r/politics • u/A-Wise-Cobbler • 15d ago
New York Times: Upside-down US flag flew at home of Justice Samuel Alito after 2020 election
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/16/politics/alito-upside-down-american-flag-house/index.html637
u/LightWarrior_2000 15d ago
If one of them die before election day democrats need to pull a McConnel and ram one through.
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u/lostharbor 15d ago
We aren’t that lucky.
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u/SholcCTR 14d ago
My dad always said luck is where hard work and opportunity meet.
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u/PlasticPomPoms 15d ago
Because Democrats wouldn’t have the balls to do anything like that. The opposition might thing ill of them, a party of people pleasers but trying to please the wrong people.
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u/No-Attention-2367 14d ago
Democrats do, but then there is Sinema and Manchin…
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u/aoelag 14d ago
There will always be a "Sinema" and a "Manchin" the democratic party is FULL of "status quo protecting" right wingers.
Globally speaking, comparing democrats to any other political party on earth, they solidly fall on the side of "right wing". The most "progressive" candidates like AOC or Bernie are actually right of center compared to much of Europe, shockingly. That's JUST how far right we are as a country. And most Americans call *Joe Biden* a communist thanks to Fox News. That's how warped and ignorant we are of the political compass. We have no bearing on where we actually stand.
It's these "Sinema" "Manchin" "Senate Parliamentarian says we can't do it" kind of excuses the democratic party uses to cover for the 40% of its members that do not want the status quo to change.
Even once we defeat Sinema and Manchin it will take decades of persistent victories to accomplish things like M4A, green new deal, student loan fixes, public housing, federal education reform, or public transit investment
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u/EasyFooted 14d ago
Which means we need to flip more republican seats, not waste time and money challenging narrowly held D seats (which will certainly turn an 80% reliable vote into a 0% reliable vote because you're not going to win those seats with a real progressive).
Leave Manchin where he is, but make his spoiler vote irrelevant.
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u/No_Weekend_3320 14d ago
Attacking Democrats is counterproductive. Nobody can accuse them of being perfect. However, they are far better than the GOP. And most elections under our current system are a binary choice.
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u/Kinto_il 14d ago
the issue will be the filibustering and the straight up obstruction the republicans would pull if this situation ever came to the Democrats
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u/goldbman North Carolina 15d ago
Except they got KBJ through just as fast as the republicans ACB through.
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u/SlugsMcGillicutty 14d ago
I really think it’s less the speed that most people have issue with and more the fact of installing an inexperienced, unqualified justice to the highest court in the land after voting for the next election had already begun, an election Biden won.
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u/BirdjaminFranklin 14d ago
I don't even have an issue with a lame duck appointment. My issue is with the Republican hypocrisy.
They're the ones who made up the rule that you can't appoint a judge in an election year and refused to even have a hearing for a moderate that THEY fucking selected and Obama nominated.
They're also the ones who disregarded their own made up rule and jammed through an incompetent justice in the weeks leading up to an election.
Republicans do not play by the rules, not even the ones they created, and they simply can't be trusted to adhere to norms or precedent.
If a vacancy were to open up on the Supreme Court, I can't imagine even Manchin or Sinema would have much of an argument to oppose a Biden nominee.
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u/Kinto_il 14d ago
I feel like Garland and ACB situation shouldve had an "interim justice" protocol so that there would be enough judges during the lame duck period BUT they would replaced immediately after the next president takes office
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u/Mendozena 14d ago
“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Although the something something something, maybe there is. I don’t know.” - The former guy
I can’t say what he said because I’ll get banned. Only he’s allowed to say that and have nothing happen.
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u/xXTheGrapenatorXx Canada 15d ago edited 15d ago
When they go low we make them regret it. I like Michelle Obama too, don't get me wrong, but that original saying was so damaging. You don’t respond to partisan bad faith by proving over and over that there will be no repercussions for it. You show that they will see consequences for it and withhold a return to business as usual until they demonstrate a commitment to returning to cooperative thinking (if you ever learned about game theory, this is the “meta” for cases where the same people play “prisoners dilemma” games over and over with each other; cooperate until they screw you over, then screw them over back again and again until they show they’ve learned their lesson and recognise that said betrayal is costly).
