Noteworthy News

Reporters at ProPublica have uncovered yet more news about the right-wing network of wealthy donors who have supported Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. According to Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, Alex Mierjeski, and Brett Murphy, in January 2000, on a plane flight home from a conservative conference, Thomas complained to Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) about his salary. He warned that if lawmakers didn’t give Supreme Court justices a pay raise, “one or more justices will leave soon.”

After the trip, Stearns wrote to Thomas that he agreed “it is worth a lot to Americans to have the constitution properly interpreted.” Stearns immediately set out to pass legislation separating the salaries of Supreme Court justices from the rest of the judiciary, and then raising pay for the Supreme Court justices alone. But the top administrative official of the judiciary, L. Ralph Mecham, in June 2000 wrote to then–chief justice William Rehnquist to suggest that this was the wrong approach for this “delicate matter.”

“From a tactical point of view,” Mecham wrote, “it will not take the Democrats and liberals in Congress very long to figure out that the prime beneficiaries who might otherwise leave the court presumably are Justices Thomas and Scalia. The Democrats might be perfectly happy to have them leave and would see little incentive to act on separate legislation devoted solely to Supreme Court justices if the apparent purpose is to keep Justices Scalia and Thomas on the Court. Moreover, the fact that Representative Stearns is a conservative Republican may not help dissuade the Democrats and liberals from this view.”

Mecham distinguished between Republicans he thought of as “liberals,” and those, presumably like himself, Rehnquist, Thomas, and Scalia, who were pushing “to have the constitution properly interpreted.” By this, he meant those who wanted the concept of “originalism” to undermine the federal government’s regulation of business, provision of a basic social safety net, promotion of infrastructure, and protection of civil rights, principles on which “liberal” Republicans and Democrats agreed.

Although the extremist faction has now captured the Republican Party, as late as 2000 there were enough “liberals” in the Republican Party that members of the extremist faction worried they could not enact their chosen program. So they must have the Supreme Court. Stearns told the ProPublica reporters that Thomas’s “importance as a conservative [as they called themselves] was paramount…. We wanted to make sure he felt comfortable in his job and was being paid properly.” 

About this time, wealthy Republican donors began to provide Thomas and his wife Ginni with expensive vacations and gifts. Ginni went to work for the Heritage Foundation, making a salary in the low six figures. Yale law school professor George Priest, who has joined Thomas and billionaire donor Harlan Crow on vacation, says that Crow “views Thomas as a Supreme Court justice as having a limited salary. So he provides benefits for him.”

That is, a Republican billionaire donor “provides benefits” for a Supreme Court justice who voted in favor of—among other things—the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision that reversed campaign finance restrictions in place for over 100 years, permitting corporations and outside groups to spend unlimited funds on elections, and the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision that gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act protecting minority voting rights in the United States. 

The determination of wealthy Republicans to control our political system for their own economic benefit is now matched on the other side of the political equation by religious voters hellbent on overthrowing democracy to impose their religious will on the American majority.  

After voters in Republican-dominated states have tried to protect the right to abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that recognized the constitutional right to abortion, antiabortion forces are trying to stop voters from having the right to decide the matter. They are trying to prevent voters from signing petitions to put such measures on ballots. 

Steven Aden, the chief legal officer of the antiabortion group Americans United for Life, told Alice Miranda Ollstein and Megan Messerly of Politico: “Because we believe that abortion is truly about the right to life of human individuals in the womb, we don’t believe those rights should be subjected to majority vote.”

Breaking faith in democracy has led us to a place where the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination is openly praising dictators, trying to join the United States into a rising global authoritarian movement based in the idea that democracy, with its focus on equal rights, is destroying traditional society by getting rid of patriarchy, racial hierarchies, and heteronormative society.  A Fox News poll released over the weekend showed that 3 in 10 Republicans agreed that “things in the U.S. are so far off track that we need a president willing to break some rules and laws to set things right.”

Today, Pope Francis undermined that argument when he said in a landmark ruling that Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples. While this is not the same as the sacrament of heterosexual marriage, the Vatican’s doctrinal office said this is a sign that God welcomes everyone. 

Pope Francis has tended to ignore the rise of right-wing extremism in the U.S. church but now appears to be defending his message that the church should be tolerant and welcoming in the face of the growing intersection of religion and authoritarianism. Last month, he relieved from duty Bishop Joseph H. Strickland of Tyler, Texas, who has vocally supported right-wing politics and openly revolted against the Pope’s positions. 

There is a strong economic reason to reinforce the idea of democracy, as well. After forty years in which a minority worked to push tax cuts and deregulation with the argument that they would promote investment in the economy, the Biden administration quite deliberately has used the government not to prop up the “supply side,” but rather to bolster the “demand side.” Despite the history that showed such a system worked, economists and pundits warned that Biden’s policies would dump the U.S. into a terrible recession. 

