The American Constitution

[James Clark]

I already knew the answer - it was a rhetorical question

But an interesting discussion nonetheless.  Joe - I agree with your concern, and I wouldn't support support packing the court in this manner for precisely the reasons you state.  I am, however, amused that this technically perfectly legal approach is decried as an assault on liberty and egregious tyranny by the same people that gleefully, but in theory legally, denied Garland so much as a vote.

The larger point is that some group of people need to step back from the zero sum model of political behavior, even at the cost of short term gain.  This assumes, of course, that the other side (we can call them "Republicans" for the sake of argument) would behave accordingly in response, and not just consolidate their power.  They won't under Trump and (especially) McConnell, but maybe later...

[Alan Klein]

Roberts has deliberately moderated the Court's decisions to the left to make it seem less political and to prevent the packing of the Court. The irony is that the left sees his weakness and is coming out for packing the court to even push him even further to the left.

[amolitor]

Roberts has deliberately moderated the Court's decisions to the left to make it seem less political and to prevent the packing of the Court

Citation needed.

[Alan Klein]

Trump shouldn't have blinked. The Chinese are hurting because of tariffs.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/14/economy/china-economy-slowdown-tariffs/index.html

[Alan Klein]

Citation needed.

Do you always believe what other people tell you to believe? Don't you ever form your own opinions?

[amolitor]

Do you always believe what other people tell you to believe? Don't you ever form your own opinions?

You made a pretty specific claim about Justice Roberts' motivations. An insulting one, to be honest, as your claim is (essentially) that Roberts is acting politically rather than judicially. Are you prepared to back this up, or is it just a hypothesis?

[Alan Klein]

Yes he's acting politically.   It's my opinion. If you have a different one, I'll be glad to hear it.

[RSL]

Looks as if Andrew no longer is going to be with us -- at least for a while. Maybe forever.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Looks as if Andrew no longer is going to be with us -- at least for a while. Maybe forever.

??

[RSL]

Slobodan, check the new thread: "Seriously, Roussak?"

[Alan Klein]

It seems Trump wants to buy Greenland from the Danes. Harry Truman, a Democrat, also tried to buy the island when he was president back in 1946.  If it was good enough for Harry, it should be good enough for Donald.  Let's see.  Trump Tower Greenland.  Or Greenland, the 51st State.  Maybe both.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/15/politics/trump-buy-greenland-wall-street-journal/index.html

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

It seems Trump wants to buy Greenland...

Why buy? Just occupy and annex. Then again, maybe Danes would be happy (aren't they?) to get rid of it cheaply?

[Rob C]

Why buy? Just occupy and annex. Then again, maybe Danes would be happy (aren't they?) to get rid of it cheaply?

As I note no smiley, may I take it at face value? If so, hello Russia; you taught us well! Or shouid that be: empire wasn't such a bad idea...

And when the snow clears, all that land and the possibilities for more minerals - why would a daft Dane want to keep it?

[Alan Klein]

He said he wanted to buy it, not steal it. 

[Alan Klein]

The Danes turned down Trump's offer saying he's "mad".  Actually I think he's clever.  First, he really believes it's warming up despite leaving the Paris accord.  That's going to make minerals and the land more valuable.  Also, we have Thule Air Base there for 70 years or so, and an important NATO missile early warning system.  The Chinese are making overtures to gain land against the West like they have with those islands in the South China Sea.  The last thing we need is armed Chinese territory between North America and Europe.  Greenland also sits near the Arctic Circle that may become the sea passage for commerce between the continents if the Arctic Sea melts most of the time.  There are also minerals there that could be mined.  Securing that land against Russia and China would be prudent and in America's and Europe's interest.  You can knock Trump all you want.  But he knows a good real estate deal when he sees it. 
https://www.aljazeera.com/ajimpact/trump-floats-purchase-world-largest-island-report-190816075404759.html

[faberryman]

The Danes turned down Trump's offer saying he's "mad".  Actually I think he's clever.  First, he really believes it's warming up despite leaving the Paris accord.  That's going to make minerals and the land more valuable.  Also, we have Thule Air Base there for 70 years or so, and an important NATO missile early warning system.  The Chinese are making overtures to gain land against the West like they have with those islands in the South China Sea.  The last thing we need is armed Chinese territory between North America and Europe.  Greenland also sits near the Arctic Circle that may become the sea passage for commerce between the continents if the Arctic Sea melts most of the time.  There are also minerals there that could be mined.  Securing that land against Russia and China would be prudent and in America's and Europe's interest.  You can knock Trump all you want.  But he knows a good real estate deal when he sees it. 
https://www.aljazeera.com/ajimpact/trump-floats-purchase-world-largest-island-report-190816075404759.html

The Danes are not interested in selling Greenland for the same reasons Trump is interested in buying it. But that probably didn't occur to the stable genius.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

A little history for those who think Trump is mad:

... Following World War II, the U.S. under President Harry Truman developed a geopolitical interest in Greenland and in 1946 offered to buy it from Denmark for $100 million. But Denmark refused to sell. And that was the second failed attempt—the State Department had also launched an inquiry into buying Greenland and Iceland in 1867."

[Alan Klein]

The US Virgin Islands use to belong to the Danes as well.  It was called the Danish West Indies. We bought it from them in 1917.  Alaska was bought from the Russians.  When we bought it, it was proclaimed Seward's Follies after the Secretary of State who pushed for it.  We paid two cents an acre.
 What a deal!!.  They thought he was batty.   The best deal was the Louisiana Purchase where we bought the entire center of our country from Napoleon.   Apparently his lover Joséphine was complaining about some bauble she wanted and the little Emperor needed some cash. 

So buying Greenland sounds like a good idea.  What's the expression?  everything's for sale at the right price.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

As I note no smiley, may I take it at face value?...

Sure.

But I skipped a few steps. First, we will impose tariffs on Danish goods (btw, what goods? I know only of Bang & Olufsen and pastry). Then, if that doesn't work, crippling sanctions. And if that doesn't work, bombing into submission. I should know.

[Alan Klein]

Sure.

But I skipped a few steps. First, we will impose tariffs on Danish goods (btw, what goods? I know only of Bang & Olufsen and pastry). Then, if that doesn't work, crippling sanctions. And if that doesn't work, bombing into submission. I should know.

Well we already have the air base there.😑