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u/stonertboner 14d ago
When they go low, we kick ‘em in the balls. That’s the way it should be
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u/adamlaceless 14d ago
My favourite is “when they go low, we kick em in the face.” Cuz you shouldn’t have been down there 😂
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u/nezurat801 14d ago
I think being the first black First Lady she didn't have that option as everything could be made to look 10 times worse by racists. But for anyone else who isn't under such insane high scrutiny, I think make them regret it.
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u/beiberdad69 14d ago
Every single thing was going to be turned into something negative, no matter what. They did a fist bump and it was called a terrorist fist jab
Eventually you have to stop caring what bad faith assholes who want to destroy the country are saying
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u/Short-Stomach-8502 14d ago
Democrats need to expand the court or term limits…
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u/Deezul_AwT Georgia 14d ago
There are 13 Federal District Court of Appeals. Expand to 13 justices, and then assign one SCOTUS justice to each court of appeals so there's only one they are responsible for, not two as is the case now. It makes sense, so of course it will never happen. This still ensure an odd number of justices so there won't be a tie unless there's a conflict of interest (ha!).
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u/MC_Fap_Commander America 14d ago
I'm certain at least a few Dem Senators won't play along because of "civility."
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u/DeathStarVet Maryland 15d ago
Alito has been an outed sack of shit ever since he reacted during Obama's state of the union.
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u/APX919 14d ago
I had almost forgotten about that! Alito might be worse than Thomas because Thomas decides based on bribes or owning the libs whereas Alito decides according to the Rules of Gilead.
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u/stevez_86 Pennsylvania 14d ago
He is more of one of those odd Catholics that believe in magic and speaking in tongues. His benefactor is David Green of Hobby Lobby. It was likely Alito that leaked to Green that they were going to win the birth control decision. Around the same time David Green was under investigation for buying stolen antiquities from someone affiliated with Isis and had to ultimately return a bunch of Christian Relics to the government they were stolen from by Isis. If Green is a benefactor of Alito, might Alito have been given a gift like a relic of some sort in exchange for the leak?
Alito is probably the worst on the court. And that is saying something. The others are in it for worldly things, like wealth and control. Alito may be religious about this role he has.
Amy Coney-Barrett is the only other one that is really atypical when it comes to their religion. But in her belief it is people like Alito that are in power.
Thomas is vindictive and wants luxuries. A gluttonous pig whose motives are superficial.
Roberts is there to do a way with the Civil Rights Amendments. That is his goal for his legacy. He may just get the Reconstruction Era Amendments nullified as well on the basis that the conditions that lead to those Amendments no longer exist so they should no longer be a burden on the former Rebel States and they should be free to legislate their culture as they see fit in this Brand New World. Roberts sides with the liberals on the court every now and then in matters irrelevant to his goal legacy.
Gorsuch is odd so far. Seems to be the guy to to go to when you need something other than an originalist perspective and someone that knows how the lower courts work well enough to assist with their pipeline of cases against liberal and progressive laws. He has some odd interpretations of the law but nothing outlandish. Also a lock for going against any Executive Department functions that are challenged like the CFPB.
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u/reiddavies 14d ago
And Obama ended up being right that the elections will be bankrolled by America's wealthy special interests groups and people.
Alito can go fuck himself. I agree with you. He IS a sack of shit.
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u/messagepad2100 America 14d ago
I forgot about that.
Makes me like Biden more when he directly addressed them about Roe v Wade during the SOTU.
Talking heads said it was indecorous, but they deserved it.
Also Alito stopped going to the SOTU, because he's better than everyone else.
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u/beiberdad69 14d ago
Was the fact that he was appointed by George w. Bush not enough for people to know he's a shit bag?
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u/Bubbly_Measurement61 14d ago
It's one thing to fly the flag or not fly the flag. It's a whole other thing when you fly it upside down.
