The Outrage Thread
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BipolarFuk
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[h=1]Justice Clarence Thomas asked a question for the first time in 3 years -- here's why[/h] The question Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas asked on Wednesday -- one of his exceptionally rare queries -- involved race. But as has happened before, there was a twist.
Thomas, only the second African-American justice in US history, has gone for years at a stretch without asking a question, including a full decade, from 2006 to 2016. On the occasions his voice has been heard, it has often related to race but with a counterintuitive thrust, as occurred in the new dispute over a Mississippi prosecutor's repeated elimination of blacks from a jury pool.
Thomas has given many explanations for his singular silence through the years, including that he believes the justices should give the lawyers at the lectern more time to present their cases. He earlier referred to his youth in Pin Point, Georgia, where he developed a dialect he said was mocked; Thomas has said that gave him the habit of listening more than speaking.
Thomas employs a distinct conservative approach that puts him on the far right of the generally conservative Supreme Court and in the exact opposite place of the man he succeeded in 1991, Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice.
Thomas believes the Constitution's equal protection guarantee forbids such racial measures and, in a practical vein, argues that they stigmatize blacks, Latinos and other racial minorities.
Most importantly related to Wednesday's case, Thomas has narrowly interpreted the protections of a 1986 milestone decision, Batson v. Kentucky, intended to prevent prosecutors from using peremptory challenges to strike potential jurors based on their race. (Each side at trial is accorded a set number of such challenges that allow the elimination of jurors without any reason; however, the strikes cannot be based on race or gender.)
Three years ago, Thomas was the lone dissenter when the high court ruled against prosecutors in Georgia who had systematically kept blacks off a jury. Thomas believed the high court should have deferred to the state judges who handled the case, and he brushed aside evidence the defendant's lawyers had found of prosecutors' notations identifying jurors to be struck by their race.
Wednesday morning, Thomas again went against the emphasis of the majority as he abandoned his usual reluctance to enter the fray.
On Wednesday, most of the justices expressed concern about a prosecutor with a history of discriminating against black jurors who had been called for the murder trial of Curtis Giovanni Flowers. The question was whether he had engaged in the practice yet again, at Flowers' sixth trial. Flowers, an African-American, was convicted and sentenced to die for the 1996 killings of four people at a furniture store in Winona, Mississippi.
"The only plausible interpretation of all the evidence viewed cumulatively is that (prosecutor) Doug Evans began jury selection in Flowers VI with an unconstitutional end in mind," said Flowers' lawyer, Sheri Lynn Johnson, "to seat as few African-American jurors as he could."
Justices across the ideological spectrum were open to her arguments. Justice Samuel Alito referred to the "troubling" history of earlier instances in which the prosecutor had been found to have violated the principles of Batson, based on his screening of black jurors. (Flowers' murder convictions from the first three trials were thrown out. Two of his trials ended in hung juries. At issue is his sixth trial from 2010, in which a jury of 11 white people and one African-American found him guilty of four counts of murder.)
Thomas, at the very end of the hourlong hearing, suddenly spoke and essentially turned the tables by asking Johnson about the use of peremptory challenges by the defense team, not the prosecution.
"Ms. Johnson, would you be kind enough to tell me whether or not you exercised any peremptories ... were any peremptories exercised by the defendant?"
"They were," Johnson responded.
"And what was the race of the jurors struck there?" Thomas asked.
Referring to Flowers' trial attorney, Johnson said: "She only exercised peremptories against white jurors. But I would add that ... her motivation is not the question here. The question is the motivation of Doug Evans."
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court's only Latina justice, interjected, suggesting that the defense lawyer could not have eliminated any blacks because the prosecutor had already removed virtually all from the pool.
"She didn't have any black jurors to exercise peremptories against -- except the first one? ... After that, every black juror that was available on the panel was struck?"
Thomas asked nothing more.
___________________________________
Gotta love the biggest Uncle Tom in history.
He's such an Uncle Tom that the phrase should be renamed, Uncle Clarence.
Thomas, only the second African-American justice in US history, has gone for years at a stretch without asking a question, including a full decade, from 2006 to 2016. On the occasions his voice has been heard, it has often related to race but with a counterintuitive thrust, as occurred in the new dispute over a Mississippi prosecutor's repeated elimination of blacks from a jury pool.
