Indiana and Tennessee Declare June as Nuclear Family Month

I discuss the various problems with this here. I toss in a link to an amusing "drag comedy" that is also a satire of teenage films. 

Andrew Lukehart Execution

Andrew Lukehart, after previously being found guilty of child abuse, was sentenced to die by Florida for the death of a five-month-old child. He first made up a kidnapping story.

That was thirty years ago. Breyer explained why it is constitutionally and otherwise problematic to execute someone after all that time. Florida is making it a habit.

The first article suggests it is still somewhat unclear what exactly happened. Why did he murder the child? Child abuse, including lethal child abuse, arises for various reasons.

The crime is horrible, especially when you look at the picture of the child. The news article starts with a trigger warning. Still, thirty years in prison is a very serious punishment. 

The final appeal, rejected by the Supreme Court the day before without comment, was a standard red flag about Florida execution procedures. Old ground

It also added a novel argument that forcing him to choose an alternative means of execution (you must do so if you challenge the method) is a violation of his religious liberty. There is a federal statute protecting the religious liberty of prisoners. 

His execution doesn't provide much value, in my opinion, to the public welfare. Safeguarding children is precious. An arbitrary execution does little to advance it. 

Supreme Court Order List

Today's Order List was a bit long since the justices tossed back a death penalty case (7-2) because the lower court wrongly took into consideration evidence the jury didn't see. They granted a case first sought by a pro se prisoner. Also, the "bill of complaint" issue (two views) came up again. I basically agree with Michael Dorf. 

Judges Behaving Badly

A black woman judge, appointed by a Democrat, behaved badly. The judicial self-regulation left something to be desired. 

Liberals, who are not hypocrites overall on the issue, flagged the problem. Judicial ethics and proper congressional oversight should be bipartisan. It is a good campaign issue.

Ken Paxton Attacks Opponent's Religious Beliefs

I discussed a book that argues that religious beliefs will sometimes be relevant when determining who is fit for public office. Racist religious beliefs do not get a pass. It is touchy.

The dig is an anti-trans epithet. MAGA selectively cares about religious liberty. Anti-trans rhetoric is here insulting the beliefs of millions of Christians. Among other things, yes, that is disqualifying. 

John Quincy Adams

Crawford is a musician and podcaster. 

I'm not familiar with him in either case. I am enjoying this book, which focuses on his antislavery efforts, especially as a House member. It's a book geared to the general reader with some neat drawings.

Adams hated slavery, but like many people of the day, didn't care for abolitionists. Slavery was bad, but we were stuck with it.

Early on, when he was a senator, he voted against a limit on slavery. As a diplomat and executive official, national sovereignty was more important than opposing slavery. For instance, limiting the British power to search American ships on the high seas.

Plus, abolitionists, in his view, exaggerated how bad slaves had it. They seemed unreasonable extremists.

Adams became a hero of the antislavery movement after extremists on the slavery side went after the freedom of speech. The "gag rule" arose after abolitionists supposedly started to get a bit too pushy for their own good, flooding the mails and Congress with antislavery materials and petitions. 

Give an inch and all that.

Adams noted that not formally accepting petitions broadly endangered First Amendment rights, showing how suppression of liberty tends to spread. For instance, abolitionists were motivated largely by their religious beliefs. Religious liberty was at stake.

It also shows how change happens over time. Abolition seemed hopeless in the 1820s and 1830s.

Adams, with some foresight, noted in his diary that the only way it seemed possible was if the country broke apart and/or went to war. Congress then might have the power to abolish slavery as a war measure.

He died in 1848, though he lived long enough to see the Mexican War, which helped introduce the final chapter (chapters?) that led to that war. 

Good book overall. 

"Immigration is the sincerest form of flattery."

 

Trump is anti-legal immigrant, even if "illegals" is the favorite go-to. My grandparents were immigrants. On the other side, they were once denounced as unfit to be American. Pig is right.

Giants QB Campaigns For Trump

I discuss the controversy arising from the Giants' QB introducing Trump at a campaign event. Trump is bad, the Giants don't need the drama, and they already had Epstein drama. No handwaving. The criticism of DART is appropriate. Meanwhile, Mets suck again.