JerryM

A 6-3 Supreme Court tariff loss is a win. Come on DOWN!

President Donald Trump, while walking into the House chamber, shook hands and spoke briefly with with Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justices Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, just days after all but Kavanaugh delivered a severe blow to Trump’s agenda by voting to strike down his most sweeping tariffs. https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/02/24/trump-state-of-the-union-address-2026/a-friendly-shake-00797142 The NY Times vignette above was on the way out.

Bellamy’s purpose was twofold. First, he wanted to recover some of the patriotism of the Civil War era. Second, and most importantly, he wanted to provide a patriotic emblem to schoolchildren, particularly those immigrant children who might have mixed national allegiances. The United States, especially those states in the Northeast, saw hundreds of thousands of immigrants entering the country, many of them eastern and southern European. Moreover, their religion was Catholic or, more alarmingly, Jewish and perceived as permanently foreign. The Pledge of Allegiance is thus our pledges of allegiance. It has always symbolized, as Bellamy intended, the union of a nation of different nationalities, religions and regions into one strong and cohesive whole. It stood for the vision of Bellamy’s hero, Abraham Lincoln, of one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. https://news.utexas.edu/2016/01/04/what-the-pledge-of-allegiance-means-in-todays-america/

As I posted yesterday different topic: “What happened today with the two United States Supreme Court Justices that I appointed against great opposition, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, whether people like it or not, never seems to happen with Democrats,” Trump said on social media. “They vote against the Republicans, and never against themselves, almost every single time, no matter how good a case we have.” https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/20/donald-trump-tariff-supreme-court-reaction-00791245 NB Doesn't seem to bother the President that Justices Alito and Thomas do about the same thing 180 degrees almost every single time, no matter how good (or bad) a case we have.

Correct as noted

Comey-Barrett, Gorsuch, & Kagan. Correction: Justice Kavanaugh attended not Gorsuch (Comey-Barrett get s my ghost of David Souter award)

My favorite quickie from NY Times: After Mr. Trump spoke his last words — “God bless you, and God bless America” — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. turned to three of the other Supremes and gave a curt little nod. They turned on their heels and filed out, one by one, right past the president as he leaned forward and started shaking hands.

Yes and there are expats who don't have the 800K either but that doesn't seem to stop them.

AI Gemini: Here is a breakdown of the rules regarding joint accounts for retirement extensions: Presumption of 50/50 Ownership: If you use a joint account, Immigration often assumes the funds are split 50/50 between the account holders. This means if you are using a joint account with a spouse, you may be required to show a balance of 1.6 million Baht to satisfy the 800,000 Baht requirement for your own extension.

Well this will likely depend upon just how big was the deceased's account but per AI Gemini: Withdrawing funds from a deceased person’s Thai bank account, even by a wife, is illegal under Thai law and can result in severe legal and financial consequences. In Thailand, bank accounts are frozen immediately upon the bank receiving notice of the death. Here is what happens if a wife withdraws funds from a deceased husband's Thai bank account: Criminal Charges (Fraud/Theft): Unauthorized withdrawal is considered fraud and a criminal offense, as it is seen as taking assets from the estate, which must be legally distributed. Legal Complications & Penalties: The wife could be sued by other heirs (such as children, if any) for the misappropriation of assets.

Only by virtue of the schlock.

No such instrument in Thailand.

AI Gemini per the above: Historical Intent Universal Aspiration: Francis Bellamy, who wrote the original Pledge of Allegiance in 1892, intended the phrase as a unifying statement for every individual in the country. Inclusion of Immigrants: Bellamy specifically wanted the pledge to help incorporate immigrants into American life, suggesting the "all" was meant to include those not yet citizens.

Master stroke. Did Karoline Leavitt say that or did she just stick with incredible.

Master stroke? Sez u as from topic above: Maybe the response can be built around incidents like this. How immigration agents are using a once-obscure law to detain US citizens That stand-up theatric reminded me of this:

NB via Gemini: In Thailand, life insurance payouts are generally not considered part of the probate estate, allowing for direct, swift transfer to designated beneficiaries. Upon the death of the policyholder, beneficiaries must submit a death certificate, original policy, and ID documents to the insurer to claim benefits. Key Aspects of Transfer Upon Death in Thailand: Direct Payout: Life insurance benefits are paid directly to named beneficiaries, bypassing the lengthy court-probate process required for other assets like bank accounts or real estate.