Thomas has given many explanations for his singular silence through the years, including that he believes the justices should give the lawyers at the lectern more time to present their cases. He earlier referred to his youth in Pin Point, Georgia, where he developed a dialect he said was mocked; Thomas has said that gave him the habit of listening more than speaking.
Thomas employs a distinct conservative approach that puts him on the far right of the generally conservative Supreme Court and in the exact opposite place of the man he succeeded in 1991, Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice.
Thomas believes the Constitution's equal protection guarantee forbids such racial measures and, in a practical vein, argues that they stigmatize blacks, Latinos and other racial minorities.
Most importantly related to Wednesday's case, Thomas has narrowly interpreted the protections of a 1986 milestone decision, Batson v. Kentucky, intended to prevent prosecutors from using peremptory challenges to strike potential jurors based on their race. (Each side at trial is accorded a set number of such challenges that allow the elimination of jurors without any reason; however, the strikes cannot be based on race or gender.)
Three years ago, Thomas was the lone dissenter when the high court ruled against prosecutors in Georgia who had systematically kept blacks off a jury. Thomas believed the high court should have deferred to the state judges who handled the case, and he brushed aside evidence the defendant's lawyers had found of prosecutors' notations identifying jurors to be struck by their race.
Wednesday morning, Thomas again went against the emphasis of the majority as he abandoned his usual reluctance to enter the fray.
On Wednesday, most of the justices expressed concern about a prosecutor with a history of discriminating against black jurors who had been called for the murder trial of Curtis Giovanni Flowers. The question was whether he had engaged in the practice yet again, at Flowers' sixth trial. Flowers, an African-American, was convicted and sentenced to die for the 1996 killings of four people at a furniture store in Winona, Mississippi.
"The only plausible interpretation of all the evidence viewed cumulatively is that (prosecutor) Doug Evans began jury selection in Flowers VI with an unconstitutional end in mind," said Flowers' lawyer, Sheri Lynn Johnson, "to seat as few African-American jurors as he could."
Justices across the ideological spectrum were open to her arguments. Justice Samuel Alito referred to the "troubling" history of earlier instances in which the prosecutor had been found to have violated the principles of Batson, based on his screening of black jurors. (Flowers' murder convictions from the first three trials were thrown out. Two of his trials ended in hung juries. At issue is his sixth trial from 2010, in which a jury of 11 white people and one African-American found him guilty of four counts of murder.)
Thomas, at the very end of the hourlong hearing, suddenly spoke and essentially turned the tables by asking Johnson about the use of peremptory challenges by the defense team, not the prosecution.
"Ms. Johnson, would you be kind enough to tell me whether or not you exercised any peremptories ... were any peremptories exercised by the defendant?"
"They were," Johnson responded.
"And what was the race of the jurors struck there?" Thomas asked.
Referring to Flowers' trial attorney, Johnson said: "She only exercised peremptories against white jurors. But I would add that ... her motivation is not the question here. The question is the motivation of Doug Evans."
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court's only Latina justice, interjected, suggesting that the defense lawyer could not have eliminated any blacks because the prosecutor had already removed virtually all from the pool.
"She didn't have any black jurors to exercise peremptories against -- except the first one? ... After that, every black juror that was available on the panel was struck?"
Thomas asked nothing more.
___________________________________
Gotta love the biggest Uncle Tom in history.
He's such an Uncle Tom that the phrase should be renamed, Uncle Clarence.
jsmith6919
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JFC you're a racist piece of shit
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Yep, hypocrisy at its finest.
jsmith6919
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Finnish Government Collapses Due to Rising Cost of Universal Health Care
Resigned Finnish Prime Minister and leader of the Center Party Juha Sipila / Getty Images
BY: Jeffrey Cimmino Follow @jeffcimmino March 8, 2019 5:10 pm
The government of Finland collapsed Friday due to the rising cost of universal health care and the prime minister's failure to enact reforms to the system.
