"The Judiciary branch is strong and WE. WILL. HOLD"

[EffieBlack]

A few weeks ago, a dear old friend, a Republican-appointed federal judge, trying to console me during a moment of despair about the future of our country, said to me “The Judiciary branch is strong and will hold.” When I expressed skepticism, he leaned toward me, looked me dead in the eye, and said as firmly as he could without shouting: “We are strong and WE. WILL. HOLD.”

Today, thanks to Judge Mehta, I think he may be right ...

[elleng]

1. Thank you, and thank your friend.

[mobeau69]

2. Only The Constitution and our Democratic Republic depend on that.

Lord, hear our prayer.

[irisblue]

21. May it be so. Amen. Blessed Be

[grantcart]

25. Right on, you can say that again.

[irisblue]

21. May it be so. Amen. Blessed Be

[hlthe2b]

3. What did he have to say about SCOTUS and current state of DOJ under Barr?

[EffieBlack]

4. We didn't discuss that.

[Chin music]

46. +1

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. The thing about judges is that they are *very* protective of their own role

as one of the three equal branches of government. They don't like being fucked with by the other branches (I once clerked for an appellate judge and I saw this attitude IRL). And someday the Supremes are going to rule against Trump in some case or other - we've already seen a couple of cases where both Kavanaugh and Gorsuch have sided with the four liberals - and Trump will explode with fury. His tweets will be epic.

[grantcart]

27. I agree. Except for a few they are more interested about being concerned with being a good judge

Than a good Republican or Democrat.

If they are real partisans then they would go to a more partisan branch.

[StarfishSaver]

6. I LOVE this

[Honeycombe8]

7. I'm glad you shared that.

That does make me feel better. Russia & Trump have dirtied our government in so many way, including the judiciary...but we don't know the extent of it. It helps to know it may not be as bad as I imagined.

[FreepFryer]

8. Yes. Thanks Effie for paying it forward. NT

[sheshe2]

9. Thank you, EffieBlack.

I haven't lost hope of the procedures that MUST be followed. Straight down the line and follow the rule of law to a Tee. Fact is we are the ones that uphold the law and not break it on a whim. If we did that we would be no better than them.

[EffieBlack]

10. So true

That’s what so many in the “hang him first and then do the trial” crowd don’t understand. If we’re going to turn into them in order to beat them, what’s the point?

[sheshe2]

12. Sounds like the lynchings in the south.

Or perhaps Stand Your Ground, Ferguson and child named Michael. Hang first. Shoot first.

No thanks. I will follow the laws and not the law that people take into their own hands.

If we’re going to turn into them in order to beat them, what’s the point?

[Kurt V.]

11. average ppl have and always will be our salvation

[dawg day]

13. Let's see if Chief Justice Roberts feels the same--

He's conscious of his reputation, so maybe he'll stand up for the judiciary independence.

[empedocles]

16. The ghost of Chief Justice Roger Taney haunts the chambers of Chief Roberts.

Hope the ghost keeps on haunting.

[guillaumeb]

14. And that is why McConnell is approving so many far right Judges.

To remake the Judiciary.

[certainot]

33. meanwhile limbaugh attacks good judges to send attacks their way

first a judge named 'mehta' and then another judge named 'ramos' - rw radio will have plenty of ammo for the racist assholes

[guillaumeb]

40. Agreed.

Limbaugh is one part of a far right media that attempts to set the limits of what is seen as possible.

[spanone]

15. Amen!

[malaise]

17. Yep

The system is way stronger than this two bit Con and his goons

[Rambling Man]

38. How strong was the system

that got him elected?

[watoos]

18. As of November

Trump had appointed 154 federal judges, don’t know what the number is now. He has appointed more appeals court judges than any president.
How can you feel calm?
Oh yeah, 1 in 6 federal judges has been appointed by Trump.

[StarfishSaver]

19. 1 in 6 federal judges was appointed by Trump. Meaning 5 out of 6 weren't

What do you think the alternative to being calm is? Setting my hair on fire? That's a waste of my time and not productive

And no, he hasn't appointed more appeals court judges than any other president. He's appointed more than any other president at this stage in their presidency.

[pnwmom]

20. Thank you so much, EffieBlack. My working theory has been that the judicial branch

would not be as willing to give up their power as the Republicans in Congress.