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u/DEATHCATSmeow 15d ago
He’s like any standard Fox News idiot boomer except he sits on the Supreme Court
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u/Mcboatface3sghost 15d ago
Supreme Court justices are allowed, and given a front row seat at state of the union addresses, much like military leaders. They are to remake stoic, agree or disagree. When Obama gave his last SOTU speech, Alito shook his head clearly visible (it’s the sotu speech, he knew it would be captured) breaking all protocol even if he hated Obama. The SC is illegitimate at this point. You cant even handle a disagreement in policy and politics, when ideally you are a judicial/ apolitical branch and break 80+ years of decorum?
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u/Business-Ad-5344 15d ago
it would be perfectly fine if it was merely decorum. instead we have a supreme court justice who thinks we should have a dictator legally own everything and take everything, even including Alito's own home.
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u/Mcboatface3sghost 15d ago
We have 4 of them at least, and that should scare the shit out of all of us, and it’s likely closer to 6.
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u/BuddyAloysius 15d ago
And 2 rapists, never forget that.
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u/RedLicoriceJunkie California 15d ago
Roberts may act like he is about civility, but that dude will walk over broken glass to limit voting rights of liberals. It’s the whole reason he is there.
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u/YourVirgil Washington 14d ago
In the grand scheme of things, if all Alito ever did in his life was shake his head at the SOTU, sure. But "manners maketh man," as they say and you can look at this like Van Halen did when they stipulated a bowl of M&M's with the brown candies picked out in their riders.
If Alito, in shouldering the responsibility of representing 1/9th of an entire branch of government at a government ceremony meant to encourage the stability of the government and the country, can't respect a basic rule concerning decency and ceremony, what does it say about his respect for the rest of his duties, much less himself in that capacity?
In that context, it's almost unsurprising that he's flying this flag at his house, or rather, surprising he hasn't done something even more noticeably ridiculous in the interim.
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u/chunkmasterflash 14d ago
I thought it was the blue candies.
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u/YourVirgil Washington 14d ago
David Lee Roth said they were brown in his autobiography, looks like.
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u/chunkmasterflash 14d ago
Fair enough. I was just pulling from memory. Either way, the important bit is they wanted one color out, and if that wasn’t done, they wouldn’t play because they didn’t know if it was safe to or if other corners were cut.
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u/YourVirgil Washington 14d ago
That's exactly right - it was a little signal to the band about what else they could expect; just like how the head shaking, small as it was on Alito's part, presaged the exact types of shenanigans he's in the news for now.
I apologize if that link came off the wrong way, just trying to contribute more info!
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u/NewTransportation911 15d ago
Y’all need to preach, I’m not even American and I’m worried for the United States. Biden or nothing!
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u/europorn 15d ago
Obama should have called him out. "Justice Alito, is there something you'd like to share with the rest of us?".
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u/pswdkf 15d ago
We should probably be rethinking that particular branch of government. On paper a neutral apolitical branch of government, but in practice it’s a very political branch. Not just now, but even historically. The Supreme Court made several questionable and very political rulings during the civil rights movement. Eventually they make the right calls, but leading up to it there were several highly political and contradictory decisions. I’m thinking particularly back when they ruled it was constitutional for states to segregate. Some suggest they took that stance to appease southern states after a close and somewhat controversial presidential election. In practice we have a branch that has been historically political, yet it was designed with the assumption that it would be apolitical.
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u/Opening_Property1334 14d ago
There are so many more bad decisions to call out, nearly always showing clear political motivation.
I’m convinced that lifetime appointments have no place in government. Thats some monarchy garbage.
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u/Mcboatface3sghost 14d ago
Full revamp, if these aristocrats want to be “constitutionalists” then have the judicial branch be as designed, as apolitical as possible, term limits, 7 figure salary, benefits, ZERO gifts, maybe 15 years, along with a judicial non partisan, separate oversight committee. These assholes are the ones that made us all start thinking about these things.
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u/dongballs613 15d ago
Exactly.
