US Supreme Court

Clarence Thomas Soon To Be Second Longest Serving Supreme Court Justice In American History!

Ronald 5 Comments

In October 1991, Clarence Thomas became the second African American Supreme Court Justice in American history, appointed by President George H W Bush, replacing the retired Thurgood Marshall, appointed to the Court in 1967 by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Thomas had a highly contentious Supreme Court nomination battle, as he was accused of sexual harassment in the workplace by Anita Hill, a turning point which led to Thomas’s embitterment, and his life’s commitment to use his anger and fury in every way possible to undermine constitutional law, with his quest to promote “textualism” and “originalism”.

Thomas has been on the Court now for more than 34 years, and on Wednesday October 25, he will surpass the most famous and influential Justice in American history, Chief Justice John Marshall (1801-1835) in longevity, and be fourth all time in service.

And in early May, he will surpass Justice John Paul Stevens (1975-2010) and Justice Stephen J. Field (1863-1897) in longevity, and rank second all time in service, only behind Justice William O. Douglas (1939-1975).

If Thomas stays on the Court for two more years, he will be the top of the list of longevity in late May, 2028.

His impact on constitutional law has been massive, seen as mostly negative by a majority of constitutional and legal scholars, and many of his law clerks have ended up appointed by Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump to Federal District Court and Federal Circuit Court lifetime appointments.

In many ways, Thomas’s appointment by George H. W. Bush may have had the longest and greatest impact of any action taken by the 41st President!

The Massive Defiance By Federal Judges Of Donald Trump, Including His Own Judicial Appointments!

Ronald 42 Comments

When the Supreme Court by a vote of 6-3 rejected Donald Trump’s tariffs as outside his rights, as it is up to Congress to decide on tariff policy, the President lashed out at those members of the Court who were part of the majority, including two of his appointments, Associate Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, along with Chief Justice John Roberts.

But the record shows that federal judges, including appointments by all Presidents since Ronald Reagan, and even Trump appointments, have been active in rejecting another policy that is crucial to Trump’s agenda, mass detention and deportations of illegal immigrants, but also legal immigrants and even citizens by the abuses of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

More than 100 legal challenges to this abusive policy have been filed daily in recent weeks, and as of mid February 2026, at least 373 federal judges have ruled against the administration’s mass detention policies, ordering release or bond hearings in more than 1,600 cases. At the same time, ONLY 28 judges, including 20 appointed by Trump, have sided with the administration’s position. And 44 Trump “judges” have been included in those who have ruled against its positions on mass detention. And a total of 3500 cases have been rejected overall, and only 150 cases supportive of the Trump policy.

The record shows that 122 Joe Biden appointments have ruled against the Trump Administration, and 112 Barack Obama appointments have also done so. The remaining rejections have seen 38 Bill Clinton judges, and a total of 43 George W. Bush judges, and 7 judges each appointed by Presidents George H W Bush, and Ronald Reagan.

But sadly, if a Circuit Court rules against what District Court judges have done, it can reverse the actions of those lower courts, so the battle for constitutional rights is a major crisis long term at this point!

Most Divisive, Lie Filled, Polarizing State Of The Union Speech In American Presidential History!

Ronald 37 Comments

Donald Trump has created the most divisive, lie filled, polarizing State of the Union speech in the entire history of the Presidency last evening!

It was a torture watching it, and seeing how Trump set out to create an ever bigger chasm than he has himself created in the first year of his second term in the White House.

Lies, deception, distortion, hate, manipulation of facts and truth were rampant from the beginning through to the long bitter end, of what became the longest ranting speech ever delivered by an American President, at one hour 48 minutes.

Trump has created an alternate reality, and his party is in lockstep with his deception and lies, demonstrating that they have no ethics, morals, or scruples, as all they desire is to keep power, promote autocracy and oligarchy, and clearly have no conscience.

