Another good one by Josh Marshall
Democratic Voters and the Corrupt Republican SCOTUS Six
12.10.25 | 12:30 pm
I’ve noted many times the central role of Supreme Court reform to any civic democratic future. If you’re a regular reader, you know my arguments. So I won’t recapitulate them here. I’ve also noted how very few Democratic officials seem at all ready for this and a huge amount of work is required to get them here. Luckily there’s time: The first chance to do anything like this is 2029. But there’s another, even more critical, underlying need. A lot of the Democratic public still sees the idea as disconcerting or extreme. And we shouldn’t run away from this perception. Because it is extreme. It is a remedy only justified and really necessitated by a basically unprecedented development in American history which is robbing the public of its right to self-government. (The question is whether there is any precedent is complicated. There are arguably two similar instances in American history. But we can return to that later.) The point is that there is a lot of work to do. Inherently resistant Democratic politicians certainly aren’t going to be brought along if a substantial number of their own voters, perhaps a majority of them, are spooked by the idea.
So this requires a substantial campaign of public education — activist/political groups dedicated specifically and focusedly to the issue, ones that are political activist in nature, ones that draw from the elite legal world. An entire language of explanation is required.
Obviously people have all sorts of ideas and it’s the ultimate hand wave to say … well, now all we need is a public education campaign to convince the public what I want is a good idea. That’s all! Simple. Just this one neat trick. But while this captures some of the challenge, there are concrete and non-aspirational reasons to believe this is different. I don’t think Democrats need any convincing that something has gone catastrophically wrong in the country. I think that perception actually goes way beyond partisan Democrats. Many people seem to now get — with the totality of the last decade and 2025 — that only extreme actions have any hope of putting the genie back in the bottle or even getting the genie bottle adjacent. The example of the Biden presidency actually adds to the weight. People get that just electing a Democratic president in itself isn’t enough. I think there are various aspects of the Biden presidency that will look better with the passage of time. But from the vantage point of 2025, it certainly has the look of a course of antibiotics you started and then stopped after just a day or two, which led to the infection coming back in a more virulent form. (I actually read about some recent studies that throws into question that old “finish the course” mantra. But again, let’s not get distracted!)
The point here is that I think the public realizes something has gone terribly wrong and that very strong medicine will be required to fix it. But unless you’re paying very close attention to the details, it’s just not clear that this is one of two or three sine qua non things that are required. The predicates are already there, so this isn’t like saying, Well we just need a public education campaign for my new idea of citizenship and unlimited bacon treats for dogs. As I’ve explained before, even I find the idea of SCOTUS reform extreme and disconcerting. But I spend my days watching the direction of politics and political power, looking at the building blocks and details very closely. When you do that, you pretty quickly realize that you can have democratic self-government (and the possibility of Democrats ever actually being in power), or you can have this Supreme Court. But not both. I genuinely believe that when the matter is examined closely, the case is that tight.
I’ve made my point. This requires an all-out effort not only to bring along Democratic lawmakers but the Democratic voters they ultimately respond to — political activists, legal elites, inside players, outside players — to be ready to act when the moment comes. There’s time. But not much
Hillary Clinton
@HillaryClinton
It wasn’t long ago that women were forced to have a male co-signer to get a credit card or a home loan.
Now, the Trump administration wants to end protections against such discrimination.
Take 45 seconds today to say “No way.” https://nationalfairhousingalliance.salsalabs.org/ecoaregb/index.html
11:02 AM · Dec 15, 2025
https://x.com/HillaryClinton/status/2000612444092142000?s=20
TV Insider
@TVInsider
BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Anthony Geary dies: ‘General Hospital’ icon and 8-time Daytime Emmy winner was 78.
https://x.com/TVInsider/status/2000604328533373060?s=20
Heidi N. Moore
@moorehn
This is an interesting analysis. I agree that after Trump will be someone worse than him.
But I don’t think Trump is disposable at all. As much as the party hates him, and they do hate him — because he has his own agenda and won’t go along with full Christian evangelical fascism — he is their magic political amulet.
I think it will be an awakening for the Republican Party when they try to replace him, because no one else can do what Trump does.
