Muddling through
By 
Ugh:
On Thursday night, a little more than a week after Mr. Trump’s election to a second term, the [Federalist Society] did something different, hosting a conversation between Justices Gorsuch and Stephen G. Breyer, a liberal who retired in 2022.
The identities of the dinner speakers had not been publicized, and they were greeted by a standing ovation in an enormous, packed hotel ballroom. The two justices sat in big armchairs and were in high spirits.
Their collective message was that the court is a collegial body whose independence must be protected. The court’s approval ratings dropped sharply after its 2022 decision overruling Roe v. Wade and following reporting on some justices’ failures to disclose luxury travel and gifts. Critics called for ethics rules with an enforcement mechanism, term limits and increasing the court’s membership.
The two justices addressed none of those issues directly on Thursday, but the subtext of their remarks was that some such proposals were misguided.
“That court is a serious court,” Justice Breyer said. “I don’t always agree with every opinion they write. Nor does anybody. Nor should anybody.”
While criticism of the court was fine, he added, “the institution has to be independent.”
“Do you want the judge looking over his shoulder for public opinion?” he went on. “Of course, the answer is no.”
Justice Gorsuch, for his part, praised his colleague for being “a fierce defender of our independent judiciary.”
Elite solidarity helped get us into this mess, and it’s going to help make it worse and last longer.
On my Michigan football fan board, a former student of mine from 30 years back has been insisting that while Trump is of course terrible, “we” are going to muddle through, and people should stop being so hysterical. My friend JJ’s (a reformed libertarian in the Radley Balko style) reply is on point:
Yes, at the end of 4 years, there will be a country called the USA. The literal geographical area and natural resources will be here. Our current form of democracy will very likely be here. Will your Michigan vote count in 2028? Is there at least a reasonable possibility a losing Trump/gop candidate pushes legislature and court (especially SCOTUS) levers and upsets the results of a free and fair election?
Yes. That’s the answer you’re looking for, guns. It is in the realm of reasonable possibility. Because of Trump.
Is that not enough to throw “muddle through” out the fucking window?
But the point always was, yes, we – the rich white professional guys on this board – will absolutely muddle through, and no one ever said otherwise. I’m untouchable by Trump, other than maybe through the ACA.
But I have plenty of options regardless. I’m not worried about my next four years. Or Guns’, or Alpo’s or BBA’s
But there is serious potential for a lot of very vulnerable people to get hurt. To get killed. To have their lives destroyed. Including those living perfectly “legal” lives right now.
It’s scary, and it’s right to be scared. If you’re not scared, you’re either stupid or a fucking asshole. Some people won’t “muddle through”. That number might be thousands, it might be millions.
But if there were ever a time to freak the fuck out, this is it! It’s entirely reasonable. Rational. Now I’m personally the king of compartmentalization and can put aside my fears and worries, but that doesn’t mean other people should – or can. Because I totally get where you’re coming from.
Muddle through. Most jackass post in the history of this board.
Congratulations Justice Breyer. You and the rest of the 80something institutionalists (I can think of a couple of other prominent examples) couldn’t buy a clue if you had Elon Musk’s and Jeff Bezos’s collaborationist fortunes at your disposal.