Instead of trying to appeal for bipartisan support, instead, Trump went out of his way to attack the Democratic opposition, and act in a totally unPresidential manner. This included attacks on immigrants and on the Gay community, totally outrageous and divisive. His attacks on Somalians in Minnesota, and his claim that “illegal aliens” are the major crime threat, rather than people born in America, were total falsehoods, but plays to his MAGA supporters.

It was telling that only four Supreme Court Justices, including three who voted against his tariff policy—Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan—along with Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh—showed up for the address, and all four sat stone faced, in what had to be a difficult moment for them.

It was shocking how Trump has no concept of math when he made statements on economic matters that indicate total ignorance of percentages, and his economic statistics were totally delusional, not the real world reality.

Trump lives in an alternate reality, and the thought that, in theory, the nation has to deal with this dangerous delusionist for three more years, is terrifying.

His statement about fighting fraud, and that such work done by Vice President JD Vance, would lead to balancing the budget, is totally off the wall, and ignores his own personal fraudulent activities, including enriching himself by at least a billion dollars in this past year, against the emoluments clause of the Constitution.

Trump has no concern about the harm done by his Presidency to civil liberties, racial equality, economic opportunity, and environmental protection, and he demonstrated how immature he really is, as he aligns himself with authoritarian regimes around the world, instead of promoting democracy at home and abroad!

What was more inspirational was the official Democratic response to the State of the Union, by newly inaugurated Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, truly outstanding in her presentation, and giving her more national exposure.

The American people are likely to be outraged at large about Trump’s speech, and it helps promote the likelihood of a Democratic victory in November, hopefully in both houses of Congress!

As State Of The Union Address Occurs, Donald Trump’s Ratings Are Rapidly In Decline!

Ronald 65 Comments

President Donald Trump is about to give his State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress this Tuesday, February 24, just as public opinion ratings demonstrate that he is rapidly declining in support among many voter groups.

As it is, his ratings have been, depending on the poll, as low as 36 percent positive, and at best 40 percent.

The issues of the economy (Affordability), the Epstein Files Scandal, the horrors of ICE, the Health Care cuts, and now, the Supreme Court rejection of his tariffs, are all weighing on him, as he lashes out at his critics, and has personally attacked the Justices who rejected his tariffs, particularly two of his own appointments—Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett—along with Chief Justice John Roberts.

Also, Trump’s aggressive foreign policy is also alienating many voters, and his unstable rants and attacks on his critics alarm many Americans.

Various groups that made the mistake to support him in the Presidential Election of 2024 are turning strongly against him.

This includes:

White Women
Latinos
Working Class Non White Voters
Young Men
College Educated Suburban Voters

The strong Democratic gains in the off year elections in November 2025, and the gaining of seats in state legislatures and other offices in areas traditionally Republican in special elections, is also an alarm bell in the night for the upcoming Midterm Elections of 2026.

Even with mid decade redistricting occurring in Texas and elsewhere at Donald Trump’s insistence, the likelihood of Democrats taking back the House of Representatives majority, and even having a growing possibility of regaining the Senate majority, is seen as strong.

We are seeing Americans alarmed at the threat of interference by the Trump Administration on the issue of the right to vote, and attempts to restrict those who can vote.

This includes the fear that ICE might have agents at voting locations, which would be a massive threat designed to intimidate voters.

Supreme Court Finally Upholds The Constitution, And Rebukes Donald Trump On Tariffs!

Ronald 22 Comments

After acting totally submissive toward Donald Trump in his first year of his second term, finally the Supreme Court majority, including two Trump appointees—Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, along with Chief Justice John Roberts and the three Democratic women justices–have delivered a solid rebuke to Trump on the subject of protective tariffs.

This is long overdue, as the Court has developed a reputation as the most extreme right wing Court in a century, and Chief Justice Roberts presides over a majority which usually has no desire to challenge executive power of the President.

This dangerous trend, hopefully, will continue to be challenged in future cases, particularly on birthright citizenship rights, which are contained in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified after the Civil War.

