American Politics

[trystan]

11 minutes ago, purplehaze said:

Forgive me for thinking that the Republicans have just agreed to a bare minimum so they can make political hay by being able to tout themselves as "doing something." However none of the measures proposed actually prohibit or regulate any kind of guns or ammunition.

oh you're correct.  they think this will make them "look good."

 

5 minutes ago, Bigbite said:

Republicans care more about the cash they have than children in schools.

no lie here either.

[purplehaze]

8 minutes ago, trystan said:

they think this will make them "look good."

*sigh*

Unfortunately they are probably right.

"Doing something" is not the same as "doing the right things" though!

[trystan]

1 minute ago, purplehaze said:

"Doing something" is not the same as "doing the right things" though!

very true.

 

i get emails from the 1440, who sums up the news in a no-nonsense way, and this was their paragraph on this:

Quote

The legislation reportedly provides increased resources for mental health and school safety, incentivizes states to enact red flag laws (see 101), and requires expanded criminal and mental health background checks for buyers under the age of 21. It also closes the "boyfriend loophole."

the links should go to politico pages of definitions.

there's also a link to a USA Today article - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/12/bipartisan-senators-announce-gun-reform-deal/7602499001/ - which has a quote~

Quote

The group said its plan "increases needed mental health resources, improves school safety and support for students, and helps ensure dangerous criminals and those who are adjudicated as mentally ill can’t purchase weapons."

 

i've also heard and read that some of these shooters don't have mental illness, but so many republicons think all shooters are mentally ill and can't/dont get help.

 

what i'm hoping (against hope?) is that this legislation does pass, so now it would be able to open the door for the dems to (1) kill the filibuster so that (2) they can pass laws that ban assault weapons, raise the purchase age, increase background checks and waiting periods, institute some sort of testing/licensing/proving you can handle a gun.

a lot of the 2A people tend to forget about the "well-regulated" phrase.....

[purplehaze]

44 minutes ago, trystan said:

a lot of the 2A people tend to forget about the "well-regulated" phrase.....

Exactly!

 

And I get the Today's Edition newsletter (admittedly progressive point of view) which had this to say today:

 

Quote

Americans should be proud that their activism helped achieve a historic result that will undoubtedly save lives. Let’s take a moment to savor that victory.       
Okay, the moment of savoring is over. The truth is that Democrats and gun safety groups have rewarded Republicans for their intransigence. None of the measures limit, prohibit, or regulate guns or ammunition—a fact that Senator Cornyn highlighted when announcing the deal. (Cornyn tweeted, “I worked closely with my colleagues to find an agreement to protect our communities from violence while also protecting law-abiding Texans’ right to bear arms.”)        

Republicans have engineered a result that does the bare minimum to provide political cover for the GOP in the midterm elections. None of the Republican Senators participating in the bipartisan negotiations is up for re-election in 2022. Indeed, four of the Republican Senators are retiring in 2022 (Portman, Blunt, Burr, Toomey), and five GOP Senators will not stand for re-election until 2026. (Romney is the only GOP Senator who must stand for election in 2024).        

The “deal” presents a moral and political dilemma. Should we accept a woefully inadequate package, or should we reject meager provisions of the bill and trust that the issue of gun control can increase Democratic margins of control in 2022? The political establishment has opted to accept the inadequate measures in the deal. President Biden said he would sign the bill if presented to him while acknowledging it does not go far enough. The Hill, Biden says he will sign Senate’s bipartisan gun proposal.

 

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by purplehaze

[trystan]

oof.

 

also? "Senator Cornyn's consistent defense of the constitutional right to keep and bear arms has earned him a perfect A+ rating from the National Rifle Association." (https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/issues/right-keep-and-bear-arms)

the fox is making rules for the henhouse.

[AngelsSin]

So it looks as if a S. Fla Synagogue is taking the Roe Vs. Wade at least in florida to DeSantis. Saying that ot violates the right of the Jewish faith/people, that it harms them and as well as those who do not practice their faith and inflicts/forces the belief/faiths of others on them.

"A South Florida Jewish congregation has challenged a new state law that blocks abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, contending the measure violates privacy and religious-freedom rights."

 

“For Jews, all life is precious and thus the decision to bring new life into the world is not taken lightly or determined by state fiat,” the lawsuit said. “In Jewish law, abortion is required if necessary to protect the health, mental or physical well-being of the woman, or for many other reasons not permitted under the act [the new law]. As such, the act prohibits Jewish women from practicing their faith free of government intrusion and thus violates their privacy rights and religious freedom.”

"The lawsuit also said congregation members and other people who “do not share the religious views reflected in the act will suffer … irreparable harm by having their religious freedom under the Florida Constitution violated.”