Prime Minister Juha Sipila and the rest of the cabinet resigned after the governing coalition failed to pass reforms in parliament to the country's regional government and health services, the Wall Street Journal reports. Finland faces an aging population, with around 26 percent of its citizens expected to be over 65 by the year 2030, an increase of 5 percent from today.
Sipila's reforms "intended to remove power from the 295 municipalities that currently oversee health and social care, and place responsibility within a leaner, more efficient system of 18 elected regional authorities," according to the Journal. The prime minister also wanted patients to be able to choose from a range of public and private providers.
Sipila said "there's no other way for Finland to succeed" besides these reforms, which could have led to $3.4 billion in savings for the government.
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Sooo about those Nordic utopias... The problem with socialism is you always end up running out of other peoples money.
Resigned Finnish Prime Minister and leader of the Center Party Juha Sipila / Getty Images
BY: Jeffrey Cimmino Follow @jeffcimmino March 8, 2019 5:10 pm
The government of Finland collapsed Friday due to the rising cost of universal health care and the prime minister's failure to enact reforms to the system.
Prime Minister Juha Sipila and the rest of the cabinet resigned after the governing coalition failed to pass reforms in parliament to the country's regional government and health services, the Wall Street Journal reports. Finland faces an aging population, with around 26 percent of its citizens expected to be over 65 by the year 2030, an increase of 5 percent from today.
Sipila's reforms "intended to remove power from the 295 municipalities that currently oversee health and social care, and place responsibility within a leaner, more efficient system of 18 elected regional authorities," according to the Journal. The prime minister also wanted patients to be able to choose from a range of public and private providers.
Sipila said "there's no other way for Finland to succeed" besides these reforms, which could have led to $3.4 billion in savings for the government.
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Sooo about those Nordic utopias... The problem with socialism is you always end up running out of other peoples money.
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BipolarFuk
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The government leaders resigned. The country isn't in shambles.
BipolarFuk
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In other news, here's something real MAGAN'S can be proud of.
U.S. HAS SPENT SIX TRILLION DOLLARS ON WARS THAT KILLED HALF A MILLION PEOPLE SINCE 9/11, REPORT SAYS
The United States has spent nearly $6 trillion on wars that directly contributed to the deaths of around 500,000 peoplesince the 9/11 attacks of 2001.
Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs published its annual "Costs of War" report Wednesday, taking into consideration the Pentagon's spending andits Overseas Contingency Operations account, as well as "war-related spending by the Department of State, past and obligated spending for war veterans’ care, interest on the debt incurred to pay for the wars, and the prevention of and response to terrorism by the Department of Homeland Security."
The final count revealed, "The United States has appropriated and is obligated to spend an estimated $5.9 trillion (in current dollars) on the war on terror through Fiscal Year 2019, including direct war and war-related spending and obligations for future spending on post 9/11 war veterans."
"In sum, high costs in war and war-related spending pose a national security concern because they are unsustainable," the report concluded. "The public would be better served by increased transparency and by the development of a comprehensive strategy to end the wars and deal with other urgent national security priorities."
The U.S. embarked on a global war on terror following the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 and were orchestrated by Islamist militant group Al-Qaeda. Weeks later, the U.S. led an invasion of Afghanistan, which at the time was controlled by Al-Qaeda ally the Taliban. In March 2003, Washington overthrew Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, accusing him of developing weapons of mass destruction and harboring U.S.-designated terrorist organizations.
Despite initial quick victories there, the U.S. military has been plagued by ongoing insurgencies these two countries and expanded counterterrorism operations across the region, including Libya, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. In 2014, the U.S. gathered an international coalition to face the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), which arose out of a post-invasion Sunni Muslim insurgency in Iraq and spread to neighboring Syria and beyond.
Wednesday's report found that the "US military is conducting counterterror activities in 76 countries, or about 39 percent of the world's nations, vastly expanding [its mission] across the globe." In addition, these operations "have been accompanied by violations of human rights and civil liberties, in the US and abroad."
Overall, researchers estimated that "between 480,000 and 507,000 people have been killed in the United States’ post-9/11 wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan." This toll "does not include the more than 500,000 deaths from the war in Syria, raging since 2011" when a West-backed rebel and jihadi uprising challenged the government, an ally of Russia and Iran. That same year, the U.S.-led NATO Western military alliance intervened in Libya and helped insurgents overthrowlongtime leader Muammar el-Qaddafi, leaving the nation in an ongoing state of civil war.
