SCOTUS IS BROKEN

This SCOTUS decision will not stand. It may takes years, but we will reverse it.

Outlawing a woman's right to control her own body will only lead to MORE abortions and more UNSAFE abortions. The poor will suffer most (which seems to be a core Republican tenet now, along with science denial).

Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch lied during their confirmation testimony.

But this is today's Republican Party. They lie. They cheat (no hearing for Merrick Garland for 13 months). They disenfranchise African Americans (the DeSantis congressional map is the latest atrocity). They openly embrace white nationalism (Fox, Tucker Carlson, OAN, Newsmax). They support insurrection (TWO House Republicans voted to investigate the January 6 coup attempt). They mine fear and lies to prey on LGBT Americans. They dehumanize and scapegoat immigrants, especially asylum seekers of color, and CONSISTENTLY REFUSE to consider common-sense immigration reform. They tout insane conspiracy theories (QAnon). They cozy up to would-be theocrats (Josh Mandel gets huge applause calling for NO separation between church and state).

Today's GOP has wholly swallowed Trumpism and its ugly intent to achieve liberty and justice for SOME through autocratic means. Even the most conservative of jurists, retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig, has outlined the Republican plan to steal the 2024 election.

Consistent with the reasoning of the leaked draft, this Court would accept a challenge to Obergefell v. Hodges and overturn it. Perhaps Oregon would protect marriage equality, but all of Gary's and my federal rights and benefits would disappear.

Which is a good time to interject that anyone who votes Republican is voting to make Gary and me second-class citizens once again.

We must all double and triple our efforts to form a more perfect union.

Inflation will ease. COVID will end. But will democracy perish?

To my refrain of "DEFEAT RUSSIA!" I add -

"DEFEAT REPUBLICANS!"

Moral Clarity

Let us have moral clarity about Vladimir Putin and Russia. Putin is a war criminal. His troops have committed genocide. Russia must be isolated -- economically, politically, socially -- until Putin is removed, and he and those responsible for these atrocities are tried and convicted in The Hague.

Ukraine must also be made whole.

All ties must be cut with Russia as civilized nations cut ties with the Third Reich.

No company should do business in Russia. No one should buy a single Russian product. No Russian athletes, performers, scientists, educators, business people should be allowed to participate in any international event. All Russian embassies should be closed. All Russian students on temporary visas should be sent home. Russian oligarchs' assets should be seized and redirected to help Ukraine with humanitarian and military needs.

The sanctions against Russia must be kept in place and ratched up until the Russian economy collapses or Putin is removed.

Any nation that continues to do business with Russia also must pay a steep price.

Any peace treaty that allows Putin to stay in power is meaningless and feckless.

There is moral clarity here.

Joe Biden is the first US president to say this about Putin and rally our allies in a meaningful way. George W. Bush looked the other way when Putin invaded and subdued Georgia in August 2008. Barack Obama let Putin cross red lines in Syria and Crimea. Donald Trump gave Putin everything he wanted, withheld arms from Ukraine and weakened NATO.

No more. Democracies, especially in the West, must have the courage to see this through. That includes every one of us.