Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

SunSeeker

(51,367 posts)
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 03:02 AM Jan 2020

John Roberts comes face to face with the mess he made

Roberts’s captivity is entirely fitting: He is forced to witness, with his own eyes, the mess he and his colleagues on the Supreme Court have made of the U.S. political system. As representatives of all three branches of government attend this unhappy family reunion, the living consequences of the Roberts Court’s decisions, and their corrosive effect on democracy, are plain to see.
...
Ten years to the day before Trump’s impeachment trial began, the Supreme Court released its Citizens United decision, plunging the country into the era of super PACs and unlimited, unregulated, secret campaign money from billionaires and foreign interests. Citizens United, and the resulting rise of the super PAC, led directly to this impeachment. The two Rudy Giuliani associates engaged in key abuses — the ouster of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, the attempts to force Ukraine’s president to announce investigations into Trump’s political opponents — gained access to Trump by funneling money from a Ukrainian oligarch to the president’s super PAC.

The Roberts Court’s decisions led to this moment in indirect ways, as well. The court’s 2013 ruling in Shelby County gutted the Voting Rights Act and spurred a new wave of voter suppression. The decision in 2014?s McCutcheon further surrenderedcampaign finance to the wealthiest. The 2018 Janus decision hobbled the ability of labor unions to counter wealthy donors, while the 2019 Rucho ruling blessed partisan gerrymandering, expanding anti-democratic tendencies.
...
It’s a symbiotic relationship. On the day the impeachment trial opened, the Roberts Court rejected a plea by Democrats to expedite its consideration of the latest legal attempt by Republicans to kill Obamacare. The court sided with Republicans who opposed an immediate Supreme Court review because the GOP feared the ruling could hurt it if the decision came before the 2020 election.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/01/23/john-roberts-comes-face-face-with-mess-he-made/

28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
John Roberts comes face to face with the mess he made (Original Post) SunSeeker Jan 2020 OP
Fantastic article. Great because it's true. OnDoutside Jan 2020 #1
Yes, sadly. nt SunSeeker Jan 2020 #2
It is very late and I have to go. sheshe2 Jan 2020 #3
Love you too she. SunSeeker Jan 2020 #4
Nite, SunSeeker. sheshe2 Jan 2020 #5
Fck Roberts. Hassler Jan 2020 #6
Oh yeah oasis Jan 2020 #7
Then There Are All The Corporate Prostitute Judges Moscow Mitch Pushed Into Service Of The 1% DanieRains Jan 2020 #8
Bingo... pbmus Jan 2020 #9
This is what Roberts really wanted Botany Jan 2020 #10
KnR Hekate Jan 2020 #11
Roberts has his "Zauberlehrling (Sorcerer's Apprentice) " moment DFW Jan 2020 #12
The GOP's wet dream.... SergeStorms Jan 2020 #13
More direct evidence that Trump is not the only danger but how the conservatives work BeckyDem Jan 2020 #14
Republicans are the real enemies of the people. dalton99a Jan 2020 #15
Excellent! Baitball Blogger Jan 2020 #16
The Roberts court siding with republicans is not a surprise. brer cat Jan 2020 #17
roberts is probably proud as can be of all his "accomplishments." Merlot Jan 2020 #18
Who knew that Putin, the world's richest man, would start his own super pac. Marcuse Jan 2020 #19
He bought Lindsey. SunSeeker Jan 2020 #21
OK, this needs its own thread. eppur_se_muova Jan 2020 #23
If he paid $800,000 Scarsdale Jan 2020 #24
Excellent piece MBS Jan 2020 #20
The Obama Oracle Marcuse Jan 2020 #22
K&R ck4829 Jan 2020 #25
He, like all republicans now, is a fascist mrs_p Jan 2020 #26
Yep. They'd rather have fascism if democracy means the progressives take over. nt SunSeeker Jan 2020 #28
"John Roberts comes face to face with the mess he made" FM123 Jan 2020 #27

sheshe2

(83,324 posts)
3. It is very late and I have to go.
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 03:26 AM
Jan 2020

I will read the rest tomorrow. What I have read breaks my heart.

Thank you for posting the truth.

Love you.

 

DanieRains

(4,619 posts)
8. Then There Are All The Corporate Prostitute Judges Moscow Mitch Pushed Into Service Of The 1%
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 04:00 AM
Jan 2020

Planet Earth be damned.

Democracy be damned.

Oligarch Rule!

DFW

(54,050 posts)
12. Roberts has his "Zauberlehrling (Sorcerer's Apprentice) " moment
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 04:58 AM
Jan 2020

"Die ich rief die Geister, werde ich nun nicht mehr los."

The spirits I have summoned, I can now no longer be rid of them.

SergeStorms

(18,882 posts)
13. The GOP's wet dream....
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 05:02 AM
Jan 2020

has come to fruition. Fascism now rests comfortably inside all three branches of the government - having hardly knocked at the door to gain access - and if republicans retain the White House and the Senate, Democracy will have been dealt it's death blow. There will be no more "good fight". It will be time to run from this country before the "cleansing" takes place. The great democratic experiment will have failed, miserably, and it will become one of those "shit hole" countries of which Donald Trump speaks.

The 2020 elections are the final chance for this country to get it right, IF the Russians and republicans will allow fair elections. The chances of that happening are about the same as the odds of Donald Trump becoming a decent human being.

BeckyDem

(8,361 posts)
14. More direct evidence that Trump is not the only danger but how the conservatives work
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 09:21 AM
Jan 2020

in concert to destroy this country with him at the helm.

brer cat

(24,401 posts)
17. The Roberts court siding with republicans is not a surprise.
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 12:24 PM
Jan 2020

Very good piece. Thanks for the post, SunSeeker.

Merlot

(9,696 posts)
18. roberts is probably proud as can be of all his "accomplishments."
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 12:43 PM
Jan 2020

Hopefully this article isn't implying that roberts has any regrets.

Marcuse

(7,391 posts)
19. Who knew that Putin, the world's richest man, would start his own super pac.
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 02:18 PM
Jan 2020
The Russian is Leonard Blavatnik.

MBS

(9,688 posts)
20. Excellent piece
Fri Jan 24, 2020, 02:44 PM
Jan 2020

(I was just about to post it myself!).
When Dana Milbank gets serious, he can be outstanding. And he's never been more serious than he is here.

FM123

(10,050 posts)
27. "John Roberts comes face to face with the mess he made"
Mon Jan 27, 2020, 10:32 AM
Jan 2020

Reminds me of a line in Alanis Morissette's song "You Oughta Know" (I dedicate it to Judge Robert's conscience)

And I'm here, to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It's not fair, to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Editorials & Other Articles»John Roberts comes face t...