I was happily knitting away on my flight home from New York this evening, certain that the Supreme Court would go down to the wire on the Mifepristone case. The deadline Justice Alito had imposed for the Court to reach a decision was 11:59 p.m. Friday night.
Apr 22, 2023·edited Apr 22, 2023Liked by Joyce Vance
I am now 65 - yea for Medicare! - and I came of age with Roe v Wade and then Watergate. Like many women of my generation, I took for granted the hard fight it took to grant us agency over our bodies. I had two friends in college choose to have abortions rather than give birth before they were ready. They both eventually married the young men with whom they became first became pregnant and had families together at the right time.
At 33 and 35, I was overjoyed to become pregnant, and with each test, ultrasound, doctor appointment, I was assured two healthy pregnancies. But I knew I, with support of my husband and my doctor, may have had to make a decision that could change that joy were my pregnancies not sustainable. I fortunately did not have to make that decision, but I am sure glad I had that choice. And that is what it is -- a choice. One to be made between a women, her physician, and, hopefully, a supportive partner.
What makes me so [expletive] angry is that men, and it is almost always men, are so hardcore against abortion. Never will Alito or Thomas have to deal with the intricacies of pregnancy, of the bodily changes, and its possible dangers. Hell, they don’t even know what it’s like to have a monthly period, and that’s no cakewalk, as we women know!
On the flip side, these men will never know the sheer joy of pregnancy, and yes, the agony of giving birth, but with such a sweet reward. My husband can only remotely experience what I did 31 and 29 years ago. But I digress…
[edited] Politicians and judges, regardless of gender, are not qualified to make decisions about women’s reproductive health care. Full stop.
Joyce, in your closing remarks thanking us as subscribers, I'm sure that most among us would agree that I feel honored and lucky to be among those that can claim a small part in supporting your work. In fact I would go so far to say that many would be eager to pitch in if you came up with a go-fund-me project that you are interested in pursuing. I feel so good and humbled every time I read your closing "We're in this together." Thank you again Joyce. Thus,
The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, an association of antiabortion doctors and others, brought the suit to revoke the FDA approval of mifepristone.
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
Please, PRINT THEIR NAMES AND CITIES OF RESIDENCE. Spread this information early and often in print, television, radio, and online. I want to know all about them.
I presume at least some of the members of this poorly named group are practicing physicians. Their patients deserve to know if their doctor was part of this group. Patients have a right to choose to see a doctor that they know will provide complete and up to date care. The members of this “alliance” will not.
Does anyone know why Justice Alito is such an angry, arrogant man, and apparently a misogynist as well? How does he get along with his female colleagues on the bench?
I think of most Republicans in whatever office they hold as "bitter pills", especially when they do their level best to cheapen the interview process with deception and outright lies to make themselves look better. I think anyone who lies about their values, beliefs, or anything they are supposed to tell the truth about should be ousted from that job as soon as the lies are verified. That would set an example to others coming along that they COULD lose their job for failur to be truthful. That would be a mandatory unbreakable way to force ethical behavior on those people. Let's face it. Too many liars are popping up, and the results are awful for us due to that fact. The liars should be hounded by the MSM until they resign their position. It's the one honorable choice they have left. That should go especially for SCOTUS. Carry on.
It's plain to me that Matthew Kacsmaryk committed perjury during his confirmation process. He not only didn't disclose the law review article that foretold the ruling he made for these fake plaintiffs in the mifepristone case, he hid his role as the author by fraudulently substituting the names of two other right wing nuts to cover up his footprints all over the US Constitution.
In my book, this is called perjury. But you don't need my book, for the United States Code, Title 18, §§ 1001 and 1621 will more than fill the bill. What I want to know is this: why hasn't Senator Dick Durbin, chair of the judiciary committee, held hearings on this and made criminal referrals to Merrick Garland?
I for one am tired of his milquetoast approach to non-governing, as evidenced by his failure to ignore blue slips to advance Joe Biden's judicial nominees, especially in light of continued GOP obstructionism add complete jackassery about Dianne Feinstein. And I'm really getting tired of Chuck Schumer allowing this kind of crap to continue as well.
‘Not Quite Midnight at the Supreme Court’, might have been read as the title of a poem, but then there were the knitting needles with a few knitted lines of dark beige wool wrapped around them. The heading no longer looked like a poem. Joyce Vance did quite a bit of work once she put her needles down. There were lots of words recording the work of Matthew Kacsmaryk, the Fifth Circuit, FDA, Thomas and Alito, Barrett and Kagan, Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Senator Murkowski… The prose was all about Mifepristone, court cases, women, fetuses and hard-right, Republican theology. Poetry? All I can say is that it is undecided. Another stay of execution.
