Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is a bohemoth of a legislator; I always look gratefully at his comments, notes, opinions wherever I find them. He is such a treasure. Thank you for this! ❤️🇺🇸
Sheldon Whitehouse in the Senate, Katie Porter in the House...always prepared, always armed with the facts, and undeterred by partisan sniping. We the public are so fortunate to have Members like these looking after the People's Business.
I'd like to add Sen Elizabeth Warren to those looking after the People's Business. Unfortunately, I feel that Katie Porter is foregoing her Cong. seat in her uphill campaign to replace the late Sen Feinstein. Rep Adam Schiff seems to have the inside tract in this race, which also features Rep. Barbara Lee from Oakland, CA.
Just like you, Joyce, Senator Whitehouse can explain complex and important issues into understandable language. He, along with some other colleagues, show how important electing smart and honorable candidates is.
AND shines a huge bright light on the more recent Repubs in the House! The gulf between Sen.Whitehouse and these "newbies" (some not new) is beyond wide.
I’m very proud to say that Senator Whitehouse is one of my Senators. His dogged attention and work on the Judiciary Committee and climate change are so important for all Americans.
I personally have been helped by the CFPB when a new mortgage company bought our home loan and did not pay property taxes on time. We had to pay them and then asked CFPB to step in so the mortgage company would pay us rather than the County.
What I find most frustrating about the cases before the Court is that they want to limit federal agencies when they go after corporations when they harm our citizens. Bu yet right wing governors like DeSantis can go after corporations when that government disagrees with internal corporate decisions. How hypocritical!
Since you mention DeSatan and Hypocritical in sequencial sentences, Rick Wilson's Substack of a couple of hours ago will give you a great dose of both. I highly recommend it.
TY Ransom. I just finished an hour and a half resistance stretching on Zoom with Bob Cooley - based on yoga techniques. It helped my diaphragm expand:))
Don't the moneyed people funding these cases to weaken and dismantle the administrative state realize that a good chunk of their wealth depends on stable and impartial governance based on the rule of law? Their wealth depends on dependable good-to-excellent water, air, housing, transportation, phones, free and fair elections, banking, mail, internet, roads, employees, and more. Do they have enough wealth to cushion themselves from systems that don't function well? Do they think they won't be affected by pollution, failing infrastructure, disrupted banking?
My Rabbi said tonight “we must not move forward with fear, we must continue with hope and love” and speaking up. I am hopeful that smart and educated people will speak up and stand up to hatred. Peace out.
Gina, tonight on MSNBC, Chris Hayes had New York Times Israeli writer, Ronen Bergman, on tonight. He revealed that there was a 40 page Hamas manifesto that the IDF had in their hands for a year. They did not feel that this information was important enough to take any actions. One solid year they wasted time and now precious lives have been lost!! You and I are Jewish but I feel such anger and disdain against Netanyahu and what Israel has done and is doing right at this moment.
I am Jewish as well, but our religion shouldn’t exempt us from outrage at what is happening. We must however separate our anger and outrage at Netanyahu from the good people of Israel. From the people who were slaughtered on October 7. This is a failure at the highest level of the Israeli government. They must be held accountable.
I don’t think the region will ever find its way to peace...it has already been two thousand years. It doesn’t appear that anyone wants to talk, find common ground, or give up righteousness. I think the outrage expressed here regarding Netanyahu is certainly warranted and I can appreciate the sentiment.
This conversation was informative and educational yet I did not find it very comforting; in fact quite the opposite - very frightening. I came away with the feeling that we have one very brilliant, determined legal scholar, Senator Whitehouse, standing between us, the common people, and the dark moneyed powers.
Even the Senator says when these challenges are brought to the SCOTUS, “Big special interests deploy an army of attorneys, pliable academics, and amenable judges to weaponize those theories to their advantage. And once a challenge like this makes it to the Supreme Court, a flotilla of coordinated amicus briefs – funded by secretive corporate and billionaire interests – tell the justices (those same justices the big interests helped put on the Court) how they ought to rule.”
I’m grateful for Senator Whitehouse, but seriously - this one warrior up against an ‘army of attorneys, pliable academics and amenable judges’ PLUS a corrupted Supreme Court? Hard to feel hopeful......
When Rachael has Senator Whitehouse on her program I know it’s going to be an informative segment. Fortunately he is not alone. Senator Warren, the gentleman from Georgia, Senators Booker and Durbin to name a few are standing up for us as well.
