Election Day pales in Significance against Court Packing Day

But the first inevitably leads to the second still

Looking at current local, state and federal salaries here where I live.

Not counting retirement and other perks, here's current salaries rounded off:

US President $400,000
Vice President: $225,000
Eugene City Manager $225,000
Eugene Assistant City Manager $175,000
Senator or House Representative $174,000

Governor of Oregon $99,000 (4th lowest pay of 50 governors)
Lane County Commissioner $86,000
Oregon President of the Senate $68,000

City of Eugene Administrative aide or mail clerk $40,000
City of Eugene Custodian $36,000 (that's $17.31/hr)
Oregon state rep or state senator $34,000
Eugene City Councilor $26,000 to $31,000

I was actually glad to see the city council making something. Thirty years ago when I considered running, that job paid nothing at all.

Have you ever researched the pay of the electeds in your state, city or town?

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A Play in Three Acts of Contusion

Random Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court Judge recently: “Affirmative Action for minorities? No longer needed. Everything’s equal now.”

Second random Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court Judge: “Exactly. It got Clarence into our chambers. What further proof do they need?”

A random Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court Chief Judge concerned with his legacy: “Hey, keep it down, fam. You know how Clarence can get when anyone says he didn’t get here on his own initiative.”

(All three nod somberly, exchanging knowing glances.)

First random Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court Judge (grabs cane, starts dancing like James Cagney) : “Yes suh massuh! All the cotton’s done picked and I did it all on mah own.”

(The Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court Judge starts slapping the butt of the dancing Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court Judge): “Knock it off Sammy! Here he comes!”

Another Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court Judge stumbles in, glances at his esteemed Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court peers: “Which one a’ you guys drank my 6 pack a’ Schlitz?”

Second random Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court Judge: “Pretty sure it was Sonia. You know how entitled she is from all the affirmative ‘action’ she got.”

Stumbling Conservative Catholic resentful White Supremacist Supreme Court Judge: “Yeah, she acts like she got the ERA, that bitch. Hey, it’s been 103 years since they got suffrage. That’s plenty of time to get full equality. Isn’t it time to repeal suffrage? I mean, originalism, right?” (Chugs brewski, wipe’s mouth on robe sleeve, burps loudly)

(Conservative Catholic resentful Black Supreme Court Judge enters the break room): Alright, which one of you doofuses put the hair on my Coke can? It’s been two decades and you can’t come up with anything more originalist than that?”

(Curtain falls quietly, like a democracy)

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Crude? Take a look at real crude. And lest any think me anti-Catholic, that’s not exactly it. I’m anti-conservative Catholic, anti-conservative any leadership of any religions with a record of patriarchal anti-biology woman and child exploitation bent.

It’s not directed at the parishioners. Nor at the life-affirming clergy.

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As to my animus to the loudly (as in braying loud) politically partisan SCOTUS we are all now stuck with - not the neutral, objective SCOTUS type of judgments that have characterized most SCOTUS crew missives during the lifetimes of anyone currently living - it’s a judgment that I share with the majority of adult Americans. The reputation of this SCOTUS is at its lowest unpopularity point ever. Sufficient to wonder if the patient can be revived or whether this disease of resentment by the privileged class is terminal.

I strongly urge you to read this article by legal scholar Garrett Epps.

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Yes, it’s finally Election Day. A series of arsons in Jackson, Mississippi seems a lot like a fresh intimidation tactic that could be aimed at Black voters. Early voting by one party or the other has been up in several states, though there’s been about 100,000 less nationally than in the 2018 midterm.

Conventional wisdom says the House always flips when inflation’s higher than 5%, so there’s not a mandate unless the GOP gets a huge haul above a 30 seat gain. But conventional wisdom is worthless when there’s a strange ex-president around to bray. His worker drones and billionaires will repeat whatever nonsense he emits until it magically becomes true… to them.

Most eyes are on the Senate, with governors and secretaries of state also being scrutinized because of the tickets loaded with 2020 election liars.

I still predict that the Senate won’t flip and that it’s the courts - at every level - where the biggest risks to this endangered species - a democratic republic - exists. Short term and long term.