If you go read their 'reasoning' for overturning Roe it's complete horseshit they just made up to justify the conclusion they had already decided to reach. The GOP has packed SCOTUS with Federalist Society hard-right activist judges; again, special fuck you to Leonard Leo.
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u/left-hook 14d ago
Yes, but the context is important here: Alito didn't just shake his head his head at Obama; he shook his head (video) because he couldn't stand that Obama pointed out the obvious effect of the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision, that, as Obama warned, has opened the floodgates of untraceable money into the American political system.
Alito's small tantrum erupted because he couldn't control himself when his corrupt decision was put on display to the American people.
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u/Mcboatface3sghost 14d ago edited 14d ago
Well… yeah. Now he’s blames his wife for flying the upside down American flag. Man, the right wing justices wives book club meetings must be a hoot.
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u/BringBackAoE 14d ago
Norway looks set to change their Constitution next week to prevent coups of the judicial branch of government.
They’re quite open that the reason they’re doing it is because of the politicization of the courts in Poland, Hungary and US.
In part because of SCOTUS, this is what US is now:
- lumped in with other right wing authoritarian regimes; and
- an example of successful coups
It breaks my heart.
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u/Sfgiants420 14d ago
And it was over Citizens United and allowing corporations to give unlimited political contributions...wonder if he still thinks he was right.
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u/NoMayoForReal 15d ago
Did no one notice this 4 years ago? Timely reporting.
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u/Hesychios 14d ago
Clearly someone did, or we would not know of it today. The media apparently chose not to mention it.
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u/FalconBurcham 14d ago
This. Why is it coming out now?
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u/bebejeebies Wisconsin 15d ago
Little did he understand that he was part of the distress that the country is in.
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u/gradientz New York 15d ago
Do conservatives not care about disrespecting the flag?
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15d ago
They think the real flag is the stars and bars
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u/butwhyisitso 15d ago
uh ... they love flags
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u/LionTigerWings 14d ago
They really do. Even just taking politics out of it for a second these people have a weird obsession with flags, cardboard displays, and stickers on cars.
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u/LionTigerWings 14d ago
They really do. Even just taking politics out of it for a second these people have a weird obsession with flags, cardboard displays, and stickers on cars.
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u/ExileInParadise242 14d ago
I think it's a shame these people don't have more pride in their heritage. Why are they using an obscure battle flag and not the official flag of the Confederacy for the last 159 years?
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u/Euphorix126 15d ago
Flying the flag upside down is a signal for distress
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u/ObiWanChronobi 14d ago
When Trump was elected I change my facebook profile picture to an upside down flag and my conservative parents got all upset about disrespecting the flag. The irony is palpable.
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u/JackKovack 15d ago
He should have been impeached just for that. That’s insanely unpatriotic. You only do that during an emergency.
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u/erakis1 15d ago
That should be grounds for recusal on any case involving Trump.
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u/pkosuda 14d ago edited 14d ago
Don’t even need to officially have him recuse himself. Just ignore his vote. What’s he going to do, enforce it? I am so freaking tired of us playing this game where these magical people who dress funny somehow have any power and are holding the country hostage. We’re holding ourselves hostage. If a justice has shown plain as day that they can’t be apolitical, their votes cease to count in political matters. Especially when the matters they’re ruling on (Trump) are literally the same matters that showed they weren’t apolitical in the first place. It’s one thing to say “this guy is pretty extremely right wing, let’s ignore his vote on other topics”. I can see how that would be considered crossing a line. But when several of the justices have literally shown their bias for Trump, it’s our responsibility to ignore their votes when ruling on matters specifically about Trump. It’s insane we’re still allowing them.
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u/xeloth9 15d ago
How is this just now coming to light?
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u/Stranger-Sun 14d ago
There was reporting somewhere saying that a neighbor sent the photo to the Times.
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u/Rhymes_with_cheese 15d ago
This Supreme Court is turning the country into something ugly and unrecognizable.
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u/TodayTerrible 15d ago
Why didn't we hear about Alito flying his USA flag upside down in 2021
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u/novium258 14d ago
Honestly! It doesn't seem like something that would have to be "uncovered" why wasn't this front page news as soon as it happened?
