Lawful Assembly

We talk about several news stories this last week. We start by discussing the debates and then move on to talking about Ginni Thomas and the recent story in ProPublica enlisting help opposing SCOTUS reform. 

Judge Sets Deadlines in Trump Election Case, Saying Campaign Is 'Not Relevant'

Ginni Thomas Email Praised Group Opposing SCOTUS Reform — ProPublica

Justice Amy Coney Barrett describes coming home with bulletproof vest

TRAC at Syracuse University's report on legal representation, "Too Few Immigration Attorneys: Average representation Rates Fall from 65% to 30%,  can be found at: https://trac.syr.edu/reports/736/

Dorothee Soelle's quote can be found in The Window of Vulnerability, A Political Spirituality, (Minneapolis, Fortress Press, 1990),  p.7.

2025: https://static.project2025.org/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf

We cover several stories in the news this week:

The information regarding Georgia Governor Eugene Talmadge removing more that one million voters from his state's voter registration came from political scientist Rober Mickey in "American Needs Georgia Republicans to Defend Democracy Again," Mary Gay, The New York Times, August 29, 2024:  https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/29/opinion/georgia-election-board-certification.html

"Top Military officer says he was wrong to accompany Trump on church walk through Lafayette Square," June 11, 2020:  https://m.abc3340.com/news/nation-world/milley-says-he-was-wrong-to-accompany-trump-on-church-walk

The photo with the words "All Are Welcome" at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC, can be found at:  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/opinion/trump-st-johns-church-protests.html

Stephen Carter was quoted from "Trump Isn't Going to Like the Supreme Couirt's Immunity Decision," (Bloomberg News, July 1, 2024:  https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-07-01/supreme-court-immunity-ruling-is-not-a-gift-to-trump

Eric Foner's quote is from Reconstruction, America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1870, (N.Y., Harper & Row, 1988) at p. 423.

Trump special counsel files new election interference indictment

A new rule in Georgia could allow local election boards to refuse to certify results

Conservative Republican Luttig endorses Harris, calls Trump a threat to democracy | CNN Politics

Others Have Politicized Arlington, but Trump’s Approach Has No Precedent - The New York Times

Today we read the section of Project 2025 on the restructuring of the Department of Homeland Security and what that has to do with the future of immigration in possible Trump presidency. 

Show notes:

Current USCIS Mission Statement:  https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/mission-and-core-values 

Project 2025: https://static.project2025.org/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf  (Mission Statement is on page 134).

Information on Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ: https://www.pilgrimoakpark.org/

Today I ask Craig about the year 1968 and the Democratic National Convention. He gives me a history lesson on the year leading up to the riots in Chicago.

References: 

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 2024 DNC speech.   

Senator Raphael Warnock’s 2024 DNC speech.   

The Executive Summary of the “Rights in Conflict” report regarding indiscriminate police violence at the 1968 DNC.   

The dates discussed in 1968 came from “1968” from Wikipedia. 

The Catonsville 9 issued a report on their actions. 

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed both the civil rights movement and his opposition to the Vietnam War in his April 4, 1967 speech at Riverside Church in New York City.   

Robert Reich describes the Social Security cap on payroll taxes which corrects Craig's statement about the cap in our previous podcast. 

Craig took a week off recording to head to the woods of Maine to enjoy this summer. I have a short message for our listeners to help the show grow. Full show next week!

Today we talk about immigration myths and debunk the most common ones that will crop up this election season. 

 The Refugee Convention and Protocoal Relating to the Status of Refugees (quote from page 5): https://www.unhcr.org/media/convention-and-protocol-relating-status-refugees For information on non-citizens voting and how few cases have been found, see:  https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/four-things-to-know-about-noncitizen-voting/ NBC Chicago produced a documentary on the issues related to finding housing for newly arrived asylum-seekers in Chicago when the state of Texas refused to coordinate with the City of Chicago:  "Desde Cero: The Migrant Journey in Chicago," at: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/so-many-people-in-tents-new-documentary-follows-migrant-families-struggles-triumphs-in-chicago/3446095/

Law Abiding Immigrants - Stanford Law School

Paul Krugman:  “Immigration is Great for Jobs, Actually,” July 23, 2024:  https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/23/opinion/immigration-unemployment-inflation.html

Today we talk about President Biden's plan to reform the supreme court. We also field a question on how to remain positive in a world that inundates us with negativity.

Democrats May Have a Real Chance to Reform the Supreme Court

FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Bold Plan to Reform the Supreme Court and Ensure No President Is Above the Law | The White House

"Domestic violence deaths spiked 110% in Illinois last year, adding to calls for passage of Karina’s Bill," can be found at:  

https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2024/07/23/domestic-violence-deaths-spiked-illinois-last-year-passage-karinas-bill?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=072424%20Morning%20Edition&utm_content=072424%20Morning%20Edition+CID_8dd80202dd4aa1da542e049db79332bd&utm_source=cst_campaign_monitor&utm_term=Domestic%20violence%20deaths%20spike%20110%20in%20Illinois%20adding%20to%20calls%20for%20passage%20of%20Karinas%20Bill&tpcc=cst_cm 

Craig's op-ed, "Where Does One Stand on a Slippery Slope" discusses state laws prohibiting the concealed carry of guns in most states in the late 19th Century: https://via.library.depaul.edu/omvpubs/58/

We contiune our second ammendment discussion in light of the recent attempt on the life of the former president. We also talk about the dismissal of the documents case. 

https://www.npr.org/2024/07/15/g-s1-10379/trump-documents-case-dismissed