Hi, all, and happy Monday! I wasn’t going to do a newsletter today, but I thought it would be a good Fourth of July present for our reps if they came back from recess to voicemail boxes full of demands for court reform. So below please find the requisite scripts. The rest of the newsletter just sort of filled up also, so do what you can. I know it’s a day off for many.
Jessica, Thank you for highlighting the Ohio special election on August 8. If you are in - or outside of - Ohio and want to get details on how to get involved in defeating this terrible constitutional amendment (called Issue One) put on the ballot by the gerrymandered Ohio Republican legislature, you can check out this Facebook page of Ohioans Against Issue One#Vote No in August https://www.facebook.com/groups/206047505560347/.
I'm not much for making phone calls, so I penned the following message to my Senators. I borrowed some phrases from your messages. My House rep is a member of the opposition, but I'll try to send him something too. Do you know if messages sent thru their Congressional websites carry as much weight as phone calls?
Thanks for all you do!
Bob
****************
The Supreme Court, which should exhibit the highest ethical and judicial standards, has been compromised by Republicans who've concertedly stacked the court with unethical and disingenuous ideologues. The ethical lapses of Thomas, Roberts and Alito are now well known, and the duplicity of Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett with respect to stare decisis has been exposed. Chief Justice Roberts, who hid behind his robe when the court was more balanced, has now exposed himself to be as compromised and disgraceful as his “conservative” counterparts.
While I respect the need for independence between the three branches of our government and the system of checks and balances that was fundamental to its design, the Supreme Court is dangerously unchecked and unbalanced. I want the Senator to co-sponsor S. 359, the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act, and vigorously pursue investigations into the unethical behavior of justices who have shamelessly accepted unreported gifts from “friends” who had business before the Court. I also want the Senator to support rebalancing the Court by co-sponsoring S. 1616, the Judiciary Act of 2023, and if possible, amend it to require ideological balancing in the future. Such an amendment would need to provide for a means to assure that future nominations are done in good faith, something we haven’t seen much of in a while.
Please help save our democracy by reforming the Supreme Court. It’s up to the rest of us to elect democracy proponents to replace those who are intent on destroying it.
This is an outstanding letter, Bob. Thank you so much for posting it! And yes, I do believe that letters sent as an email through the official website is an extremely powerful way to contact your representatives. Not sure if it’s better than a phone call or worse than a phone call but I do believe it’s probably equal. And better than sending a resistbot letter that you haven’t personalized. So great work!
And to copy text from Substack comments, such as Bob's excellent letter, that's not possible on the Substack mobile app (at least not on Android). BUT going back to the original email with a Substack post and choosing Open Online, anything can be easily copied. Bob, I trust you won't mind my using your letter to write my own to my Colorado Senators.
Excellent letter, Bob. I phone and write my legislators, all GOP. Although, if I want to truly express myself feel that writing is best. Staffers who answer the phone listen, but most importantly are interested in your zip and the main point of your call.Also, when I write legislators I often receive an emailed response that highlights their hypocrisy in writing.
What I'd like to see - and I know it's not practical right now - would be for Congress to transfer all power of reviewing lower court cases and government actions to a new Federal Review Court will all the guardrails - term limits, enforced ethics, etc.
The Supreme Court can stick to cases of original jurisdiction as prescribed in the Constitution. It grabbed power of judicial review in 1796, Marbury vs Madison. Congress has always had the constitutional power to change that.
Now that the Extreme Court is engaging in a coup against democracy and human rights, it's time to put a stop to all its power grabs, starting with the first one.
At the very least, can we make a Federal Review Court part of the discussion, so court reform starts looking like a moderate change?
No, I don’t know anything about them. I texted my senators about it (Warren and Markey), but no response there. Do you have a better contact for them than just info@? I’ll happily write them.
Interviews with attendees at tfg's SC rally this past weekend are alarming.
They demonstrate the allegiance of the CULT MEMBERS to staying with the criminal NO MATTER WHAT OTHER CRIMES HE COMMITS.