I hope your friend speaks for many.

[dlk]

23. I Am Very Grateful for Judge Mehta's Well-Reasoned Opinion

This opinion was a very big win for America and the rule of law.

[grantcart]

24. A lifelong friend who is a retired Republican (Catholic) judge told me

"If the Democratic Party doesn't win by a landslide in 2020 the Republic is lost"

The Judiciary will buy us time but there is only one path to salvation a broad and sustained denoucement by a wide spectrum of the American people.

[mcar]

26. Your analysis gives me hope, Effie

Thanks.

[Horse with no Name]

28. I hope so

Our country depends on it.

[saidsimplesimon]

29. "We will hold", yes, we will

It's a bi-partisan effort. Rumpublicans, like Mitch the Russian agent, raking in big bucks, have a financial interest in the outcome. I'm retired on a modest, earned income.

[Progressive Jones]

30. K & R

[SCVDem]

31. Now repugs see things differently!

It was perfectly acceptable to mention second amendment remedies while running against Harry Reid.

Please note that this was NEVER advocated by ANY Democrat!

I seriously question what equal rights means.

I am proud to be a non violent Democrat and will not stoop to their level of fear and violence!

[Hekate]

32. May it be so. KnR

[duforsure]

34. That's why

trump will be threatening any judges he doesn't have compromised, even republican judges, and republican members of Congress.

[Hortensis]

35. "The judiciary is strong and will hold." Deep breath. :)

I believed that and have been proud of how resilient our government has been. But the corruption is much farther along than I think even the most sophisticated observers realized before this, and our system of checks and balances has failed, even if it turns out to be not completely broken. Who would have believed both Republican congressional caucuses would turn traitor? Unbelievable. And the highest courts are mostly still to be tested.

...and release. Our. Courts. Will. Hold.

[OliverQ]

36. I'm not sure about that.

McConnell has been stacking the courts with far-right extremists who will let Trump get anyway with anything.

[EffieBlack]

37. My friend is well aware of that

as well as many other things we don’t know.

So I’ll take him at his word.

[NewJeffCT]

41. While there are some unqualified Trumpsters

and/or right wing whack jobs, I think a majority of the appointees are just straight conservatives. Some of them should respect the Rule of Law and the Constitution.

[Rambling Man]

39. You're such an amazing, interesting person . . .

you should write a screenplay about your life!

George Lucas himself couldn't write anything more compelling than your IRL experiences.

[amb123]

42. I rec your post in hope

that what the judge said will be so.

[seta1950]

43. Yes

The judiciary is our only hope

[colsohlibgal]

44. Hope So

But....what if Trump keeps stonewalling courts, rulings, everything. This is the first time In my life where I am not sure how things turn out.....as Rachel lamented as she ended her show the other day folks may want to steer clear of 5th Avenue.

[pdsimdars]

45. I have heard this. Lawrence O'Donnell had some people on last night who said this strongly

But one thing I thought about was that too many people are waiting for the Judiciary to "hold the line".
But Mitch and Trump are working FEVERISHLY to "gerrymander" the courts, to "fix" them to their liking so that we will no longer get the just decision but their partisan decision. I think we need to shake ourselves to NOT get complacent about this fact, not get complacent that the Judicial will be there to bail us out.

[cstanleytech]

47. Considering how Mitch helped steal a SCOTUS position as well as the other replacement on

SCOTUS I have doubts that the courts themselves will be able to survive in the long term without tilting to far and issue rulings that truly would have appalled the founding fathers.

[yonder]

48. Thanks for the encouraging anecdote.

[emmaverybo]

49. Thank you for your post.

[cilla4progress]

50. I wish I could be confident,

I'm afraid I'm not there. But this helps.

[malaise]

51. Kick back to the top n/t

[StClone]

52. Yes your Post from May had me thinking back then

Yes the Judiciary will hold on things where it is obvious and not consequential to the Billionaires direct affairs. But whenever our needs and wishes are Constitutionally protected, though not thoroughly delineated, their rulings favor the toxic rich.

[EffieBlack]

53. The courts have been tossing Trump lawyers out on their butts all week

[StClone]

54. Yes on this

But once out of these weeds it back to the reality:

https://time.com/5793956/supreme-court-loves-rich/

[EffieBlack]

55. Maybe. But right now, the Judiciary is holding. That's what matters