Swing Vote My Ass

Extreme Court

June 28, 2018

Supreme Court justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement two days ago.  To put some perspective to this, presidential historian John Meacham said this signaled that, “The Ronald Regan era ended today.”  That’s right, thirty years after the Regan presidency ended, the last remaining Regan appointee to the Supreme Court finally announced his retirement.  Unfortunately, this retirement is more than a moment too soon.

This of course means that the most ignorant, narcissistic, anti-democratic creature ever to live in the White House will have the opportunity to make his second appointment to the high court.  As if the stench of Chrump was not already expected to linger long enough, disabling much if not all of America’s future, imagine another Thomas, Gorsuch, Roberts or Alito on the bench for over a generation.  Imagine if you will, the youngest, most religiously fanatical, socially retarded, ignorant Supreme Court appointee in history putting control of the highest court in the land solidly in the hands of five ideologues who will blithely do the will of Big Church, Big Business and so-called Small Government for the rest of your natural life.  I expect to have to walk around with an air-sick bag for the rest of my days.

Kennedy has, for many years been referred to as the Court’s swing vote because he did not march in lock step with the four fascist on the Court 100 percent of the time – only 90 percent.  Quite the swinger.  Apparently Kennedy did not care for this descriptor being applied to him.  Me neither.

Kennedy did manage to break with his hateful brethren in several important instances, voting in favor of the Constitutionality of same sex marriage and rights for detainees at Guantanamo Bay.  He also voted to uphold Roe v. Wade.  However, Kennedy also swung the vote in favor of the disastrous Citizens United v. Democracy, and he did not vote in favor of democracy.  On his way out the door, Kennedy helped shepherd through decisions that screwed labor unions, and a final middle finger to America – approving Chrump’s racist travel ban.

Unfortunately, there is one other decision that needed Anthony Kennedy’s super swingin’ vote.  That was the 2000 Supreme Court decision to stop the vote count in the Florida presidential election and hand the presidency to the loser of the 2000 election – Bush v. Gore.  Many people remember what happened after that; I won’t gore you with the details.

Actually, Kennedy’s final fuck you to America was walking away while Donald Chrump would be the one to nominate his replacement.  I guess his swinging days are over.  As is America’s days as a beacon of democracy and forward thinking (in between horrific depredations of all sorts, which we can surely expect more of under the new regime).  You can bet your last dollar, which you will soon be holding in your hand as Chrump works his magic dealing arts on our economy, that as bad as Kennedy was, his replacement will make him look like Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Enter Mitch Fucking McConnell

Naturally, before the words, “I quit” had barely passed Kennedy lips, fecal American Mitch McConnell jumped out of his Velveeta-filled hot tub and pronounced, “We will vote to confirm Justice Kennedy's successor this fall.”  Most of you are old enough to remember all the way back to February 2016, when Antonin Scalia, may he rest in hell, finally stopped assaulting the Constitution.  Before Scalia’s body was even cold, McConnell told America that he would not allow then-President Barack Obama to nominate Scalia’s replacement because it was an election year.  This was one of the most horrific abuses of power in American political history. 

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, hey wait, isn’t this an election year?  Why yes Murgatroyd, that is correct, but it is not an election year in Mitch McConnell’s diseased brain.  He has a god complex and no shame.  Let me just say, McConnell, to quote your soullessmate Dick Cheney, “Go fuck yourself.”  Do not pass Go, do not collect anything.  You evil bastard.

I. Mangrey reporting. Oy vey.