Somehow they have convinced themselves he "loves America"
when to my mind, he ONLY loves himself, and is grifting for every donation to his legal fund and to keep himself out of prison for the rest of his life.
His attacks on everything and everyone seem to be oblivious to his CULT.
He's inciting violence against people, ignoring needs of people (especially "blue" cities and states) and even has his CULT turned against his own supporters in their own state (we see you being boo'd in SC, Lindsay Graham!)
His CULT has either decided to revolt against government and law enforcement and rule of law altogether, OR he has chased out all the traditional Republicans and amassed a following of antigovernment insurrectionists, seditionists and traitors. His CULT is ready to install a dictator. His CULT is ready to declare war - instead of having voting rights and the peaceful transfer of power.
Universal Basic Income is the way to deal with our economic problems. A TRUE UBI, to everybody, so the disincentives of means tested programs do not cause divisions nor allow some to 'fall through the cracks'. Andrew Yang showed great courage to boldly put UBI on the national agenda, but he failed to point out the strengths of UBI as an anti crime measure. He also failed to point out that UBI is not as wildly inflationary as it initially feels to be. The 3rd biggest business expense is theft and theft prevention. (1&2 are materials and labor).
Most urgently we should assure unrestricted and publicly financed access to all means of contraception. PUP, Prevent Unintended Pregnancies. Intended pregnancies are not aborted. The children are planned for and cared for by their parents. The children do better in school and are much less likely to commit crime or go to jail. See "The Price Of Eggs Is Down" amazon kindle or paperback
I agree about UBI. I think the trials that have been done show incredible results, and I am all for it. So you’re suggesting that it not be means tested at all even for the very rich?
Number of dollars paid to the very rich would be insignificant. The societal value of paying to everyone would be far greater. Do try "The Price Of Eggs Is Down" amazon kindle or paperback, The kneading together of our humanity would do wonders and not build resentment in taxpayers.
Jessica, Thank you for highlighting the Ohio special election on August 8. If you are in - or outside of - Ohio and want to get details on how to get involved in defeating this terrible constitutional amendment (called Issue One) put on the ballot by the gerrymandered Ohio Republican legislature, you can check out this Facebook page of Ohioans Against Issue One#Vote No in August https://www.facebook.com/groups/206047505560347/.
Ooh I will add this to the resource doc thank you!
Hi Jess,
I'm not much for making phone calls, so I penned the following message to my Senators. I borrowed some phrases from your messages. My House rep is a member of the opposition, but I'll try to send him something too. Do you know if messages sent thru their Congressional websites carry as much weight as phone calls?
Thanks for all you do!
Bob
****************
The Supreme Court, which should exhibit the highest ethical and judicial standards, has been compromised by Republicans who've concertedly stacked the court with unethical and disingenuous ideologues. The ethical lapses of Thomas, Roberts and Alito are now well known, and the duplicity of Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett with respect to stare decisis has been exposed. Chief Justice Roberts, who hid behind his robe when the court was more balanced, has now exposed himself to be as compromised and disgraceful as his “conservative” counterparts.
While I respect the need for independence between the three branches of our government and the system of checks and balances that was fundamental to its design, the Supreme Court is dangerously unchecked and unbalanced. I want the Senator to co-sponsor S. 359, the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act, and vigorously pursue investigations into the unethical behavior of justices who have shamelessly accepted unreported gifts from “friends” who had business before the Court. I also want the Senator to support rebalancing the Court by co-sponsoring S. 1616, the Judiciary Act of 2023, and if possible, amend it to require ideological balancing in the future. Such an amendment would need to provide for a means to assure that future nominations are done in good faith, something we haven’t seen much of in a while.
Please help save our democracy by reforming the Supreme Court. It’s up to the rest of us to elect democracy proponents to replace those who are intent on destroying it.