The 2023 numbers are in, and they show exactly what the U.S. Treasury under Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen predicted: inflation has dropped significantly, unemployment is at a low 3.7%, the economy grew at an astonishing 4.9% in the last quarter, and the stock and financial markets are at or near all-time highs. 

The economic news is tangible proof that a government that serves the majority, rather than a wealthy few, works.

—

Notes:

https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-money-complaints-sparked-resignation-fears-scotus

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24190168-stearns-note-to-thomas-2000

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24214202-2000-memo-to-rehnquist

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citizens-united-explained

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/voting-rights-america-six-years-after-shelby-v-holder

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/12/pope-francis-critics-catholic-church-strickland-burke.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/18/3-10-trump-voters-want-president-willing-break-rules-laws/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/26/gdp-third-quarter-economy-growth/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/12/18/recession-economy-inflation/

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/18/first-rule-of-the-anti-abortion-playbook-dont-let-the-public-vote-on-abortion-00132049

By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota

The arts change lives, from elementary schools to senior citizen centers and for people in every walk of life—the arts truly benefit us all. And the arts also transform economies, according to a new study of South Dakota’s nonprofit arts and culture industry. Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts, documents $363 million in economic activity generated in 2022 across South Dakota. 

This economic activity—$63.7 million in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $299.3 million in event-related spending by their audiences—generated nearly $52 million in local, state and federal government revenue and supported 6,054 full-time jobs. Spending by arts and culture audiences also includes local merchants, restaurants and lodging facilities, a value-add that few other industries can compete with. 

Our state has always understood the value of cultural attractions and creative enterprises to drive our economy. South Dakota’s creative community contributes in so many ways, reaching beyond our monumental sculptures into the heart of each community. This comprehensive study quantifies the impact of our arts industry in a way that dramatically illustrates its importance to us all.

The audience survey portion of the South Dakota analysis illustrates the overwhelming appreciation of arts and cultural opportunities in our state. 91% of respondents mentioned a sense of community or neighborhood pride in arts offerings, while 88% would feel a sense of loss if cultural opportunities were not available. 87% said arts attendance was a way of ensuring that creative activities and venues are preserved for future generations. 

While an understanding of that economic impact of the sector is critical to its future, the true power of the arts is the social impact within our communities. Our arts venues and opportunities are shining examples of accessibility and inclusivity. We have so much to be proud of in South Dakota’s creative community!

To see the full study as well as individual community data, go to artssouthdakota.org/aep6.

Liberty and Justice for All, a leading advocate for human rights and human health, is calling upon the public to mark World AIDS Day today by joining the initiative to contact Congress and request the reauthorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). With its remarkable achievements in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, PEPFAR has played a pivotal role in the fight against this global health crisis.

Some white South Dakotans love to talk about their generational connection to the land. I’m one of them: a proud, fifth-generation descendant of Dakota Territory homesteaders.

The federal government awarded nearly 100,000 parcels of free land to South Dakota settlers via the 1862 Homestead Act and successive rounds of related legislation. Modern South Dakotans celebrate that legacy in myriad ways, including an annual State Fair ceremony honoring farms and ranches owned by the same family for 100 or more years.

Too few of us pause to consider how that must sound to Native Americans. Their connection to the land spans hundreds of generations and thousands of years. Before any white settler rushed to claim free land in western South Dakota, the federal government broke a treaty that promised to reserve all of that land as a Great Sioux Reservation.

Native American children are overrepresented in South Dakota’s child welfare system — accounting for nearly 74% of foster children in the state at the end of fiscal year 2023, despite making up 13% of the state’s child population.

That means Indigenous children have a 22% chance of being removed from their families and placed in the foster system before they turn 18 — seven times higher than a white South Dakota child’s risk of entering the system, according to studies examining the risk of foster care placement for children across the nation.

Children can quickly lose interest in you when you’re helping them stack blocks, but also when you’re speaking with their grandmother about why she’s caring for them.

They fall asleep in her arms as you witness her choke up, flashing back to when she and her younger brothers were split as young siblings at a child protective services office. 

In that moment, you understand why a young grandmother is protecting her eight grandchildren from the child welfare system, while their mom struggles with addiction and homelessness. Without grandma, the siblings could be split between other relatives or foster homes and could have fractured ties in the future, like she does with her own.

Over 5,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by unrelenting Israeli airstrikes. This is genocide, and as U.S. Jews, we say: Never again. Not in our name. The only way to stop the killings — and free Israeli hostages — is an immediate ceasefire.

On Wednesday, October 18, thousands of Jews and allies rallied at the Capitol to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. As huge crowds gathered outside, hundreds of activists held a sit-in inside one of the Capitol buildings. We sang, we yelled, and we made our voices heard. It was the largest Jewish protest in solidarity with Palestinians in U.S. history. Hundreds were arrested.

