Justice Scalia
I am not glad when someone dies, but I will read Scalia’s obituary with some comfort and relief.
Just so you know about Marfa. I have seen them myself. They are weird.
February 13, 2016 By: Juanita Jean Herownself Category: Uncategorized
I am not glad when someone dies, but I will read Scalia’s obituary with some comfort and relief.
Just so you know about Marfa. I have seen them myself. They are weird.
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My name is Susan DuQuesnay Bankston. I live in Richmond, Texas, in the heart of Tom DeLay's old district. It's nuttier than squirrel poop here.
I am honored and privileged to know Miss Juanita Jean Herownself, hairdresser extraordinary and political maven. Since she does not have time to fiddle with this internet stuff, I type her website for her and you can read it if you want to. If you don't, she truly does not give a big bear's butt.
A lot of what I post here has to do with local politics, but you probably have the same folks in your local government.
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I was reminded today that our President isn’t known as “No Drama Obama” for nothing.
He has given us Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. I can’t wait to see who he will give us next. (BTW: Some rich people commissioned a portrait of all the women on SCOTUS–including Sandra Day O’Connor. It is on loan and hangs in a prominent place in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. It is truly Bad Ass. Go see it next time you are in DC. You’re welcome.)
He has taken that “Lame Duck” business and thrown it into a cocked hat. Tee and then a Hee.
1Sorry folks, but I can’t celebrate the death of Justice Scalia. His sudden death leaves behind a loving family and many warm relationships, including Justice Ginsburg. For her to have such a close friendship with him indicates to me that there was more to Justice Scalia than I was ever able to perceive.
If there is a silver lining in this turn of events, please may it be that it impresses upon every American the importance of the next election.
A huge political brawl is about to erupt. If Barack Obama is blocked from exercising his constitutional duty to appoint Justice Scalia’s successor, let us hope that Barack Obama’s successor enters office with a mandate to appoint Barack Obama to the Court.
2PKM, but don’t they do that sneaky thing where they keep just enough people in town to qualify for still being in session? They could rotate people in and out. Because a Supreme Court Justice nomination is MAJOR. And the conservatives know that so much better than the Dems. They’ve been playing the long game for years and years.
3POTUS has just announced he intends to fulfill his Constitutional obligation and nominate. He expects Congress to fulfill theirs with a “timely vote.”
4Okay, I’m not said that the S in RATS has died. He was a mean, nasty bastard. If Obama makes a recess appointment I will happy dance down the sidewalk in front of my building in flip flops, a t-shirt and shorts. (It’s 7° here in Minn today.) I can guarantee I won’t feel any pain.
5Mark J, they are plenty sneaky. But where the lines are drawn about quorum vs recess probably has yet to be tested to this extent. Tonight should be interesting with the Con debates and what the remaining Sniveling Six reveal.
There’s an old joke about a man who would buy a newspaper every day from a paperboy, scan the front page, and then throw the paper away in disgust. After a while, the paperboy asked him why he kept throwing the paper away. “I’m looking for someone in the obituaries,” the man replied. “But, sir,” said the paperboy, “the obituaries are on page 30.” The man looked at him and said, “When the son of a bitch I’m looking for dies, he’ll be on the front page.”
6Maybe Mitch McConnell will be forced to keep the Senate in session and actually get some work done because as soon as they recess without confirming a new Justice, Obama will make a recess appointment and the DC circuit will back him up. There is absolutely no way McConnell will look good in this deal. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving politician.
7Headline from The Onion, … so true!
“Justice Scalia Dead Following 30-Year Battle With Social Progress”
8I’d prefer Obama on the SCOTUS. I wouldnt mind Clinton 42 as a Justice but I’d be ok with him in a Clinton 45 cabinet in some high level economic capacity.
9So lessee . . . opening on the Supreme Court.
President Obama has a good record of appointing women.
And Sarah Palin is not busy at the moment.
10I think Donald Trump just switched parties slamming Jebby? Boosh, dissin’ his Dumbya brother, etc.
Wow, these guys are having an OK Corral shootout…may they all be Dead-eye Dicks and not waste a bullet off the mark.
11“POTUS has just announced he intends to fulfill his Constitutional obligation and nominate. He expects Congress to fulfill theirs with a “timely vote.””
Bets being accepted– I say that the Senate will refuse even to bring Obama’s nominee up for a vote, and then say that HE’S being “divisive.”
A majority of us have already voted twice on which man we want nominating for SCOTUS. Get on with it.
12I think what Antonin Scalia did in his capacity as Supreme Court Justice will not be kindly looked upon by future historians. I mean, in one of his latter cases, he contradicted his own written opinion?! However, I’m w Timbo and JJ; it is an opportunity for us to start correcting some ills, but I just don’t think someone’s death should be a cause for celebration, unless they have been suffering from an irreversible condition and have indicated that they, themselves, are waving the white flag-then, perhaps, celebration may be in order. Even for Dick (gulp, shudder) Cheney. Lord, I AM a damn bleeding heart!!