So maybe this is just part of the 'weave' and maybe he thought no one would notice Fact check: Ukrainian refugee’s death in Charlotte wasn’t caused by open borders Updated February 25, 2026 12:29 PM President Donald Trump said during his State of the Union address that a man accused of killing a Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte had come “in through open borders.” That is not true. But Tuesday night, Trump got a key fact wrong about Brown. “She had escaped a brutal war only to be slain by a hardened criminal set free to be killed in America,” Trump said, adding, “Came in through open borders.” The Charlotte Observer previously reported that Brown was born in Charlotte, according to his Facebook page. His mother told The Charlotte Observer he graduated from West Mecklenburg High School. https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article314830300.html

The one hour 47 minute speech reminded me of a stand up comic who CANNOT be yanked off the stage. Like this from one of DJT's (now) big supporters: AI Gemini: Rob Schneider (June 2024): Comedian and Saturday Night Live alum Rob Schneider was removed from the stage during a fundraiser for the Hospitals of Regina Foundation in Canada. Organizers deemed his act inappropriate for the charity event and asked him to stop, which he complied with.

The little I watched of the video ( I have the full transcript) and his one hour 47 minute "off the cuff" remarks it reminded me of the Jerry Lewis telethon:

Maybe the response can be built around incidents like this. How immigration agents are using a once-obscure law to detain US citizens Feb 19, 2026 -- A CNN review of federal court records found that the Trump administration has dramatically expanded the use of the statute. Federal prosecutors in areas that have seen intense protests – the four districts covering Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland – charged about 12 times as many people under the statute in the first year of the Trump administration as they did in the last year of the Biden administration. But these charges have often fallen apart under scrutiny, CNN found. In Los Angeles, all five of the prosecutions under the statute that have gone to trial since last summer have resulted in an acquittal. Many cases that didn’t go to trial there and in Chicago have been dismissed, ended in a plea deal or only resulted in a civil citation with a fine, while others are still pending. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/19/us/immigration-law-18-usc-111

Well sure. But enquiring minds want to know: Why did the Biden DOJ not charge any, much less convict any pedophiles in four years?

True. But the first decisive MERIT ruling of Trump Take 2 came last Friday and, to put it musically, The Supreme Court STEPPED ON TRUMP'S BLUE SUEDE SHOES.

Program! Program here! Can't tell the players without a program! Supreme Court justices that attended the 2026 State of the Union address The following justices were seen at the State of the Union address: Chief Justice John Roberts Justice Amy Coney Barrett Justice Brett Kavanaugh Justice Elena Kagan Supreme Court Justices that did not attend the 2026 State of the Union address Justice Samuel Alito Justice Clarence Thomas Justice Neil Gorsuch Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Justice Sonia Sotomayor https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/24/which-supreme-court-justices-attended-state-of-the-union-address/88832443007/

“What happened today with the two United States Supreme Court Justices that I appointed against great opposition, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, whether people like it or not, never seems to happen with Democrats,” Trump said on social media. “They vote against the Republicans, and never against themselves, almost every single time, no matter how good a case we have.” https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/20/donald-trump-tariff-supreme-court-reaction-00791245 NB Doesn't seem to bother the President that Justices Alito and Thomas do about the same thing 180 degrees almost every single time, no matter how good (or bad) a case we have.

Re: 'activist Judge' Patrick Schiltz: After law school, Schiltz was a law clerk from 1985 to 1986 to Antonin Scalia, who was then a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Schiltz had accepted an offer to clerk for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court the next year, but in July 1986, shortly before Schiltz's clerkship with Scalia ended, President Ronald Reagan nominated Scalia to the Supreme Court. Scalia asked Schiltz to help him prepare for his confirmation hearings, and after Scalia was confirmed, (Scalia) asked Schiltz to clerk for him during his first year on the Supreme Court. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_J._Schiltz