Overzealous legislators who make the laws and mandatory minimums suck first and foremost, then prosecutors and sentencing judges who do not use judicial discretion fairly and empathetically. Lots of lawyers are good people and it’s worth noting that civil rights are protected almost exclusively by lawyers.

Your understanding and articulation of the joke is correct.

“A pregnant woman does not need a court order to have a life-saving abortion in Texas. Our ruling today does not block a life-saving abortion in this very case if a physician determines that one is needed under the appropriate legal standard, using reasonable medical judgment,” it said in its decision.

Kimberly Mutcherson, a professor of law at Rutgers Law School, said that part of what the Texas Supreme Court judges had to consider was whether they wanted “to be in the business of having every single medical exemption case end up” in their hands.

As the people above me have said it’s that the courts are not to be pre-determining the validity of every instance where an abortion is claimed to meet the statutory exemption, and the consequential effect is that no woman wants to proceed in state and no doctor will touch it both for fear of being charged criminally and/or sued civilly. Nobody wants to be a test case that can cause that person criminal prosecution, civil prosecution, legal expenses, loss of medical license, loss of ability to support themselves and their families, and god knows what vigilante actions from the lunatic holy rollers. It’s a damned if you do and damned if you don’t situation, especially with Paxton threatening to bring the full weight of the government of the State of Texas against you. All of which is just how the Republicans who passed this wanted. They only put the exemption in there to make the law give the appearance of giving a shit about the mother’s health.

14 Republicans and 11 Democrats. Here’s a link to the HPSCI member list: https://intelligence.house.gov/about/hpsci-members.htm

My very good friend, third or fourth generation American but 100% Mexican descent, maybe or maybe not got a little smart with the border agent. We did have to wait a few extra minutes for him in the parking lot on the US side. Meanwhile, the Middle Eastern international student with us had zero issues and whipped out two cans of beer out of his pockets while we waited. If you’re out there Fahad, you rock!

Sovereign Immunity is calling and would like a word.

Yes, very much so. And essentially the whole of the US eastern seaboard and a lot of the western seaboard (where it’s beach and not cliffs). However, many are second and third homes that people can afford to lose, so I don’t know if sea rise provides the proper amount of impetus for change. But I do know some people who have or who are planning to sell waterfront properties in anticipation of possibly being stuck with worthless or non-existent property, so maybe. But they are mostly people for whom the loss while not poverty-inducing, would be a major financial hit.

In the 90’s went to TJ with some friends who attended San Diego State University. At the club we drank warm Tecate with ice cubes. There were almost naked women on trapeze swings and porn playing on TV’s throughout the venue. It was pretty wild. The police all carried assault rifles. At the end of the night there was a mass of (mostly underage) young people processing through the border. Just had to show your driver’s license to get back into the US and there were no swipe machines to validate whether the license was real (that I recall)–just had to look like your photo. You were wise to keep your head about you while in TJ, but I don’t recall feeling unsafe. (But also was young and dumb.) Do kids still go there to party?

And here I thought just the sugar content was the issue. Welp if I needed another sign that it’s time for that colonoscopy, I do no longer.

I suspect no significant change will occur until wealthy people from wealthy countries are forced to abandon homes in coastal areas, or some similar worldwide phenomenon occurs.

One might think so based on real world application; however it’s true. And while true, I don’t recommend it as a first line defense.

Yes, this guy is my spirit animal–if I ever walk into the woods to disappear and live off the land. Or the neighbors as the case may be.

You’re right! Sloppy on my part.

Ho hum just another day in America. People kill people, thoughts and prayers, Mental health (but we can’t pay for better mental health care cause then you’re stealing my money to give to the crazies), etc, et al, ad nauseam.

I support unions but if you commit a crime associated with the union, don’t let the steel door hit your ass on the way in. It would be refreshing if 30% of America felt the same about other criminal leaders.

So still no evidence against Joe? Cause frankly I could care less about whatever shenanigans his offspring get into.

Business setting usually yes. Social setting, no more so than if it was a man.

They are talking about organized retail theft. Individuals stealing still could make up a large amount of loss. Article doesn’t seem clear to me on that point.

Steal stuff from the nearest house (or ask if I wasn’t on the run from the law–and maybe even if I was) or town. Otherwise, no, no survival.

Does anyone know what high level politicians actually do on a day-to day-basis. Like, is there someone who works in the field or has had an internship on Capitol Hill or something that can enlighten me? The pols rarely draft their own bills. It’s either lobbyists or staffers. Ron Desantis has been Iowa about 100x more than he’s been in Florida. Seems like the job is not all that difficult and you can be absent just about all the time unless there’s a vote on the floor. But, maybe my admittedly incomplete knowledge is wrong.