13daChipster says:
February 13, 2016 at 7:52 pm
We all know the Repukes are going to stonewall to the max ANYthing Obama does until next January, especially a SCOTUS nomination.
So Obama just needs to bypass all the flak and drop a recess appointment on their pointy heads, next week.
I’ve heard Michelle O suggested. Wonder how many Repukes would drop dead in their tracks of apoplectic shock with something like that?
Fill the position —next week— and let the year play out. If a Dem wins in November, they’ll still get to make their own choice to fill the interim Justice chair, or retain Obama’s pick.
If a Repuke wins the Presidency (shudder), the first thing they would do is sack the recess appointment person anyway.
14For someone who was supposed to be such a teddy bear off the bench, he was just the polar opposite when the Court was in session. Will not miss the nastiness! Obama should go right ahead and make a recess appointment inasmuch as the Senators out campaigning are going to be loathe to leave the trail just to do what they are actually paid to do. I am aware that Obama has been keeping two lists, one long and one short. I will be looking for his pick anytime this week!
15I hope y’all are watching the Repug ‘debate’, it’s a hoot (I’m getting short of breath laughing so much).
It’s like a giant brawl in the pet hamster cage at Petsmart.
16When I heard that he had been shooting birds at a ranch in Texas I immediately thought of the ranch where Chaney had been shooting birds – and his friend. Please let me know if the ranch in Marfa had anything to do with Chaney!
17It will be hard to get McConnell to budge on this one, but if Obama nominates a moderate appeals court judge who is not a white male, blocking the nomination increases the risk of a Republican drubbing in November.
18The best tweet I have ever seen.
Antonin #Scalia requested cremation in his will, but millions of women will meet tomorrow to discuss if that’s really best for his body.
19The nomination of Anthony Kennedy (by Reagan) was confirmed on February 3, 1988, just 9 months before the presidential election. You didn’t hear the Rethuglicans howling about “let the next president decide” then.
20I simply cannot feel any joy over this man’s death. And I feel especially sorry for Old Scratch – think of the mountain of coals he has to stoke now, and for a very long time…..
21Condolences to his family and friends, but the country is better off without his SCOTUS votes and nasty rants.
As Mark Twain said, “I didn’t attend the funeral but I sent a note saying that I approved of it.”
Jan, good one. Why should he have final say about his body?
22Sandridge: Two thumbs WAY UP!! That’s the best description of their debates I’ve heard.
Just FYI: At this hour in DC (midnight), the White House is dark (no outside floodlights) and the flag on top (which is lit) is at half mast. Thank you, Obama. Ladies and gentlemen, that’s called ‘class’.
23I don’t like to speak ill when someone dies either but I was stuck in a massive L.A. traffic jam when I heard the news. I’m almost ashamed – well, not really- to say my first reaction was to yell “Yeah! Woo hoo!” at the top of my lungs which got some strange looks from other drivers. Later I switched from NPR to wingnut radio and heard the host refer to him as being an often pungent figure in the court. Pretty sure she meant strident but I’ll accept what she said.
24Why is the Religious Right not calling this “The Will of God”? You know that’s what they would say if a it were one of the left leaning members of the court.
And condolences to Clarence Thomas. The man won’t know what to do now.
25My daughter called me, she was, um, glad.
26Jan wins the internet today. ROTFLMAO!!
What was that old saying….something about if you can’t say something nice about someone,go postal on them. Yeah,that was it. Buh bye Scalia.
27Edward Starsmith-I read on a different sight that Alito was greasing his left arm to give Thomas his cues.
28What’s Thomas going to do now? With Scalia gone, Thomas will be lucky if he can even find his way to his office!
29Apparently Trump believes the Potus must clear decisions with the “Donald.” Trump, a billionaire real estate mogul, said he fully expects Obama to nominate someone and called on the Senate to stop it. “I think he’s going to do it whether I’m OK with it or not. I think it’s up to Mitch McConnell and everybody to stop it. It’s called delay, delay, delay,” Trump said.
30Two judges that are getting a lot of attention right now: “Sri” Srinivasan and Merrick Garland of the District Court in D.C.
Sri has already had his day in Senate hearings and was voted on for his present position, 97 – 0.
Merrick Garland is also on the same court and his vote was 73 to 27 or that is as close I can remember it as my 76th birthday approaches.
Garland is chief justice on the D.C. court.
Sri has an astronomical IQ. His background includes clerking with the Supremes and then while in private practice he defended one of the EXON people in court.
It has to be said: the Senate in its current composition is not that open to confirming anyone who does not look like Judge Garland. Sri’s birthplace will also be a No-No. We all know that the original Supreme Court consisted of people who were not born in the United States of America. They were all colonials. This is be totally forgotten by the Rethugs.
And the Rethugs should be made aware that we the people who support them through our taxes that we need, deserve and want and full size Supreme Court. Short-changing us just won’t work.