Hi Jan B, It is an opportunity for us to call our senators to request they support this bill for accountability. With enough complaints against Clarence Thomas, pressure can be brought to bear on his wife Ginny, because of her conflict(s) of interest: taking money from political PACs and advocating for insurrection on January 6. She believes that's all ok because 'she rarely discusses what she does with him.' This is propoterous. Surely he reads the newspapers? The January 6 Committee was all over her.
Hi Jan, politico has a new investigative report on the current situation on the court. Many of these amici’s cases are brought by people who are friends of Leo Lenard or connected to his non profit groups. As Senator Whitehouse as pointed out the court is indeed captured!
Even my arch "conservative" acquaintances agree it's time to outlaw Citizens United. Meanwhile they cheer the dissolution of the "nanny state". Guess they don't care about granny eating from the garbage. Or their kids poisoned by municipal water.
Thank you for your discussion with Senator Whitehouse. He certainly does seem to be someone who works very hard to serve his constituents and the wider public. Very interesting read.
Many thanks, Joyce, for providing another important forum for my exceptionally perspicacious junior US Senator. He commands and speaks to these vital issues (among others!) far better than most on The Hill, and is always worth listening to for all of us. He is surely among the hardest-working Members of Congress, driven as he is by public-spirited vision that is both broad and sharp. No wonder he's a favorite whipping boy of the WSJ !
Joyce, as usual you have done an excellent interview with a top notch Senator who has a lot of my respect. I never miss his You Tube clips explaining the unholy alliance between certain Supreme Court justices and the intoxicating lure of the big money that has them bought and SOLD(!)to the highest bidder. I’m just sorry that this isn’t available to everyone. It really is that vital, IMO.
Anyway, I thank you so much for all your hard work for us, your readers. I hope you can have a restful weekend and some fresh eggs for breakfast.
Thank you, very much Joyce for bringing Sheldon Whitehouse to us. My understanding of the Constitution is the Supreme Court is the final say in the land. If they find in favor of corporate America and leave 300 + million citizens with no protection, short of civil war, that's it. We live or die at the discretion of "fat cats". Is this true?
Not exactly as we have seen SCOTUS can overturn precedent like Roe. Also Congress can create legislation. For example Roe was based on the implicit right of privacy in the Fourth Amendment. Congress can create legislation for a right to abortion that does not have anything to do with the right to privacy. The president signs into law. The states must follow that law. And thus both Roe and Dobbs are not law anymore. The new law could again be challenged in Court. But Articles 1-3 of the Constitution create checks and balances between the three branches. It has been said that our founding fathers made Congress the first article because they felt laws should be created there. The Supreme Court until recently was considered the last protection for the minority.
That is why voting is so important. Congress is the only branch where every vote counts. With the Electoral College our vote counts within each state, but if we are not the majority in our state, all electoral votes go to the state’s winner , except Maine and Nebraska
Thank you, Kathi for your answer, That is a relief. Unfortunately, your last sent3ence is still true, except the minority now are the multi millionaires and billionaires -there are certainly fewer of them than there are of us. Sad.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is a bohemoth of a legislator; I always look gratefully at his comments, notes, opinions wherever I find them. He is such a treasure. Thank you for this! ❤️🇺🇸
Sheldon Whitehouse in the Senate, Katie Porter in the House...always prepared, always armed with the facts, and undeterred by partisan sniping. We the public are so fortunate to have Members like these looking after the People's Business.
I'd like to add Sen Elizabeth Warren to those looking after the People's Business. Unfortunately, I feel that Katie Porter is foregoing her Cong. seat in her uphill campaign to replace the late Sen Feinstein. Rep Adam Schiff seems to have the inside tract in this race, which also features Rep. Barbara Lee from Oakland, CA.
And how well represented would California be if either Porter or Schiff be elected.
Yes. It will be interesting to see how that shakes out, Frederick.
I also sit up and pay attention whenever I come across Senator Whitehouse's comments. We need more senators like him.
Just like you, Joyce, Senator Whitehouse can explain complex and important issues into understandable language. He, along with some other colleagues, show how important electing smart and honorable candidates is.
AND shines a huge bright light on the more recent Repubs in the House! The gulf between Sen.Whitehouse and these "newbies" (some not new) is beyond wide.
I’m very proud to say that Senator Whitehouse is one of my Senators. His dogged attention and work on the Judiciary Committee and climate change are so important for all Americans.