Trump gets his way largely on his charisma and personality. That comes from long experience of being a grifter, a con man obsessed with being in the papers, all that narcissistic practice. Trump is evil, but very observant. Anyone who replaces him may have the corruption and the grifting and the desire for attention but, crucially, they won’t have Trump’s personality and his eye for easy manipulation. Lightning doesn’t strike twice.
It is personality that has gotten him this far and that has gotten the party this far with him. And to work out the comparison of Gavin Newsom for the Republican Party, consider that most Democrats don’t like Gavin Newsom. He may be handsome, but he’s a psychopathic idiot, and that comes across immediately. It will be the same for Republicans. They might find somebody who looks the part but to actually pull off the kind of bullying that Trump does (because of his experience) is a much higher bar.
https://x.com/moorehn/status/2000035690680066093?s=20
Richard Hanania
@RichardHanania
David French on talking to rightists.
You can give them all the stats and figures in the world on how life is now better.
Their response is that they dislike men in dresses so want to destroy society.
You’re like it can’t be this stupid.
But it actually is.
https://x.com/RichardHanania/status/2000305004608184803?s=20
Christopher Webb
@cwebbonline
There hasn’t been nearly enough appreciation for how thoroughly BENNY THOMPSON humiliated FBI official MICHAEL GLASHEEN when he tried to sell the lie that ANTIFA is the number one domestic terrorist threat in the United States.
That claim doesn’t just weaken under scrutiny, it collapses. And it keeps getting recycled for a reason. It’s a cover.
Ask yourself why the focus is always shifts to Antifa.
Then ask the harder question.
Why has DONALD TRUMP repeatedly praised, defended, minimized, or floated pardons for members of actual white supremacist groups, the ones with names, leaders, weapons, and body counts?
Let’s unpack this.
Read. Share. Subscribe.
https://open.substack.com/pub/cwebbstudio/p/the-antifa-lie?r=57hv2y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
https://x.com/cwebbonline/status/2000254400544329860?s=20
Shadow of Ezra
@ShadowofEzra
Bari Weiss elevates Erika Kirk to a religious figure, calling her a deeply religious Christian with sincere, deeply held faith.
She says she personally witnessed Erika Kirk’s powerful presence and claims the audience was struck by it.
Bari Weiss adds that she still can’t fully understand what she witnessed.
https://x.com/ShadowofEzra/status/1999974690975060189?s=20
rolandsmartin
@rolandsmartin
Hey
@bariweiss
. If you want to talk to some deeply religious Christian people who have lived out forgiveness AND justice, do a
@CBSNews
town hall with the family members of the Emanuel 9. Dylan Roof killed NINE people at that Bible study. They are a profile in courage. I’ll wait.
https://x.com/rolandsmartin/status/2000357185055043825?s=20
cursr
@0xCursr
They are slowly phasing out consumer grade pc parts in an effort to make owning your own hardware unaffordable so that in the future you will no longer be able to self host your own content and offline AI
The time for piracy is now. Start hoarding hard drives like your life depends on it and download anything you can before its too late
https://x.com/0xCursr/status/2000139938080154015?s=20
Adam Cochran (adamscochran.eth)
@adamscochran
Ah that explains why MAGA is suddenly quiet on this one.
Young white male from a mostly rural state.
They’ll now focus on the shooting in another country because they can make it about race. (Despite the fact that the hero in that story was also a Muslim immigrant!)
🙄 https://x.com/bnonews/status/bnonews/status/2000313173736591428
Brian Allen
@allenanalysis
BREAKING: The Brown University shooter targeted a specific classroom tied to a professor associated with Judaic Studies.
If this attack was motivated by antisemitism, the public deserves the truth fast and without spin.
https://x.com/allenanalysis/status/2000339879021195602?s=20
ABC News
@ABC
Brown University student Joseph Oduro was leading a review session for an upcoming economics final with around 60 other students when he says a masked man entered the lecture hall armed with a large gun.
At least two people were killed and nine others were injured in Saturday’s shooting, according to officials.
“I was standing in the front so as soon as he walked in,” Oduro said. “He immediately saw me and I immediately saw him.”
