Government Coup

[Tybee]

Words from our governor:

[COLOR=var(--color-neutral-content)]“No President – Republican or Democrat – can withhold Federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will. It is a violation of our Constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold.
“Maine may be one of the first states to undergo an investigation by his Administration, but we won’t be the last. Today, the President of the United States has targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next, and what will he do? Will it be you? Will it be because of your race or your religion? Will it be because you look different or think differently? Where does it end? In America, the President is neither a King nor a dictator, as much as this one tries to act like it – and it is the rule of law that prevents him from being so.
“I imagine that the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined. My Administration will begin work with the Attorney General to defend the interests of Maine people in the court of law. But do not be misled: this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation. I believe he cannot.”




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[iris lilies]

Words from our governor:

[COLOR=var(--color-neutral-content)]“No President – Republican or Democrat – can withhold Federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will. It is a violation of our Constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold.
“Maine may be one of the first states to undergo an investigation by his Administration, but we won’t be the last. Today, the President of the United States has targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next, and what will he do? Will it be you? Will it be because of your race or your religion? Will it be because you look different or think differently? Where does it end? In America, the President is neither a King nor a dictator, as much as this one tries to act like it – and it is the rule of law that prevents him from being so.
“I imagine that the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined. My Administration will begin work with the Attorney General to defend the interests of Maine people in the court of law. But do not be misled: this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation. I believe he cannot.”



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This stuff has to be adjudicated in court so Maine might as well step forward. It seems to be a conflict of the State of Maine’s Human Rights Act versus Title IX of the Federal Civil Rights Act. The threat to withhold educational funding is just a tool to get it into court.

My guess is the majority of Maine citizens think boys should not be allowed in girls sports, and besides, it is just WRONG despite any popular sentiment. But I accept the courts will have to determine the legitimacy of this concept. All of the bloviating noise governor Mills makes may not serve her political career well. I guess she is obligated to defend her state’s Human Rights Act but she could do it recognizing it’s an issue with nuance. I don’t see any recognition of nuance in her statement. The trans issue took down Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland.

The Roberts’ Court ruled in the Bostock case recently that Title VII protects gay and transgender individuals from employment discrimination. So, it is not too much of a stretch in the legal mind of Iris Lilies that they will draw the same conclusion about Title IX, The Education section of the Civil Rights Act.

If that’s how the court rules it is too bad so sad for women’s sports. Write it all off and close it down. Eventually all sports records and top scholarships in women’s sports will go to natal men. But this is what we get when we allow a tiny minority of loudmouth activists to subvert our language so that the biological reality of sex takes on different meanings.

Trans women are not women. This concept has far reaching legal consequences.

[iris lilies]

Adding to Maine’s story, the trans high school pole vaulter John-now-Katie Spencer was, when he participated as a man, 5th place in the state of Maine for his sport.

Now participating as a women, she (Trans Katie) easily won first place, vaulting 6” more than her nearest competitor. This is a huge difference, the 6” inches. This happened last week. No doubt it will be the state’s top vaulting record until the next man comes along to replace it in this women’s sport.

[catherine]

Adding to Maine’s story, the trans high school pole vaulter John-now-Katie Spencer was, when he participated as a man, 5th place in the state of Maine for his sport. This happened last week.

Now participating as a women, she (Trans Katie) easily won first place, vaulting 6” more than her nearest competitor. This is a huge difference, the 6” inches. No doubt it will be the state’s top vaulting record until the next man comes along to replace it in this women’s sport.

Just for the record, I agree with you on this topic. I don't think it makes sense for anyone AMAB who transitioned after puberty to compete with females. Not sure how to handle it, though.

[Rogar]

Adding to Maine’s story, the trans high school pole vaulter John-now-Katie Spencer was, when he participated as a man, 5th place in the state of Maine for his sport.

Now participating as a women, she (Trans Katie) easily won first place, vaulting 6” more than her nearest competitor. This is a huge difference, the 6” inches. This happened last week. No doubt it will be the state’s top vaulting record until the next man comes along to replace it in this women’s sport.

I agree with the concept. I wonder if it falls into the "get off my lawn" philosophy. Stay out of my state's issues. In the age of autocracy, I'm a fan of state's rights as a remanent bastion from control, and it seems like a small issue compared to the government coup anyway. I don't get why trans people in sports is even a federal issue other than to marginalize the trans community.

