I have never followed a Supreme Court Justice Senate confirmation hearing in my life. I was interested in the confirmation hearings because of the importance of balance of power on the Supreme Court. I was giving Justice Brett Kavanaugh the benefit of doubt regarding his confirmation until I heard his opening statement.
The judicial branch of government should be impartial, non-partisan, and independent of both the executive and legislative branches of government. The Supreme Court serves as the body that interprets the law and the constitutional rights of citizens, and provides precedent setting opinions. Supreme Court Justices are expected to demonstrate judicious temperament and integrity so our citizenry is confident in Supreme Court decisions. And a judge is expected to demonstrate judicial character at all times especially if you are a sitting judge. Justice Kavanaugh in his opening statement to the U.S. Senate opened a window to his political preference, his temperament, his disposition, his partisan revenge, his mind set and how he handles stress. In addition, his confirmation also confirmed the power of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who will utilize the senate rules and his slim Senate majority to push forward a very Republican agenda, for as long as he can.
Justice Kavanaugh's hearing and final Senate confirmation serve as a political dog whistle for various factions.
We are two weeks away from the 2018 midterm elections and a tilt of power to the Democrats could have a significant impact to the Trump agenda. The congressional Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate have demonstrated a weakened backbone, even though Trump's presidency has been stained with embarrassing tweets, public outbursts unbecoming of a U.S. president, investigations, indictments of close political confidants and allies, and resignations. It has been a revolving door at the White House. Even though all this is in the public domain, is embarrassing, unprecedented, and has put into question the stability of the White House, U.S. House and Senate Republicans have embraced Trump as their Party Commander in Chief. They have utilized his lack of knowledge of the legislative process and his lack of a "normal" Republican political agenda to swiftly pass a conservative agenda that includes the sitting of a conservative majority Supreme Court, all important issues for the Republican voting base. The outsider Republican President Trump has provided an unexpected opportunity to ram a conservative Republican agenda through both the House and Senate just in time for the 2018 midterm elections. Republicans are crossing their fingers and praying that Trump's unusual popularity with normal Republican bases---evangelical pro-lifers, pro-gun rights advocates, business leaders, blue collar white men, ---will stay in the red column and swarm the polls during early voting and on election day.
It is an odd marriage but it is a marriage. Republicans must ram their political agenda swiftly through the process while they can because the pendulum always swings back the other way. And while Special Counsel Robert Mueller digs deep into President Trump's web---the tail wags the dog.
President Trump can claim credit for nominating and seating two conservative Supreme Court Justices, however, it is Majority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell who is the true architect and mastermind of the seating of Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh. He is a master of the legislative process and rules, yielding power to the President so he could get some credit (and solidify his base), in order to empower the Republican Party and a deep red Republican agenda, turning the Democratic delay into a legislative partisan victory.
The judicial branch of government should be impartial, non-partisan, and independent of both the executive and legislative branches of government. The Supreme Court serves as the body that interprets the law and the constitutional rights of citizens, and provides precedent setting opinions. Supreme Court Justices are expected to demonstrate judicious temperament and integrity so our citizenry is confident in Supreme Court decisions. And a judge is expected to demonstrate judicial character at all times especially if you are a sitting judge. Justice Kavanaugh in his opening statement to the U.S. Senate opened a window to his political preference, his temperament, his disposition, his partisan revenge, his mind set and how he handles stress. In addition, his confirmation also confirmed the power of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who will utilize the senate rules and his slim Senate majority to push forward a very Republican agenda, for as long as he can.
Justice Kavanaugh's hearing and final Senate confirmation serve as a political dog whistle for various factions.
We are two weeks away from the 2018 midterm elections and a tilt of power to the Democrats could have a significant impact to the Trump agenda. The congressional Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate have demonstrated a weakened backbone, even though Trump's presidency has been stained with embarrassing tweets, public outbursts unbecoming of a U.S. president, investigations, indictments of close political confidants and allies, and resignations. It has been a revolving door at the White House. Even though all this is in the public domain, is embarrassing, unprecedented, and has put into question the stability of the White House, U.S. House and Senate Republicans have embraced Trump as their Party Commander in Chief. They have utilized his lack of knowledge of the legislative process and his lack of a "normal" Republican political agenda to swiftly pass a conservative agenda that includes the sitting of a conservative majority Supreme Court, all important issues for the Republican voting base. The outsider Republican President Trump has provided an unexpected opportunity to ram a conservative Republican agenda through both the House and Senate just in time for the 2018 midterm elections. Republicans are crossing their fingers and praying that Trump's unusual popularity with normal Republican bases---evangelical pro-lifers, pro-gun rights advocates, business leaders, blue collar white men, ---will stay in the red column and swarm the polls during early voting and on election day.