31If you watched or heard of the Repugs ‘Debate’ last night you likely found it a hoot.
It wasn’t a trainwreck, this debate was a six-way mid-air collision, with debris raining down over at least three counties. Man, what assh*les…
(and now George Steppinit is giving Ted Cruz a free 15 minute political ad on TWIW, yuck that _uck; now it’s T-Rump getting airtime, blecchh).
Note to all non-Texan quail hunters: It might be advisable to pass on hunting trips to our state (Cheney’s shooting a fellow quail hunter in the face just ten years ago anniversary was a few days ago).
An aside, assisted ‘quail hunts (and whitewing doves too)’ have always been kind of an elite ‘in thing’ in certain circles. It’s a really disgusting form of ‘canned hunt’, where for a fairly large sum of dinero, outdoorsy dilettantes can slaughter tiny baited birds for kicks.
32Me, I just watch the little critters roam around here, scratching out a living in a tough land, as they have for eons; a fascinating natural facet of country living.
What about nominating John Lewis? When the Repubs have a fit because he is not a lawyer, replace him with one of the Castro Brothers. If they snub him too then voter turnout should be really high. If one of them makes it that’s great. It’s a win, win.
33Someone said Hitler,Stalin and Pol Pot now have a fourth partner for bridge.
34The RKlan talks as if the citizens who voted for Barack Obama for president twice don’t count as the “people’s voice”. Sorry, but last I checked he is our duly elected president and is empowered to nominate SCOTUS judges.That said, the obstruction begins.
35Don’t forget his widow Clarence Thomas.
36e platypus onion says:
February 14, 2016 at 9:47 am
Someone said Hitler,Stalin and Pol Pot now have a fourth partner for bridge.
Yeah, epo,
and Idi Amin can cook and wait table for them too…
George Steppininit once again gave Repukes airtime about 3-4:1 for the Dem voices.
37I no longer usually watch the Sunday morning crapfests, but thought I would see how the Scalia demise was handled. Nothing much changed (except a few prominent commercial spots for the API, hehe).
Four to four decisions will produce mixed results: bad and good, depending on the court rulings that went before.
But if the Repubs do manage to block Obama’s nominee (and they’re good at that sort of thing, even when it’s clearly damaging the country), the next President should have the momentum on her/his side to get quick approval. We need to make sure it’s a Dem.
Any progressive who smears either of the Democratic candidates is doing the Repubs a big favor. Let’s not do that.
38Nutjobs are already accusing Obama of killing Scalia. Just because 79 year olds just don’t die suddenly.
39It wasn’t a Koch brother’s ranch, was it?
40Yeah, I saw some comment accusing Obama of murdering Scalia. I asked the poster if the nurse knew that he had access to the internet.
41LOL Sam in SA!
42I know it’s unseemly to speak ill of the dead, but I’d gladly dance on Scalia’s grave. He’s been a thorn in my side since the Raygun administration.
43I’ve read the names of at least four contenders, including Judge Sri Srinivasan. But personally I prefer Justice Thomas’ former employee at DoEd and EEOC, Anita Hill as the President’s recess appointment.
44So many good comments. I especially like the one about women deciding about his body. Hahahaha!
Sandridge said, “may they all be Dead-eye Dicks.” I’d like to suggest a slight alteration. Omit “may” and “dead-eye.”
45Thomas is/was more like a parasite depending on his host Scalia for all life sustaining inputs and secretions.
46e platypus, that last comment reminds me of the male anglerfish, who is much smaller than the female and attaches himself to her for life, gradually merging and dissolving until he’s basically a one-purpose organ fused with her flesh. Apologies if anybody just ate and is too vividly imagining Scalia and Thomas in the roles.
47If anybody’s still reading, good Guardian column on Scalia’s legacy:
“More importantly to some is that, had Scalia’s dissents ultimately shaped America, women would not have reproductive rights, the federal government could not effectively regulate healthcare, LGBT people would not have the right to engage in sexual intercourse without fear of arrest – let alone alone the right to marry – and states could single them out for legal disabilities. Women could be excluded from state educational institutions, public schools could teach creationism in science classes and prisoners could be assaulted by prison guards. And, in large part because of Scalia, in America today, the Voting Rights Act has been gutted, the rights of employees and consumers have been curtailed, Brown v Board is more likely to be used to stop integration than to promote it and moneyed interests increasingly dominate elections.”
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/14/antonin-scalia-supreme-court-legacy-opinions-partisan-america
48Rhea – Your comment is why I fear republi-can’t-ism, missymcconnell and the court as it was constructed before scalia’s timely demise. We should not fear attacking the republi-can’t majority and complacentcy. If this had been Ginsberg, Kagan or Sotomayor, the republi-can’ts would be full-bore to put one of their trunk-monkeys into the vacancy.
49I’ve never seen so many comments on a single item in here before! Of course, the Righties are praising Scalia to the stratosphere and back!! Amazing!!
50