Me too! From his first day on the job.
I personally have been helped by the CFPB when a new mortgage company bought our home loan and did not pay property taxes on time. We had to pay them and then asked CFPB to step in so the mortgage company would pay us rather than the County.
What I find most frustrating about the cases before the Court is that they want to limit federal agencies when they go after corporations when they harm our citizens. Bu yet right wing governors like DeSantis can go after corporations when that government disagrees with internal corporate decisions. How hypocritical!
Since you mention DeSatan and Hypocritical in sequencial sentences, Rick Wilson's Substack of a couple of hours ago will give you a great dose of both. I highly recommend it.
Will check out the Substack, thanks Ransom
Rick is the Lincoln Project (with lots of help) and is very knowledgeable and on top of it all.
Woot Ransom! Thank you:)
You pass it around too, Valere. Breathe deep and slowly once in awhile. It helps keep the brain clear.
TY Ransom. I just finished an hour and a half resistance stretching on Zoom with Bob Cooley - based on yoga techniques. It helped my diaphragm expand:))
Don't the moneyed people funding these cases to weaken and dismantle the administrative state realize that a good chunk of their wealth depends on stable and impartial governance based on the rule of law? Their wealth depends on dependable good-to-excellent water, air, housing, transportation, phones, free and fair elections, banking, mail, internet, roads, employees, and more. Do they have enough wealth to cushion themselves from systems that don't function well? Do they think they won't be affected by pollution, failing infrastructure, disrupted banking?
They are shallow thinkers looking only at the next quarter’s profits, boosting CEO compensation and making Board Members happy.
John, Sadly true. They get up in the morning and their only thought is the next quarter's profits.
I'm pretty sure the answer to both questions is and arrogant YES!
I've wondered similar things before. Thank you!
For these people, there is never enough. I don’t understand it.
It seems akin to hoarder syndrome.
Thank you, Senator Whitehouse for your insight
and knowledge into the SCOTUS and these very important cases that matter
to all citizens of our country.
As always, thank you Joyce for a great 5 Questions. This
was a really very important
session.
My Rabbi said tonight “we must not move forward with fear, we must continue with hope and love” and speaking up. I am hopeful that smart and educated people will speak up and stand up to hatred. Peace out.
Gina, tonight on MSNBC, Chris Hayes had New York Times Israeli writer, Ronen Bergman, on tonight. He revealed that there was a 40 page Hamas manifesto that the IDF had in their hands for a year. They did not feel that this information was important enough to take any actions. One solid year they wasted time and now precious lives have been lost!! You and I are Jewish but I feel such anger and disdain against Netanyahu and what Israel has done and is doing right at this moment.
I am Jewish as well, but our religion shouldn’t exempt us from outrage at what is happening. We must however separate our anger and outrage at Netanyahu from the good people of Israel. From the people who were slaughtered on October 7. This is a failure at the highest level of the Israeli government. They must be held accountable.
Absolutely, Mike, I totally agree with you.
I don’t think the region will find its way to peace and safety until Netanyahu is ousted.
I don’t think the region will ever find its way to peace...it has already been two thousand years. It doesn’t appear that anyone wants to talk, find common ground, or give up righteousness. I think the outrage expressed here regarding Netanyahu is certainly warranted and I can appreciate the sentiment.
This conversation was informative and educational yet I did not find it very comforting; in fact quite the opposite - very frightening. I came away with the feeling that we have one very brilliant, determined legal scholar, Senator Whitehouse, standing between us, the common people, and the dark moneyed powers.
Even the Senator says when these challenges are brought to the SCOTUS, “Big special interests deploy an army of attorneys, pliable academics, and amenable judges to weaponize those theories to their advantage. And once a challenge like this makes it to the Supreme Court, a flotilla of coordinated amicus briefs – funded by secretive corporate and billionaire interests – tell the justices (those same justices the big interests helped put on the Court) how they ought to rule.”
I’m grateful for Senator Whitehouse, but seriously - this one warrior up against an ‘army of attorneys, pliable academics and amenable judges’ PLUS a corrupted Supreme Court? Hard to feel hopeful......
When Rachael has Senator Whitehouse on her program I know it’s going to be an informative segment. Fortunately he is not alone. Senator Warren, the gentleman from Georgia, Senators Booker and Durbin to name a few are standing up for us as well.
We also have Senator Elizabeth Warren, whom Senator Whitehouse mentioned. She’s not given enough credit (misogyny?).
