I’m feeling quite horrid, so except for one Short Take, I’m staying down.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 6:19 (average 7:41). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Take:
From NY Times: In a long-sought victory for the gay rights movement, the Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the majority opinion in the 5 to 4 decision. He was joined by the court’s four more liberal justices.
The decision, the culmination of decades of litigation and activism, came against the backdrop of fast-moving changes in public opinion, with polls indicating that most Americans now approve of same-sex marriage.
Justice Kennedy said gay and lesbian couples had a fundamental right to marry.
“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family,” he wrote. “In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were.”
“It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage,” Justice Kennedy said of the couples challenging state bans on same-sex marriage. “Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., in a dissent joined by Justice Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, said the Constitution had nothing to say on the subject.
Congrats and kudos to the LGBT community. Needless to say, I had to pass this on. The three key rulings indicate that the Injustices of SCROTUS, Republican Constitutional VD, recognize that this is an election campaign year in which their party was just responsible for the political assassination of black church leaders and the police murder of several black men and children. Can you imagine the public reaction, had they gutted ObamaCare, Fair Housing, and Marriage rights? I trust they made the correct decisions only to keep voters from flocking to the polls in protest in 2016. Were this not an election year, they would have decided differently.
Cartoon:
22 Responses to “Personal Update–6/26/2015”
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Yesterday the ACA subsidies, now this. Major victories — and reminders of how important the Supreme Court is, and how vital it is to make sure we don't have a Bush, a Walker, or a Cruz appointing new Justices starting in January 2017.
My Supreme Court dream is still to see President Hillary appoint ex-President Obama to Scalia's former seat on the Court. Just imagine the wingnut exploding heads!
Hope you feel better soon. I'm sure this heat is NOT helping.
Bernie might appoint him if elected, too.
I agree – PPACA, Fair Housing Act and now same-sex marriage.
It's fair to say that SCOTUS has provided a pretty amazing week for Americans who honestly care about other Americans!
7:07 I hope TomCat enjoys his black carpet. So far, he has it to himself. I could not kick him off of it.
5:57 That's a toughie! Looks like something a cat would throw up!
6:02 It looks like Lynn save the Puddy-Tat from getting sick again.
I've been enjoying the variety of rainbow art and statements of all the celebration emails I've been receiving. While many are collecting signatures for thank yous, most to SCOTUS one to the plaintiffs so far, Hirano from HI was collecting for ENDA and a couple were for pledges to end discrimination. Yet the one I liked best focused on individuals in Southern states with my favorite being the first to marry in Dallas, TX–two men in their 80's who have been together for 54 years.
6:46 average (still) 7:41(!) Clearly I'm not the only one who found this challenging. I also thought the title was distracting, making me think(as it did) of fossil fuels. I didn't actually have to go for a barf bag, though, thankfully. TC, please don't try to eat this; you don't want to go through what Garry did. http://www.pet360.com/cat/lifestyle/veterinarians-remove-huge-ball-of-shoelaces-from-cats-stomach/nuQ7qaNWHUidTLhzlA_8tQ
I think the fair housing for sure and probably Obamacare are due to an election year (and Obamacare to Republicans having second thoughts). I did think they were going to throw gay marriage to us anyway like a bone to a dog exactly because it would make so many right wing heads explode, which it is.
I do hope the UN doesn't get gutted.
Kennedy had a previous decision that was precedent prior to SCOTUS based on much of the same case law and principles–it would've called for undoing that precedent for him to rule otherwise so I do not see the marriage ruling as being related to election year.
Different reasoninbg but same expectation.
Agreed
I am sure you are right, TC, if it were not for the upcoming elections, they would have voted differently. Timing is everything. I am happy they ruled as they did, both on marriage equality and the ACA. Now if Cruz would just be true to his threats and leave government, I would really be happy.
Hope you feel better soon.
Can we believe his threats any more than the other things he says? Sadly I doubt it…heavy sigh
President Obama warns against 'a comfortable silence'
By Steve Benen 06/26/15 04:48PM
When Barack Obama's presidency is over, I have a strong hunch people will still be talking about the eulogy he delivered in South Carolina today for the Rev. Clementa Pinckney.
Because the president's remarks today were about Pinckney and other victims of last week's mass murder in Charleston, but it was also about much, much more.
Read more at this link:
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/president-obama-warns-against-comfortable-silence#break
Video Link:
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 6/26/15
President Obama on amazing change and amazing grace
Rachel Maddow shares an uninterrupted cut of President Obama addressing America in his eulogy for Rev. Clementa Pinckney, on making a moral choice to change on issues of racism and gun violence. Duration: 30:50
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/president-obama-on-amazing-change-and-grace-472197699889
Those are wonderful and inspirational shares Jim–so sad what followed at the State capitol
Puzzle — 5:57 That's a toughie! Looks like something a cat would throw up!
NY Times — I find it interesting that SCOTUS should uphold Obamacare and decide in favour of marriage equality, two progressive causes, within a week or so. I am ecstatic for the LGBTQ community. When I first heard about today's decision, my reaction was "Republicanus/Teabaggerum trying to sucker punch voters before an election and buy some goodwill." Boehner has said about Obamacare: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/06/26/obamacare-support-grows-a_n_7669520.html
It is hard to say what will happen with marriage equality and the right wing pseudo Christian block. My understanding is that once SCOTUS rules, generally that's it. But will stand in defiance of SCOTUS?
Cartoon — If I recall correctly, the US was not a UN supporter and had to be "encouraged" to join. That encouragement was the veto power on the Security Council. Just like a Republicanus/Teabaggerum!
At 10 pm, it was 30 C (86 F) and currently it is 21 C (70 F). It is hot and heading into the mid to high 30s C (95 – 103 F)/ Too hot!
Some politicians in TX are giving orders to defy SCOTUS (like the Attorney General)–all which appear to be impeachable offenses to me
Sorry to hear you're feeling so horrible, though I think you must have felt a bit better for a short while when you heard about the SCOTUS rulings.
I think you're right, the rulings have much to do with election times, but also with the fact that the Republican's masters, the Kochs and other corporatists, couldn't give a rat's a$$ about same sex marriage and knew this was a battle the religious right wing fringe was going to lose sooner or later. And both Republicans and their masters knew they had completely overplayed their hand on the ACA case they brought before SCOTUS and a sighing in relief SCOTUS ruled against it and can now go back to their normal routine of trashing it as they have already started to do. Daily Kos.
On the Supreme Court's ruling yesterday that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage, things turn really weird in the Republican corner. In the weakest dissents I've ever seen by Justices Robertsy, Scalia, and Thomas, they claimed the Constitution had nothing to say on the subject. But that didn't stop Huckabee from blowing his top and calling the ruling of SCOTUS unconstitutional Daily Kos The reactions of Republican hopefuls are nothing more than pathetic, all trying to keep that small number of extreme right voters satisfied.
too true Lona
Hugs. Sick.
This has been a great week for everyone! The SCOTUS has actually done a few things right! I just have to take it with a grain of salt. Just because SCOTUS said it was Ok, doesn’t mean that there will not be a backlash! The repukes will use this at every turn to make a case for “their” candidates!
I thought you would be curled up round a couple of (well wrapped) hot water bottles TC! If you get a clean towel and wrap it round a hot water bottle then it lasts much longer and doesn't do the painfully hot to revoltingly cold thing that they can otherwise do. Cats do like them!