Open Thread

What’s on your mind?

Comments

[Malika la Maize]

The Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, is authorized by law to make final decisions about coin designs, including these 250th anniversary coins — a dime, a half-dollar and five quarters — which are both collectible and legal tender. But his choices ignored the more diverse recommendations for the quarters by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, a bipartisan group mandated by Congress to review the U.S. Mint’s proposed designs for American coins.

To commemorate the abolition of slavery, the committee had recommended an image of Frederick Douglass on the obverse and shackled and unshackled hands on the reverse. To honor women’s suffrage, a World War I-era protester carrying a “Votes for Women” flag. And to evoke the civil rights movement, a 6-year-old Ruby Bridges, books in hand, helping to desegregate the New Orleans school system in 1960.

Mr. Bessent opted instead for the more general, and much whiter. For the Mayflower Compact, a Pilgrim couple staring into the distance. For the Revolutionary War, a profile of Washington. For the Declaration of Independence, a profile of Thomas Jefferson. For the Constitution, a profile of James Madison. And for the Gettysburg Address, a profile of Lincoln on the obverse, and on the reverse, a pair of interlocking hands. No shackles…

This latest skirmish over how the United States sees and presents itself is rooted in the little-known Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, signed by Mr. Trump on Jan. 13, 2021, one week after the Capitol riot. The act authorized the production of coins celebrating the country’s 250th anniversary, including quarters of up to five different designs, with the specification that one of the five be emblematic of women’s contribution “to the birth of the Nation or the Declaration of Independence” or any other monumental American moment…

As for the requirement that one of the coin designs celebrate the contributions of women to the great American experiment, the Mint cited the image of a Pilgrim holding the hand of, and being embraced by, her protective male partner.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/us/coins-us-250th-anniversary.html

[Frank Drackman]

(People are saying) that Frederick Douglas has done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more I notice

[Dr. Ed 2]

It's about time someone stood up for White Males.

[not guilty]

Another federal district court judge -- this one appointed by Donald Trump -- has entered a scathing order calling out the Department of Homeland Security agents and government lawyers for submitting “evasive and demonstrably false” claims to the court under oath. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/central-islip-holding-room-ruling-brooklyn-federal.pdf

The nut graph of the December 18, 2025 order states:

Therefore, it is further ORDERED that as part of the above-described December 30 submission, counsel for respondents shall SHOW CAUSE why the Court should not consider entering an order of contempt or some other remedy in connection with ICE’s failures to follow its orders in this case.

The Court does not explicitly specify whether the contemplated order of contempt is civil or criminal in nature. That is unfortunate, IMO. The Respondents need to know whether the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination is or is not available to them.

An order imposing criminal contempt sanctions could become nugatory if the Doofus-in-chief exercises his pardon power. OTOH, an order of civil contempt jailing DHS officials until compliance with prior court orders is had could help to put the fear of the Courts into other Trump administration officials.

Pass the popcorn.

[Drewski]

It's civil. A show cause for criminal has to say it's for criminal, per crim p 42.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Trump 45 made mistakes with Judicial appointments because of Blue Slips

[Malika la Maize]

An order imposing criminal contempt sanctions could become nugatory if the Doofus-in-chief exercises his pardon power.

?? ?

[not guilty]

"Criminal contempt is a crime in the ordinary sense; it is a violation of the law, a public wrong which is punishable by fine or imprisonment or both." Bloom v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 194, 201 (1968). A contemnor before or after a judgment of criminal contempt accordingly can be pardoned by the President. Ex Parte Grossman, 267 U.S. 87, 115-116 (1925). The same is not true, however, of civil contempts. Id., at 111.

[Frank Drackman]

You 2 should get a room

[A Japanese Student]

While the SCOTUS is hearing cases on the right to bear arms, the Supreme Court of Japan is hearing a case on... the right to kill a bear with arms. Bear sightings are common occurrences today (consuming living human every week or so), but bears were not a news topic in 2018, when the incident occurred.

The police called a licensed hunter to shoot a bear in a neighborhood. Supervised by a cop, he shot and killed the bear.

Six months later he is subjected to police investigation for recklessly discharging a firearm, allegedly aimed at a house. The criminal case is dropped while the police revokes the hunting license. According to the police, the shooting violated hunting laws, which prohibits hunting in residential areas, and the shot "could have been reflected by the embankment and hit a house."

District court found this unreasonable and restored the license; on appeal the court reversed and the police won. The Supreme Court scheduled oral argument next year. Given that the Court almost always reverses when it hears a case, the hunter is almost certain to get his license back.

