Rebane's Ruminations
September 2020
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[Today the Dems’ Big Lies are dropping faster than I can record them.  Some major moves in the lamestream include the sudden silence of 1) reports on the progress of fighting C19, and 2) ignoring the historical and momentous progress toward lasting Mideast peace, Palestinian resolution, and thwarting Iran that President Trump’s foreign policies have achieved – not to mention the much-needed realignment of relations with Russia, China, and North Korea.  And, of course, then there’s the robust health of our economy that has been able to weather the C19 lockdowns initiated by the states, and is now on a solid road to pre-C19 recovery.  All of this must be kept from the nation’s sheeple.  gjr]

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288 responses to “Sandbox – 16sep20”

  1. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Opps, correction. Make that 70 trillion to fight the global emergency climate crisis of change. Gotta keep them oceans from rising twenty feet. Opps again. Should have put this under the ‘Democrat Party Planks’ that walk the plank. Mea Culpa.

    Like

  2. Barry Pruett Avatar
    Barry Pruett

    https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration/prez_track_sep18
    Trump up 53/46 and +4 strongly approve versus strongly disapprove
    Somebody’s polling is way off in his race.

    Like

  3. Barry Pruett Avatar
    Barry Pruett

    The last time trump had a 44% strongly approve rating was January 26, 2017…
    Uh oh…the lies and daily TDS is not working.

    Like

  4. scenes Avatar
    scenes

    I like this notion of ‘Russian influence’.
    Lord knows the effort and money being put forth in London, Beijing, Jerusalem, Brussels, Riyadh. PAC money, diplomatic pressure, media, astroturfing on the internet. Every time I hear the breathless reporting about some Russian shills on Facebook my main inclination is to ponder about what children some people are. Feh.
    Mind you, this influence thing works both ways. There’s been quite a turn-around since the fall of the USSR what with US influence peddling in Russia and the ex-Warsaw Pact nations. That’s in addition to the flat-out throwing away of the deal cut with James Baker in terms of expansion of NATO and base placement.
    Even though it’s a corrupt and somewhat poor nation, I honestly have to give the moral high ground to post-Soviet Russia in terms of military aggression and general monkeying around with other countries internal affairs. It may well be simply lack of resources, but I think a lot of it is that they are still trying to figure out what to be when they grow up. It’s still an unfinished work at this point.
    The West lied to the Soviets, but the truth is you can’t trust nobody in this world.
    https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2017-12-12/nato-expansion-what-gorbachev-heard-western-leaders-early

    Like

  5. scenes Avatar
    scenes

    re: BillT@10:08 September 17, Year Zero
    That Princeton article is absolutely hilarious. What a brilliant move to make.
    Imagine the backscrabble as ‘systemic racism’ is defined differently from, well, ‘real racism’.
    Of course, modern ‘real racism’ in universities usually consists of finding some way to keep the Asian kids out, White professors fired, and the money flowing out of classics and traditional literature departments and towards Black Studies.
    Somebody needs to really work on this ‘systemic racism’ thing as a legal doctrine. Since generally there’s only the one important minority it might be a tricky thing.
    No point in sweating it, all this craziness is just a ‘Red Scare’ after all.

    Like

  6. scenes Avatar
    scenes

    Mr Kunstler on the ‘systemic racism’ scam.
    “…
    Onto the election issue du jour: putting out ideological fires set by political arsonists: namely, the “systemic racism” hustle cooked up by “progressive” anarcho-terrorists to provoke hatred and division in a nation sore beset by propaganda, psy-ops, and seditious subterfuge — not to mention Covid-19 and economic collapse, as if those were not enough. This week, President Trump released an executive order halting all federal agency in-service training programs purporting to address “critical race theory,” “white privilege,” “unconscious bias,” and other hobgoblins of Wokesterism, a scam that has become a multimillion-dollar consulting racket funded by taxpayers.
    …”
    https://kunstler.com/clusterfuck-nation/bringing-a-bazooka-to-a-knife-fight/
    (nothing to see here, it’s just a ‘Red Scare’ after all)

