Joe Biden worries that the “extreme” US supreme court, dominated by rightwing justices, cannot be relied upon to uphold the rule of law.
“I worry,” the president told ProPublica in interview published on Sunday. “Because I know that if the other team, the Maga Republicans, win, they don’t want to uphold the rule of law.”
“Maga” is shorthand for “Make America great again”, Donald Trump’s campaign slogan. Trump faces 91 criminal charges and assorted civil threats but nonetheless dominates Republican polling for the nomination to face Biden in a presidential rematch next year.
In four years in the White House, Trump nominated and saw installed three conservative justices, tilting the court 6-3 to the right. That court has delivered significant victories for conservatives, including the removal of the right to abortion and major rulings on gun control, affirmative action and other issues.
The new court term, which starts on Tuesday, could see further such rulings on matters including government environmental and financial regulation.
Would have had to nuke the filibuster to make it where they could pack the court. That required yes votes from all Democratic senators (only because not a single fucking Republican would vote for it), and Manchin and Sinema refused to do it.
Nothing Biden could have done. We needed more Democrats in Senate seats. That’s the game though. Republicans do their best to make us feel like voting doesn’t matter, then we don’t turn up - making it easier for Republicans to say the government doesn’t work.
He could have attacked them. Called on their constituents to protest outside their offices. Politics is more than just filing papers and casting votes.
Machin’s constituents are heavily Red.
Manchin’s constituents are heavily red, but his voters are mostly blue.
How do you figure? Biden received 29.69% of the vote in 2020 vs 68.62%.
Joe Manchin won his last election with 49.6% of the vote. Presumably Biden voters all vote for him. 29.7% is more than half of 49.6%.
Ok, but what’s your point?
Biden has influence over whether Democrats (even red state ones) can win primaries and/or reelection.
20% of Trump voters voted for Manchin for him to win by 3%. How in the world do you think pushing him left would accomplish anything? It’s a miracle he’s in that seat as it is. WV is the second strongest Republican state. Any other Democrat would be steam rolled.