Hi Jan B, It is an opportunity for us to call our senators to request they support this bill for accountability. With enough complaints against Clarence Thomas, pressure can be brought to bear on his wife Ginny, because of her conflict(s) of interest: taking money from political PACs and advocating for insurrection on January 6. She believes that's all ok because 'she rarely discusses what she does with him.' This is propoterous. Surely he reads the newspapers? The January 6 Committee was all over her.
Hi Jan, politico has a new investigative report on the current situation on the court. Many of these amici’s cases are brought by people who are friends of Leo Lenard or connected to his non profit groups. As Senator Whitehouse as pointed out the court is indeed captured!
I am so with you on these feelings. AND Senator Whitehouse is a remarkable man indeed!
Even my arch "conservative" acquaintances agree it's time to outlaw Citizens United. Meanwhile they cheer the dissolution of the "nanny state". Guess they don't care about granny eating from the garbage. Or their kids poisoned by municipal water.
They may soon the granny who needs help and protection from devious monied transgressors!
btw, I highly recommend Dutch Henry! Look it up 😃
Are you referring to the outlaw or the baseball player?
Dutch Henry is a deep rich Cabernet from Calistoga, over the steep from Santa Rosa
That’s big, Gail! Hope others feel the same way.
Cannot fix stupid thinking. One first needs to recognize their thought processes might need to be opened up a little bit.
Thank you for your discussion with Senator Whitehouse. He certainly does seem to be someone who works very hard to serve his constituents and the wider public. Very interesting read.
Highly recommend Senator Whitehouse's book "The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme Court".
Many thanks, Joyce, for providing another important forum for my exceptionally perspicacious junior US Senator. He commands and speaks to these vital issues (among others!) far better than most on The Hill, and is always worth listening to for all of us. He is surely among the hardest-working Members of Congress, driven as he is by public-spirited vision that is both broad and sharp. No wonder he's a favorite whipping boy of the WSJ !
I cannot bear the WSJ. I cancelled my subscription after 29 years.
Joyce, as usual you have done an excellent interview with a top notch Senator who has a lot of my respect. I never miss his You Tube clips explaining the unholy alliance between certain Supreme Court justices and the intoxicating lure of the big money that has them bought and SOLD(!)to the highest bidder. I’m just sorry that this isn’t available to everyone. It really is that vital, IMO.
Anyway, I thank you so much for all your hard work for us, your readers. I hope you can have a restful weekend and some fresh eggs for breakfast.
I wanted Whitehouse in the White House the first time I ran across him, and I still do.
I second your motion, Robert!
Thank you, very much Joyce for bringing Sheldon Whitehouse to us. My understanding of the Constitution is the Supreme Court is the final say in the land. If they find in favor of corporate America and leave 300 + million citizens with no protection, short of civil war, that's it. We live or die at the discretion of "fat cats". Is this true?
Not exactly as we have seen SCOTUS can overturn precedent like Roe. Also Congress can create legislation. For example Roe was based on the implicit right of privacy in the Fourth Amendment. Congress can create legislation for a right to abortion that does not have anything to do with the right to privacy. The president signs into law. The states must follow that law. And thus both Roe and Dobbs are not law anymore. The new law could again be challenged in Court. But Articles 1-3 of the Constitution create checks and balances between the three branches. It has been said that our founding fathers made Congress the first article because they felt laws should be created there. The Supreme Court until recently was considered the last protection for the minority.
Thanks Kathi, Guess it is time to be in touch with Senators so they hear loud and clear that voters expect accountability with SCOTUS.
That is why voting is so important. Congress is the only branch where every vote counts. With the Electoral College our vote counts within each state, but if we are not the majority in our state, all electoral votes go to the state’s winner , except Maine and Nebraska
Kathi, might I say that you could use a Substack page of your own, to further educate on a regular basis.
Thanks Frederick. Many others are much more engaging but always a thud or me
Thought for me -hate autocorrect
And that is why Democrats want to “codify” a woman’s right to choose, to pass voting rights legislation.
Thank you, Kathi for your answer, That is a relief. Unfortunately, your last sent3ence is still true, except the minority now are the multi millionaires and billionaires -there are certainly fewer of them than there are of us. Sad.
Thank you both for clarifying these dangers.
I'm so grateful for Senator Whitehouse's work on this and I appreciate your having him here to enlighten us on these issues.