Thread for obviously newsworthy stuff

[Ben Kenobi]

If you make this accusation, maybe you should look at the GOP first.

There's a reason I said 30 years ago and referred to the nominations of Justices Bork and Thomas. Both were well qualified and rejected by the Democrats. That was the first time that they decided to politicize the Supreme court in order to enforce their ideology. Prior to that you have the Warren court. One of the chief components of the Warren court is that they believed they had the authority to revise the laws passed by Congress. This is why the court became politicized then and that has not changed. Prior to Bork nominees were confirmed based on their competencies. Even Ginsburg got the support of Republicans, and that was after Bork. But after Thomas and Breyer that changed to the situation we have now.

There's basically two court eras. The post-Rehnquist court, and the pre-Rehnquist court.

Under Obama, 79 presidential nominees were blocked (i.e. by the GOP) whereas in the years before Obama (dating back to the 1960s) only 68 nominees were blocked at all
To sum it up ... if there is a party of obstructionists for political purposes, it surely is the "modern" GOP

The routine blocking of nominees to the lower courts is something that emerged during House control of the nominations during the Bush presidency. Thanks to Jeffords and Republicans handing over control to the Judiciary committee. It's why Kavanaugh himself spent three years waiting for his nomination to the DC appellates. from 2003 to 2006.

Republicans saw what Democrats did to Bush and did the same to Obama by blocking lower court nominees. As I said, there's a pre-Rehnquist court and a post-Rehnquist court. The court has become much more politicized, even on the lower court levels. The latest changes have been the elimination of the filibuster, thanks to Democrats ramming through their nominees.

[Giancarlo]

Working, living my life.



Yep, sure do. I got red-pilled. I used to be a Wilsonian when I got out of high school, and have in fact spent most of my life on the left. Prior to 2003 I actually supporter homosexual marriage. But a lot of things happened in a couple of years to change my mind on these topics. That was my walkaway moment. I find it funny that you take issue with my religiousity, I didn't grow up in that environment. I grew up being shown Oprah.



From "we will take the Senate" to "solid chance". Ok, Gian.



Where, and by whom? 538 doesn't go back 30 years.



Oh. What else would you call allegations proven to be unsubstantiated? Everyone saw the gang rape smears as the usual nonsense that got leveled at Clarence Thomas. This has been the democrat standard playbook for a long time.



I thought you said you were going to impeach Kavanaugh not just investigate him.



All of his accusers have mysteriously vanished now that he's no longer running for Senate. Also, Ford has now withdrawn her allegations too.

There's not going to be any investigation. And certainly not one that reveals what the FBI already found. Why? Because Feinstein fought hard against public release of said information. Which to me begs the question, why? It's pretty obvious that the documents contain evidence that the Democrats ginned up this whole circus.



You're arguing with a man about his own life. Yeah, that seems like a productive position.

What a pile of pretentious idiocy.

You need to get a life. You are just like kidiot, but you actually believe the garbage you post. That's quite sad.

You're a damn vile idiot with no morality and no standing. And yes, Kavanaugh will be investigated and impeached. Learn how to read between the lines, you illiterate. You love rape just like your party.

There will be an investigation and impeachment.

You entered dementia and lost your mind. That is what happened. Complete and absolute dementia. People like you are what is wrong with this country.

[Giancarlo]

Sounds like a great election issue to run on for the midterms. Please, keep up the 'impeach Kavanaugh' campaign.



How so? He has a JD from Yale and has served a decade on the appellate court in DC. He's had 14 cases that were brought up to the Supremes and was overruled just once. He's extremely well qualified, moreso than Kagan or Sotomayor at the time of their appointments. Kagan never spent time on an appellate court.



Interestingly, the ABA has only rated 4 justices below well qualified. Rehnquist, Alito, Scalia and now Kavanaugh. Also strangely none of these were democrats. Odd that.



In recent times or prior to FDR?



