There is a palpable level of panic that seems to have taken hold of Washington this week. Establishment figures are raising the alarm over the rise of dangerous figures as if they are the barbarians at the gate before the sacking of Rome in 410. The threat is coming from both parties in the form of the new Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. They may be the worst type of barbarians because they came to this city with the best of intentions.
For some in Washington, there may be nothing more unnerving than the best of intentions. This is a one-industry town where fortunes are made the old-fashioned way with influence peddling, special dealing, and pork barreling. In that world, the rise of Johnson and Kennedy are about as welcomed as a priest among the Pirates of Penzance.
Johnson is the ultimate buzz kill.
Many were aghast that Johnson used his first speech as speaker to thank God and to say that he believes that God has a plan for him. That is a view shared by millions of religious Americans and it is not the first time that a politician has made such public expressions of devotion. Bill Clinton used to invoke God and salvation continually as he set physical records for debauchery. Even after his Monica Lewinsky scandal, Clinton would rally liberals to “politics and political involvement dictated by faith.” The problem is not that Johnson said it but he actually seems to mean it.
I likely do not share Johnson’s views on legislating morality or the separation of church and state. However, he has always been viewed as a honest man with deep convictions. Of course, this is a city that can more easily forgive actual convictions than religious convictions.
This is a city where professed socialists and populists unapologetically give their husbands or children huge amounts of campaign funds. Rep. Maxine Waters has reportedly given her daughter over a million dollars. Confronted with millions of dollars in alleged influence peddling by the Biden family, the media has continued to maintain a lack of interest, often excusing the practice as common in Washington.
Indeed, this month, NBC compared Hunter Biden tapping shady foreign figures for millions to the controversy over Nikki Haley’s daughter using TikTok.
The panic over the appearance of an honest man in Congress was evident in an article by the Daily Beast when senior political reporter Roger Sollenberger declared that the “newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) does not have a bank account” and apparently “lives paycheck to paycheck.”
Of course, surveys show that over sixty percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and fewer than half of Americans can cover a $1000 emergency expense. However, those are average Americans, not one of us. In this city, hard-working members of Congress plan for the future with gold bars and cash stuffed in a closet or millions transferred from corrupt foreign figures through a labyrinth of shell companies and accounts.
In this city, the appearance of Johnson left people dumbfounded like seeing a Triceratops strolling down Pennsylvania Avenue. The Daily Beast’s Mike Fuller noted:
“Mike Johnson doesn’t have any retirement savings, own a single stock, or have any assets at all. He has less than $5,000 in his bank account. He’s got a 250-500K mortgage, a home equity loan, and a personal loan. So what’s his retirement plan? To lobby?”
God only knows.
The same panic was heard this week from the rise of popularity of Kennedy in polls. Once again, there was confusion in the media why the public (yet again) is not buying the universal portrayal of Kennedy as a wackadoodle. The D.C. establishment has been described as “panicking” over the rise of Kennedy in the polls — and the threat that he may present to Joe Biden.
Polls show a shocking 71 percent believe Biden is too old to run for reelection and he is losing ground with young people as well as minority voters. The solution in the establishment and the Democratic National Committee was not to give voters a choice in the primaries and leave them with what they hoped to present as a “better too old than too evil” choice in a rematch with Trump.
That cynical plan is being undone by the rise of Kennedy in polls despite a consistent messaging in the media demonizing the political outsider. He is now near a record in polling for an independent candidate.
The problem with Kennedy is that he is truly a barbarian in the Roman sense. The Romans used the term barbarus for a wide array of people deemed uncivilized or foreign. Kennedy is a foreigner to the Beltway. That problem was summed up by a story from my hometown of Chicago during the heyday of the Daley political machine. A younger law student (and later federal judge) named Abner Mikva went to the ward office of Chicago Alderman Timothy O’Sullivan to volunteer to work on a campaign. When O’Sullivan asked “who sent you?”, Mikva responded, “Nobody.” O’Sullivan responded with the classic: “We don’t want nobody that nobody sent.”
Kennedy is that nobody and nobody sent. He has no bona fides for the Beltway. Just some guy who doesn’t like vaccines and the establishment. In other words, a barbarian.
The problem is that a lot of people in the United States want to open the gates. That is what swept Trump into power in 2016 and it is driving the rise of Kennedy. It may have less to do with policies or personalities as much as a deep-seated resentment of the political and media establishment. The more that the establishment and the media try to convince the public that they should not consider Kennedy, the more they are drawn to him.
