Chief Justice Roberts just released his 2019 year-end report on the federal judiciary. At the close of his jauntily written tribute to civic education, I detect a subtle rebuke of some conservative lower-court judges whose recent opinions read like partisan screeds. 1/




He asks his colleagues to “promote public confidence in the judiciary” thru “their rulings” to preserve America’s “independent judiciary”. That means showing “humility” and “integrity” in written opinions so the public believes judges are delivering “equal justice under law”. 6/

Public trust in the courts is a well-worn theme for the Chief. Nothing new there. But these comments—and Roberts’s direct “ask” of his colleagues—have a different ring in light of some recent brazenly partisan rulings from lower-court judges. 7/


https://twitter.com/stevenmazie/status/1212146474701557760

On Tuesday, a federal judge in North Carolina released a blistering opinion in NAACP v. Cooper, blocking the North Carolina GOP from enforcing its strict voter ID requirement and ordering state officials to inform voters that the requirement is not in effect for their upcoming elections.

District Judge Loretta Biggs wrote that there was profound evidence the measure was engineered with “discriminatory intent,” pointing to the GOP’s repeated efforts to gerrymander the state.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ceo5H7hh0VdOvgfFAjokA4ntNo-8IcaF/view

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/12/federal-judge-releases-scathing-opinion-blocking-north-carolina-gop-from-restricting-voter-access/

or lack there of...

Pretty much sums it up: “There're some things you just can’t imagine happening in your life,” Romney told reporters. “This is one of them. Being in Trump’s magnificent hotel & having his endorsement is a delight. I’m so honored & pleased to have his endorsement.”

https://twitter.com/srivlin/status/1212125356326445057

2 takeaways from this obviously correct dismissal of Kupperman case:

- The definitive word on Trump’s absolute immunity claim remains that it’s bogus.

- Given that & now given yesterday’s new Ukraine reporting, Bolton’s refusal to testify is utterly unjustified & unjustifiable.


https://twitter.com/neal_katyal/status/1211772875608215552
https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1211784359344328706
https://twitter.com/jgeltzer/status/1211772565133414400

MORE:
https://www.axios.com/charles-kupperman-subpoena-lawsuit-impeachment-6d864025-54f8-4548-bb26-0241a581bda6.html

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&feature=youtu.be

"There has been radio silence from a lot of people ... who could have spoken up and said, 'I find this offensive,'" Gwen Ifill said. "These people didn't speak up."

Then, she turned to Tim Russert and David Brooks:

"Tim, we didn't hear from you. David, we didn't hear from you."

https://twitter.com/davidgura/status/1210740391172927488

Krugman’s analysis of what he calls “America’s lost decade” where policies were skewed toward the wealthy

..............

Why do a small number of rich people exert so much influence in what is supposed to be a democracy? Campaign contributions are only part of the story. Equally if not more important is the network of billionaire-financed think tanks, lobbying groups and so on that shapes public discourse. And then there’s the revolving door: It’s depressingly normal for former officials from both parties to take jobs with big banks, corporations and consulting firms, and the prospect of such employment can’t help but influence policy while they’re still in office.

[...] the news media [has] echoed [their] priorities, treating them not as the preferences of one small group of voters but as the only responsible position. As Vox’s Ezra Klein noted at the time, when it came to budget deficits it seemed that “the usual rules of reportorial neutrality” didn’t apply; reporters openly advocated policy views that were at best controversial, not widely shared by the general public and, we now know, substantively wrong.

But they were the policy views of the wealthy. And when it comes to treatment of differing policy views, the media often treats some Americans as more equal than others.


https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/12/27/1908072/-Abbreviated-pundit-roundup-America-s-lost-decade-2019-champions-and-more
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/26/opinion/warren-campaign-donors.html

(NYTimes Dec 27)

The men of Alpha Platoon, SEAL Team 7, described Chief Gallagher as “freaking evil” and “toxic” in videos not shown publicly before.
The remarks are blistering testimony about their platoon chief, who was protected by President Trump from punishment.
0:00/0:58 TRANSCRIPT

Edward Gallagher is in an armored gun truck pretty close to the front line. He literally drove miles across fields and gunfire to get back to this. “So I came over. The kid had a wound on his leg.” “He was unconscious.” “He looked like he was blown up, concussed. Like, the kid wasn’t barely even moving.” “He didn’t look like he was doing very well.” “So he’s still alive? I mean—” “Yeah, he’s still alive. He was sedated.” “At that point, they weren’t, like—” “At that point in time, like, he probably wasn’t going to die.” “O.K.” “Yeah, man, help him.” Gallagher comes on the scene with his medic bag and pushes the kid down on the ground while he checks him for wounds. [SCREAM] And right then you can see a hand reach up and turn off the helmet cam.

Naturally Trump invites him for Christmas congratulations

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/12/27/1908072/-Abbreviated-pundit-roundup-America-s-lost-decade-2019-champions-and-more#comment_75820942

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https://twitter.com/sfpelosi/status/1210251242397519877

What would Jesus do? First, Jesus would not use Twitter to serve up daily doses of crude comments and hate-filled attacks on private citizens and public figures.

On any given day, Donald Trump attacks, vilifies, ridicules, mocks, taunts or lampoons any person (dead or alive) or any ethnic, racial or social group.

Whatever Trump’s reasons (political expediency, bias, an above-the-law attitude, an out-of-control ego or simple bullying), Trump does not embody the teachings of Jesus Christ or, for that matter, any spiritual deity known to humankind. Trump is driven by a life of exorbitant privilege, an attitude of revenge-and-vanquish, and a drive to amass wealth by any means possible.

As someone born and reared in an Evangelical Christian household, where the teachings of Jesus centered on love, reconciliation, and compassion, I reject the ill will and multiple layers of prejudice and divisiveness Donald Trump has wrought. What would Jesus do? First, Jesus would not use Twitter to serve up daily doses of crude comments and hate-filled attacks on private citizens and public figures.

History will point to the shameful moral stain of Evangelical Christian leaders and of congregations who succumbed to Trump’s shrewd hypocrisy. They will be depicted as having compromised their spiritual path, moral compass and prophetic voices to a charlatan. Let’s pray and work to change this reality, and to transform the nation into one of just, humane and equitable democratic principles and values.

This is what Jesus would do.

Esther Nieves, Wicker Park


https://chicago.suntimes.com/platform/amp/2019/12/26/21037287/donald-trump-religions-evangelical-christians-sun-times-letters