Another Spring-like day... but it's supposed to rain. Did you know that Baltimore and Seattle have the same amount of rainfall in a year?
One of the many magazines that I subscribe to is The Nation... I don't always agree with what they report, but I really liked their March 7,2016 issue and most of what they said and how I understand it:
Justice Scalia:
He was an adherent of originalism, which focuses on the original meaning of legal text without regard to changing times. Judges are required to faithfully apply the "old time" thinking to Constitutional cases. What did Jefferson and Adams think about abortion? or "Gay Rights?" That's right, they probably never gave those issues a thought.
Back in 2005, Mitch McConnell, current Senate majority leader, believed that any presidential judicial nominee (after a full debate) should get a simple up-or-down vote. However, now, in 2016, he believes that the President should not appoint anyone to fill Scalia's position, and is listening to Senator Ted Cruz, who has promised to filibuster any nominee that the President dares to put forward.
In his dissent to Romer v. Evans (1996) he said that one should not hate any one, but also said that same-sex attraction could be compared to "murder," "polygamy," and "cruelty to animals."
And we all know how he voted in Bush v. Gore, Hobby Lobby, and Citizens United. What disasters those case results have led us to and continue to plague our democracy.
However, he was a likable chap outside of Chambers... and anyone who is an opera lover and a friend of Justice Ginsberg can't be all bad. RIP Justice Scalia.
Donald Trump
Laila Lalami writes about Trump's views of Muslims:
Trump suggested that mosques in the U.S. might have to be shut down.
Trump said that he wouldn't rule out requiring Muslims to be registered in a database.
Trump said that perhaps Muslims should carry special IDs. (Like Jews in Nazi Germany?)
Trump called for a complete ban on Muslims entering the U.S.
At a recent rally, Trump is reported to have picked on some hecklers before having them thrown out: One was a Muslim woman, one a Sikh, and one a Black Lives Matter activist. (Would he throw Putin out of the Oval Office? Or the Dalai Lama?)
Calvin Trillin (The Nation's Deadline Poet) writes:
"Trump's backers think his smut's OK.
It's said they're in an angry mood--
So angry that they'd like to have
A President who's truly crude."
Are People getting their Pitchforks sharpened?
I hope not.. I agree with The Nation that somehow, we must achieve some form of a more equitable wealth breakdown in the U.S. Some of their suggestions relate to democratizing power by limiting the influence of money in our political system. (Get rid of Citizens United) and expanding opportunity for those marginalized by racism and sexism.(Where is FDR when we need him?)
Some CEO Compensation
McKesson 39 million
Disney 22 million
AmExpress 25 million
Allstate 15 million
Honeywell 14 million
Comcast 14 million
Wells Fargo 14 million
How can anyone explain to Joe America that someone is worth this amount of money when Joe is probably working his ass off for 40 hours a week, and only earning a minimum wage?
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