Here Comes The Judge, was a comedy skit performed by the late great Pigment Markham. It illustrated the power of a judge to affect society and its citizenry. Even in slap stick comedy, entertainers and fans alike, know that the judge, always has the last word.
A few months back, I wrote a blog issuing a WARNING, that while liberal media was obsessing about Trumps indecent, bigoted, sexist tweets, he on the other hand, was busy appointing right wing judges to federal positions at an alarming rate.
Trump knows what he is doing. His playbook never changes. And why should it? It’s working. He says the most obnoxious ridiculous unpresidential thing you can think of and gets liberal media to focus on that while he passes REAL legislation that will actually have a LASTING detrimental effect on American citizens for YEARS to come.
His tweets hurt our feelings. His legislation damages lives.
I asked this question and I will ask it once again:
Imagine you are standing on your front lawn, a man walks by and calls you the most demeaning name that can possibly be said. Should you focus on him or his friend on your back porch, dousing your home with lighter fluid...about to pull a match out of his pocket?
Trump has appointed more right wing federal judges than any of his republican predecessors. Which is exactly why he wasn’t really worried about the Mueller report and why outside of his narcissistic need for constant praise, he really isn’t worried about much else. Because for every bombastic statement steeped in ignorance he knows the truth:
Whoever wins in court, wins in everything.
We have three branches of government. The executive, the legislative and the judicial. When the executive branch and the legislative branch are at odds, the judicial branch settles accounts. It is our nations great reckoning. If you control this reckoning, you win. Period. Checkmate.
Fox News reports…and I use the word “news’ loosely.
“Trump is far ahead of recent presidents for appeals court confirmations, which an analyst calls the "big leagues" of the judiciary system.
There’s no question that President Trump has been incredibly effective at putting people on the appellate courts — in fact, he’s gotten more than twice as many appeals court judges than most of the other presidents,” Mark Carl Rom, a Georgetown University government and public policy professor, told Roll Call.
Trump has flipped the Third Circuit Court of Appeals from a Democratic-nominated majority to a Republican-nominated one, and other nominees have strengthened Republican-nominated majorities in the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Courts of Appeal”.
I bet you're wondering how this all happened? How we found ourselves watching another accused sexual predator be appointed to the highest court in the land. And how Donald J. Trump managed to fill the federal courts with rightwing judges with little to no press coverage.
Well the answer is both simple and maddening. The answer is cliche' yet profoundly true: Elections have Consequences. And THIS is ours. Donald Trump used white identity politics, to spread fear and serve as a clarion call to an agenda that he would enact behind the veil. And he has.
This administration has packed the courts with right wing fanatic judges. Destroyed families seeking asylum. Pissed on our allies, made friends with known enemies and made millions hand over fist while doing it. Meanwhile, liberal media has focused on tweets, hurt feelings and P.C shaming for ratings.
Let me be clear, we are not losing…we lost. The scary part is only a few of us who pay attention know it. Let me let you in on something, now that Trump has appointed a far right Supreme Court Judge, if he wins in 2020, his administration will facilitate the challenge and removal of: Roe vs Wade, Affirmative Action and Marriage Equality. And that’s just the beginning. If any of the lower courts decide to bring charges against him based on the Mueller Report, he will refute it in court and he will win. The people will appeal and the case will go to the Supreme Court where he will win again because not only has he packed the lower courts in his favor, he has assured his own victory in the highest court in the land with his own.
This feat has not only been diabolical in nature but brilliantly executed. The best con job I’ve seen in a looooong time. Forget divide and conquer...he robbed, exploited, deceived and capitalized all in PLAIN SIGHT. And in terms of federal laws and consequences nothing can be done about it. Not even electing more women and people of color to government positions. Those elections are important but they will only effect you at a state level (which is still significant but NO WHERE NEAR as significant as packing federal courts with your own judges).
The 2020 presidential election is our chance to slow this down. I say “slow” and not “stop” because the judges Trump appointed are already in place and they will effect a generation.
So we won’t be able to change that until around the time when Gen Z’s children are voting.
If this presidency has taught us anything, it is that we ought not slumber on anyone’s watch. We live in a great country but we can not take that for granted. Donald Trump has shown us that our institutions are not stronger than our collective ignorance or apathy. We must always be diligent and continue to fight for the well being of ALL.