“This failure to maintain the separation of church and state, like so many other laws in other lands throughout history, threatens the Jewish family, and thus also threatens the Jewish people by imposing the laws of other religions upon Jews,” the lawsuit said.

Full article

 

i will be watching this one to see how it holds up.  It may give hope against Roe vs. Wade being overturned. You can't support one religion's beliefs over another's and not expect that to have some blowback. It violates the religious rights of many other faiths.  And hopefully that is the path that will save women's right to choose.

It will be interesting to see how the Supreme Court tries to overturn it without violating the First Amendment.

Also, Curious what happens if the Supreme Court violates one or more of the rights guaranteed in our constitution?

I mean it, seems as though to overturn Roe Vs. Wade they would definitely be violating the 1A.  So who holds them accountable if they do violate the Constitution? Or do they intend to overturn the 1A as well?

[StormBirdRising]

June 14th marks the 76th Anniversary of the Birthday of the President Donald Trump.  Across the nation,  in the Free Republic of the United States of America,  Americans celebrated his birthday with his favorite meal,  fast foods and diet sodas.  We watched films of his Presidency,  and celebrated the fact that he kept every campaign promise he ever made.  We rewatched cell phone footage and mainstream news of the President Donald Trump as he gave Americans hope,  peace,  and prosperity.  We relived the years when he brokered peace accords around the world,  made the United States oil independent,  implemented tax reform for hardworking families,  secured the southern border and implemented the "safe in Mexico" project, with the cooperation of the Mexican government that allowed immigrants to apply for asylum and citizenship and enter the United States legally,  established better trade deals that put American workers first,  and overhauled the Veteran's Administration, allowing veterans to receive better health care as quickly as possible.  Most notably was his Operation Warp Speed,  where he stopped travel into the US from countries with high cases of the Coronavirus and  fast tracked the development,  approval, and distribution of several Coronavirus vaccines.  They said it could not be done, but he did it.  He did all of it.

We toasted to his life, to his family,  to his American ideals, and wished him long life and good fortune.   We laughed and we cried.  It was a happy day for America,  a day filled with love and joy.  

[Long_Before_Sunrise]

On 6/13/2022 at 10:49 AM, trystan said:

i've also heard and read that some of these shooters don't have mental illness, but so many republicons think all shooters are mentally ill and can't/dont get help.

It's more like if you need help, pay for it out of your own pocket. Republicans don't support spending tax dollars on social programs. They want that money to reward their donors and line their own pockets and to spend defending unconstitutional laws in court. Those who are elected to high positions get top-of-the-line priority healthcare at no cost to them. Socialism for them, not for you.

 

Mental illnesses have a set of symptoms that you must have at least five or more symptoms of to merit a diagnosis.

Radicalization isn't a mental illness.

Racism isn't  mental illness. 

Those are things you learn.

You don't learn your way into having a mental illness.

 

 

 

Republicans candidates are openly calling for people to be violent in campaigns. Elected Republicans make and recieve donations from the NRA. They're not willing to give either of those up.

[trystan]

10 minutes ago, Long_Before_Sunrise said:

They want that money to reward their donors and line their own pockets and to spend defending unconstitutional laws in court. Those who are elected to high positions get top-of-the-line priority healthcare at no cost to them. Socialism for them, not for you.

unfortunately, this is true. *sigh*

 

11 minutes ago, Long_Before_Sunrise said:

Racism isn't mental illness. 

completely agree.

 

also, most elected republicons aren't very good at logic or compassion either.

[purpledragonclaw]

@AngelsSin thank you for the news, I'm honestly surprised the Satanic Temple didn't challenge it first, they're usually at the forefront of these fights for religious freedom. Please keep us updated on this!

[AngelsSin]

@purpledragonclaw

It is possible that we just haven't seen an article on it yet. These so far are just the lawsuits specifically in Fla where i am, that i noticed. In the article it does talk about a law Mississippi that was passed that is before the Supreme Court which is similar to the one in Fla. I am sure there are many more challenges out there and many more will be made in the coming days/weeks/months and probably years if need be. This is a fight for our rights that we will never stop fighting for.

 

Also, it seems Planned Parenthood has also filed a challenge to the law in Fla.

The two lawsuits are likely to be consolidated into a single case. A hearing on a proposed injunction to block the Florida abortion law is likely in the next two weeks.

