"Sea change is likely for Supreme Court - Next President
stands to reshape it"
In the 2000 Court term just ended, 20 of the court's 73 decisions
were decided by 5-4 margins, the highest percentage of one-vote outcomes in
more than a decade. The Court now has a 5-4 conservative majority that often
vote as a block. With the Supreme Court so narrowly divided on many important
issues, the next President has the potential to reshape the court for years
to come.
Is Clarence Thomas more being of a politician than seeking justice? He rarely
asks questions during hearings. He has stated that he doesn't need to ask
questions because he has already made his decision before the hearing. His
opinions have been called Christian diatribes rather than well-reasoned analyses
of the Constitution. This is not surprising, because the rulings of Thomas
and fellow conservative Justice Antonin Scalia suggest that they believe that
their personal interpretations of the Bible override the U.S. Constitution.
As many as four justices, including Chief Justice Rehnquist, 75, may step
down during the next president's term. But even only one or two new appointments
could dramatically change the balance of the high court, either intensifying
its conservative tilt or shifting it back to the left.
Key issues include many individual rights issues such as abortion. Conservatives
know what is best for everyone and want to dictate morals. Liberals tend to
more strongly uphold individual - especially private rights.
Just as important is the balance in the Appeals Courts where former Presidents
Reagan and Bush added more conservative judges. With the Supreme Court hearing
fewer cases, the Appeals Court Judges are very important for defending individual
rights and freedoms against the huge attacks launched by the religious groups
to dictate our rights, as they decide what is best for us.
On the abortion front Gore has been outspoken in protecting women's individual
rights by saying that he would work to make sure the Supreme Court would continue
to uphold a women's right to choice. Bush has said his model jurist is Antonin
Scalia who has consistently ruled against individual rights.
Of course control of the Senate is also very important since the Senate has
to confirm the appointments.
Other's Views:
Keep Bush and his follow Moralcrats out of the White House.
The Top Reasons to Vote For George W. Bush - The rich have been neglected
lately, so it's about time we gave them some much needed tax relief.
- I don't care if I'm much better off than I was when George
W.'s dad ran the country, I HATE CLINTON! Since we couldn't get him out by
wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on impeachment, then we may as well spend
millions to buy the presidency for George W.
- Sex is dirty and a sin! It is for pro-creation only and is not supposed
to be fun. Anything dealing with sex outside marriage or that which is not
taught in the Bible should be outlawed as it already is in many states.
- Thou shalt not kill, so abortion should be outlawed. A woman doesn't have
rights unless a man says she does!
- On the other hand, every man, woman and child should be able to own as many
guns as they'd like. This way they can kill anyone stealing a car radio or
something…God says that's OK!
- The Constitution should be abolished and replaced with the Bible as the
law of the land.
Sounds far-fetched? Think about it… if George W. is elected the Religious
Right will gain a foothold in the White House and could be involved in policy
decisions. There may even be appointments to the Cabinet such as former Christian
Coalition Head Ralph Reed, one of Bush's closest advisors. Al Gore may not
be your cup of tea and you may not agree with everything on this list, but
one thing is certain… we need to keep Bush and his follow Moralcrats out of
the White House.
Robertson supporters do subscribe to this idea. During the primaries for the
'88 presidential elections, Robertson supporters in some states such as Arizona
tried to have a resolution calling the United States a "White Christian Nation"
passed as part of the Republican platform and Robertson did nothing to discourage
them!
Family Values vs. Adult Rights
Republicans are 100% in favor of "family values" which translates
into government control of sexuality from acting as a pimp over a women's
body regardless of her own beliefs, to being supported so strongly by ultra
conservative fanatic groups such as Community Defense Council Stamping Out
Adult Entertainment Across America. This enemy of Adult Entertainment for
"Christian Values" is about "It's against MY religion, so YOU shouldn't be
allowed to do it." Worst of all they are helping more than 1,000 communities
across the country draft zoning laws or other ordinances to limit or eliminate
sexually-oriented businesses, such as strip clubs, since they don't believe
in it and don't care what you believe.
Some cities such as Phoenix have or are trying to outlaw private swing clubs!
In Phoenix that law could reach the Supreme Court when challenged. Adult consenting
members of private clubs, in industrial areas, nowhere near any neighborhoods,
just railroad tracks should have the right to express their sexuality behind
closed doors.
Canadian Example
The U.S. situation is so different from most of the world
where adults have sexual freedoms. In Canada for example, "Lap Dancing in
Strip Clubs Legal Status was Upheld By Canadian Supreme Court" - The laws
in Canada and enforcement focus on protecting community standards, protecting
individuals from exploitation, yet at the same time upholding individual rights,
including adult individual sexual rights. Private prostitution is totally
legal as in most of Europe and the rest of the world, except the U.S., but
public soliciting or in a strip club open to the public is not.
Nowhere does the law seek to prevent anyone from being or using the services
of an adult prostitute. But does lap dancing in public strip clubs violate
community standards? Are lap dancers being exploited? These are difficult
questions.
After conflicting lower court rulings, the Supreme Court of Canada made a
landmark decision on the lap dance question in late 1999 and it supported
individual sexual rights as long as it isn't taken too far. The bottom line
is touching dancers by customers including sexually is legally supported as
long as it does not involve "masturbation, fellatio, penetration or sodomy."
These acts are totally legal with a prostitute in private, but not in a public
club.