The Minnesota AG has said that Executive Orders do not supersede state law that prohibits discrimination based on gender. I guess we will see in court? It seems a kin to sanctuary city protections?

I was doing some foot tapping to this one which fit with the coup. Burning Down the House

Talking Heads - Burning Down the House [HD]

[iris lilies]

I agree with the concept. I wonder if it falls into the "get off my lawn" philosophy. Stay out of my state's issues. In the age of autocracy, I'm a fan of state's rights as a remanent bastion from control, and it seems like a small issue compared to the government coup anyway.

I was doing some foot tapping to this one which fit with the coup. Burning Down the House

Talking Heads - Burning Down the House [HD]

But you do understand that state law cannot supersede Federal law, right? And that’s what will be determined in court, does Title IX really protect women’s rights to play women’s sports in women’s spaces against other women, and are those rights violated by men in all their forms when men invade those sports and spaces? If the Courts decide Title IX does harbor those protections, Maine’s law is in violation of Title IX.

To repeat: state law cannot supersede federal law.

Of course Governor Mills has the choice to say “too bad so sad” to schools and forget about collecting those sweet Federal dollars and all the boys in the world can play all of the girls’ sports they want in Maine. But she won’t turn down the cash because she is up on her high horse about “targeted” minorities and Constitutional rights and the looming threat to the world.

But really, it is about men who invade women’s sports, Governor Mills. Get a grip.

[Rogar]

IL, You may be totally correct. However that is not the case being argued and what the courts will decide. What ever the courts decide, I still think the feds have better issues before them, that it's micro controlling states issues, and it's part of their cancel culture of DEI. It's certainly not even near the top of my concerns over the EO's Burning Down the House.

As I understand the argument in the PDF, an executive order is different from a federal law. Perhaps you can enlighten me on that, as I'm not sure. If rump ordered a ban on abortion, would it be federal law? And in the instance of my state, voters approved an amendment to the state constitution supposedly protecting the right to abortion. How would an executive order affect that?

"Minnesota State High School League: Executive Order 14201 does not preempt Minnesota law. Prohibiting students from participating in extracurricular activities consistent with their gender identity would violate the Minnesota Human Rights Act."

https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Op...5-20250220.pdf

[iris lilies]

IL, You may be totally correct. However that is not the case being argued and what the courts will decide. What ever the courts decide, I still think the feds have better issues before them, that it's micro controlling states issues, and it's part of their cancel culture of DEI. It's certainly not even near the top of my concerns over the EO's Burning Down the House.

As I understand the argument in the PDF, an executive order is different from a federal law. Perhaps you can enlighten me on that, as I'm not sure. If rump ordered a ban on abortion, would it be federal law? And in the instance of my state, voters approved an amendment to the state constitution supposedly protecting the right to abortion. How would an executive order affect that?

"Minnesota State High School League: Executive Order 14201 does not preempt Minnesota law. Prohibiting students from participating in extracurricular activities consistent with their gender identity would violate the Minnesota Human Rights Act."

https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Op...5-20250220.pdf

oh an executive order is absolutely positively definitely different and has less force than law made by Congress. And maybe this conflict is only executive order versus state law. But I don’t think so.

The executive order uses as its basis Court interpretations of Title IX. That’s why Tirle IX, a federal Act, figures in my discussion.

But later tonight or tomorrow I’ll read this Minnesota piece because I’m interested to see what the Minnesota Attorney General has to say about it. He has a leeeetle more training in the law than I have. ��

no matter how this is argued in court, I think the trans lobby will win for the reason I gave, prior Supreme Court decision. I hope I’m wrong.
And the next time someone complains about how conservative the Roberts court is, I’ve got a trans case to show you otherwise.

[Tybee]

"Maine may be one of the first states to undergo an investigation by his Administration, but we won’t be the last. Today, the President of the United States has targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next, and what will he do? Will it be you? Will it be because of your race or your religion? Will it be because you look different or think differently? Where does it end? In America, the President is neither a King nor a dictator, as much as this one tries to act like it – and it is the rule of law that prevents him from being so."

It's not about trans, it's not about women's rights. It's a money grab. It's a power grab. It's like Richie Aprile said to Tony Soprano, "What's mine is not yours to give me."

[Tybee]

regarding SS:

bkudd3173ele1.jpg