[Frank Drackman]

Do Japs have the right to keep and arm Bears?

[not guilty]

My fellow Middle Tennessean, David French, is a unicorn -- an intellectually honest conservative whom I can respect.

He has an interesting New York Times op-ed column with sone interesting insights into self-styled "Christian" fundamentalists. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/opinion/christ-christmas-humility-kingdom-god.html For those who are too cheap to subscribe to the Times, this may be helpful. https://lifehacker.com/how-to-bypass-a-paywall-to-read-an-article-for-free

During this season when we celebrate Christmas, I am very glad that Gaius Turranius, prefect of Egypt from 7 B.C.E. to 4 B.C.E., did not have to deal with a Make Egypt a Great Roman Province Again movement that demanded that Mary, Joseph and their offspring be sent back to Herod the Great in Jerusalem.

[Mr. Bumble]

I think you meant eunuch.

[Frank Drackman]

I guess you're not a Christer? Because even a Hebrew like me knows that going to Jew-rusalem was the whole point of His coming to Earth in the first place. Herod the "Great"?? more like Herod the Mediocre, although he does make me realize my Dad wasn't so bad after all. (Didn't murder me, just made me get a Crew Cut when everyone else had the long hair, then why I could have the long hair, short hair made a comeback)

Frank

[not guilty]

"I guess you're not a Christer? Because even a Hebrew like me knows that going to Jew-rusalem was the whole point of His coming to Earth in the first place"

I am a Christian believer, albeit with healthy skepticism about whether Yahweh is the Father to whom Jesus the Christ refers.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Egypt was part of the Roman Empire at the time, Jesus, Mary, Joseph were Roman subjects, it was like going from Maine to Missouri.

[Sarcastr0]

Trump -
Claims he won a random county in North Carolina by 92%
Claims the US controls 92% of the Gulf of Mexico
Claims he won the votes of veterans by 92%
Claims he won the votes of farmers by 92%
Claims egg prices have fallen by 92%
Claims that 92% of the media are "sick people"
Claims that drug traffic by sea is down 92%
Claims that the VA has an approval rating of 92% (actually true when it comes to VA health care, but did Trump know that?)
Claims the media had an approval rating of 92% before he ran for president

Anyone claiming this is just a normal President except the left hates him is denying reality.

https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2025/12/trump-strikes-caribbean-military-number-venezuela/685348/

[Frank Drackman]

You left out calling a woman a "Dog Faced Pony Soldier"
and who the (redacted) are they polling that gives the VA a 92% approval rating?? Even the VA Doctors will tell you it sucks.
"Well Sergeant Jones, I have good news and bad news about your Colonoscopy,
Good News is you don't have Colon Cancer,
Bad News is we gave you HIV because Jartavious didn't put the Scope in the "To Be Sterilized" tray, but hey, HIV can be treated!!
Umm, well, not by us, we'll refer you to "Community Care" (Announces over the Intercom) "Hey Nurse Ratchet, can you come set up Sergeant Jones HIV referral?......"

That's a true story btw

Frank

[Sarcastr0]

60 Minutes suddenly announced, without explanation, that they will not be airing a segment about the infamous CECOT prison in El Salvador tonight, as previously advertised.

Oh hey guess why:

"Ms. Weiss had raised numerous concerns to “60 Minutes” producers about Ms. Alfonsi’s segment on Friday and Saturday, and she asked for a significant amount of new material to be added, according to three people familiar with the internal discussions.

One of Ms. Weiss’s suggestions was to include an interview with Stephen Miller, a White House deputy chief of staff and the architect of Mr. Trump’s immigration crackdown, or a similarly high-ranking Trump administration official, two of the people said. Ms. Weiss provided contact information for Mr. Miller to the “60 Minutes” staff.

Ms. Weiss also questioned the use of the term “migrants” to describe the Venezuelan men who were deported, noting that they were in the United States illegally, two of the people said."

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/business/60-minutes-trump-bari-weiss.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-k8.II-C.7713nBT68i2v&smid=url-share

An internal letter about it is here:
https://bsky.app/profile/annabower.bsky.social/post/3makcwgejas27
Bari did not accept a call with the producers to discuss her decision.

Shameful, and telling. Gotta keep out hell-prison for immigrants secret!

I hate how I live in a country where we are now unequivocally the baddies, and will be for at least another year probably more.

But I do believe it won't be too long. The populism is already fading.

[Frank Drackman]

That's why they're called the Fake News.