Interestingly, that's not what we're seeing. The Democrats used to dominate the House and the Senate. Now they don't. What changed for them after what they did to justice Bork to deprive them of their Senat and House majorities? I know the answer, but I'm curious whether you will find it.

I really should block this stupid moron.

A justice needs to be fair and equitable. The four you named were/are not.

Grow the **** up please.

Kavanaugh is mentally imbalanced and is unfit to be on the stand. One can just point toh is testimony. He's unqualified because of his mental issues. He looked bipolar on the stand. He is not fair and cannot render judgments correctly.

[Giancarlo]

For Ben:



Old hero of his...

Any time Ben posts, I will respond with only memes now. That is my promise to everyone!

[ZEE]

Maybe I will make a run at the supreme court. Balance the insanity a bit.

[Uncle Sparky]

You don't need to have a law degree, or have written a bar exam to be on the SCOTUS... You need to be appointed by the POTUS and approved by a majority of US Senators.

[Giancarlo]

Maybe I will make a run at the supreme court. Balance the insanity a bit.

Have you assaulted anyone? If not, you don't qualify under republican standards.

[ZEE]

Oh.

[Giancarlo]

I suggest becoming a priest.

Oh wait... that won't work either.

Maybe a monk.

[ZEE]

I am a servant, but I believe we are on the same level ATM.

[Broken_Erika]

Climate report: Scientists politely urge 'act now, idiots'

It's the final call, say scientists, the most extensive warning yet on the risks of rising global temperatures.

Their dramatic report on keeping that rise under 1.5 degrees C states that the world is now completely off track, heading instead towards 3C.

Staying below 1.5C will require "rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society".

It will be hugely expensive, the report says, but the window of opportunity is not yet closed.

After three years of research and a week of haggling between scientists and government officials at a meeting in South Korea, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued a special report on the the impacts of global warming of 1.5C.

• Fast fashion is harming the planet, MPs say
• Vietnam's children and the fear of climate change

The critical 33-page Summary for Policymakers certainly bears the hallmarks of difficult negotiations between climate researchers determined to stick to what their studies have shown and political representatives more concerned with economies and living standards.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45775309

[Giancarlo]

Not while Donny is in charge... Donny thinks 3C rise would be a bigly accomplishment.

[Broken_Erika]

Knowing the Trumplicans' they'd probably respond by trying to have all solar and wind power plants torn down and replaced by coal.

[Giancarlo]

Knowing the Trumplicans' they'd probably respond by trying to have all solar and wind power plants torn down and replaced by coal.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/29/reuters-america-trump-administration-reconsiders-rule-on-coals-mercury-pollution.html

mercury is good for you!

Explains Ben's mental and intellectual decline...

[Aeson]

Save us Grand Solar Minimum!

Theres roughly 1 trillion metric tonnes of carbon added to the atmosphere since the start of the industrial revolution.

Theres 5 billion hectares of land used in agriculture, most of it net emitting carbon. A forest can sequester 200 to 750 metric tonnes of carbon indefinitely, and with management can do multiples of that.

To feed 7 billion people takes 7 trillion kg of food a year. (Thats if were all fat Americans) That’s an ansurdly low 1400 kg of food per hectare (we get that mostly because of meat, grains, and waste), forests can produce many times that.

200 MT carbon x 5 billion = carbon problem solved. Healthy work, food, planet.

[Proteus_MST]

Even Taylor Swift who, till now, kept silence on politics (no surprise, considering her large percentage of conservative fans) has now decided to break the silence and endorse 2 democratic candidates in Tennessee.

With Taylors own words:

I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love

Which is an excerpt of a lengthy poisting of her on Instagram, where she delves deeper into the history of the GOP candidate für the state (Marsha Blackburn) as congress woman, which really appalls her.

https://www.vox.com/2018/10/7/179495...rsha-blackburn


It is very telling that even Taylor, with the risk of alienating a large percentage of her fanbase, now sees enough reason to publicly announce her support for the Democrats

Definitely the right choice, Taylor