Thank you for publishing this so late on a Friday night. I’ve been curious to hear your opinions on the ruling. To those if you considering a paid subscription, I say it is worth every penny.
Your posts are extraordinarily helpful in my efforts to keep up and understand (as best I can) the complex world of legal wranglings in a society gone mad. And as much respect as I have for your intelligence, education, experience, and expertise...it is the chickens and the knitting that really has me hooked.
I'm sorry I'm just a law hobbyist, but I read that dissent twice, and I missed that there was a part consistent with reason. Alito's so mean, he will dissent to his own decision (to take the thing for consideration in the first place!) All I could get was that his dissent sounded like the bawling of a heifer stuck in a wire fence. I'm not sure what the language is supposed to be in these sort of things, but the Scalito team went off the rails when the smart one died. I could read Scalia and get a sense of clarity of movement, no matter if I disagreed. I don't know what-for that Alito's trying to say, but he's got the window open in the rain and he's bellowing out "I'm mad as hell, and I can't take it anymore!"
These boys got their comeuppance when they decided to play doctor. I am a doctor, and I object to laws dictating the practice of medicine, even if they direct me to action that I think is good. If I wore a black robe in the exam room, the patients would be off the stirrups and out through the lobby. If the Extreme Court is addled with hubris, over-inflated enough to favor whether a doctor needs to examine a patient, once or three times, whatever Doctor Kacsmaryk has in his notebook, show me your license, pal. I have more faith in Doctor Oz than Doctor Kaz.
A lot of the principles of judicial deference to the practice of medicine used to come from collegial respect. At least, it came from the realization that one shouldn't stick one's arm to unjam the wood chipper, unless you know it's unplugged. Trauma surgeons all know about that mistake. Don't involve yourself in things outside your business.
I'll look over the little 3-page objection again, but I'm afraid I'm not going to buy that bust of Justice Alito on Etsy.
It is so nice of you to express appreciation for those of us who subscribe and support you. But it is you who needs to know how much you are appreciated. You are not just keeping us informed. Like a good teacher will do you are changing the world.
I am now 65 - yea for Medicare! - and I came of age with Roe v Wade and then Watergate. Like many women of my generation, I took for granted the hard fight it took to grant us agency over our bodies. I had two friends in college choose to have abortions rather than give birth before they were ready. They both eventually married the young men with whom they became first became pregnant and had families together at the right time.
At 33 and 35, I was overjoyed to become pregnant, and with each test, ultrasound, doctor appointment, I was assured two healthy pregnancies. But I knew I, with support of my husband and my doctor, may have had to make a decision that could change that joy were my pregnancies not sustainable. I fortunately did not have to make that decision, but I am sure glad I had that choice. And that is what it is -- a choice. One to be made between a women, her physician, and, hopefully, a supportive partner.
What makes me so [expletive] angry is that men, and it is almost always men, are so hardcore against abortion. Never will Alito or Thomas have to deal with the intricacies of pregnancy, of the bodily changes, and its possible dangers. Hell, they don’t even know what it’s like to have a monthly period, and that’s no cakewalk, as we women know!
On the flip side, these men will never know the sheer joy of pregnancy, and yes, the agony of giving birth, but with such a sweet reward. My husband can only remotely experience what I did 31 and 29 years ago. But I digress…
[edited] Politicians and judges, regardless of gender, are not qualified to make decisions about women’s reproductive health care. Full stop.
Joyce, in your closing remarks thanking us as subscribers, I'm sure that most among us would agree that I feel honored and lucky to be among those that can claim a small part in supporting your work. In fact I would go so far to say that many would be eager to pitch in if you came up with a go-fund-me project that you are interested in pursuing. I feel so good and humbled every time I read your closing "We're in this together." Thank you again Joyce. Thus,
Spake
The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, an association of antiabortion doctors and others, brought the suit to revoke the FDA approval of mifepristone.
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
Please, PRINT THEIR NAMES AND CITIES OF RESIDENCE. Spread this information early and often in print, television, radio, and online. I want to know all about them.
I presume at least some of the members of this poorly named group are practicing physicians. Their patients deserve to know if their doctor was part of this group. Patients have a right to choose to see a doctor that they know will provide complete and up to date care. The members of this “alliance” will not.
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?!!!!!
Does anyone know why Justice Alito is such an angry, arrogant man, and apparently a misogynist as well? How does he get along with his female colleagues on the bench?
