just move to the Philippines. I could live like a king there.

Vietnam or Thailand. The Philippines are dangerous.

Seriously?! I was planning on visiting in the not-too-distant future. How do Vietnam and Thailand compare?

[Mori Chu]

I just think the country is being changed in fundamental and semi-permanent ways that will be hard for Democrats to ever undo. A century's worth of progress is being undone. I think we're being set up for right-wing dominance of all three branches of government for decades to come. America is on the verge of falling into being a right-wing nation. If that's what it becomes, I don't want to be part of it. Canada would be the safest choice to flee to, but I don't know how hard it is to get citizenship for myself and my family. It's not far from Seattle, so maybe I could eventually convince my wife that it'd be close enough that we could still visit her side of the family.

[Kryptonic]

I just think the country is being changed in fundamental and semi-permanent ways that will be hard for Democrats to ever undo. A century's worth of progress is being undone. I think we're being set up for right-wing dominance of all three branches of government for decades to come. America is on the verge of falling into being a right-wing nation. If that's what it becomes, I don't want to be part of it. Canada would be the safest choice to flee to, but I don't know how hard it is to get citizenship for myself and my family. It's not far from Seattle, so maybe I could eventually convince my wife that it'd be close enough that we could still visit her side of the family.

Hang in they Marty…. I get the frustration but we do have elections every 4 years and things can change. Heck the election hasn’t even happened and lord knows so much can change before November. I still know people that no matter how bad Biden is, they’ll never vote for trump.

[virtual9mm]

I just don't understand how this is even possible. The President is now above the law. Biden could literally order Seal Team 6 to take out Trump and it would be legal.

Future historians will equate this with Dred Scott at the very best, and will say that it marks the end of American democracy at the very worst.

How is the US anything better than an authoritarian state now?

I honestly think this is the end of America. Trump is on track to win in Nov, and when he does, that's the end game. He'll never leave, and in his second term he'll cause untold damage. He'll probably appoint 1-2 more SCOTUS Justices, so we'll have a 7-2 or even 8-1 conservative majority there. And I think the GOP will win both the House and Senate, so they'll have no real check on their power. The US is about to become a conservative fascist country. I am thinking about options to move if Trump wins, though I don't think my wife will go for it.

I'll be honest. It has given me pause on my current plan to purchase a house soon in AZ. My CA house hits the market this weekend. Maybe I should just move to the Philippines. I could live like a king there.

Vietnam or Thailand. The Philippines are dangerous.

Seriously?! I was planning on visiting in the not-too-distant future. How do Vietnam and Thailand compare?

People disappear in the Philippines, held for ransom or just killed. In contrast, VN and TH are generally far, far safer than the US. Indeed, I hesitate to call Thailand a developing country anymore. It's really close to being developed.

[virtual9mm]

I just think the country is being changed in fundamental and semi-permanent ways that will be hard for Democrats to ever undo. A century's worth of progress is being undone. I think we're being set up for right-wing dominance of all three branches of government for decades to come. America is on the verge of falling into being a right-wing nation. If that's what it becomes, I don't want to be part of it. Canada would be the safest choice to flee to, but I don't know how hard it is to get citizenship for myself and my family. It's not far from Seattle, so maybe I could eventually convince my wife that it'd be close enough that we could still visit her side of the family.

Hang in they Marty…. I get the frustration but we do have elections every 4 years and things can change. Heck the election hasn’t even happened and lord knows so much can change before November. I still know people that no matter how bad Biden is, they’ll never vote for trump.

My hope is that the SCOTUS decision will galvanize folks to vote for a senile but well meaning Biden, let's see what effect it has.

[Superbone]

Vietnam or Thailand. The Philippines are dangerous.

Seriously?! I was planning on visiting in the not-too-distant future. How do Vietnam and Thailand compare?

People disappear in the Philippines, held for ransom or just killed. In contrast, VN and TH are generally far, far safer than the US. Indeed, I hesitate to call Thailand a developing country anymore. It's really close to being developed.

I will do my research. You wouldn't even visit the Philippines?

ETA: Wow, just read this US travel advisory from last month:

Country Summary: Terrorists and armed groups have carried out kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks targeting public areas like tourist sites, markets, and local government facilities in the Philippines. Violent crimes are also common in the Philippines such as robbery, kidnappings, and physical assaults. Protests happen in the Philippines and could turn violent and/or result in traffic jams and road closures with limited capacity of the local government to respond.

[Mori Chu]

The argument in voting for Biden despite the debate is, you're voting for his administration, his policies, his appointees (e.g. judges and justices), his federal government as a whole. And you're voting to stop Trump, stop the GOP, stop the backslide into conservative / Christian nationalism and authoritarianism that Trump will usher in. But it's a tough sell if you don't believe in the man himself, the guy who will be at the top.