Donald Trump does not care about the reality that protective tariffs are a disaster, as they were in causing the Panic of 1893 and the Great Depression of the 1930s, because Republican Presidents Benjamin Harrison (prodded on by future President William McKinley’s promotion of high tariffs) and Herbert Hoover stubbornly imposed them on the American people, destroying the economy.

With the economy not doing well, despite Trump’s delusional statements, this repudation of Trump’s tariffs should be seen as a blessing by him, as well as the American people.

But instead, Trump is railing against his own Republican Justices who have “defied” him, and one wonders how it will show up in his State of the Union Address next Tuesday.

Will he openly condemn Roberts, Gorsuch, and Barrett in his speech, or will he be diplomatic and maybe just lightly tease them?

This should be a very interesting moment of confrontation between the Supreme Court members who show up and the President of the United States!

It reminds one of past clashes of Presidents and Supreme Courts, including under Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson with Chief Justice John Marshall; Abraham Lincoln with Chief Justice Roger Taney; Franklin D. Roosevelt with the majority conservative Court and Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes during the New Deal; and other controversies involving Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Richard Nixon and Barack Obama and Supreme Court decisions!

The $175 Billion raised in tariffs this past year were a financial burden on the American consumers, and should be returned to the American people with a refund per taxpayer of $1700, as suggested by Illinois Governor JD Pritzker. However, it seems that Trump has no concern of the damage done to the average American, while constantly engaged in grift for personal gain, having enriched himself in the past year, a crime against the Constitution!

On Tragic Anniversary Of Second Trump Inauguration, Three Republicans Share The Greatest Blame And Responsibility For Unhinged Donald Trump!

Ronald 4 Comments

On the tragic Anniversary of the Second Trump Inauguration, three Republicans share the greatest blame and responsibility for the unhinged Donald Trump and his authoritarian bent.

As leaders of the legislative and judicial branches, they had the responsibility to protect American democracy, the US Constitution, and the rule of law, which they have totally failed at doing.

This is referring to

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson
Senate Majority Leader John Thune
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts

One might claim that no one could expect them to control their party members in both chambers, and the other Supreme Court Justices.

But this author and blogger vehemently disagrees.

The two legislators were more interested in protecting their own positions than doing what was right, refuse to support and endorse the horrors perpetrated by Donald Trump and his Cabinet in the past year.

And Chief Justice Roberts could have worked with the three Democratic members of the Supreme Court, and with Trump appointees Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh to insure judicial intervention to curb Trump’s authoritarian bent.

So Johnson, Thune, and Roberts are NOT Profiles in Courage, but rather Betrayers of their oaths of office, and their names and reputations in history long term will be that they were villains, enemies of American democracy!

They have solidified their negative stain on history, which will never be overcome, as they should be perceived as Traitors!

One Year Of Donald Trump, Second Term: Chaos, Anarchy, Cruelty, Instability, Authoritarian Actions!

Ronald 95 Comments

Tomorrow marks the end of Year One of the Second Term of Donald Trump in the Presidency.

Already, it is quite clear that America is in crisis, as Trump 47 is far more disastrous and dangerous than Trump 45 was.

Trump 45 had people who were able to control his impulses, and prevent what could have been worse than was.

Trump 47 has no such individuals, as his entire Cabinet and other advisers are no check on his whims and desires, and he has been running rampant in a highly dangerous way.

He has promoted chaos, anarchy, cruelty, instability, and persistent authoritarian actions in a multitude of areas of domestic and foreign policy.

If the Republicans in Congress continue to bow to his whims;

If the Supreme Court continues to ignore his abuses of power;

If the corporations, law firms, universities, news media continue to bow to his demands;

And if the Democratic Party cannot win back control of at least the House of Representatives, but hopefully the US Senate in the upcoming midterm elections of 2026,

Then there will be despair that American democracy and the rule of law will disintegrate completely as America reaches the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a landmark year.

