It took one week, but we finally have a SCOTUS nominee—the long time nominee apparent, Amy Coney Barrett. The Senate will begin confirmation hearings after waiting another two weeks. Then, hope to vote another two weeks after that on October 26. That will leave the perfect amount of time for Republican voters to get nervous, Democratic voters to worry themselves out, and a few days for all voters to learn that Senate Republicans did what Republican voters wanted. Yes, the Senate dragged its feet and showed its power by delaying power. SCOTUS will be full with 5-3 Conservative justices just before the election, rather than just after. If the Senate was in a hurry, McConnell would crawl over broken glass to begin hearings immediately.
This opens up a myriad of suspicions. If the election is challenged, the court will have six Republican-appointed “original intent” -minded justices, including the notorious swing vote, Chief Justice John Roberts. All six justices vote according to process and intent, usually with Republicans, but not always.
The three remaining Liberal judges, all of them appointed by Democratic presidents, always vote against Republicans and in favor of Democratic-Liberal ideals, regardless of “original intent”. They believe this is honest and ethical. But, they won’t be deciding any election disputes, the six rule-stickler justices will.
A Left-leaning professor this week observed that Trump acts much tougher than he actually is—and that Democratic voters should stop going for his bait. They might not be able to not go for the bait. But, knowing that the election won’t change the Supreme Court balance this time around, plus considering how boring Biden is, Democratic voters might not have the energy to show up to vote, not even with the October surprise about Trump’s taxes, which won’t change anyone’s mind anyway.
Russianewsgategate
Feds air FBI agent’s gripes about Flynn probe // Politico
Trump
Harvard professor: Trump is not a dictator … he only plays one on TV // CNN
America’s Top Science Journal Has Had It With Trump // Wired
Latest rouse…
Pro-Trump group pays teens to post online // Houston Chronicle
Election
Joe Biden is repeating the same mistakes that cost Hillary Clinton the election // Guardian
Kamala Harris names Tupac ‘best rapper alive’ // NY Post
And this proves he will win?
Biden shows the qualities Trump lacks at CNN town hall // CNN
Law
Donald Trump nominates Amy Coney Barrett to US Supreme Court // Financial Times
Will four Republican senators break with their party on RBG’s Supreme Court seat? // Politico
Senate GOP set to vote on Trump’s Supreme Court pick before election // The Hill
Amy Coney Barrett: Trump selects the conservative justice to the Supreme Court // CNN
Flashback to 1992…
How Biden killed John Roberts’s nomination in 1992 // WA Post
Trump pledges woman for court, pushes Senate to move on pick // Detroit News
A court fight for the ages // Axios
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Republicans vow to vote on Trump pick // BBC News
Ginsburg dead at 87!
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Obituary of the Supreme Court justice // BBC News
Rank & Defense
Space Force says it will fly on a used Falcon 9 rocket for the first time // Ars Technica
Federal System
Republicans
Romney says Biden probe ‘not legitimate role of government’ // Yahoo News
Peace & War
End the Nobel Peace Prize — if Trump doesn’t win it // The Hill
Activism, Unrest & Protests
SCOTUS battle prompts threats, calls for arson: ‘Burn Congress down’ // Fox News
News Media, Journalism & Free speech
Andrew Neil to leave the BBC ‘with heavy heart’ // BBC News
Judge rules Fox News’ Tucker Carlson is not a credible source of news. // Slate
This is what headlines have come to?
Opinion | Tucker Carlson gives up // WA Post
Natural Disaster
Magnitude 4.5 earthquake rattles Southern California, but no major damage reported // Yahoo News
Major fire threatens historic observatory near LA // Yahoo News
Mid East
Iran chides US as world refuses to reimpose sanctions // Aljazeera