    Like

  7. scenes Avatar
    scenes

    One last thing. Only in a 2020 do you see a headline like this:
    “‘Nonbinary queer’ activist accused of assaulting cops with laser at Portland Antifa riot”
    https://thepostmillennial.com/nonbinary-queer-activist-accused-of-assaulting-cops-with-laser-at-portland-antifa-riot
    My working theory is that strong sexual dysfunction (like men-in-dresses) ramps up in periods of significant social breakdown. It’s a combination of pressure and lack of structure on the less grounded, lack of peer pressure, a dying off of traditional family structures. There might be other types of crazy besides the transterrorist class, but it’s an obvious case.
    I’m referring here to urban societies in heavy flux, farmers don’t have time for this kind of nonsense.
    Betcha you see it in post-WWI Germany, Rome in the 400’s, perhaps even in interregnums in ancient Egypt. Dunno how to measure this, but it sounds true.

    Like

  8. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    CONVENTIONAL WISDOM DISTILLED
    “Often wrong but never in doubt is the adage that applies here, as with the foreign policy of Joe Biden.“
    https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2020/09/conventional-wisdom-distilled.php
    John Kerry reporting for duty.

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  9. paul emery Avatar
    paul emery

    George writes:
    “Wray only stated that he has evidence that the Russians are “attempting to influence” the election in favor of Trump.”
    George, is it not an attack on our sovereignty to interfere in any way with our elections? Using that line of thinking that there is no proof it is effective although it’s intent is to be effective and sway the election makes me think you would also believe that an attempted bank robbery would not be a crime if it was not successful.
    Also George can you assure me that the principles you infer here would be the same if it was Obama or Hillary that would be be benefiting from the Russian intrusion into our election?

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  10. L Avatar
    L

    Paul @ 5:32, etc, As you’ve had 4+ years to think about it, I’ll ask yet again: WHY would the Russians prefer the frackin’ Trump over the nice people who reset the relationship, tried to eliminate gas and oil production, sold them control over 20% of our uranium, promised greater flexibility and invited them back into the Middle East (to keep Assad from using chemical weapons of his citizens)? Rx, Keach, Frisch- feel free to jump in here as you all spout the same sorry propaganda.
    A simpler question would be hard to imagine, so please, get serious for a minute and help me understand this continuing mystery…
    L

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  11. paul emery Avatar
    paul emery

    Barry
    Rasmussen is only one poll and it is way off on it’s own in it’s assessments. Is it not more accurate to use an averaging of all credible pools including Rasmussen to use as a number?

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  12. paul emery Avatar
    paul emery

    L
    Just using the FBI assessment as my guide. Why would they come up with that if they didn’t believe it to be true and a concern.

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  13. D Avatar

    George at 338pm, I think you missed the point of the exchange between Trump and Redfield. Redfield is a logical scientist. Trump does not like Redfield’s “narrative” (a now cliched term overused by Trumpers) because it conflicts with his desire to make his base believe he can bring the vaccine to the people before Nov. 3. We know Trump does not want to promote masks because his propagandized base has been led to believe that waving flags, yelling “Freedom” and “Liberty”, and being anti-mask means you are a God fearing Republican.
    Nobody knows yet how effective a vaccine will be. Will Trump be using Putin’s vaccine? But everyone knows that masks work and that if everyone wore one we could knock this virus down significantly.

    Like

  14. Don Bessee Avatar
    Don Bessee

    Here is another dose for the TDS set, the trend is clear –
    President Donald Trump reached a 53 percent job approval rating on Friday — a figure not seen since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced the impeachment inquiry last September, Rasmussen Reports revealed.
    The president’s job approval has been on the upswing in recent weeks, reaching a high of 53 percent on Friday. Of those, 44 percent “strongly” approve. Trump has not experienced a job approval percentage that high since September 24, 2019, the same day Pelosi announced the House’s formal impeachment inquiry — an effort that ultimately failed
    That day, the president’s job approval stood at 52 percent. However, the coronavirus pandemic took a toll on his numbers, as approval tumbled into the 40s, dropping as low as 42 percent in the last week of June.
    Trump’s disapproval stood at 46 percent on Friday.
    On September 18, 2012, on the cusp of reelection, former President Barack Obama saw a 49 percent approval and a 50 percent disapproval.
    The news coincides with Trump taking a national lead over Biden, 47 percent to 46 percent, in a recent Rasmussen poll.
    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/09/18/rasmussen-donald-trump-reaches-highest-job-approval-since-pelosi-announced-impeachment-inquiry/
    😉

