22 Islands

The Inflation Reduction Act recently passed does not include all of Biden’s ambitious “Build Back Better” plan, but it includes enough to make meaningful impacts on climate change, bringing down inflation, lowering healthcare costs, and fair corporation taxation. This comes on the heels of other recent achievements for the Biden administration. This list includes:

1. The CHIPS Act – boosting U.S. semiconductor manufacturing global competitiveness, especially with China.
2. Bipartisan Safer Communities Act -the first significant gun legislation passed in 30 years by Congress.
3. Honor our PACT Act of 2022-Enhancing, extending, and expanding healthcare benefits for veterans exposed to burn pit toxins.

So last week was a pretty good week for “Dark Brandon”.

President Biden aka “Dark Brandon”

The former guy Trump-not so much. Trump had the week from hell.

Monday-the FBI raided Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Resort and removed dozens of boxes from his residence.

Tuesday-an Appeals Court allowed the Congressional House Ways and Means Committee access to Trump’s tax returns.

Wednesday-Donald Trump exercised his 5th amendment rights 440 times in a deposition for the New York Attorney General’s civil investigation.

Thursday-The Department of Justice requested the search warrant for Mar-A-Lago be unsealed by the court due to three days of whining by Trump supporters.

Friday-The judge unseals the search warrant and property inventory of items taken for Trump’s residence.

Saturday-It is disclosed that Trump’s lawyer told the DOJ in June that ALL classified material in Trump’s possession was returned in June. (Oops!)

President Biden deserves credit for being patient with the painful process of Congressional lawmaking. His experience and his belief in the process have paid off lately. Inflation is coming down, the dollar is still strong, and our relations with foreign allies are much improved. But he is doing it quietly (remember the daily tweets of Trump!) and consistently. Things might get a lot better by say-November.

The Supreme Court has taken a new hard right turn. Results are already being felt from the nation-quaking Roe vs. Wade reversal of abortion rights, the reduction of the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate carbon emissions at coal plants, and several voting rights rulings across key election states.

The Conservative Juror Coven did not stop there; hinting at reviewing and revisiting pet conservative issues that would limit more individual rights, while further expanding the rights of corporations against government agency regulations-regulations designed to protect the environment, citizens, and fair voting rights.

This is blatant, obscene power grab for by conservative jurors appointed by Presidents that were elected not by popular vote but by stress cracks in the U.S. electoral college system.

It gets worse. The Conservative Juror Coven appointment votes were steered by Warlock Mitch McConnell. McConnell’s hypocritical refusal to bring Obama’s Supreme court appointment of Merrick Garland even up for Senate Vote because it occurred in an election year. “ The American people should decide” was McConnell’s justification. Four years later he rushes judge Amy Coney Barrett through the Senate Judicial confirmation process in record time-during an election year!

“The American people should decide” suddenly became “Screw the American People.”

Concerned about inflation? High cost of gas prices changing your plans? Are flight delays frustrating you and making you scream uncontrollably and pull your hair? Worried about the stock market crash?

Well then; stay at home and quit buying stuff! Better yet, go for a walk or just walk to where you’re going or ride your bike. Take a public transport option if available. Get outside and get some exercise. It will do you good. Especially if you are one of the 36% of Americans with obesity.

You don’t need to buy more stuff! You probably have too much already. I am sure you have some stuff you are trying to get rid of right now. Go outside- getting on the computer or TV all day will just depress you more with all the “Breaking News Alert -Markets Tumble another 1,000 points!!!” blaring all day.

Inflation will go down quickly if we all quit buying stuff. Our mental health and physical health will improve. Stock markets will settle down, prices will come down to earth.

Happy Juneteenth! There are all kinds of freedom out there!!!

Justice Samuel Alito is well known as an egotistical and dependable conservative juror. He has finally gone too far. In doing so, he has destroyed the last remaining shred of the legitimacy of the Supreme Court of the United States.

He is not the only one to blame. Justice Roberts has presided over a Supreme Court that has made excessive use of the “shadow docket” and is devoid of the usual ethics rules of lower courts.

Alito’s opinion, if confirmed and upheld as written, will transform the court and tangent politics for years.

It will result in a divisive expansion of federalism, open the door for further diminishing of private rights, and result in a total disregard for the health and safety of women facing difficult life situations. Not to mention the destruction of precedent as a legal foundation of the court and the elimination of the myth of the Supreme Court as “apolitical”.

Finally, it exposed for all to see, the sham that Supreme Court confirmations have become. Below is exhibit A:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/c/embed/abfed3e8-e729-4249-a608-3a38dea7d619

I rest my case.