ACB Hearings

[Alan]

I'm hoping she'll hew to the "strict interpretation" thing, and not to the "my husband tells me what to think, as my cult leader prescribes" thing. You're right though--you can't always tell how they'll fall on the spectrum.

I was glad to see the Democratic Senators back away from the religious background concerns that seem to bother so many of their constituents. Maybe it will trickle down?

[jp1]

Personally I hope the democratic senators back away from Mike Lee. Republicans haven't a very good record with not infecting people with the covid so it's anyone's guess whether he's actually been cleared as non-contagious or is just making shit up to justify being there and speaking without a mask.

[Jane v2.0]

I was glad to see the Democratic Senators back away from the religious background concerns that seem to bother so many of their constituents. Maybe it will trickle down?

Or maybe not. Living in a theocracy, no matter how benign it may seem, holds no appeal for me.

[Alan]

Or maybe not. Living in a theocracy, no matter how benign it may seem, holds no appeal for me.

Oh, I don't know. Thou Shalt Not Kill seems to be a pretty good rule in a civilized society.

[Jane v2.0]

Oh, I don't know. Thou Shalt Not Kill seems to be a pretty good rule in a civilized society.

Unless you're a peace officer, unless you're a soldier, unless a kid with Skittles throws a punch at you when you accost him, etc. etc.
You don't need religion to know right from wrong.

[Alan]

You don't need religion to know right from wrong.

I believe that's true, but I also find it interesting when people make statements against theocracy when there are so many intersection points in religion and secularism. I wonder which good things you'd sacrifice in order to banish the taint of theocracy?

[jp1]

I'm always impressed though with how our Justices seldom turn out to be the stereotypical ideologues their opponents make them out to be, so I can't place much credence in the Democrats attempts to malign Judge Barrett.

Apparently republican politicians are not similarly Impressed. Otherwise they would have given their consent for Merrick garland, a plenty qualified jurist. And now they are ramming through ACB because they are well aware that anyone picked by biden will undoubtedly not be sufficiently republicanly partisan. And considering how many predictable five/four decisions have come out of the court in recent years I’d say that the republican politicians’ view is probably more accurate.

[Alan]

Apparently republican politicians are not similarly Impressed. Otherwise they would have given their consent for Merrick garland, a plenty qualified jurist. And now they are ramming through ACB because they are well aware that anyone picked by biden will undoubtedly not be sufficiently republicanly partisan. And considering how many predictable five/four decisions have come out of the court in recent years I’d say that the republican politicians’ view is probably more accurate.

So would you be in favor of a President Biden attempting to pack the court with however many sufficiently partisan liberal justices it may take to ensure a progressive majority?

[Jane v2.0]

I believe that's true, but I also find it interesting when people make statements against theocracy when there are so many intersection points in religion and secularism. I wonder which good things you'd sacrifice in order to banish the taint of theocracy?

I'm not sure what "good things" you're referring to? Religious holidays? Personally, I think religion should be a private matter, practiced on the margins, and not involved in the slightest with the machinations of government.

[jp1]

So would you be in favor of a President Biden attempting to pack the court with however many sufficiently partisan liberal justices it may take to ensure a progressive majority?

I suppose he could just roll over and let the past several years of republican court packing go unaddressed.

This just seems like yet another instance of republicans saying ‘yeah, we did that but it would be really unseemly if the democrats behave the same way’.