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  15. D Avatar

    Trump bullshits again and causes more problems.
    “Among the milestones of the federal government’s half-baked responses to the COVID-19 crisis, the short, unhappy life of its $765-million loan to Kodak stands out.
    It may be remembered that President Trump, with great fanfare, announced the loan on July 28.
    Trump said from the White House that the loan would help launch Kodak Pharmaceuticals and pay for Kodak’s entry into the business of producing “critical ingredients” for COVID-19 treatments.
    “A momentous step toward achieving American pharmaceutical independence — a very, very big, big step.”
    President Trump, describing a deal with Kodak that never actually happened
    He called it “one of the most important deals in the history of U.S. pharmaceutical industries.”
    Well, no. It turned out that the U.S. hadn’t made the loan at all, but only signed a “letter of interest” indicating that it might do so in the future.
    Meanwhile, Kodak’s shares soared into the stratosphere. The day before the announcement, the stock was priced at $2.62. The day after the announcement, it reached $60, before falling back to $33.20 at the close. On Thursday, it closed at $10.70.
    https://www.yahoo.com/news/column-botched-covid-loan-kodak-130013571.html

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  16. Don Bessee Avatar
    Don Bessee

    Lets not forget that the pony tail of ignorance loved him some rasmussen when the prez was -12, just sayin’
    😉

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  17. D Avatar

    Statistician Trump tries to fudge the numbers for his base.
    “WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump argued this week that the death toll from the coronavirus was actually not so bad. All you had to do was not count states that voted for Democrats.”
    “If you take the blue states out,” he said, “we’re at a level that I don’t think anybody in the world would be at. We’re really at a very low level.”
    https://news.yahoo.com/trump-not-united-states-red-121003386.html

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  18. paul emery Avatar
    paul emery

    So what happened to the $765 million dollar loan D? Not a big problem, we’ll just add it to the national debt’ Trump will be up to around 7 Trillion in his first and only 4 years, an absolute record.

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  19. L Avatar
    L

    Paul, Mr. Wray wasn’t Trump’s choice for the FBI, merely the guy standing next in line and another swamp lifer like his predecessors, Comey and Mueller. So, assume he toes the swamp line and spouts DNC talking points. Trump no doubt would have fired him on sight, but the optics at the time would have simply been too bad.
    So instead of quoting received wisdom, why don’t you tell me in your own words exactly why Putin & Co. would want a loose cannon like DJT when the Biden Dems have made abundantly clear their everlasting love of everything Soviet (and by extension Russian), since Putin certainly doesn’t seem interested in introducing any pluralism.
    Nothing fancy, please, just your own words- WHY?

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  20. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    The party of pedophilia and perverts, democrat party all, will not have enough of them to win this go around. Why do you support such a demented party and its members, Paul Emery? Do you want to rub the golden hair of Biden’s legs or do you want to duke it out with “corn pop”? Trump is gaining steam as people are now starting to pay attention. It will be a blowout and in the end, you will be praising his talents when the mob comes for you and the Portland Mayor.