Full article

 

also another article that includes thing going on in other states and action being take to preserve abortion rights

 Article

 

Edited June 17, 2022 by AngelsSin

[Bigbite]

On 6/15/2022 at 1:46 AM, StormBirdRising said:

June 14th marks the 76th Anniversary of the Birthday of the President Donald Trump.  Across the nation,  in the Free Republic of the United States of America,  Americans celebrated his birthday with his favorite meal,  fast foods and diet sodas.  We watched films of his Presidency,  and celebrated the fact that he kept every campaign promise he ever made.  We rewatched cell phone footage and mainstream news of the President Donald Trump as he gave Americans hope,  peace,  and prosperity.  We relived the years when he brokered peace accords around the world,  made the United States oil independent,  implemented tax reform for hardworking families,  secured the southern border and implemented the "safe in Mexico" project, with the cooperation of the Mexican government that allowed immigrants to apply for asylum and citizenship and enter the United States legally,  established better trade deals that put American workers first,  and overhauled the Veteran's Administration, allowing veterans to receive better health care as quickly as possible.  Most notably was his Operation Warp Speed,  where he stopped travel into the US from countries with high cases of the Coronavirus and  fast tracked the development,  approval, and distribution of several Coronavirus vaccines.  They said it could not be done, but he did it.  He did all of it.

We toasted to his life, to his family,  to his American ideals, and wished him long life and good fortune.   We laughed and we cried.  It was a happy day for America,  a day filled with love and joy.  

Lets' keep this beautiful nation a Free Republic. When you try and have harm done to your Vice President and openly call for it. You are a traitor to this Free Republic of the United States of America. I will never forget January 6. 2021.

Edited June 17, 2022 by Bigbite

[Fuzzbucket]

8 hours ago, Bigbite said:

Lets' keep this beautiful nation a Free Republic. When you try and have harm done to your Vice President and openly call for it. You are a traitor to this Free Republic of the United States of America. I will never forget January 6. 2021.

 

Applauds. Even though I am not American. January 6 2021 was the lowest point I have seen that country sink to in all my 77 years. I couldn't believe it. But there it was - and it seems a repeat is planned.

[Fuzzbucket]

I take that back. It's been said by MANY people from both sides. It's true though - it's not enough to just vote.

 

 

Edited June 19, 2022 by Fuzzbucket
Misattributed

[purpledragonclaw]

Clint Eastwood has swung hard right, and was a fan of Trump. Do you have a timestamp on him saying that @Fuzzbucket? Eastwood might be far enough on the deep end to be telling the conspiracy theorists and diehard Trump supporters to take over on a local level politically to make sure Republicans keep themselves in power. I've seen this rhetoric ever since Trump lost in 2020, take over at the state levels so they can decide the outcome of elections they don't like and control what kids are taught in schools. It's a dangerously pervasive way to continue to deny reality.

[Fuzzbucket]

Oops - I'll go look. I'll delete if that's the case !

 

ETA it's all over, attributed to all sorts from all sides. Deleted. Thank you.

Edited June 19, 2022 by Fuzzbucket

[purplehaze]

Well, it's official. The SCOTUS has overturned Roe v Wade and sent us back to the dark ages on women's rights and privacy.

After ruling yesterday on a gun case that will probably now make it impossible for states to pass meaningful gun restrictions. The 2nd amendment is now being interpreted as a right to carry a gun to defend yourself.

One thing Trump has succeeded at -- turning the Supreme Court hard to the right.

Sad days for this country.

[Long_Before_Sunrise]

The Supreme Court of the United States has overturned Roe vs. Wade. 

 

This does not just affect abortions, but the right to privacy of medical records and doctor/patient confidentiality. 

We’re Not Going Back to the Time Before Roe. We’re Going Somewhere Worse

We are entering an era not just of unsafe abortions but of the widespread criminalization of pregnancy.

 

 

[Fuzzbucket]

Dear god what a dreadful day for you all. My sympathy and then some.

[Long_Before_Sunrise]

There'll be violence before the day is over. 

[Fuzzbucket]

And the NY gun restrictions were just overturned... What a hellhole....

 

But - 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/dr-miller-join-being-both-090020122.html

Edited June 24, 2022 by Fuzzbucket

[Long_Before_Sunrise]

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined the protesters in DC. "INTO THE STREETS."

 

“We have to fill the streets. Right now elections are not enough,” she said.

The congresswoman added there needs to be “sand in every gear” and voting is “not going to save us.”

 

 

https://twitter.com/DrewHLive/status/1540359953914937349

[trystan]

this country has gone completely insane.

[Astreya]

Maybe it is time for women in the US to arm up and then shoot every man who comes too close to them in self-defense as they wouldn't be allowed to get an abortion if raped? Maybe something like that would make the fundamentalist ultra-right wing think twice?

 

(One might argue this would be pre-emptive self-defense. If one is raped and gets pregnant and is then denied a life-saving abortion as the doctors are too afraid to get punished, one could die, and to avoid that one needs to make sure one can't get impregnated in the first place. And as one is allowed to openly carry weapons for self-defense, how can anyone object to using them in nowadays US?)

Edited June 24, 2022 by Astreya

[mishhelle]

the idea of leaving this country to burn itself to the ground sounds better every day