(Thread)
What about all those judges Trump appointed?
A little history puts Trump judges in perspective.
(In a separate thread, I’ll chart the way forward)
Through most of U.S. history, courts have been right wing.
How far to the right? Let's take a look.
What about all those judges Trump appointed?
A little history puts Trump judges in perspective.
(In a separate thread, I’ll chart the way forward)
Through most of U.S. history, courts have been right wing.
How far to the right? Let's take a look.
1/ In the 1960s judges were confirmed who openly supported racial segregation.
archive.boston.com/news/globe/obi…
19th century courts held that man could beat his wife (as long as the injuries weren't serious): la.utexas.edu/users/jmciver/…
archive.boston.com/news/globe/obi…
19th century courts held that man could beat his wife (as long as the injuries weren't serious): la.utexas.edu/users/jmciver/…
2/ In 1895 SCOTUS ruled federal income tax unconstitutional. (We amended the Constitution to reverse that) oyez.org/cases/1850-190…
In 1896 SCOTUS ruled segregation constitutional
oyez.org/cases/1850-190…
In 1923, SCOTUS ruled minimum wage unconstitutional
oyez.org/cases/1900-194…
In 1896 SCOTUS ruled segregation constitutional
oyez.org/cases/1850-190…
In 1923, SCOTUS ruled minimum wage unconstitutional
oyez.org/cases/1900-194…
3/ In 1942 SCOTUS upheld the evacuation order putting Japanese Americans into internment camps.
oyez.org/cases/1940-195…
I could go on.
There have been only two truly liberal courts in all of U.S. history: The Marshall court (1801-1835) and the Warren court (1953-1969).
oyez.org/cases/1940-195…
I could go on.
There have been only two truly liberal courts in all of U.S. history: The Marshall court (1801-1835) and the Warren court (1953-1969).
4/ The Warren Court gave us Brown v. Board, the case that ruled segregation in schools unconstitutional.
Brown v. Board (1954) ended Jim Crow and ignited the modern civil rights movement, which in turn ignited the women’s movement, causing widespread panic among reactionaries.
Brown v. Board (1954) ended Jim Crow and ignited the modern civil rights movement, which in turn ignited the women’s movement, causing widespread panic among reactionaries.
5/ In fact, we’re still riding the backlash from Brown v. Board and Roe v. Wade.
The fury over these cases is driving the urgency among reactionaries to appoint “conservative” judges.
The fury over these cases is driving the urgency among reactionaries to appoint “conservative” judges.
6/ Check out these numbers. Obama appointed 49 circuit judges 268 district court judges.
As of Nov. 2019, Trump appointed 44 circuit judges and 112 district court judges.
(I suspect, but haven’t done the research, that liberal judges are avoiding retirement now. . .
As of Nov. 2019, Trump appointed 44 circuit judges and 112 district court judges.
(I suspect, but haven’t done the research, that liberal judges are avoiding retirement now. . .
7/ (. . . if possible, so many of the replacements aren’t much changing the judiciary.)
We know how to deal with ultra-conservative courts and the damage they do, because we’ve been through this before.
We push forward.
Reactionaries push backwards.
It never ends.
We know how to deal with ultra-conservative courts and the damage they do, because we’ve been through this before.
We push forward.
Reactionaries push backwards.
It never ends.
8/ Despair comes from a mistake in thinking.
I know, because I made the mistake myself.
The mistake goes like this: US history is an arc bending toward greater justice as more people come to be included in "we the people.”
I know, because I made the mistake myself.
The mistake goes like this: US history is an arc bending toward greater justice as more people come to be included in "we the people.”
9/ The mistaken assumption is that the graph naturally slopes upward, like this ⤵️ and that we're on a conveyor belt leading us to a more diverse future.
Without having to do any work at all, the conveyor belt will continue moving us forward toward more inclusiveness!
Without having to do any work at all, the conveyor belt will continue moving us forward toward more inclusiveness!
10 In fact, the graph looks like this⤵️
Reactionaries are doing their thing (as they've always done), trying to take us back.
People born after the Civil Rights movement inherited a nation leaning— for the first time in our history— toward a true liberal democracy.
Reactionaries are doing their thing (as they've always done), trying to take us back.
People born after the Civil Rights movement inherited a nation leaning— for the first time in our history— toward a true liberal democracy.
11/ Sometimes people who inherit something believe they are entitled to it and they don’t actually have to work for it.
We think we inherited an ever expanding democracy, so it's ours.
Nope. We have to keep working for it.
Every day, every year, every generation.
We think we inherited an ever expanding democracy, so it's ours.
Nope. We have to keep working for it.
Every day, every year, every generation.
12/ The whole ‘equality for all’ is actually fairly new.
Just imagine being black in America in 1860. Or a woman.
Or both.
Trump supporters have always been with us.
💠They supported slavery
💠They supported Jim Crow
💠They believed the federal income tax unconstitutional
Just imagine being black in America in 1860. Or a woman.
Or both.
Trump supporters have always been with us.
💠They supported slavery
💠They supported Jim Crow
💠They believed the federal income tax unconstitutional
13/
💠They thought minimum wage was unconstitutional (on the theory that people should be free to enter contracts without the government interfering).
Political psychologists explain the dynamic like this⤵️
💠They thought minimum wage was unconstitutional (on the theory that people should be free to enter contracts without the government interfering).
Political psychologists explain the dynamic like this⤵️
14/ OK, back to judges.
Lower court judges have limited discretion. They apply the law.
The problem is the Supreme Court.
The solution?
That, my dearies, I leave until my next thread an update on how anti-hardball tactics can bring us to a more democratic future.
Lower court judges have limited discretion. They apply the law.
The problem is the Supreme Court.
The solution?
That, my dearies, I leave until my next thread an update on how anti-hardball tactics can bring us to a more democratic future.
You ⤵️and all the people who sent me questions in the past few days.
Remember, there is a lucrative industry built around causing you to panic.
There's also a fine line between making people aware of the problem and creating panic and despair.
Remember, there is a lucrative industry built around causing you to panic.
There's also a fine line between making people aware of the problem and creating panic and despair.
I wouldn't count on that making much difference.
The long term (meaning 5 - 8 year) solution is two terms of a Democratic president.
The long term (meaning 5 - 8 year) solution is two terms of a Democratic president.
Thanks. I'll help you out by adding it to my thread.
Remember, also, that one goal of active measures is to cause people to despair and lose confidence in democracy, because when that happens, autocracy and fascism can set in.
Remember, also, that one goal of active measures is to cause people to despair and lose confidence in democracy, because when that happens, autocracy and fascism can set in.
My Twitter threads are also blog posts. You can view this one here: terikanefield-blog.com/what-about-all…