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  21. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    Here is a copy/paste of the latest NPR poll for President. Read thi and you will possibly deduce why we on the right don’t believe them. This one has Biden up nine. It is trash and not science at all.
    “This survey of 1,152 adults was conducted September 11th through September 16th, 2020 by The Marist Poll sponsored in partnership with NPR and PBS NewsHour. Adults 18 years of age and older residing in the United States were contacted on landline or mobile numbers and interviewed by telephone using live interviewers. Survey questions were available in English or Spanish. Mobile telephone numbers were randomly selected based upon a list of telephone exchanges from throughout the nation from Dynata. The exchanges were selected to ensure that each region was represented in proportion to its population. Mobile phones are treated as individual devices. After validation of age, personal ownership, and non-business-use of the mobile phone, interviews are typically conducted with the person answering the phone. To increase coverage, this mobile sample was supplemented by respondents reached through random dialing of landline phone numbers. Within each landline household, a single respondent is selected through a random selection process to increase the representativeness of traditionally under-covered survey populations. The samples were then combined and balanced to reflect the 2017American Community Survey 1-year estimates for age, gender, income, race, and region. Assistance was provided by Luce Research for data collection. Results are statistically significant within ±3.5percentage points. There are 964 registered voters. The results for this subset are statistically significant within ±3.8 percentage points. There are 723 likely voters defined by a probability turnout model which determines the likelihood respondents will participate in the November 2020 election based upon their chance of vote, interest in the election, and past election participation. The results for this subset are statistically significant within ±4.3 percentage points. Tables include results for subgroups to only display crosstabs with an acceptable sampling error. It should be noted that although you may not see results listed for a certain group, it does not mean interviews were not completed with those individuals. It simply means the sample size is too small to report. The error margin was adjusted for sample weights and increases for cross-tabulations”

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  22. D Avatar

    Todd, do you believe that anonymous basement dwellers posting BS on the Internet, like QAnon, are credible news sources?
    You and George need to wake up. Check out the Netflix movie Social Disorder and you will see how it works.
    https://youtu.be/2Tfp_2u2oBc

    Like

  23. D Avatar

    Sorry, “Social Dilemma”.

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  24. Walt Avatar

    Cleanup,, all Lefty isles of the House. Donkey crap spilling out everywhere.
    https://dailycaller.com/2020/09/18/democrats-john-durham-schiff-emergency-investigation/
    General William Barr, U.S. Attorney John Durham, and other Department of Justice political appointees are are getting WAY to close! Indicates are about to be surveyed!!
    Sorry Nan, You had your shot and missed Your failed coup has ramifications.

    Like

  25. George Rebane Avatar

    PaulE – “So once again it’s Trump Good everything under Dems Bad.” You missed the first part, nailed the second part.
    PaulE 1057am – “George, is it not an attack on our sovereignty to interfere in any way with our elections?” Of course it is. And I would even say that the current attempts to interfere are attacks on our sovereignty, even though there is no evidence of the attempts having succeeded. You must have had a point in there somewhere in responding to me, do you recall it?
    D 1122am – I missed nothing, but you may have. There is NOTHING “logical” about Redfield’s evidence-free claim that masks are a better C19 prophylactic than a vaccine.
    “But everyone knows that masks work and that if everyone wore one we could knock this virus down significantly.” Again you missed it. Given the evidence from EU countries wearing and not wearing masks, there is a lively ongoing debate among clinicians about the effectiveness of masks against C19, and how “significantly” their universal (or partial) adoption affects R0. But your leftwing political blinders don’t allow that latitude of discourse about such matters – TDS über alles.

    Like

  26. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Update to 7:36 am
    PRINCETON RESPONDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S LETTER
    https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2020/09/princeton-responds-to-the-department-of-education.php

    Like

  27. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Another one that went full Rachel Dolezal. Close enough to North Africa, I reckon:
    “Vitolo-Haddad made a second post that was edited on September 11, finally admitting they were of southern Italian/Sicilian heritage, CNN reported.”
    ‘Wisconsin Grad Student Admits To Posing As Person Of Color, Resigns From Teaching Position’
    https://www.dailywire.com/news/wisconsin-grad-student-admits-to-posing-as-person-of-color-resigns-from-teaching-position
    Why do we always find these mentally ill-opportunists in higher education?