Likewise, the more that the media mocks Johnson for his abundance of faith and lack of cash the more the public is drawn to him.
The real concern for the establishment is that a nation of “nobodies” may be ready to send another message to the somebodies of Washington.
OT,
US Soccer Olympian Megan Rapinoe says injury in final game of career ‘proof’ God doesn’t exist
https://justthenews.com/nation/religion/megan-rapinoe-says-injury-during-championship-final-proof-god-doesnt-exist
Could be argued Rapinoe just proved God is real . . . and she has a wicked sense of humor! 😉 H/T to the movie Dogma and Alanis Morissette.
Speaking of barbarians, Harry Truman had the resolve to stop the Japanese in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Ronald Reagan had the resolve to stop the Iranians in “American Hostages 1.0.”
“Of course, surveys show that over sixty percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and fewer than half of Americans can cover a $1000 emergency expense.”
– Professor Turley
____________________
Precisely!
Never were “…persons of indigent fortunes, or such as are under the immediate dominion of others…” intended to vote. Never were Americans “…esteemed to have no will of their own…” intended to vote. The American Founders provided for rational voting restrictions by States. Turnout in 1789 was 11.6%. Early voting criteria were generally male, European, 21, worth 50 lbs. Sterling or 50 acres. Democracy in the form of a republic has been of the restricted-vote variety since inception in Greece.
One man, one vote democracy is mass hysteria and incoherence in the absence of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
One man, one vote democracy is the “dictatorship of the hired help.”
One man, one vote democracy is communism.
___________________________________________________
“The true reason (says Blackstone) of requiring any qualification, with regard to property in voters, is to exclude such persons, as are in so mean a situation, that they are esteemed to have no will of their own.”
“If it were probable that every man would give his vote freely, and without influence of any kind, then, upon the true theory and genuine principles of liberty, every member of the community, however poor, should have a vote… But since that can hardly be expected, in persons of indigent fortunes, or such as are under the immediate dominion of others, all popular states have been obliged to establish certain qualifications, whereby, some who are suspected to have no will of their own, are excluded from voting; in order to set other individuals, whose wills may be supposed independent, more thoroughly upon a level with each other.”
– Alexander Hamilton, The Farmer Refuted, 1775
I don’t think they are wrong. We are one or two generations away from young people simply being something very akin to feral, and that is being instilled in homes, not schools. Kids show up to school *already* in this condition in the 21st century in America. Tell yourself modern parenting isn’t the problem, tell yourself the entire rest isn’t a problem, tell yourself it is the fault of colleges. Defunding universities is not going to fix this at this point, though I do not disagree that could fix a bunch of other things, and should really, really happen.
Nevertheless: get the hell out of your bubble, very, very especially the dems and progressives that purport to care about our future. but I assure you: your ‘conservative’ kids are just as low in real measure, they do not know what happened on 9/11 either, and are just as woefully incapable of inheriting a future that you are likely still going to have to live in, and that is our future. You will not be dead before that is a reality, neither will I. But unless you smack yourself in the face, it’s coming, it is likely inevitable because so many have been so asleep for nigh on 30 years.
Regarding the politics, which this post was actually about, all I can do is -> 😂 Why? What is the point? And that is a serious question, not sarcasm. People frequently refer to 1984 as a parallel to this, and no, it is going to be Lord of The Flies. 1984 is far too smart for what is coming unless we prevent it. Tribalism is what Obama and similar wanted, and it is what we have got, shared humanity be damned. Nelson Mandela and MLK are rolling in their graves, I assure you.
James,
Well said.
One of the things I recall when in elementary school was the idea of patriotism, that America was the great melting pot which was funny now looking back on it, as I was one of the few non-whites in the entire school system.
We also studied the Civil War and while the idea of states rights might of been a concept a little above our mental capacity at the time, we also were taught that slavery was bad.
But there were no oppressors or oppressed. It was just bad.
When did all that change, what year, not sure. What I do know, as I think you see it as well, is the current oppressors or oppressed, or victim and victimizer, or colonizer is tearing this country apart.
Interesting you mention Lord of The Flies. Earlier today I was thinking on how a nation is only as good as the laws it passes and the citizenry that follow those laws. In Lord of The Flies, Piggy is holding the IIRC the shell allowing him to speak to prevent chaos of a shouting match. Then when the Rule of Law breaks down, someone drops a big rock on Piggy’s head killing him.
Based on the lawlessness we are seeing, Rule of Law is breaking down.
James,
Follow up, looking around, maybe tribalism is not such a bad thing.
