Oh, and in the category of "stupid things heard about this election" we have the npr interview with a (female)...
Oh, and in the category of "stupid things heard about this election" we have the npr interview with a (female) Bernie supporter who remains undecided. She wants someone to tell her why she should vote for Hillary without mentioning Trump or the Supreme Court.
I am fine with the not mentioning Trump. I could even give a couple of other reasons before mentioning it, but how do you not mention the Court? It's one of the 3 branches of government, it's absolutely critical and affects laws and governance in this country just as much as Congress. It is the only branch for which we do not vote, and while we vote for Congress, we vote for a tiny piece of it. At least voting for the President is a vote for that whole branch and while Congress has more to say about it, the President sends over the SCOTUS nominees.
Do people just really not understand how this country is governed at all? I mean, you'd think any Bernie supporter who wanted radical social change of any kind, who wanted push-back against a moneyed elite, would be all over getting a court that would be likely to strengthen Roe v Wade, maybe bring back and reinforce the Voting Rights Act, undo Citizens United. The Supreme Court can influence decisions that impact immigration, climate change (backing environmental laws and regulations, for example), healthcare accessibility.
Frankly, why isn't packing the court with potentially up to 3 liberal justices of interest to Bernie supporters?
Newsflash: you can opt out and go Green, as this woman mentions not having done but considering because many of her cohort have. In the real world we inhabit that is not a revolution but you conveniently marginalizing yourselves so people can ignore you and go about business as per usual. OR you can freely express your frustration with the real world but choose to deal with being in it and accept some incremental change in the direction you prefer, knowing that is vastly better than sulking in a corner while you, in fact, contribute to making it worse for everyone.
I am fine with the not mentioning Trump. I could even give a couple of other reasons before mentioning it, but how do you not mention the Court? It's one of the 3 branches of government, it's absolutely critical and affects laws and governance in this country just as much as Congress. It is the only branch for which we do not vote, and while we vote for Congress, we vote for a tiny piece of it. At least voting for the President is a vote for that whole branch and while Congress has more to say about it, the President sends over the SCOTUS nominees.
Do people just really not understand how this country is governed at all? I mean, you'd think any Bernie supporter who wanted radical social change of any kind, who wanted push-back against a moneyed elite, would be all over getting a court that would be likely to strengthen Roe v Wade, maybe bring back and reinforce the Voting Rights Act, undo Citizens United. The Supreme Court can influence decisions that impact immigration, climate change (backing environmental laws and regulations, for example), healthcare accessibility.
Frankly, why isn't packing the court with potentially up to 3 liberal justices of interest to Bernie supporters?
Newsflash: you can opt out and go Green, as this woman mentions not having done but considering because many of her cohort have. In the real world we inhabit that is not a revolution but you conveniently marginalizing yourselves so people can ignore you and go about business as per usual. OR you can freely express your frustration with the real world but choose to deal with being in it and accept some incremental change in the direction you prefer, knowing that is vastly better than sulking in a corner while you, in fact, contribute to making it worse for everyone.
"Do people just really not understand how this country is governed at all?"
ReplyDeleteCorrect.
It's not really so different than our patients who make bad choices earlier, get mired in the consequences, and then express displeasure about the remaining choices they have to deal with the problems they in part brought on themselves. It would have been better to have not made said mistakes years ago, but it's too damn late for that. All they get now is the choice between remaining options, some of which become terminal choices really rapidly.
ReplyDeleteIn so many ways, life-and-death medicine and American politics today share so much.