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Uncle Joe

(58,445 posts) Fri Apr 26, 2024, 01:34 PM Apr 26

"The Supreme Court Is a Product of Minority Rule": Ari Berman on America's Undemocratic System

We speak with journalist and author Ari Berman about his new book, Minority Rule, which details how the United States has since its founding privileged the rights and interests of a small elite over the needs of the majority. He outlines how, for the first time in U.S. history, five of six conservative justices on the Supreme Court were appointed by Republican presidents who lost the popular vote, and confirmed by senators elected by a minority of Americans. Berman says the court’s makeup is the product of two skewed institutions: how we elect our presidents through the Electoral College and how we appoint U.S. senators — both of which are flawed because they violate one person, one vote, violating the principle of equal representation, and empowering white, rural, conservative and wealthy citizens at the expense of more diverse and progressive parts of the country. “Our institutions are so antiquated, so undemocratic, that we need fundamental reform to change them, to democratize them,” Berman says.

Transcript: https://www.democracynow.org/2024/4/2...

Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET.

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"The Supreme Court Is a Product of Minority Rule": Ari Berman on America's Undemocratic System (Original Post) Uncle Joe Apr 26 OP

The problem is that in order to effect these changes, FalloutShelter Apr 26 #1

It's been known for over 10 yrs that Koch has a plan to hijack any constitutional convention. ancianita Apr 26 #2

Kick. red dog 1 Apr 26 #3

Berman's book ignores Bush/Florida 2000 GoreWon2000 Apr 27 #4

Even had the best scenario played out, and all the votes been counted in Florida Uncle Joe Apr 27 #5

No electoral college issue had all Florida votes been counted! GoreWon2000 Thursday #6

The anti-democracy electoral college is still here and never went away, although Uncle Joe Thursday #7

Focusing only on the anti-democracy electoral college doesn't erase the GOP efforts to not count all of the votes GoreWon2000 Thursday #8

It's not a question of just focusing on one at the expense of the other. Uncle Joe Thursday #9

FalloutShelter

(11,881 posts)

1. The problem is that in order to effect these changes,

Reply to Uncle Joe (Original post)

Fri Apr 26, 2024, 01:49 PM

Apr 26

there would have to be a Constitutional Convention. The problem there, is that in order to get the changes we want we would have to rely on our opposing party to cooperate in a trustworthy manner.

The GOP is not a trustworthy partner in governance.

From Common Cause:
https://www.commoncause.org/our-work/constitution-courts-and-democracy-issues/article-v-convention/

ancianita

(36,146 posts)

2. It's been known for over 10 yrs that Koch has a plan to hijack any constitutional convention.

Reply to FalloutShelter (Reply #1)

Fri Apr 26, 2024, 02:37 PM

Apr 26

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mark-meckler-article-five-constitutional-convention_n_6086c380e4b09cce6c143b10

Six weeks before Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election, more than 100 state lawmakers gathered in Williamsburg, Virginia, for a week of Founding Fathers cosplay. Their task, over three days in the town that bills itself as a living museum to America’s colonial period, was to approve a dramatic overhaul of the United States’ foundational text.
The lawmakers, nearly all Republicans, ratified six new Constitutional amendments ...

Koch isn't getting any younger, so his Heritage Project 2025 might be a parallel plan or Plan B, whichever gets him to 'owning' the unitary executive tool that rethugs try to put in the WH.

Whatever structural changes bring autocracy, Koch is behind it. We'll have to keep slowing his progress, and forcing their delay until those plans die with him, and/or as his trust setups get leached out over time. One misstep, and they could be sued.

red dog 1

(27,872 posts)

3. Kick.

Reply to Uncle Joe (Original post)

Fri Apr 26, 2024, 03:21 PM

Apr 26

On Twitter (X), #SCOTUSIsCorrupt is trending.

GoreWon2000

(104 posts)

4. Berman's book ignores Bush/Florida 2000

Reply to Uncle Joe (Original post)

Sat Apr 27, 2024, 01:34 PM

Apr 27

I have Ari Berman's book and it ignores the anti-democracy Bush/Florida 2000 attack. Bush/Florida 2000 created the anti-democracy roadmap for successfully stealing a Presidential election. There would be no Trump without Bush/Florida 2000. Contrary to Berman, f all of the uncounted Florida votes had been counted as Florida law required, there would be no electoral college issue for 2000.

Uncle Joe

(58,445 posts)

5. Even had the best scenario played out, and all the votes been counted in Florida

Reply to GoreWon2000 (Reply #4)

Sat Apr 27, 2024, 06:32 PM

Apr 27

with Al Gore being declared the winner, that still wouldn't change the fundamental points that Berman makes regarding how the electoral college and the method that Senators are appointed regardless of state population work against our democracy.

GoreWon2000

(104 posts)

6. No electoral college issue had all Florida votes been counted!

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #5)

Thu May 2, 2024, 01:45 PM

Thursday

Having spent 15 years volunteering on election campaigns when I lived in Florida, I think it's important to point out that had all of the uncounted Florida votes been counted as Florida election law clearly required in 2000 there would be no electoral college issue because Gore would've been awarded Florida's 27 electoral college votes for getting the most votes in Florida putting him well past the 270 electoral college votes needed. It was not counting all of the uncounted Florida votes that caused the anti-democracy electoral college to rear its ugly, anti-democracy head because thief W was wrongly awarded Florida's 27 electoral college votes despite the fact that all of the votes had not been counted and that most of the uncounted votes were located in the largest and most heavily democratic voting counties in Florida. It's also important to point out that had the will of the people prevailed in 2000, Al Gore would never have appointed extremists Alito or Roberts to the SCOTUS which would've prevented the current radical GOP SCOTUS majority.

Uncle Joe

(58,445 posts)

7. The anti-democracy electoral college is still here and never went away, although

Reply to GoreWon2000 (Reply #6)

Thu May 2, 2024, 01:51 PM

Thursday

some states are amending their Constitutions allowing their electors to be awarded to whoever garners the most votes nationally.

GoreWon2000

(104 posts)

8. Focusing only on the anti-democracy electoral college doesn't erase the GOP efforts to not count all of the votes

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #7)

Thu May 2, 2024, 01:59 PM

Thursday

The anti-democracy GOP has made it abundantly clear that they intend to throw out as many democratic votes as they can get away with. This is what happened in Florida in 2000 and this is what TRump and his current GOP election stealers tried in 2020 and will try again in 2024 and beyond. It's crucial for democrats to not lose sight of this.

Uncle Joe

(58,445 posts)

9. It's not a question of just focusing on one at the expense of the other.

Reply to GoreWon2000 (Reply #8)

Thu May 2, 2024, 02:09 PM

Thursday

We can walk and chew gum at the same time.

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