Below, you’ll find a roundup of media coverage related to the October 18 rally, which was organized by JVP and our comrades at IfNotNow.

About 300 protesters pleading for a cease-fire were arrested on Capitol Hill, organizers say., The New York Times, October 18, 2023

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) joins the chorus of voices urging an immediate and total ceasefire, the admittance of humanitarian aid, and the restoration of power and water to Gaza to prevent the further staggering loss of human life that is inevitable under the current conditions. We support the call from the United Nations for the evacuation order to be rescinded, warning it will have “devastating humanitarian consequences." We join a wide range of faith-based, non-governmental, and humanitarian organizations across the globe in condemning the government of Israel’s ongoing bombardment, “total siege,” and forced displacement through an evacuation order of more than 1.1 million residents of Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’ atrocious October 7 attacks. We do so in line with our 2002 Action of Immediate Witness, “Toward Peace and Justice in the Middle East.”

An interview with a Jewish Voice for Peace activist as the group prepares for the largest action in its history—a mass rally demanding an immediate cease-fire.

LIZZY RATNER

Today is Indigenous People's Day, a significant occasion honoring and celebrating the rich and diverse cultures, histories, and contributions of Indigenous peoples across the Americas and around the world. This day stands as a recognition of the enduring resilience of Indigenous communities while fostering awareness and appreciation for their unique traditions and struggles. It is essential to reflect on the importance of acknowledging the Indigenous heritage that forms an integral part of our shared human history and to support the ongoing efforts to advocate to fulfill long-denied treaty promises, protect the rights and dignity of Indigenous peoples in our global society. Sovereignty is a moral right, a legal rights, and a constitutionally guaranteed right to self-governance. Sovereignty is an essential part of defending the Constitution and democracy.

We are thrilled to introduce the inaugural edition of our Ignite newsletter, a platform where we aim to ignite change, spark conversations, and keep you informed about our ongoing efforts and the pressing issues we confront. As we embark on this journey together, we kindly ask for your patience and forgiveness. Like any new endeavor, finding the right balance and format for our articles, selecting the most informative tidbits, and delivering the most useful information is a process that requires your invaluable feedback and input. We need your help to succeed in this mission of defending democracy while promoting liberty and justice for all. Your support and engagement are the driving forces behind our progress, and we look forward to crafting a newsletter that truly resonates with our community. Thank you for being part of this important journey.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The Rapid City Council came under fire Monday night, following their decision earlier this month to approve an appeal halting the relocation of the Hope Center to 630 East Blvd N.

Residents and members of the organization "Liberty and Justice for All" addressed the council, criticizing the decision and urging them to either reconsider or assist the center in finding an alternative location.

Annie Bachand, a member of Liberty and Justice for All, took a stand at the podium, emphasizing the broader implications of the council's decision.

“The immorality of militarizing homelessness, and the lack of shelter, affects millions of individuals and families around the world. And as we know in our own community,” Bachand said, “it's a problem that should evoke our compassion and collective efforts to find a humane solution.”

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Former President Donald Trump will be visiting Rapid City this Friday, September 8, for the South Dakota Republican Party’s Monumental Leaders Rally, and more than 6,000 tickets have been sold for the event.

However, not everyone is excited for the former president to be in town.

According to trustee Jamie Giedd, Liberty & Justice For All is a movement with the goal to “Ignite the power of the people to enhance and activate democracy.”

“We really believe that this is a movement for the people, by the people. So right now we’ve had far too many outside interests using South Dakota as a tool and as a toy. They’re very loud, and they’re silencing the voices, the good voices of the people who live in South Dakota, who work in South Dakota, who raise the future generations in South Dakota. So it’s important that we the people are heard and are honored in our vote and in our belief and values of democracy, something that South Dakota has valued for a very long time, that is our tradition,” Giedd said.

Friday’s event is expected to draw protesters targeting both Trump and Noem, said Annie Bachand, CEO of the South Dakota-based group Liberty & Justice for All.

“The reason that we show up is to demonstrate to other people that we’re not alone,” Bachand said. “Kristi Noem has spent more time out campaigning for I don’t know what than she has in South Dakota. She has more interest in her own self-interest than she does in taking care of the people of South Dakota.”

According to trustee Jamie Giedd, Liberty & Justice For All is a movement with the goal to “Ignite the power of the people to enhance and activate democracy.”

Friday's event is expected to draw protesters targeting both Trump and Noem, said Annie Bachand, CEO of the South Dakota-based group Liberty & Justice for All.

“The reason that we show up is to demonstrate to other people that we’re not alone,” Bachand said. “Kristi Noem has spent more time out campaigning for I don’t know what than she has in South Dakota. She has more interest in her own self-interest than she does in taking care of the people of South Dakota.”