President Trump can claim credit for nominating and seating two conservative Supreme Court Justices, however, it is Majority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell who is the true architect and mastermind of the seating of Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh. He is a master of the legislative process and rules, yielding power to the President so he could get some credit (and solidify his base), in order to empower the Republican Party and a deep red Republican agenda, turning the Democratic delay into a legislative partisan victory.
The Senate Majority Leader will rule with an iron fist because he knows he holds the pendulum of power by his fingertips and because a Blue tidal wave could shift the opportunity. So who is galvanized by the appointment of Kavanaugh?
The #MeToo and Pro-Choice Movement vs Pro-Life Evangelical Movement #MeToo: Both of these groups are motivated. The revitalized #MeToo Movement has empowered thousands of women to confidently come out and share their story of sexual harassment and assault. The Kavanaugh hearing which resulted in an unprecedented stage for public debate on sexual assault and harassment angered victims, advocacy groups, women and men bringing home the issue to every household paying attention (voters were paying attention). It also served as a reminder of the Hollywood elite scandal of Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault and abuse of women and Hollywood's reaction.
At the highest level of government both President Trump and Justice Kavanaugh are symbols of power against gains in the #MeToo movement and the issue of sexual assault against women.
Millennial and Generation Z women of all races are a significant group of voters engaged
Does the Swift factor impact nationally? Could be as she ups one on Kanye West who's #MAGA tirade and White House freestyle have fallen flat on young voter ears. Taylor is influencing voters to go to the polls while Kanye played the President for his benefit. So far Kanye has led no movement to motivate voters. In their interesting duel between megastars, Taylor Swift is not only a brilliant, multi-platinum Grammy and AMA award winner, she has flexed her political muscle wisely and with tact. She is playing politics in Kanye's game but she CAN influence politically as witnessed by the Tennessee Early Voting; he makes noise poorly and has had no political strategy to make a difference in the 2018 elections.
Taylor Swift has been classy and cool while Kanye West was tacky throwing out the "f" word in the Oval Office, his version of cool, not so cool.
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| L.A. Times 7/16/18 Kanye taking the mic away from Taylor Swift at the MTV awards. |
Pro-life vs Pro Choice
According to the Pew Research Institute (http://www.pewforum.org/fact-sheet/public-opinion-on-abortion/) "Public Opinion on Abortion" (10/15/18)) "about six-in-ten white evangelical Protestants (61%) think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. By contrast, 74% of religiously unaffiliated Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases" as do 67% of white mainline Protestants. Catholics are more equally divided with 51% saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases and 42% saying it should be illegal.
A recent poll by the Billy Graham Center Institute at Wheaton College in conjunction with LifeWay Research (https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/october/why-evangelicals-trump-vote-81-percent-2016-election.html) polled 3000 Americans in three categories: self identified evangelicals, those with evangelical beliefs, and those who do not identify themselves with evangelicals nor hold core evangelical values. The article provides a lot of interesting data including the evangelical vote breakdown for the 2016 election Trump votes: 77% White voters; 9% African American voters; 41% Hispanic voters; and 48% other voters. Overall evangelicals voted 56% for Trump and 36% for Clinton. The abortion issue for moderate Republicans could alter this dynamic, or moderate evangelicals will double down because of the progress of the economy. It is high stakes and will be interesting to see. The hard statistics are 81% of white evangelical voters voted for Trump. Wrap your mind around that.
So what happens to these voters post Justice Kavanaugh confirmation. How important is this issue for Independents and Moderate pro-choice Republicans. Independents are likely going to vote Democrat in 2018. But do moderate Republicans hold their nose and continue to vote Republican or are they concerned enough to vote Democrat because of the real possibility of women being relegated to unsanitary, unregulated, underground abortion butcher shops?
A reversal of Roe vs Wade will not stop abortions. Rich affluent women will have access to medically safe and sterile procedures in the privacy of doctor's office at an outrageous cost. Poor and working class women will be forced into an unregulated, black market, underground places no woman should have to seek out as their only option.
It is two weeks until the election. My family and I will vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, 2018 because our votes need to reflect our candidates and not be subject to voter manipulation and fraud and stealing my vote. More of that in the next blog.
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