27 June 2018, Washington D.C. —Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement effective 31 July. What a drag! Now Donald Trump will get to appoint another Justice. I fear the next appointment will be worse, i.e., more conservative, than the last one.
Justice Kennedy is the swing vote: sometimes he’d side with the liberals on the Court, sometimes with the conservatives. A Reagan appointee, Kennedy frequently surprised many by standing with the liberals rather than always siding with the Court’s conservatives. When Trump nominates his next Justice, the Court will be packed with conservatives.
Justice Kennedy notwithstanding, the Supreme Court already is doing Trump’s dirty work for him: making America forbidding again for people of color and women. With five conservative justices on the court, it will be a miracle if African-Americans can continue to vote, if women can still get legal abortions, if unions can survive, and if gerrymandering can be slowed.
Trump’s conservative vortex is scary, sucking down many of the advances the country has made over the past 50 years; and it seems unstoppable. It is a time machine set to the past.
All we can do is wait to see who Trump will nominate to the Court and hope the candidate is someone we can live with, someone who won’t help take the country too far into the past. After all, everyone understands what “Make America Great Again” means, and a return to the “good old days” for which Trump and his minions yearn does not bode well for African-Americans and anyone else who isn’t part of the mainstream.
It is hard to remain hopeful, but we must. . .
Speaking freely 
Oh, Pamela, I am so disheartened! Before Trump was elected, I tried to imagine living under his regime. I couldn’t fathom it. How could America elect an inarticulate, racist, blowhard, misogynist, know nothing? I went to bed at 9 PM on election night and just lay there in shock.Then he got elected and nothing he does appears too outrageous for his enablers. Not even the real possiblility that he is a true Manchurian Candidate. Why did Kennedy retire now? Couldn’t he wait 6 more months! Even Justice Souter waited until Obama was in power. What Trump wants for America, is not what I want! I feel compelled to keep up with it all. To be a witness to it. To care about it. It’s driving me crazy! This awful turn of events is quite a blow. I am really dejected! I need to go to a huge rally, and recharge my batteries. I want Charles Blow to be there addressing the crowd! I want to chant in unison with like minded resisters! I want some way to loudly, irreverently, and disrespectfully push back.
See you there.
Barbie Fox
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Oh, Barbie, I am so happy you are with me! You, me & Charles Blow. Did you march on 30 June? I’m sorry to say I did not. But I’m trying not to lose hope and knowing you are of like mind is a big help. Carrie and I are cafe-sitting right now — wish you were here!
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You said it, sister! But you left out vulgar, corrupt, predatory, liar. We must regain the congressional majority NOW before it is too late.
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Putting a different spin on the quote on the back of Melania Trump’s jacket, instead of “I don’t care. Do you?” how about, “I care. It takes too much effort not to care.”
Do YOU care about what is happening in America today. Do you care about the plight of immigrants? Do you care about race relations? Do you care about protecting the environment? Do you care about what is happening to ethics in government? Do you care about gun control, and about the mass killings. Do you care about our longstanding relationship with allies and our position on the world stage. Do you care about violence in America? Do you care about healthcare? . Do you care about the decline of civility and decency.?
Are you one of the 95+ million votes who did not care to vote in the 2016 Presidential election. Apathy must not be allowed to prevail.
I DO CARE. DO YOU?
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Alan, your comments, though thought provoking, don’t seem to have anything to do with my We Must Remain Hopeful post, so I’m a little confused by them. I never mentioned Melania or her jacket. But thank you for reading my blog and posting your thoughts!
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