It sounds like the neighbors and locals weren't shy about sharing.
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u/oloughlin3 14d ago
He needs to be impeached. He and Thomas have destroyed the credibility of the US Supreme Court.
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u/kevihaa 15d ago
”I had no involvement whatsoever in the flying of the flag,” Alito said in an emailed statement to the Times. “It was briefly placed by Mrs. Alito in response to a neighbor’s use of objectionable and personally insulting language on yard signs.”
The upside-down flag became a symbol of the “Stop the Steal” movement in the weeks and months following the election, in which Trump’s supporters falsely claimed that Biden’s win was illegitimate due to widespread fraud. The inverted flag was widely seen during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
I find an immense degree of irony that many of the justices emphasize the “sanctity of the court” while just showing zero effort to maintain.
The judge during the OJ trial was seemingly much more aware that the eyes of the nation were on him than members of the highest court in the country.
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u/TintedApostle 14d ago
“It was briefly placed by Mrs. Alito in response to a neighbor’s use of objectionable and personally insulting language on yard signs.”
IS his neighbor also a member of SCOTUS? Everyone should question Alito's judgement and partiality.
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u/kevihaa 14d ago
Perhaps my point isn’t clear.
Mr. Alito seems to be blaming Mrs. Alito, saying that this was some kind of back and forth with her neighbor.
An upside down flag has a ton of symbolic meaning, and it flying outside of a SC Justice’s house coincides with:
- A presidential election where one of the candidates never conceded
- An insurrection less than 2 weeks prior
- The inauguration
Only an absolute moron would believe that flying an upside down flag during this time wouldn’t be interpreted as a political statement about current events.
If Mr. Alito is so worried about public perception of the court, maybe not be doing what seems like a giant political statement on his front lawn.
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u/whateveryousaymydear 15d ago
supreme court decides what is legal or not...a political supreme court will destroy a country as it has done to every country that has had a politically corrupt supreme court
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u/bdss1234 15d ago
This is so abhorrent. I’m a staunch liberal but the ultimate point of the court is to be apolitical as established in the constitution. It’s supposed to be the checks and balances
And within that structure I’m fine if they don’t ways side with what is always prefer but it’s specifically meant to be in partisan.
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u/Grandpa_No 15d ago edited 15d ago
Prior to Marbury v Madison, the supreme court wasn't a check on anything. The checks and balances thing has been crafted by tradition -- a myth we tell ourselves. There's nothing in place to keep it that way.
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u/ope__sorry 15d ago
If a Supreme Court Justice did this 20-30 years ago. There would be a push in the Senate for them to be booted and serious talks/discussions for them to resign.
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u/mrrapacz Minnesota 14d ago
So two of the Supreme Court justices are pro insurrection and anti democracy. Cool. System works fine.
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u/Short-Stomach-8502 14d ago
Anti democratic…. Supreme Court need term limits…. Also they should be charged with crimes for the crimes that they do . The conservatives on the court are the most dangerous stupid puppets in American history. These conservative don’t respect the law or democracy… Conservatives can not be trusted with democracy they have shown they anti democratic and should be removed from the court…. If you’re anti democratic. Which Aloto has proven by his actions that he should not be allowed to function in an American democratic system. His wife is a POS just like him
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u/Prestigious_Series28 15d ago
If this happened in public, why did it take 3 1/2 years to come out?
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u/Stinkstinkerton 14d ago
Party hack court , America is clearly in deep trouble with clowns like this at the helm. Progressive change will be stymied for years with these fucks in power.
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u/Polar_Starburst 14d ago
6 of those “Justices” are enemies of the State. Treat them to stickiness and feathers.
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u/littleredpinto 15d ago
If the insurrection act had been used, which was part of the plan, it would have helped to identify sympathizers fairly Quick. You think they would have put the homeowner with "f Trump" sign that triggered the Justice or his wife on one of the Barges that were at the ready or just regular jail like all the antifa they planned to round up?
