Obviously it is dispiriting to see someone of such low character installed on the highest court... as far as what it means for the SC, I doubt Kavanaugh will vote much differently than anyone else Trump would have nominated... the battle for the court was lost back in 2016. We see BK now as the partisan warrior that he is, but in reality that's probably true of anyone coming out of the Federalist Society... they just usually do a better job of hiding it. For me the real take-away is that people like Trump and Kavanaugh have figured out the main animating force behind the Republican Party is not a belief is 'small government' or 'family values' or whatever, but a visceral feeling of grievance and persecution at the hands of mean liberals. By casting themselves as victims as well they can get their side to rally behind them and defend them over ANYTHING. I worry this bodes very poorly for how things will go when Robert Mueller finally wraps up his work. I suspect his findings will be quite devastating, and yet at this point I have no faith that Republicans will be able to put their country above their party. Just as Trump can be manipulated by anyone who flatters his ego, his party can be manipulated by anyone who taps into their sense of victimization and resentment. Looking forward towards the battles to come, that is genuinely frightening.
On another note, I'd like to say that Christine Blasey Ford was a true hero for coming forward and sharing her story. (The other two as well, although I wish the one had better sense to pick another lawyer) I know she initially did not want to, feeling like it wouldn't matter and so why have her personal life destroyed for nothing. Some have remarked that she was ultimately right about that, but I disagree. I think it did matter. We're having an important conversation right now about sexual assault that's long overdue. They say change seems impossible until it's inevitable... people like Blasey Ford - ordinary people who do the right thing even at great personal cost - are the ones who cause the ground to shift... imperceptibly at first, and then undeniably.
It's up to us now to start turning this ship around come November. The sides could not be more clear at this point. There is no one else who is going to fix this... no 'adults in the room,' somewhere out there, who are going to make sure everything's ok for us. It's on us. Giving up is not an option. Do your part to make this a country we can be proud of again.
