Encore of Revival: America, September 28, 2020

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

October surprises already here
Six key findings from the New York Times’ Trump taxes bombshell | US news | The Guardian // Guardian

Harvard professor: Trump is not a dictator … he only plays one on TV // CNN

Talk about milking…
The FBI director just totally shut down Donald Trump’s vote-fraud conspiracy // 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

Supreme Court favorite Amy Barrett thinks politics have no business in the courtroom. Critics aren’t convinced. // Yahoo News

Flashback to 1992…
How Biden killed John Roberts’s nomination in 1992 // WA Post

1992: Sen. Biden says President Bush should not name nominee until after election (C-SPAN) // YouTube @ C-SPAN

Trump pledges woman for court, pushes Senate to move on pick // Detroit News

Alaska Senator Murkowski said Friday she would not vote for a justice ahead of Inauguration Day // Alaska Public Media

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

William Perry Pendley: Federal judge removes acting Bureau of Land Management director after finding he has served unlawfully for 424 days // CNN

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


Atlanta activist spent $200G in Black Lives Matter donations on house, personal expenses: FBI // Fox News

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