Category Archives: Law

First Pitch in Georgia Voting Controversy

first pitch in georgia, biden, voting, jim crow, all star game

Joe Biden threw out the first pitch in the Georgia voting law controversy. And Stacey Abrams hit the dirt. She appreciated that he called the law an atrocious Jim Crow throwback but she’s not wild about the $100 million or so that left town with the all-star game.

Biden claims the law shuts down the polls at 5p.m. – just when working folks “like the ones he grew up with” get off. The Washington Post explains here why that’s a lie.

 

Scorched Earth Response to Filibuster Nuclear Option

scorched earth, nuclear option, filibuster

Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell gave a “scorched earth” speech last week. Democrats have been threatening to end the filibuster which requires 60 votes to pass legislation. But McConnell said if they do that they’ll turn the Senate into a “100 car pile-up.” And nothing will get done:

Let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues: Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin — can even begin to imagine — what a completely scorched earth Senate would look like.

Mitch McConnell on the U.S. Senate floor

Senate rules require the consent of all its members to conduct business. So Republicans could easily grind the place to a halt. For example they could withhold consent to minor votes without quorum calls.

Harry Reid invoked the “nuclear option” in 2013 to kill the filibuster for approving most presidential appointments. But when the worm turned McConnell added Supreme Court nominees to Reid’s list and Trump landed three new justices.

Don’t Shout Fire in a Crowded Theater Book Burning

Don't shout fire, book burning

Until recently restrictions on free speech seemed pretty straight forward – don’t shout “fire” in a crowded theater. But times have changed. Now you must not offend anyone in the theater either.

Dr. Marty Markay of Johns Hopkins wrote an op-ed in the WSJ explaining why we might reach herd immunity in April. Facebook apparently knows better and flagged the article as “misleading.”

Last summer the NYT booted its opinion page editor for publishing an op-ed by U.S. Senator Tom Cotton. Cotton wanted troops to put down rioting brought on by George Floyd’s death in police custody last summer. Since then armed troops and razor wire have become the preferred approach around our nation’s capitol.

Then there’s the Times treatment of Don McNeil, Amazon’s censorship of Ryan T. Anderson’s When Harry Became Sally, Dr. Seuss, Mr. Potato Head, Pepe Le Pew and you know the rest.

There’s not much that’s written or drawn that someone won’t find offensive, so we’re burning it all. But don’t shout “fire.”

Trump will Leave White House One Way or Another

Trump will leave, impeachment, resign

President Trump will leave the White House within 7 days one way or another. Passions run high about his remaining options.

The WSJ editorial page wants him to resign. Nancy Pelosi demanded that Mike Pence invoke the 25th amendment. But Pence said no – the same answer he gave when Trump pressured him to overturn the election. Now Pelosi wants a second Trump impeachment.

A Monday Quinnipiac survey found that 89% of Democrats want Trump frogmarched now. But 87% of Republicans are opposed. And 73% of Republican still believe there was “widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.”

If a big chunk of the population thinks the election was illegitimate what will they think of impeachment?

But if he’s not impeached does that mean loser presidents get a free pass from election day to inauguration day?

Lockdown Drags Down Economy

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Even Houdini couldn’t escape the never ending coronavirus lockdowns. But your governor can. Don’t forget to wear your mask.