I have a lot more in common in my small, rural town neighbors, then some of the yahoos in NYC, San Fran, Portland OR, Seattle etc.
As I have stated on the good professor’s blog more than a few times, I am not particularly religious, but I would gladly sit down with Estovir for a cup of coffee and have a discussion concerning religion, politics, history, current events with no worries of him trying to convert me as he is clearly respectful of my own thoughts, feelings and choices. I am pretty sure I would even call Estovir friend had we lived in the same city. I would make him and his family dinner.
Point is, he and I have a shared sense of community, respect for rule of law, and morality.
I cannot say the same for our leftist friends.
The fact I feel and think this way saddens me. But that is where we are today. Some will declare that Trump is the cause. No. This feeling pre-dates Trump. In horror of being accused of stolen success, the Asian community has and is expanding on the idea of MAGA. They are insulted at the fact they have values similar to MAGA: work hard, study hard, become successful. All within one generation.
I have more in common with MAGA Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Jews then I do with leftists.
Invest in chickens, PMs and ammo.
As I have stated on the good professor’s blog more than a few times, I am not particularly religious, but I would gladly sit down with Estovir for a cup of coffee and have a discussion concerning religion,
Only knowing you from the comments, I suspect you very much faith centered. Maybe not churchy, but very much spiritual.
Honest? Here’s a clear lie. Does Mike Johnson believe abortion should be left to the states? On Hannity, he said he did. But then he was the lead sponsor of HR 792, criminalizing anyone who helps a minor obtaining an abortion out of state without adhering to state law parental notification requirements.
So, which is it? Honest, he certainly is not.
https://twitter.com/chrisgeidner/status/1717721109469041120
Where’s the lie? Out-of-state is just that out-of-state and avoiding the law of the state in which the reside.
Seriously?
In the video, Johnson says that the states should have the right to legislate abortion. “There’s no national consensus among the people on what to do with that issue – on a federal level, for certain.”
However, Johnson is the lead sponsor of a bill that would make it a federal crime to help a minor obtain an abortion out of state without adhering to any state-law parental-notification requirements. This literally means that he wants the federal government to ignore a state’s own laws related to parental notification for abortions – thereby taking away that state’s right to legislate abortion.
If the states should have the right to legislate abortion, that includes the right to legislate abortion of individuals traveling to that state. The law of the state in which someone resides is irrelevant.
Crossing state lines in the furtherence of committing a crime, it does become a federal jurisdiction
You’re spouting terms without understanding their meaning.
Whether a crime is subject to “Federal jurisdiction” pertains to the court that tries a case, not the law governing the proceeding
The Law simply makes crossing state lines when violating the parental notification law, could be prosecuted federally.
Yes. It would supersede a state’s right to govern itself on the issue of abortion. That is precisely the point.
By doing this, he is not letting the states decide the issue internally.
By doing this, he is not letting the states decide the issue internally.
Decide what issue? Because the only issue is parental notification. The States are not party to the potential law in question. The injured party is the Parents. If the Parents State is providing aid, violating parental notifiaction, it would be the State violating the federal law.
If a 16 yr old goes from State A to State B to receive an abortion, and State B does not require parental notification before the procedure, then, absent federal law on the issue, then parental notification is not needed. Federal law may intervene, but in doing so, that would interfere with State B’s right to govern abortion at the state level.
None of the nonsense above about parents changes that.
You say, “The States are not party to the potential law in question.” PRECISELY. Then you AGREE with my statement that Johnson IS NOT LEAVING IT TO THE STATES TO DECIDE HOW TO LEGISLATE ABORTION.
IS NOT LEAVING IT TO THE STATES TO DECIDE HOW TO LEGISLATE ABORTION.
The law in question is parental notification. NOT ABORTION
The proposed law is not the crossing of state lines. The crime is aiding a minor to cross state lines.
I would like to see fewer abortions in America. Bill Clinton said that too. So Speaker Johnson is a hero of mine, as are the Justices that overturned this bogus Roe v. Wade ruling. Chuck Shumer and his sidekick Patty Murray would like to triple or quadruple the number of abortions in the US – and make us taxpayers pay the bill; they think abortion – murdering the unborn – is a good political issue. It’s a proven vote getter for Democrats, that’s true. But I think Democrats have been sold – by the media – that abortion is a good thing. That’s not true. 90% of reporters and media people are pro-abortion – so they have selling abortion as a good thing for women. I am aware a lot of people buy into that, but I do not. Polls show 37% of Americans disapprove of abortion, that’s not a majority, but that still a lot of people. So you cannot tell me that Johnson is some sort of radical because he disapproves of abortion, that’s a view shared by many of religious faith
You missed the point. If you support federal restrictions on abortion, then say it. Don’t tell viewers on Fox that you actually support states’ rights on the issue while you sponsor bills that would put federal restrictions on abortion. That is dishonest. Do you agree?
