#Utah Amendment 3

[patriottruth]

Dumb donald Chump crossed all my lines, so I told his crimes to the FBI. 'Cause Kamala needed cold hard proof, so I gave her some. Now she's got the envelope, where you think she got it from?

To report donald j. trump and all of his potential allies to the FBI for the federal crimes of 2024 election fraud:

https://tips.fbi.gov/home Choice 1: Federal Election Crime

Choice 2: Voter/Ballot Fraud/Corrupt Election Official

For the "Subject" information, choose "This subject is a business" Business Name: Electors and governors attempting to elect insurrectionist Donald J. Trump in violation of Sec3/14A

When did the crime occur? 11/05/2024

Where did the crime occur? Specific location: AL, AK, AZ, AR, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MI, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, WV, WI, WY

How did you discover the election fraud? Donald J. Trump is an impeached, congressionally investigated, criminally indicted and prosecuted insurrectionist attempting to hold federal office in violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.

What false information was provided? The lies that a U.S. national popular vote, or a ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court, could clear Donald J. Trump's insurrectionist disqualification, instead of a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate.

Did the individual receive something in exchange for their illegal voting activity? Unknown

Did the subject vote multiple times or vote when ineligible to vote? Yes

Did an election official violate a voting law? Yes

Were ballots from the election destroyed? Unknown

Were vote tallies falsified? Unknown

Was there a voting machine/tabulation/software malfunction? Unknown

Please provide a brief description of the incident: On December 17th, 2024, state electors and governors from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming will be faced with the choices of engaging in fraud by an elections official or other individual, conspiracy against the United States, corruptly obstructing, influencing, and impeding an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights by giving aid and comfort to disqualified insurrectionist Donald J. Trump in violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. State electors and governors attempting to vote for and create certificates of ascertainment to elect Donald J. Trump would be instantly disqualified from holding office per Sec3/14A, thereby rendering all their actions unlawful.

Are you reporting on behalf of yourself or someone else? Someone else

Victim Information: First Name: Kamala Middle Name: Devi Last Name: Harris Date of Birth: 10/20/1964 Phone Number: Business: (202) 456-1111 Email: vice.president@whitehouse.gov Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500

Complainant Information: Please uncheck any fields you would prefer not to answer. You don't have to enter your personal information here if you don't want to.

Reported To Law Enforcement: Have you reported this information to another law enforcement or government agency (local, state, or federal)? No

At this point, you can click "Show All" to review your tip. Once you're satisfied with it, just click "Submit Tip" and you're good to go.

For anyone suggesting this is inaccurate, here you go (compiled from Wikipedia):

Article 2: Clause 3: Electoral College See also: Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Contingent election, Electoral College abolition amendment, Efforts to reform the United States Electoral College, and National Popular Vote Interstate Compact The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse [sic] by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse [sic] the President. But in chusing [sic] the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse [sic] from them by Ballot the Vice President.

Electoral College Elector Selection Process Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution requires each state legislature to determine how electors for the state are to be chosen, but it disqualifies any person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, from being an elector. Under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, any person who has sworn an oath to support the United States Constitution in order to hold either a state or federal office, and later rebelled against the United States directly or by giving assistance to those doing so, is disqualified from being an elector. Congress may remove this disqualification by a two-thirds vote in each house. (Wikipedia)

Conspiracy against the United States, or conspiracy to defraud the United States, is a federal offense in the United States of America under 18 U.S.C. § 371. The statute originated under a federal law enacted in 1867 that was codified in the Revised Statutes of the United States in 1874, in a subsequent codification of federal penal statutes in 1909, and ultimately in the United States Code in 1948. The crime is that of two or more persons who conspire to commit an offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States.

Statute 18 U.S.C. § 371 provides that:

If two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Corruptly obstructing, influencing, or impeding an official proceeding is a felony under U.S. federal law. It was enacted as part of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 in reaction to the Enron scandal, and closed a legal loophole on who could be charged with evidence tampering by defining the new crime very broadly.

This part of the Act later became known as a charge against defendants associated with the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack for attempting to obstruct that year's Electoral College vote count, as well as former President Donald Trump for broader alleged activities to obstruct the election. In June 2024, the Supreme Court ruled in Fischer v. United States that the statute could only be applied when the defendant impaired a physical document or object used in an official proceeding or attempted to do so, a higher bar for conviction than had been used in trials to that point.

Legal basis The crime is codified as 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2). The relevant subsection reads:

(c) Whoever corruptly—

(1) alters, destroys, mutilates, or conceals a record, document, or other object, or attempts to do so, with the intent to impair the object's integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding; or (2) otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

The term "official proceeding" is defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1515(a)(1) to include proceedings before federal judges, Congress, federal government agencies, and regulators of insurance businesses.

Conspiracy against rights is a federal offense in the United States of America under 18 U.S.C. § 241:

If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person […] in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same;…

They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.