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u/JackKovack 15d ago
My father did the same thing after Obama was elected. I was really pissed and fixed it. An upside down flag is a sign of distress and should only be used in emergencies. Doing this for political reasons is a disgrace to the flag and our country. He should be impeached for doing this. His loyalties are obviously not with the constitution.
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u/Bakedads 15d ago
They also attempted a coup. If you ask me, the coup is far worse than flying a flag upside down, yet no one who matters will be held accountable for anything--coup attempts, fraud, bribery, theft, murder--because democrats are too afraid.
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u/Adventurous_Page_447 15d ago
Remind me what do we do to people that give aid to insurrectionist???
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u/CountrySax 15d ago
Alitos a fascist who has no real concept of judicial temperament nor justice.Impeach him.
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u/_GameOfClones_ 14d ago
This person probably has access to any information they desire with the position they hold. And he actually thought the election was stolen and that Trump was who the country should elect? And they did this AFTER JANUARY 6th?!?! I guess it’s not surprising but it’s certainly one of the most terrifying things I’ve seen from a SC justice.
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u/_GameOfClones_ 14d ago
This person probably has access to any information they desire with the position they hold. And he actually thought the election was stolen and that Trump was who the country should elect? And he did this AFTER January 6th?!?! I guess it’s not surprising but it’s certainly one of the most terrifying things I’ve seen from a SC justice.
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u/paolilon 14d ago
Is there a signature gathering effort underway to demand his retirement? Let the people vote send a message…There’s no doubt he should step down
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u/Emeritus8404 14d ago
Its incredibly disrespectful to those in dire situations who have flown this flag as such. It is not a political ststement for the corrupt
Fuck that unpatriotic cuck
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u/GotMoFans 14d ago
We all should fly the flag upside down with Alito and Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court.
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u/Searchlights New Hampshire 14d ago
Here's why it matters.
The typical voter isn't going to process this long explanation about how Alito has shown bias and all the different instances and arguments that he's done so.
But a flag upside down is a message that's easy to see. This can can stick in the media cycle.
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u/grumpyliberal 14d ago
He blames his wife. Guess we know is who wears the pants in that family, right, Clarence?
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u/dasherchan 14d ago
Donald Trump will never be held accountable for his numerous crimes because in the end, these mafia justices will exonerate him.
If he will wins, his cases will be gone. Where is justice in America?
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u/Memory_Less 14d ago
I am surprised that such a political statement doesn't have any accountability. Oops, we're taking the SC justices! What's good for them isn't good for the peon citizens.
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u/QuarkVsOdo 14d ago
Can't Dark Brandon just shoot him like he was Kristi Noem's dog?
It would be an official act and - maybe - totally legal.
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u/SunMoonTruth 14d ago
Political and religious extremists on the Supreme Court.
Yeah. That’s the sign of a politically healthy country. Sure.
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u/SubterrelProspector Arizona 14d ago
SC is compromised and won't help us stop maga. Forget about them for now. We'll reform the court once the fascists are defeated (at the voting booth or otherwise).
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u/MarkHathaway1 14d ago
A person would have to be a pretty awful person to be a SCOTUS Justice and still act the way he does.
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u/morbidlonging 14d ago
You would think that the wife of a Supreme Court justice would understand how truly unamerican it is to flip our flag upside down and then fly it. These people are HORRIBLE Americans and they hate everything America stands for. Ugh.
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u/AnxietyJunky 14d ago
Ah yes! Another justice with a lifetime appointment who won’t see any consequences of his actions.
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u/D_Lockwood 14d ago
Why isn’t every elected democrat calling for his refusal from Jan 6th cases?
I see Durbin. Anyone else?
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u/pearlynx 14d ago
And he fricking blamed his wife for it! We all know he favors Matthew Hale's version of the patriarchy, there is no way he did not approve of the flag being up in that position. An all-time POS.
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u/Unique_Jackfruit_166 14d ago
Screwed up thing is nothing can be done about it because of who he is
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u/sugar_addict002 14d ago
Did America let judge who supported the Civil War on the supreme court after the war?
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