The point of the post has nothing to do with the merits of abortion. For me, a baseline requirement for supporting a politician has to be honesty. And this shows that Johnson lacks it, especially on a topic as important as abortion.
Except crossing state lines to commit a crime is a Federal issue
It doesn’t have to be. If you speed in a neighboring state, are you charged with a federal crime?
If Johnson actually believes that abortion should be legislated by the states, then he should not voluntarily take up the issue at the federal level…
Now do concealed carry.
Logic eludes you.
So the fact that Johnson sought to pass a federal law requiring people to follow state law means he lied what he said abortion should be left to the states ?
Yikes.
Which state’s law? You do realize that we have more than one in this country?
His federal bill takes away a state’s right to govern itself within its borders.
Says a lot about Washington D.C. when is it far easier to explain away a criminal conviction that a religious conviction. And the rapidly growing number of young college-age Pro-Palestinian protesters across the United States doesn’t bode well for Team Biden either (although there’s plenty of time for MSNBC and the mainstream media to transition the protesters over to Team Newsom). Should work……
The peasants are revolting – even more than usual.
Edwardmahl,
Thank you for the laugh!
Reminded me of a similar statement from the movie, Chicken Run.
Agreed well with analysis Jonathan.
Another aspect is that there are some Good People that could run, however they are smart enough to understand that the Barbarians are the Ones inside the Gate, and don’t want to become their target. A shame that the Executive Branch has become the albatross of the Democracy. I suppose that the forces of the Powers to Be want it to stay that way. The American ideals of Democracy have just become a Dream or Nightmare if you so choose.
Makes you wonder, What’s next for Constitutionalism?
Gee, when I read the headline, I thought the masses were rolling out a gallows with a guillotine. After I read the article then I was disappointed they had not yet rolled out the guillotine. One can only dream but alas the guillotine was nonpartisan and ended up biting those who brought it forth. Just a cautionary tale.
It is amazing that Turley can write a whole column about a nobody outsider like RFK Jr and not mention that he is the ultimate nepo baby.
It is like talking about GW Bush as a nobody outsider as if we do not know who his Dad and grandfather were.
This “nobody outsider” is at 24% in the polls.
Well said. Hunter Biden’s dahdee is in trouble hence the DNC / MSM scorched Earth strategies
Well said.
It is being reported that 100 State Dept staff members have signed a memo calling THEIR OWN PRESIDENT a supporter of genocide because he hasn’t cut off Israel yet. This is called Vindman Syndrome, a disease of the mind that makes you think you are the president and that you should make policy.
Notice that it is never from the right or conservative side that these leaks and dissents emanate. When Trump was in office we had a dirt bag that called himself Anonymous” (sound familiar) and he was fighting his own team. We had many leakers from the left going after Trump and his policies as well. Now we have the most far left president in history and we still have these little fascist punks from the left leaking and complaining that everything isn’t going the way these little girls want it to go. Oddly enough these little girls supporting trans rights and gay rights, which we all do as long as they leave the kids out of it, gender studies, and other far left policies are now supporting a group of people (animals really) that would kill or imprison all gays, definitely kill all trans folks, ban all women’s rights and kill all Jews, Catholics, and all others that won’t convert to Islam.
PS. MIT, a once great school, was going to expel students for breaking policy until they determined that if they were expelled they would lose their visa rights and so they were only suspended. If we extrapolate this out we will note that if these students were American they may very well have been expelled. So fellow clear thinkers we see that at MIT foreign students get treated more leniently than American students.
Joe Biden’s America ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy it while it lasts because it is going south faster that General Sherman.
HullBobby,
Well said.
Invest in chickens, PMs and ammo.
“Now we have the most far left president in history and we still have these little fascist punks from the left leaking and complaining that everything isn’t going the way these little girls want it to go. “
They are eating their own. That, like in the French Revolution, shows the end is nearing.
How is Mike Johnson the “ultimate buzzkill” to “influence peddling, special dealing, and pork barreling”?
https://mikejohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1284
Just look at his earmark request for $7MM in funding for an AFB in his jurisdiction. He spends money with reckless abandon just like the rest of Congress. And unfortunately, just like the rest of Americans.
