So let’s say you have one hell of a building, 41 stories,
occupies a whole city block in a major city where real estate is going through
the roof. But you had the very very bad
taste of acquiring it for much too much down, and your rents are covering only
65% of the monthly mortgage payments. In
other words you are leveraged up the wazoo. What is to be done? Either you go
bankrupt, or if you’re smart, you look around for more money, maybe even
partners. Where do you go? Other underwriters, foreign sovereign banks,
even Mid-East countries. Not to worry:
if they don’t pony up, you have friends in high places (for the moment) who can
always call out a blockade on them, meanwhile you can look around for other
underwriters. 
So what if your underwriter happens to be the bank where’s
your buddy was once employed. In fact, screw the bank (and screw your buddy,
too, but that comes later.) And anyway, your dad, who’s BIG IN BUSINESS, knows
you’re buds with the Justice’s son who’s loaned him a billion dollars, and who
extended the terms of your own loan. “Nice
boy,” your DAD remarks to the Judge of the High Court, because see, we’re all
friends here (for a time). And the Judge is gonna retire soon because your DAD
made a deal with him which goes: “Trust Me.” (as “In God We Trust”) so it’s a
good deal, because DAD wants to fire a Special Prosecutor who’s getting out of
hand, but if he does that, it’s checkmate because DAD knows he’d become impeachable
material, but if he gets his man on the bench in time, especially a BIG COAL
MAN, he can even pardon himself, and it’s all Constitutional because the Court
can be trusted to say it’s so (that’s where “Trust Me” comes in.)
Sound complicated? A lot less fun than a hot game of pool?
Well, it’s the same principle really: you hit a ball so it will strike another
ball and so on, except the stakes are higher. Because your son gets to keep the
property and you get a whole new and improved top court in your pocket.
BAM goes the Gavel.
Women? Screw ‘em. That’s all they’re good for anyway. And that goes for
gays and LGBTs, too.
BAM goes the Gavel. Immigrants? Who the hell cares? They tend to vote Democratic and they’re
brown anyway.
BAM goes the Gavel. Minimum wage. It sure’s gonna stay
minimal. We’ll see to that!
BAM goes the Gavel: Death is a pre-existing condition! You’re
eligible for healthcare only if you’re immortal.
BAM goes the Gavel: Gerrymandering? We sure like to boogey!
Keeps the folks in line, too. That goes for felons and ex-felons, too.
BAM goes the Gavel: Human rights?
These people are animals.
BAM goes the Gavel: Science? It’s for
dummies.
BAM goes the Gavel: The Planet? You
gotta be kidding! It’s just a rock.
BAM goes the gavel: Voting rights?
They’re for Just-Us.
BAM goes the Gavel: Deregulation? Corporate
welfare? Don’t be silly.
It’s the art of the deal.
Read
Daily Kos: Voting Rights Roundup: Five reasons why Anthony Kennedy’s
retirement is a catastrophe for democracy.
Read
Alternet: Here’s the Corrupt Financial Web that links the Trump and the
Kennedy families.
Read
what the media isn’t talking about.
Tell
McConnell he has to follow his own rule, and wait until the midterm
elections are over to push a Supreme Court nominee!
Urge
Congress to ratify no Supreme Court nominations until the Russia
investigation is complete.
Oppose
the nomination of the next Supreme Court judge while Trump is under
investigation.
And for
laughs, please read Went 2 the Bridge: Which Side Would Lady Liberty be in
the #SecondCivilWar?
Judiciary
Women send coat hangers in bulk to demand Susan Collins,
Maine Republican, defend abortion rights.
70% Democrats and 67% Republicans want Supreme Court to
overturn “Citizens United.”
Immigration
Hundreds in San Diego protest operation “Streamline” and call
for ICE to be abolished.
Occupations of ICE headquarters have been cropping up across
the country in such cities as Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York,
Detroit, Philadelphia and Louisville, KY.
U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg grants a preliminary
injunction preventing the federal government from denying parole to any asylum
seekers travelling to the U.S., ending their indefinite detention.
Some 14,000 immigrants become citizens July 5th.
Therese Patricia Okoumou scales the Statue of Liberty to
protest detention of immigrant children at the U.S. border. Two additional
protests shut down the monument July 4th.
In Mike Pence’s home state, a church detains “The Holy
Family” in condemnation of family separation.
Dreamer Marco Villada wins fight against Trump
administration allowing him to return back home to the U.S.
In Atlanta, a boy of
6 raises $13,000 for separated migrant families—by selling lemonade.
Voting Rights
Nashville Federal Judge Aleta A, Trauger ruled that taking
away drivers’ licenses for failure to pay court costs is unconstitutional.
Progressive leaders are applauding the wave of left-wing
victories (like Ocasio-Cortez’) in a number of Democratic primaries, and
warning centrist Democrats that who dismiss the nation-wide enthusiasm for
candidates refusing corporate money and supporting bold proposals like Medicare
for all, do so at the own peril.
The NAACP is suing Connecticut in federal court for “prison
gerrymandering,” the widespread practice of counting inmates at their prison
instead of their last address.
Federal district court panel strikes down a dozen of Virginia’s
state house districts on the grounds that Republicans violated the Constitution
by infringing the rights of black voters.
In heavily restrictive Delaware, the Democratic-controlled
state house passes two bills that finally allow early voting and permit voters
to register and cast ballots at the same time, including Election Day.
Massachusetts Democratic-controlled State House passes
automatic voter registration.
For the second time, a federal court ordered the Trump administration
to hand over documents from its bogus voter suppression commission to Maine
Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, who was one of the token Democrats on the
commission suing over the GOP’s attempt to hide their activities.
Environment
On July 3, 12 activists launched an aerial blockade at the
Ironworkers Memorial Bridge in Vancouver
to stop an oil tanker from leaving Kinder Morgans’ terminal.
Scott Pruitt resigns from the EPA. Coal lobbyist Wheeler now becomes the acting
head.
The Guardian reports on protests erupting around ‘tar sands’
Pipeline 3 on the U.S. Canada border.
Vertical Gardens are cleaning the air in Mexico City (and
they look gorgeous, too.)
Protest at D.C.’s FERC headquarters disrupts the work day by
erecting huge fracking well derricks outside their offices.
In Puerto Rico, a judge blocks FEMA from ending housing
program for hurricane-displaced people.
Applauded by Greenpeace, and in a watershed moment for
climate liability, Rhode Island becomes the first state to file a lawsuit
against 21 oil companies, seeking damages for climate change.
Peace
A current ICAN poll finds that Europeans reject U.S. nuclear
weapons on their own soil.
Palestine
Just as demolition bulldozers were about to roll into Khan
al Ahmar, the High Court of Israel issued a last-minute injunction against
demolition, requiring g the State of Israel to respond to the village’s own
master plan of July 11th.
Privacy
EU votes down ‘disastrous’ copyright proposal, including a
link tax, and aimed at transforming the internet into a virtual ‘censorship
machine.’
Labor
Minimum wage workers receive a raise in two states, D.C.,
and 15 cities or counties.
Mexico
Progressive candidate Lopez Obrador wins presidential
election in Mexico.
Mexico City elects its first female mayor.
Philanthropy
Nicki Minaj, one of the world’s famous rappers, just paid
off 37 college students’ tuitions.
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