25 Years Since Bush V Gore: What Might Have Been!

Ronald 69 Comments

It has been exactly a quarter century since the US Supreme Court in Bush V Gore awarded the Presidency to George W. Bush over Al Gore, declaring Bush the winner of the popular vote in the state of Florida, governed by his brother, Jeb Bush, by the grand total of 537 votes out of 6 million votes cast in the Sunshine State, but with Gore winning the national popular vote by about 540,000 votes.

Bush won the Electoral College by 271-266, the second closest electoral vote in American history, after the Presidential Election of 1876, where Rutherford B. Hayes won the Electoral College 185-184, despite losing the popular vote by about 250,000 votes to Samuel Tilden.

Imagine the differences that would have occurred if Al Gore had been President, and most observers would think America would have been better off.

The major issue that arises is whether the September 11 Al Qaeda attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon would have occurred.

Also, how would a President Gore have reacted if such an attack had still taken place, meaning how would we have dealt with the issue of Afghanistan, and what turned out to be a 20 year war?

Also, there would have been an Iraq War which dragged on for years, alongside the Afghanistan War, since the decision to go to war in 2003 was based on false premises?

This is all speculation, a potential novel, as who is in office determines the future in so many ways that one cannot calculate ahead of time, or even for sure, in retrospect!

Unchecked Presidential Power Without Accountability!

Ronald 21 Comments

Donald Trump has, in a multitude of ways, and with the assistance of Republicans in Congress and the states, and the majority of the United States Supreme Court, gained unchecked Presidential power without accountability.

By comparison, Richard Nixon was a “choir boy”, and other Presidents who have been objectionable in different ways, such as Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, and George W. Bush, pale by comparison!

Trump has horribly abused executive orders and issued outrageous pardons and commutations to law breakers, not only those from the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection, but also others who have committed other kinds of criminal acts.

Trump has incited the most extreme of MAGA Republicans to threaten lives of politicians who speak out or oppose him in any way.

Trump has worked to fix the elections in 2026, by outrageous interference promoting extreme gerrymanderins.

Trump has become an abuser in foreign policy, and totally alienated foreign nations and their leaders, and is very willing to undermine Ukraine, and promote the aggression of Vladimir Putin, as well as other authoritarians all around the world.

Trump has demonstrated extreme racism, misogyny, Islamophobia, nativism, and consorted with antisemites, while supposedly working with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Every day for more than ten months, Trump has worsened and undermined the lives of Americans, and instilled fear in people who are not white Christians.

And the problem is that his followers and his Cabinet and other top figures around him are only too willing to do his evil deeds with glee!

So even when and if Trump leaves the scene, the fear is that the cancer he has introduced into American government will be pursued beyond his lifetime!

Trump Threats To Execute Political Opponents Escalating The Constitutional Crisis That Trump Represents!

Ronald 3 Comments

Donald Trump, crazily, has accused Democratic political opponents in Congress of sedition, punishable by death, because of them stating that soldiers in the military do not have to obey illegal orders against the Constitution of the United States. They swear allegiance to the Constitution, not to a particular President or administration.

Six lawmakers, Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona Navy) and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan (CIA and Department Of Defense analyst), and House members Jason Crow of Colorado (Army), Chris DeLuzio of Pennsylvania (Navy), Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire (Navy), and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania (Air Force) reacted in condemnation, and now face death threats perpetrated by Trump’s denunciation of them.

This threat by Trump is “an alarm bell in the night”, a danger sign that the nation is moving ever closer to an authoritarian Fascist dictatorship, if the Republican Party in Congress, and the Supreme Court majority do not react in fierce opposition!

It is clear that Donald Trump is “running scared”, as he suffers defeats in federal courts, and has his own MAGA Republicans backing away from him regarding the Epstein Scandal, where he was forced to give in, as a few courageous Republicans defied him in wanting to release the records.

The entire Congress has gone along on wanting the revelation of who was involved in the abuse of young women and girls by wealthy and powerful individuals, including Donald Trump himself!