I think of most Republicans in whatever office they hold as "bitter pills", especially when they do their level best to cheapen the interview process with deception and outright lies to make themselves look better. I think anyone who lies about their values, beliefs, or anything they are supposed to tell the truth about should be ousted from that job as soon as the lies are verified. That would set an example to others coming along that they COULD lose their job for failur to be truthful. That would be a mandatory unbreakable way to force ethical behavior on those people. Let's face it. Too many liars are popping up, and the results are awful for us due to that fact. The liars should be hounded by the MSM until they resign their position. It's the one honorable choice they have left. That should go especially for SCOTUS. Carry on.
It's plain to me that Matthew Kacsmaryk committed perjury during his confirmation process. He not only didn't disclose the law review article that foretold the ruling he made for these fake plaintiffs in the mifepristone case, he hid his role as the author by fraudulently substituting the names of two other right wing nuts to cover up his footprints all over the US Constitution.
In my book, this is called perjury. But you don't need my book, for the United States Code, Title 18, §§ 1001 and 1621 will more than fill the bill. What I want to know is this: why hasn't Senator Dick Durbin, chair of the judiciary committee, held hearings on this and made criminal referrals to Merrick Garland?
I for one am tired of his milquetoast approach to non-governing, as evidenced by his failure to ignore blue slips to advance Joe Biden's judicial nominees, especially in light of continued GOP obstructionism add complete jackassery about Dianne Feinstein. And I'm really getting tired of Chuck Schumer allowing this kind of crap to continue as well.
The sourcing in this article from the Washington Post makes the criminal case for perjury a slam dunk: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/15/matthew-kacsmaryk-law-review/
‘Not Quite Midnight at the Supreme Court’, might have been read as the title of a poem, but then there were the knitting needles with a few knitted lines of dark beige wool wrapped around them. The heading no longer looked like a poem. Joyce Vance did quite a bit of work once she put her needles down. There were lots of words recording the work of Matthew Kacsmaryk, the Fifth Circuit, FDA, Thomas and Alito, Barrett and Kagan, Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Senator Murkowski… The prose was all about Mifepristone, court cases, women, fetuses and hard-right, Republican theology. Poetry? All I can say is that it is undecided. Another stay of execution.
Thank you again Joyce for your interpretation and analysis. It is looking more like Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” every day🤬.
Thank you for publishing this so late on a Friday night. I’ve been curious to hear your opinions on the ruling. To those if you considering a paid subscription, I say it is worth every penny.
I don't know if "sanity" prevailed, but the other four idiots did demonstrate they still understand the concept of self-preservation.
Your posts are extraordinarily helpful in my efforts to keep up and understand (as best I can) the complex world of legal wranglings in a society gone mad. And as much respect as I have for your intelligence, education, experience, and expertise...it is the chickens and the knitting that really has me hooked.
Knitting needles passed TSA? 😬
I'm sorry I'm just a law hobbyist, but I read that dissent twice, and I missed that there was a part consistent with reason. Alito's so mean, he will dissent to his own decision (to take the thing for consideration in the first place!) All I could get was that his dissent sounded like the bawling of a heifer stuck in a wire fence. I'm not sure what the language is supposed to be in these sort of things, but the Scalito team went off the rails when the smart one died. I could read Scalia and get a sense of clarity of movement, no matter if I disagreed. I don't know what-for that Alito's trying to say, but he's got the window open in the rain and he's bellowing out "I'm mad as hell, and I can't take it anymore!"
These boys got their comeuppance when they decided to play doctor. I am a doctor, and I object to laws dictating the practice of medicine, even if they direct me to action that I think is good. If I wore a black robe in the exam room, the patients would be off the stirrups and out through the lobby. If the Extreme Court is addled with hubris, over-inflated enough to favor whether a doctor needs to examine a patient, once or three times, whatever Doctor Kacsmaryk has in his notebook, show me your license, pal. I have more faith in Doctor Oz than Doctor Kaz.
A lot of the principles of judicial deference to the practice of medicine used to come from collegial respect. At least, it came from the realization that one shouldn't stick one's arm to unjam the wood chipper, unless you know it's unplugged. Trauma surgeons all know about that mistake. Don't involve yourself in things outside your business.
I'll look over the little 3-page objection again, but I'm afraid I'm not going to buy that bust of Justice Alito on Etsy.
I also feel heartened and better educated by your columns. Thank you for investing the time and energy with us. Elaine Stevens,NM
Lies, Manipulation, Obfuscation & Deception- that’d be the law firm founded by Alito, Thomas and Kacsmaryk....
It is so nice of you to express appreciation for those of us who subscribe and support you. But it is you who needs to know how much you are appreciated. You are not just keeping us informed. Like a good teacher will do you are changing the world.