Balancing a checkbook is something neither Mike Johnson, nor the rest of Congress cares about. Just because he hails from an actual swamp does not make him any different from the rest of today’s spend-heavy-but-lie-about-it GOP.
More importantly, if he does not personally own an interest-bearing bank account in today’s high interest economy, why should we think Mike Johnson has any semblance of financial literacy, which should be a prerequisite for the leader of the governmental body in charge of our nation’s finances?
More importantly, if he does not personally own an interest-bearing bank account in today’s high interest economy, ….
For the same reasons you think anybody should have any semblance of intelligence when you personally do not have a working brain
So you’ve resulted to a personal attack instead of responding to the content of the post?
How can a demonstrated advocate of pork barrel spending be a buzzkill to pork barreling? Maybe this needed to be spelled out clearer for those on this site to understand?
1. Johnson is not close to being honest. He was a major pusher of the Big Lie and of course he has a bank account and savings, he did not disclose them. His reliance on Christianity (or his backwards interpretation of it) scares the daylights out of many of us.
2. Kennedy is not a Democratic candidate for President. He is a fake who is calling himself a Democrat to try to fool people. But he is too nuts to fool anyone (expect Turley, apparently)
Who is us and how has someone’s reliance on xtianity scared you in the past and has it ever impacted you for good or ill?
Oh, and is the “Big Lie” that biden cheated to win…lol. Who’s not being honest, now.
What is “the Big Lie”? My whole life, that’s referred to Holocaust denial.
Very similar, the current thing “Big Lie” is FJB’s not-rigged election denial.
Can you provide a link to his bank account and savings you claim he did not disclose?
And if he did not disclose, why didnt the Daily Beast report on that?
His religion scares you? Why? He may personally have differing view points on things, but do you really believe as speaker, he will some how muster enough votes to reject separation of church and state?
RFK Jr. Comes from a long line of Democrats. Perhaps you might of heard of a few. One was even president. Got shot. Very sad.
RFK Jr. is a traditional Democrat. Something completely alien to leftist Democrats. That is why they fear him. He appeals to other traditional Democrats, more so than the leftist Biden admin.
https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1648361786393911296
This is what scares those like me who do not subscribe to a religion but do value an accurate understanding of history.
This is historically inaccurate. Thomas Jefferson fought to disestablish the Anglican Church from the Virginia Colony on behalf of Baptists, Presbyterians, Quakers and other “dissenting” faiths of Anglican Virginia.
Jefferson’s focus was on the protection of minority Christian sects. While the Founding Fathers did not have to contend as directly with non-Christian faiths, the same concerns Jefferson raised on behalf of the “dissenting” Christian faiths apply to other minority religions. Johnson’s inaccurate re-telling of history fails to consider the context at the time.
Finally, as the video notes, Johnson thinks a “higher power” and “religious virtue” are necessary to inspire individual responsibility and self-sacrifice. This clearly shows he is only thinking about Protestant Christianity. Catholicism, Judaism and Hinduism, for example, are more collectivistic religious cultures.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
John Adams
“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen [Muslims],—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Mohammedan] nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”
[Adams submitted and signed the Treaty of Tripoli, 1797]
John Adams, Thoughts on government applicable to the present state of the American colonies.: Philadelphia, Printed by John Dunlap, M,DCC,LXXXVI.
Cherry-picked quotes from cherry-picked Founders is a fool’s errand. This is from the same year as your quote. He believed in morality without a state establishment of Christianity.
Of course Adam’s quote assiduously avoids the word Christian for a very specific reason.
As you accurately point out, Jefferson was signing a treaty. Stopping blood shed. Sending a message. That unlike Muslims, the United States will not initiate Religious based military attacks. We will not us Religion to justify aggression. But as we demonstrated, we will defend the interests. and People of the United States against unprovoked attacks. Because of National interests, not religious dogma.
While the historically illiterate froth at the mouth denying Our Nations founding principles, it does not change the fact that we are not a Christain Nation, but are a Nation of Christians. Founded on Religious liberty, for all.
Quoting treaty dicta is a meaningless exercise in pedantry. It has zero to do with our Nations founding culture.
This is historically inaccurate. Thomas Jefferson fought to disestablish the Anglican Church from the Virginia Colony on behalf of Baptists, Presbyterians, Quakers and other “dissenting” faiths of Anglican Virginia.
The Anglican Church was one of the driving motivations, establishing the original 13 colonies. To escape the Kings forced religion. A primary target of the First Amendment. As always you have the cause and effect all twisted up. Jefferson had no problem with the faith. . .Just a huge problem with the King directing the religion.