The combined human cost for the U.S. throughout its actions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan was 6,951 troops, 21 civilians and 7,820 contractors.
"While we often know how many US soldiers die, most other numbers are to a degree uncertain. Indeed, we may never know the total direct death toll in these wars. For example, tens of thousands of civilians may have died in retaking Mosul and other cities from ISIS but their bodies have likely not been recovered," the report noted.
"In addition, this tally does not include 'indirect deaths.' Indirect harm occurs when wars' destruction leads to long term, 'indirect,' consequences for people’s health in war zones, for example because of loss of access to food, water, health facilities, electricity or other infrastructure," it added.
In February, President Donald Trump estimated that "we have spent $7 trillion in the Middle East," saying "what a mistake" it was. Weeks later, he reportedly told his military advisers to prepare a plan to withdraw from Syria as the war against ISIS entered its final phases, though senior Washington officials have since expanded the U.S. mission— considered illegal by the Syrian government and its allies—to include countering Iran and its allies.
U.S. HAS SPENT SIX TRILLION DOLLARS ON WARS THAT KILLED HALF A MILLION PEOPLE SINCE 9/11, REPORT SAYS
The United States has spent nearly $6 trillion on wars that directly contributed to the deaths of around 500,000 peoplesince the 9/11 attacks of 2001.
Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs published its annual "Costs of War" report Wednesday, taking into consideration the Pentagon's spending andits Overseas Contingency Operations account, as well as "war-related spending by the Department of State, past and obligated spending for war veterans’ care, interest on the debt incurred to pay for the wars, and the prevention of and response to terrorism by the Department of Homeland Security."
The final count revealed, "The United States has appropriated and is obligated to spend an estimated $5.9 trillion (in current dollars) on the war on terror through Fiscal Year 2019, including direct war and war-related spending and obligations for future spending on post 9/11 war veterans."
"In sum, high costs in war and war-related spending pose a national security concern because they are unsustainable," the report concluded. "The public would be better served by increased transparency and by the development of a comprehensive strategy to end the wars and deal with other urgent national security priorities."
The U.S. embarked on a global war on terror following the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 and were orchestrated by Islamist militant group Al-Qaeda. Weeks later, the U.S. led an invasion of Afghanistan, which at the time was controlled by Al-Qaeda ally the Taliban. In March 2003, Washington overthrew Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, accusing him of developing weapons of mass destruction and harboring U.S.-designated terrorist organizations.
Despite initial quick victories there, the U.S. military has been plagued by ongoing insurgencies these two countries and expanded counterterrorism operations across the region, including Libya, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. In 2014, the U.S. gathered an international coalition to face the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), which arose out of a post-invasion Sunni Muslim insurgency in Iraq and spread to neighboring Syria and beyond.
Wednesday's report found that the "US military is conducting counterterror activities in 76 countries, or about 39 percent of the world's nations, vastly expanding [its mission] across the globe." In addition, these operations "have been accompanied by violations of human rights and civil liberties, in the US and abroad."
Overall, researchers estimated that "between 480,000 and 507,000 people have been killed in the United States’ post-9/11 wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan." This toll "does not include the more than 500,000 deaths from the war in Syria, raging since 2011" when a West-backed rebel and jihadi uprising challenged the government, an ally of Russia and Iran. That same year, the U.S.-led NATO Western military alliance intervened in Libya and helped insurgents overthrowlongtime leader Muammar el-Qaddafi, leaving the nation in an ongoing state of civil war.
The combined human cost for the U.S. throughout its actions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan was 6,951 troops, 21 civilians and 7,820 contractors.
"While we often know how many US soldiers die, most other numbers are to a degree uncertain. Indeed, we may never know the total direct death toll in these wars. For example, tens of thousands of civilians may have died in retaking Mosul and other cities from ISIS but their bodies have likely not been recovered," the report noted.
