Sen. Whitehouse: GOP Scheme To Capture SCOTUS Started With Secret 1971 Memo - The Last Word - MSNBC

[Rhiannon12866]

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell speaks to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) about his new book, “The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme Court,” in which he details a decades-spanning plot by wealthy conservatives to capture the United States Supreme Court. - Aired on 10/19/2022.

[elleng]

1. ;-(

[Hekate]

2. I feel like I spent my whole adult life deluded. I turned 21 in 1968 & became a Dem forever...

I’m a very small player in the grand scheme of things — was a vigorous supporter of Planned Parenthood; spent 13 years on my County’s Affirmative Action Commission; worked hard with the local Vets for Peace against Dubya & his damn war — liaised with all the local groups in putting on town halls and such….

I couldn’t believe it when SCOTUS gutted the Voting Rights Act. Felt absolutely gut-punched when SCOTUS destroyed Roe v. Wade. I couldn't stop crying that day.

I am just out of words. Everything I’ve believed in and worked for... I feel like an ant.

Okay, I’ll catch my breath tomorrow. And you know what? Ants can shift heavy loads. So there is that. It is not over.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Kudos to you for your dedication

I haven't been around nearly that long, but I'm devastated - and scared - too. I always voted, mostly for Democrats (Jimmy Carter!), but never paid close attention until 9/11 woke me up - I'm in New York and what happened scared me witness! So I started reading and paying attention and found DU in early 2003 where I've obviously learned a whole lot.

I became proactive and worked for my congressman on two campaigns (he won the first and lost the second ) - but one of my fellow campaign workers who's a friend of mine is now running for State Senator! She ran for a Town Supervisor post last time around since no Democrats were running - and lost, so now she's taking on the Republican State Senator incumbent (he's a big jerk), but it's an uphill battle. Hang in there!

[calimary]

8. It is NOT over.

That’s what the enemy wants. For us to give up. NO WAY ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH am I EVER going to give those schmucks what they want.

It is NOT over. Nowhere near it.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Need to bring up the Powell Memorandum at every opportunity. It ruined a lot of things.

https://www.alternet.org/2012/10/how-higher-education-us-was-destroyed-5-basic-steps/

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Thank you, this is important!

[calimary]

9. Yep. The Powell Memo. Fast track to Hell.

But it always made me want to hijack it and turn it around and use it for OUR side.

And OUR agenda.

Why couldn’t we? Watch for the enemy to get fat, sassy, and complacent.
Start undermining them.
Sabotaging what they’ve built.
Build lower level power bases that can grow and spread and eventually overrun.
Be like termites that eat their foundations right out from under them.
Start writing letters to media outlets demanding more liberal and progressive voices and viewpoints.
Make noise!
And refuse to pipe down or go away.

[PatrickforB]

6. The Powell Manifesto to the US Chamber, right?

I've been talking about that on here for YEARS. I like Sen. Whitehouse.

[DFW]

7. That is even earlier than I had figured

Maybe the rejection of Carswell is what set it in motion. At any rate, I am convinced that Citizens United was hatched soon after the 2004 election, when it was clear that no Republican would win the White House in 2008. Cheney looked for SCOTUS nominees that promised to uphold what would become Citizens United during Obama’s early days. Roberts and Alito must have expressed their willingness to uphold it if it came before them, and thus got the nod.

[czarjak]

10. "It's rigged folks"