Bob Morgan
This is an outstanding letter, Bob. Thank you so much for posting it! And yes, I do believe that letters sent as an email through the official website is an extremely powerful way to contact your representatives. Not sure if it’s better than a phone call or worse than a phone call but I do believe it’s probably equal. And better than sending a resistbot letter that you haven’t personalized. So great work!
And to copy text from Substack comments, such as Bob's excellent letter, that's not possible on the Substack mobile app (at least not on Android). BUT going back to the original email with a Substack post and choosing Open Online, anything can be easily copied. Bob, I trust you won't mind my using your letter to write my own to my Colorado Senators.
Excellent letter, Bob. I phone and write my legislators, all GOP. Although, if I want to truly express myself feel that writing is best. Staffers who answer the phone listen, but most importantly are interested in your zip and the main point of your call.Also, when I write legislators I often receive an emailed response that highlights their hypocrisy in writing.
What I'd like to see - and I know it's not practical right now - would be for Congress to transfer all power of reviewing lower court cases and government actions to a new Federal Review Court will all the guardrails - term limits, enforced ethics, etc.
The Supreme Court can stick to cases of original jurisdiction as prescribed in the Constitution. It grabbed power of judicial review in 1796, Marbury vs Madison. Congress has always had the constitutional power to change that.
Now that the Extreme Court is engaging in a coup against democracy and human rights, it's time to put a stop to all its power grabs, starting with the first one.
At the very least, can we make a Federal Review Court part of the discussion, so court reform starts looking like a moderate change?
That’s actually a really good idea. Have you brought that up with the folks at Demand Justice?
No, I don’t know anything about them. I texted my senators about it (Warren and Markey), but no response there. Do you have a better contact for them than just info@? I’ll happily write them.
I think they do answer emails sent there.
Sent.
David Brooks NYT op-ed is a worthwhile resource.
Interviews with attendees at tfg's SC rally this past weekend are alarming.
They demonstrate the allegiance of the CULT MEMBERS to staying with the criminal NO MATTER WHAT OTHER CRIMES HE COMMITS.
Somehow they have convinced themselves he "loves America"
when to my mind, he ONLY loves himself, and is grifting for every donation to his legal fund and to keep himself out of prison for the rest of his life.
His attacks on everything and everyone seem to be oblivious to his CULT.
He's inciting violence against people, ignoring needs of people (especially "blue" cities and states) and even has his CULT turned against his own supporters in their own state (we see you being boo'd in SC, Lindsay Graham!)
His CULT has either decided to revolt against government and law enforcement and rule of law altogether, OR he has chased out all the traditional Republicans and amassed a following of antigovernment insurrectionists, seditionists and traitors. His CULT is ready to install a dictator. His CULT is ready to declare war - instead of having voting rights and the peaceful transfer of power.
Universal Basic Income is the way to deal with our economic problems. A TRUE UBI, to everybody, so the disincentives of means tested programs do not cause divisions nor allow some to 'fall through the cracks'. Andrew Yang showed great courage to boldly put UBI on the national agenda, but he failed to point out the strengths of UBI as an anti crime measure. He also failed to point out that UBI is not as wildly inflationary as it initially feels to be. The 3rd biggest business expense is theft and theft prevention. (1&2 are materials and labor).
Most urgently we should assure unrestricted and publicly financed access to all means of contraception. PUP, Prevent Unintended Pregnancies. Intended pregnancies are not aborted. The children are planned for and cared for by their parents. The children do better in school and are much less likely to commit crime or go to jail. See "The Price Of Eggs Is Down" amazon kindle or paperback
I agree about UBI. I think the trials that have been done show incredible results, and I am all for it. So you’re suggesting that it not be means tested at all even for the very rich?
Happy Independence Day, Jessica and family!
And to you, too, Gary!
Number of dollars paid to the very rich would be insignificant. The societal value of paying to everyone would be far greater. Do try "The Price Of Eggs Is Down" amazon kindle or paperback, The kneading together of our humanity would do wonders and not build resentment in taxpayers.