    Like

  28. scenes Avatar
    scenes

    re: Princeton
    I really like this sentence from their response:
    “The University will respond to the Department of Education’s letter in due course. It is unfortunate that the Department appears to believe that grappling honestly with the nation’s history and the current effects of systemic racism runs afoul of existing law.”
    ‘In due course’. lol. ‘When we get around to it’. Good luck on that one. Obviously they are just hoping to run out the clock on a change in administration. If Harris wins, no problemo for Princeton, all the arsonists get let out of jail, Blue Mob rules are in place.
    ‘runs afoul of existing law’. ie. we want to do racist things here, look the other way please.
    Who knows, in a few months we might find ourselves in the United States of Affirmative Action. Not just entry into elite schools, but graduation from elite schools. Heck, why not tax rates? That would cut right to the chase.
    Ya know, that’s a really good idea. Paul (or any other mobster who’ll take a shot)? What should the federal income tax table for black people look like? Should there be DNA testing to determine eligibility?

    Like

  29. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    D | 18 September 2020 at 12:06 PM
    The only basement dwellers I am aware of are leftwing ANTIFA pajama boys and girls. All the people on the right have a job or a business.

    Like

  30. paul emery Avatar
    paul emery

    So George since we agree that the Russian interference in our elections is real why is it that Trump is going after FBI head Wray by writing this:
    “But Chris, you don’t see any activity from China, even though it is a FAR greater threat than Russia, Russia, Russia. They will both, plus others, be able to interfere in our 2020 Election with our totally vulnerable Unsolicited (Counterfeit?) Ballot Scam. Check it out!”
    Also there is absolutely no evidence that there is a Ballot Scam, as Trump puts it. Show me one credible source that supports that contention. It is the FBI’s job too evaluate dangers to our Republic. They have and have stated it’s Russia.

    Like

  31. Walt Avatar

    Still on that kick Emery? The Russian hoax? That dog don’t hunt. Nancy’s flying monkeys are getting their wings clipped.
    How that “there is Russian collusion in plain sight” still work’n for you?
    Someone pass Emery the Russian Dressing for his Greek Goat salad.

    Like

  32. Gregory Avatar
    Gregory

    Here you go, Punch!
    https://nypost.com/2020/08/29/political-insider-explains-voter-fraud-with-mail-in-ballots
    Explained by someone in the business of doing it!
    BTW when my ballot comes I’ll be testing the envelope to see if it steams open and is then closable.

    Like

  33. paul emery Avatar
    paul emery

    Here’s more George
    “We are looking at a lot of different things,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s question about whether he was considering replacing Wray, who the president nominated to lead the FBI in 2017. “I did not like his answers yesterday. I’m not sure he liked them either. I’m sure that he probably would agree with me.”
    https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/18/trump-christopher-wray-fbi-417863

    Like

  34. paul emery Avatar
    paul emery

    George
    That’s a tiny number of accusations and convictions compared to the pure scope of what it would take to sway a Presidential election. there is no indication that they co-ordinated with each other as well.
    At this point is there any investigation into large scale fraud with mail in ballots as Trump contends. Keep in mind that Trump said that the over three million advantage the Dems had in the popular vote was deemed a fraud by Trump and that went nowhere because it was fake panic on Trumps part and a lie because it was in no way based on fact.
    “PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The now-disbanded voting integrity commission launched by the Trump administration uncovered no evidence to support claims of widespread voter fraud, according to an analysis of administration documents released Friday.”
    https://apnews.com/f5f6a73b2af546ee97816bb35e82c18d/Report:-Trump-commission-did-not-find-widespread-voter-fraud

    Like

  35. Don Bessee Avatar
    Don Bessee

    Looks like the experts agree with the prez –
    Experts argue lightning storms, forest debris helped fuel deadly forest fires
    Experts also argue that thinning out the debris in forests could have helped mitigate the damage
    https://www.foxnews.com/weather/lightning-storms-forest-debris-fuel-deadly-fires
    😉

    Like

  36. George Rebane Avatar

    PaulE 326pm – it seems there’s no satisfying you. Re “investigation into large scale fraud”, there will probably be a number of such investigations quashed by the Dems after the election. But if you’d give it a bit of thought, with the broad infection of TDS across the country, there need be no coordination between voting jurisdictions because the objective of the Left in each jurisdiction is the same. And since each jurisdiction is an entity unto itself (no cookie cutters), it behooves each group of lefties to devise their own approach to stuffing the ballot boxes.