This is COMPLETELY inaccurate. The Church of England (Anglicanism) was the established church of the Virginia colony. Here’s a link to what looks like a middle school VA encyclopedia: https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/church-of-england-in-virginia/
And here is a middle school-level encyclopedia’s recounting of Jefferson’s efforts with Madison to disestablish the Anglican church as the official church of Virginia: https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/jefferson-thomas-and-religion/
You can’t just make stuff up. Yikes. Please learn your American history.
Still waiting for your response… did you give up?
….scares the daylights out of many of us…..
I used to write in the plural all the time when I trolled this blog not too long ago until a creepy nerd outed me. He was really mean to me
Lol… True!
Thank you! Josh Mazer
It’s interesting that 71% of those polled think Biden is too old to run for office again, uhmm is that the best reason he shouldn’t run?
Mike Johnson seems to be in the position of most Americans religiously and financially hopefully he’ll make decisions like the rest of Americans?
As far as Rober Kennedy Jr goes, well he’s still a Democrat.
At some point, hopefully we the people will get fed up with the system as it is and actually vote some of these corrupt, slimy politicians out.
Good luck with that.
Conan the Barbarian was asked what is best in life:
Crush the enemy, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.
Comment of the Day!
Comment of the day! Thanks for that one Jonathan
My copy & paste didn’t work, so the above should have said, Comment of the Day! …
that should have read, Comment of the Day! …Of course, this is a city that can more easily forgive actual convictions than religious convictions.
yawn….wasn’t Pence so be the ideal moral guy?
Johnson will easily be manipulated to do MAXIUM harm to the GOP…while giving Democrats more trillions and GET OUT OF JAIL CARDS?
when do people go to jail for
1) the Russian Hoax
2) Jan 6th Conspiracy
3) the protection of corrupt Democrats and RINOS…Biden, McConnell, Pelosi, etc
4) the Prosecution of Trump
5) the open borders?
6) IRS prosecution of Conservatives?
7) the death of the Rule of Law
And when do we CUT off the money from the Criminal Democrat Machine?
There are plenty of people in jail for Jan 6. The rest of those are either not crimes or not real.
I remember another right winger used to claim he just had humble means and on his vacations traveled the country in a humble camper which he parked in the Walmart parking lot. His financial disclosures backed him up too. Of course, it is now clear that Clarence was lying on his disclosure forms and relied heavily on right wing benefactors to fund a very fancy lifestyle.
It remains to be seen what we will learn about our new Speaker, I do not take right wing financial disclosures at face value.
but you do take left wing monies for trolling on behalf of George Soros supported DNC troll farms
LOL
+1
P – Thomas remains a man of humble means, He did not lie on his financial disclosures.
Nor did benefactors fund a very fancy lifestyle. They did however on occasion provide him with some luxurious vacations.
He is still not independently wealthy. Though he is doing well enough – Supreme court justices are paid pretty well.
Further all federal judges get some perks that come with the job.
Regardless, he is not anywhere near the wealth of lifestyle of the Bidens. No one is giving him multi carrat diamonds.
Nor is he extorting payments in return for his influence on the court.
Nothing involving Thomas has created an actual conflict of interests. Something Joe Biden can not say.
Nor are supreme court justices Franscian monks. They do not take a vow of poverty.
Whether it is congress or the president or supreme court justices -t he purpose of ethics disclosures is to expose conflicts of interest,
not to impoverish. There is no legitimate requirement to disclose the private lives of Supreme court justices or congressmen, or presidents, except where that would reveal an actual conflict of interests.
I do not know about you – but there is not a signle member of the supreme court that I would not take to dinner at the best resturaunt in my town and foot the entire bill for, just for the pleasure of their company the oportunity to engage with some of the best minds in the country.
REGARDLESS of ideology.
I would further note that I would do the same for the overwhelming majority of the federal judiciary.
I am not a billionaire. I am not a multi-millionaire. A lavish dinner at an excellent expensive restaurant is not outside my means, but it is not a weekly or even monthly occurrence. In this country there are millions of people with my means or better who would gladly make the same offer I have.
A supreme court justice or even a federal judge need NEVER dine on their own dime. And I doubt they do.
I would ask you which is more ethical – to have a single friend who is willing to pay for your company, where you have a single clear measure of conflict that is likely to occur rarely if at all, or to have hundreds of smaller benefactors and have constnatly conflicts as a result ?