Read more: https://abcnews.link/Wd8ayXF
Richard Hanania
@RichardHanania
How evil is the Trump administration?
Costa Rica is willing to take Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and he is willing to go there. But the administration won’t send him, and demands he go somewhere in Africa or back to El Salvador.
He may not be perfect. But he’s unquestionably being targeted and facing oppression by an authoritarian regime. His fight is our fight.
We are all Kilmar. https://richardhanania.com/p/the-five-big-lies-about-venezuelans
https://x.com/RichardHanania/status/2000247735757479946?s=20
Suzie rizzio
@Suzierizzo1
A Journalist saw an arrest happening by ICE so he was walking over to where he saw other members of the Press when he was stopped & threatened by ICE that if he didn’t back up they would Pepper spray him! He was told the other reporter was with them & it was NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez
https://x.com/Suzierizzo1/status/2000288273990660316?s=20
Catherine Rampell
@crampell
Masked men wearing ICE vests—who refused to present a warrant or identify themselves—roped off a construction site, trapping two men on a roof for hours in subzero temps. Protesters gathered. Masked men eventually left, and one man on the roof was taken away by ambulance https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/crowd-gathers-in-chanhassen-in-response-to-a-supposed-ice-arrest/
https://x.com/crampell/status/2000220723378286953?s=20
TrumpFile.org
@TrumpFile
In her attempts to make Erika Kirk some sort of idol to MAGA Christians, Bari Weiss pretends she was literally incapable of understanding what “forgiveness” means until Erika explained it to her. Then she explains forgiveness for the audience.
This is the head of CBS News.
https://x.com/TrumpFile/status/2000104770053267749?s=20
Sandi Bachom 📹
@sandibachom
What I think is going on here is they’re trying to salvage TPUSA as a movement and it’s not happening. This is what Russian television looks like. Well done CBS. Hard to believe this was Cronkite’s network.
https://x.com/sandibachom/status/2000423122072440853?s=20
Barack Obama
@BarackObama
Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen. But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people—and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action. Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose. They will be remembered for the values they championed and the countless people they inspired. We send our deepest condolences to all who loved them.
Last edited
11:48 PM · Dec 14, 2025
https://x.com/BarackObama/status/2000442913885712602?s=20
Gene Trevino
@GenoVeno73
I quote from The New York Times article:
“The decision on Maryland’s appeal [FEMA relief was denied] was made on the same day that Mr. Trump approved aid for disasters in Alaska, Nebraska and North Dakota — all states that supported him last year — while denying requests from Vermont and Illinois, states that, like Maryland, voted for his opponent.”
Krasnov
@realDonaldTrump
is punishing States that didn’t support him. So, he’s NOT the “president” of the United States — he’s only “president” of RED States.
https://x.com/GenoVeno73/status/1999949510932615477?s=20
Dem Saints
@LDS_Dems
In a normal world, finding out the President is only sending disaster relief to states that supported him would launch congressional investigations and impeachment.
Under Trump, this level of corruption barely garners headlines and will be covered up by a fresh evil tomorrow.
https://x.com/LDS_Dems/status/2000275788147425733?s=20
Adam Parkhomenko
@AdamParkhomenko
Ah yes, the tariff fairy is now running six to twelve months late. Same broken promises, just with a longer deadline and a bigger bill for working families. The most consistent thing about Trump’s promises is how fast they expire.
https://x.com/AdamParkhomenko/status/2000373332852756600?s=20
Aaron Rupar
@atrupar
Rand Paul: “My plan is this — let people on the Obamacare market, which is about 4% of America, a small number of people, let them buy their insurance through Costco, Sam’s Club, Amazon … ”
https://x.com/atrupar/status/2000226810781487570?s=20
scary lawyerguy
@scarylawyerguy
When you’re a fundamentally unserious political party with no policy agenda other than tax cuts but the media treats your ideas like “just go into Costco and buy your health insurance there” legitimately, the permission structure to float these ideas as legitimate is quite high!
https://x.com/scarylawyerguy/status/2000236814150582422?s=20
Good Morning, Everyone😊😊😊