    Like

  37. L Avatar
    L

    Paul, I haven’t seen or heard George agreeing with you that said Russian interference was aimed at helping Trump, now have I? How about you answer my question instead of posing additional misleading ones of your own? WHY, Paul, would the Russians want Trump?
    And if they do have such a preference, why would they be producing the Steele dossier? Or was that merely a fabrication of the DNC and the Ruskies were appalled…

    Like

  38. Barry Pruett Avatar
    Barry Pruett

    Paul. Rasmussen is just one poll. One poll that is historically very accurate. That and considering the other polls leads me to believe somebody is wrong here. We’ll see soon who is mistaken. The media or Rasmussen.

    Like

  39. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Ruth Bader Ginsberg dead. Breaking news

    Like

  40. paul emery Avatar
    paul emery

    So George are you contending that hundreds or perhaps thousands of “groups of lefties” will work independently of each other with the common goal of defeating Trump through voter fraud of mail in ballots?

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  41. Scott O Avatar

    BT 4:40 – Stand by for a donnybrook in DC.

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  42. Walt Avatar

    Now let the games begin! The LIBS are dropping everything to begin damage control
    How the threats from the LIBS will come flying.

    Like

  43. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Walt: The closer will get to November, the crazier they become.
    Paul: “ So George are you contending that hundreds or perhaps thousands of “groups of lefties” will work independently of each other with the common goal of defeating Trump through voter fraud of mail in ballots?”
    Not speaking for Dr. Rebane,, but it’s a resounding YES! Haven’t you heard of the Resistance? Aren’t you working independently here to defeat Trump? The Dems have their sleeper cells and which vowed for the destruction of this country and its institutions.

    Like

  44. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    In news related to before the dirt nap….
    ‘Biden under pressure to unveil list of potential court picks’
    “ATLANTA (AP) — Joe Biden is resisting calls from President Donald Trump and even some fellow Democrats to release his list of potential Supreme Court picks seven months after he pledged to name the first Black female justice.
    Some on the left suggest that outlining potential picks would help Biden build enthusiasm in the final weeks of the campaign, particularly after he already selected California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, making her the first Black woman on a major presidential ticket. Trump, meanwhile, is eager to comb through a list to find possible nominees who would bolster his false depiction of Biden as an extreme liberal.”…..
    “ Trump offered a preview last week, challenging Biden to match his list of choices while sketching a caricature of “radical justices” he insisted would gut Second Amendment rights, remove “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance and declare the death penalty unconstitutional. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, a former Senate Judiciary chair, followed up Wednesday by urging Biden not to “hide” his intentions for the court.
    On the left, the group Demand Justice wants to match the right’s intensity on judicial politics, while a second group, She Will Rise, is raising awareness about the possibility of a Black woman joining the high court.
    Demand Justice has assembled a list of 17 Black women it says would make ideal justices. The list includes law professors, leading civil rights attorneys and jurists from lower federal courts and state supreme courts. But there are no names as prominent as the headliners on Trump’s list: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton.
    Demand Justice has launched a $2 million ad campaign targeting voters in Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin around the Supreme Court and Biden’s promise of a Black female nominee. But executive director Brian Fallon argued that Biden could do more.
    “Whatever good is achieved by making a general commitment like that would only be expanded and furthered if he put out some names of people he’s considering,” said Fallon, an adviser on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.“
    https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/09/17/biden-under-pressure-to-unveil-list-of-potential-court-picks/
    I wonder if Angela Davis is on the short list. Is Jerry Brown’s sister Rose Bird available?

    Like

  45. scenes Avatar
    scenes

    “Ruth Bader Ginsberg dead. Breaking news”
    The war begins. This should be good.
    Trump and the Senate have nothing to lose by cramming someone through the system, do they have the cajones?

    Like