Foundations of Society

(and political commentary)

[political-us]

AOC says she's worth less than $500,000 after kickback claims — and seems to get kudos from Trump fans in response

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won plaudits from critics for saying her congressional salary is her only income and she doesn't trade stocks.

[deadpresidents]

Read Danielle Sassoon’s Letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi

Danielle R. Sassoon, Manhattan’s acting U.S. attorney, writes to Attorney General Pam Bondi, refusing to drop the case against Mayor Eric Ad

I want to run for President just so I can appoint Danielle Sassoon to the Supreme Court.

[demosthenesredux]

Copy for those with an uncertain relationship to the NY Times and its paywall: https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/sassoon-bondi-letter.pdf

Note that Ms. Sassoon clerked for Antonin Scalia, is a registered Republican and a member of the Federalist Society.

And even she can see what's going on enough to resign a senior government post in protest.

[politijohn]

Source

[demosthenesredux]

This is how fast things can happen. From on-the-scene ABC News reporters:

"...we saw a different scene than what we are being told in public statements from ICE, DEA and similar law enforcement agencies. We watched as dozens of federal agents went door-to-door, questioning residents at every apartment in the massive complex, asking for identification and if they had drugs or guns inside their unit.

One woman gave me her video doorbell camera footage showing two agents, one of them wearing a vest that displayed Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) markings, knock on her door and ask if she had guns or drugs inside the house and if they could "come in and check." The woman answered no to each question before the agent said thank you and left for the next apartment.

The resident told us the agents did not present a warrant or explain why they were there.  Several residents with whom we spoke told us that the agents did not skip a single residence in the complex."

[demosthenesredux]

The 2003 Lawrence v Texas is a good Supreme Court decision (the court case that ruled criminalizing sodomy between consenting adults is unconstitutional). This ruling overturned the 1986 Bowers v Hardwick case which was the same issue but decided the other way.

The dissent by Harry Blackmun in Bowers v Hardwick is particularly important: "That certain, but by no means all, religious groups condemn the behavior at issue gives the State no license to impose their judgments on the entire citizenry. The legitimacy of secular legislation depends, instead, on whether the State can advance some justification for its law beyond its conformity to religious doctrine."

We'll return to the religious values question later, but the key element is this: Every law can ultimately be enforced only by the legalized, armed violence of the state.

Do you want soldiers coming to your house or your friends' houses to investigate and punish private sexual behavior?

[demosthenesredux]

2016 US Presidential Election: 65,853,514 votes (227 electoral votes) for Hillary Clinton 62,984,828 votes (304 electoral votes) for Donald Trump

2020 US Presidential Election: 81,283,501 votes (306 electoral votes) for Joe Biden 74,223,975 votes (232 electoral votes) for Donald Trump

2024 US Presidential Election: 75,017,613 votes (226 electoral votes) for Kamala Harris 77,302,580 votes (312 electoral votes) for Donald Trump

Just so we are clear as to why Donald Trump won the presidency.

[demosthenesredux]

Contrary to a recent message, Donald Trump didn't win the election nearly as much as Democrats choosing to stay home gave it to him. Same thing applied in 2016:

Republican vs. Democrat Vote Totals in US Presidential Elections 2000 - 2024:

2000: 50,456,002 (R) vs. 50,999,897 (D)

2004: 62,040,610 (R) vs. 59,028,444 (D)

2008: 59,948,323 (R) vs. 69,498,516 (D)

2012: 60,933,504 (R) vs. 65,915,795 (D)

2016: 62,984,828 (R) vs. 65,853,514 (D)

2020: 74,223,975 (R) vs. 81,283,501 (D)

2024: 77,302,580 (R) vs. 75,017,613 (D)

Democratic disengagement gave Trump the presidency.

[demosthenesredux]

The ultimate power of the state is legalized violence.

[demosthenesredux]

Understanding this principle helps inform why Lawrence v Texas, Obergefell v Hodges and Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission were mostly good US Supreme Court decisions.

It also helps us understand why Citizens United v FEC and Burwell v Hobby Lobby were mostly bad US Supreme Court decisions.

[demosthenesredux]

2016 US Presidential Election: 65,853,514 votes (227 electoral votes) for Hillary Clinton 62,984,828 votes (304 electoral votes) for Donald Trump

2020 US Presidential Election: 81,283,501 votes (306 electoral votes) for Joe Biden 74,223,975 votes (232 electoral votes) for Donald Trump

2024 US Presidential Election: 75,017,613 votes (226 electoral votes) for Kamala Harris 77,302,580 votes (312 electoral votes) for Donald Trump

Just so we are clear as to why Donald Trump won the presidency.

[demosthenesredux]

The ultimate power of the state is legalized violence.

[mysharona1987]

The French really don’t fuck around.