Voting Rights

The Supreme Court is hearing Voting Rights Act matters this week and that is generally a concern with this tainted conservative leaning court. The anti-democratic nature (small 'd') of the Republican Party in general is apparent though this has been true for quite some time at this point. The one "both sides" moment when reading that article is that I too think by this point Republicans are not just political opponents at this point.

There are things that can be done. The House -- now that it passed COVID -- is shifting to its voting rights bill. Also, we have this item: "Ex-President Sarkozy Found Guilty of Corruption in France." Trump continued his lies in front of the CPAC conservative gathering over the weekend. But, there are civil and legal means to address him and his fellow conspirators. This includes the 14A, even if there is room for debate on the exact nature of the appropriate legislation.

I read an interesting article on the application of a "right to life" by Asian courts (death penalty, abortion and euthansia). It is sometimes misleadingly noted that only the U.S. and a few miscreants have the death penalty. The interesting situation in South Korea aside (moratorium and narrow rejection by the constitutional court for striking it totally), Japan did have an active death penalty in recent years. At one point, some judges said the death penalty might at some point outlive its legitimacy, noting: "a nation’s culture develops to a high degree and as a peaceful society is realized on the basis of justice and order."

The U.S. isn't quite there yet, but the Garland Justice Department [likely to be a thing some time in early March] probably will apply a death penalty moratorium. For years, in some ways from our founding, the death penalty has been said to be a violation of basic republican values as well.