For much more information see Montreal Canada - Beautiful & Intelligent French
Canadian Women Honest Sexworkers Without the Legal Issues in the United States
at http://www.sexwork.com/montreal/index.html
Too bad in the land of the "free" we have no such adult freedoms and the religious
agenda wants to be sure we get less free all the time. That is why our only
hope is in the Courts since with the political pressure of the religious agenda,
it is highly unlikely those friendly to individual rights, especially sexual
freedoms will be elected to office. The best we can hope for is at least that
the Republicans don't make it even worse with their conservative agenda.
Dick Cheney
Cheney is a huge risk, especially combined with Bush. Cheney
was one of the most conservative in 10 years in Congress.
Especially dangerous:
Anti-women choice over their bodies as he regularly voted for the tightest
restrictions on abortion including proposals to ban Medicaid coverage of abortions
for low-income women even whose lives could be endangered by continued pregnancy.
He has consistently voted against all abortion right laws and has expressed
support for a constitutional amendment outlawing all abortion thereby imposing
by law a certain agenda over the woman's right to her own choice.
He has voted against all gun control legislation, including against measures
that were supported by all but a handful of lawmakers from both parties, such
as a bill to regulate "cop-killer" bullets.
Early in the AIDS crisis, when it was mostly a gay disease, as a Wyoming congressman,
Cheney opposed efforts to deal with the HIV/AIDS crisis. Most notably, he
was one of only 13 House members who voted against the first major bill to
provide funding for HIV counseling and testing. Cheney also supported an effort
to reduce funding for HIV research.
In addition, Cheney voted against the Hate Crimes Act of 1988 and supported
an amendment that added anti-gay language to the bill.
Of course he has a daughter Mary who is a Lesbian. Mary until recently was
a corporate relations manager for the Gay and Lesbian community for Coors
beer in Colorado.
Cheny does say that a persons sexual orientation is "a private matter, and
no one else's business". There seems to be at least a clue that he realize
sexual orientation is not a choice, but has taken the ultra conservative position
not supportive of any legislation that encourages equality for gays and lesbians.
Why isn't abortion and adult sexuality "a private matter, and no one else's
business"????
Bush Against Condom Tax Exemption Wants Abstinence not safe sex!
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Gov. George W. Bush's spokeswoman said he was disappointed
that condoms were included Tuesday in the list of over-the-counter medical
products that will be exempt from Texas sales taxes beginning next month.
The Republican presidential candidate, who has said abstinence should be promoted
to teen-agers, proposed the tax break during his re-election campaign in 1998
and didn't want it to cover condoms, said his spokeswoman, Linda Edwards.
But state Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander said Tuesday she had no choice
but to list condoms as a product that will be exempt from the 6.25 percent
state sales tax and local sales taxes beginning April 1.
``Governor Bush never wanted condoms to be exempt,'' Edwards said. ``A condom
is not a drug or medicine, although it does fall under the FDA's National
Drug Code.'' But conservative groups were upset with the decision to essentially
reduce the price of condoms. ``This is a terrible idea. The Legislature did
not intend for that tax exemption to be promoting promiscuity, yet that's
exactly what it's doing,'' said Cathie Adams, president of the Texas Eagle
Forum.
Peggy Romberg of the Texas Family Planning Association countered: ``It's unfortunate
that extremist groups have been successful in distracting people like the
governor from what should be the main concern of the state - public health
and well-being of its citizens.
To which someone replied:
The prospect of this kind of moronic/inhumane political force shaping the
Supreme Court decisions for the rest of my life is quite appalling. It is
enough to make me . . .vote.
Any person who opposes easy availability of condoms is an enemy of the people.
I really want to live in a society where my kids can get hold of condoms way
easier than they can get hold of weapons of mass destruction.
Other comments:
The best reason I can see to support Gore is that he probably
would be less likely to appoint such Big Brother boosters as Rehnquist and
Scalia to the Supreme Court. This could be VERY important for many adult rights.
===============================================
d1684@hotmail.com wrote:
Yeah,God help us all. Just think, if Gore was elected
the economy might continue to get better, we might have more balanced budgets,the
stock market might continue to go through the roof, minimum wage will go
up a whole fucking dollar in 2 years instead of 3, the zillionaires will
have to pay taxes like the rest of us,we might pass gun laws so 6 year olds
can't shoot each other(which would completely crush Charleton Heston, BTW)
we might get more things like EIC and the Family Leave Act...GOD, YOU'RE
RIGHT! WE NEED ANOTHER BUSH IN THE WHITE HOUSE TO SEND THE COUNTRY INTO
A RECESSION AND GIVE PEOPLE LIKE BILL GATES A TAX BREAK!!! Pardon me now,
I have to go run out and buy an Uzi before it's too late!
===============================================
Republicans are against government controls on businessmen. They are 100%
in favor of "family values" which translates into government control of sex.
This isn't political rhetoric, it's fact. Did Hillary Clinton or Adolph Gulliane
shut down the clubs in New York? Easy test - which one can you imagine getting
a lap dance - Bill Clinton or Strom Thurman? I rest my case.
The Guide - webmaster of The Houston Adult Entertainment Guide
(home.surfree.com/Pipeline/houstonguide)
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But Idleeric says: Thurmond would get to the VIP lounge first ... he married
a SC blonde beauty queen in his late 70s & is my role model for the *next*
50 years ....
===============================================
I agree with idleeric: It used to be said of old "Sperm" Thurmond, "when he
dies they'll have to beat his dick to death with a hammer before they can
close the coffin." Maz
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