"In addition, this tally does not include 'indirect deaths.' Indirect harm occurs when wars' destruction leads to long term, 'indirect,' consequences for people’s health in war zones, for example because of loss of access to food, water, health facilities, electricity or other infrastructure," it added.
In February, President Donald Trump estimated that "we have spent $7 trillion in the Middle East," saying "what a mistake" it was. Weeks later, he reportedly told his military advisers to prepare a plan to withdraw from Syria as the war against ISIS entered its final phases, though senior Washington officials have since expanded the U.S. mission— considered illegal by the Syrian government and its allies—to include countering Iran and its allies.
BipolarFuk
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I'm Mx. curious. Not in a sexual way. Just as in wtf makes these people tick.
NoDak
Hotlinking' sonofabitch
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It didn't say the country collapsed. It said the government did. Which is correct.
BipolarFuk
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She's always been a fucking cunt.
BipolarFuk
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[h=1]Robertson: God Told Me There’ll Be A Trump Towers in Heaven[/h] Like many fundamentalist Christians, televangelist Pat Robertson is a big fan of President Donald Trump.
“Trump has been a fantastic president for the faith community,” said Robertson on “The 700 Club.” “In fact God told me last night that Donald Trump’s name has been written in the Book of Life. He’s guaranteed a place in heaven. In fact, he’ll also be a real estate mogul in heaven and have his own Trump Towers.”
Robertson also recently said the presence of gay people may cause God to give up on America.
“If you read the book of Romans, you find a time when the Bible says ‘God gave them up.’ And he gave them up to unclean passions,” said Robertson on “The 700 Club.” “Women lusting for women and men lusting for men like women. And this was the end of the decline against God. It was wherefore God gave them up to unnatural passions, the Bible says. And that’s what’s happening now.”
Robertson also said Christians were happy about Trump’s decisions on Israel such as moving the American embassy to Jerusalem.
Many fundies have compared Trump to King Cyrus, a biblical figure who played a role in saving the Jews.
This view is also shared by Sec. of State Mike Pompeo, according to a recent Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) interview.
“Could it be, that President Trump right now has been sort of raised for such a time like this just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from an Iranian menace?” asked a CBN reporter.
“As a Christian, I certainly believe that’s possible,” said Pompeo, who was previously CIA director.
Pompeo also talked about touring Israel’s historical sites.
“It was remarkable — so we were down in the tunnels where we could see 3,000 years ago, and 2,000 years ago — if I have the history just right — to see the remarkable history of the faith in this place and the work that our administration’s done to make sure that this democracy in the Middle East, that this Jewish state remains,” he said.
“Trump has been a fantastic president for the faith community,” said Robertson on “The 700 Club.” “In fact God told me last night that Donald Trump’s name has been written in the Book of Life. He’s guaranteed a place in heaven. In fact, he’ll also be a real estate mogul in heaven and have his own Trump Towers.”
Robertson also recently said the presence of gay people may cause God to give up on America.
“If you read the book of Romans, you find a time when the Bible says ‘God gave them up.’ And he gave them up to unclean passions,” said Robertson on “The 700 Club.” “Women lusting for women and men lusting for men like women. And this was the end of the decline against God. It was wherefore God gave them up to unnatural passions, the Bible says. And that’s what’s happening now.”
Robertson also said Christians were happy about Trump’s decisions on Israel such as moving the American embassy to Jerusalem.
Many fundies have compared Trump to King Cyrus, a biblical figure who played a role in saving the Jews.
This view is also shared by Sec. of State Mike Pompeo, according to a recent Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) interview.
“Could it be, that President Trump right now has been sort of raised for such a time like this just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from an Iranian menace?” asked a CBN reporter.
“As a Christian, I certainly believe that’s possible,” said Pompeo, who was previously CIA director.
Pompeo also talked about touring Israel’s historical sites.
“It was remarkable — so we were down in the tunnels where we could see 3,000 years ago, and 2,000 years ago — if I have the history just right — to see the remarkable history of the faith in this place and the work that our administration’s done to make sure that this democracy in the Middle East, that this Jewish state remains,” he said.
Chocolate Lab
Kuato Lives
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There aren't enough
for what she said. Unbelievable.
BipolarFuk
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