Charges of conspiracy against rights concerning federal election offenses cover activities subverting the integrity of federal elections and do not require direct action towards an individual voter. Election conspiracies prosecuted under conspiracy against rights can be classified as either public schemes (where public officials commit a §241 violation under color of law) or private schemes (where conspirators impinge on the ability for voters to vote).

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on July 18, 2023, that she had charged sixteen individuals with eight felony counts each, including forgery and conspiracy, alleging they had knowingly signed certificates of ascertainment falsely claiming they were "duly elected and qualified electors" for Michigan. One defendant entered into a cooperation agreement with prosecutors in October 2023 in exchange for charges against him being dropped. Nessel's office disclosed during an April 2024 court hearing that Trump, Meadows, Giuliani and Ellis were unindicted co-conspirators.

On August 1, 2023, at the request of Jack Smith and the Justice Department, a federal grand jury indicted Trump on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy against rights, obstructing an official proceeding and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The indictment accused Trump of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy to subvert the 2020 election, and identified the fake electors scheme as part of the conspiracy.

On August 15, 2023, Trump and eighteen others were indicted in Georgia. The defendants, who included Trump, Giuliani, Eastman, Meadows, Chesebro, Sidney Powell, David Shafer and Shawn Still among others, were charged with a variety of offenses, many of which related to involvement in the fake electors plot. On October 20, Chesebro pleaded guilty to conspiring to file a false document and was sentenced to five years of probation; he also agreed to testify against the other defendants. Three other defendants (including Powell) also pleaded guilty to charges.

On December 6, 2023, a Clark County, Nevada, grand jury indicted six Republican party officials, including the chair of the Nevada Republican Party, on two felony charges each of submitting fraudulent documents to state and local officials.

By December 2023, 24 fake electors had been criminally charged in three states, and Chesebro was "a witness in all of the cases". However, in January 2024, the Attorney General of New Mexico stated that the fake electors couldn't be prosecuted given the laws of that state.

An Arizona grand jury named eleven alleged fake electors in an April 2024 indictment. Among those named were former Arizona Republican Party chair Kelli Ward and Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of Turning Point USA. Names of seven others charged were redacted from the indictment, and Trump was listed as "Unindicted Coconspirator 1". The Washington Post reported the redacted individuals were Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, Christina Bobb, Boris Epshteyn and Mike Roman. The Post reported that names of those indicted who were not in Arizona were redacted until they could be served with their indictments.

[rosewaterandivy]

cf & dd timeline

This will not reflect every single aspect of the gilded age (1870s to 1890s) but it will include various points of historical and technological interest in addition to Nell and Steve’s personal histories. As such, spoilers will be included and updated with each chapter; so if you’d rather not deal with that, please avoid this!

Note: Italics denote events of the plot, & updates will occur after chapters are published. This is work in progress so more dates and details will be added as I think of them. Historical dates and information was provided by the National Humanities Center and my own research.

1858 - June: Samuel and Ameila Harrington welcome the birth of their son and heir, Steven.

November: Arthur and Delphine Fairchild welcome the birth of their daughter, Eleanor. (Occurs before the story starts, not depicted.)

1865 - Lincoln Inauguration, Civil War Ends, Lincoln Assassination, Ratification of the 13th Amendment

1866 - the National Labor Union was founded on August 20, First successful transatlantic cable is completed (England to the United States).

1868 - June 25: Congress enacts an 8-hour workday for workers employed by the government, July: Ratification of the 14th Amendment.

1869 - January: Grant Inauguration, Commanche Chief Toch-a-way informs Gen. Philip H. Sheridan that he is a "good Indian," Sheridan reportedly replied: "The only good Indian is a dead Indian."

May: First Transcontinental Railroad completed when Union Pacific and Central Pacific lines met in Utah solidified by a golden railroad spike to link the railroads.

September 24: First “Black Friday” stock market panic due to financier’s attempt to corner the market on gold.

1870 - February: Hiram R. Revels of Mississippi becomes the first African American to serve in the US Senate. Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina becomes the first Black Representative, J.D. Rockefeller establishes Standard Oil of Ohio.

March: 15th Amendment is Ratified

1871 - P.T. Barnum opens his three-ring circus, hailing it as the "Greatest Show on Earth,"

March: Indian Appropriations Act - Congress declares that Indian tribes will no longer be treated as independent nations with whom the government must conduct negotiations; Native Americans legally become wards of the nation.

October 8: The Great Chicago Fire claims 250 lives and destroys 17,500 buildings.

1872 - Montgomery Ward & Co., the first mail-order business, opens in Chicago.

Nov. 5: Susan B. Anthony and other women's suffrage advocates are arrested for attempting to vote in Rochester, N.Y.

1873 - Grant’s second inauguration, The first electric streetcar begins operation in New York City; Free mail delivery begins in all cities above 20,000 population; Mark Twain and C. D. Warner publish the novel The Gilded Age.

Mar. 3: The Comstock Act prohibits the mailing of obscene literature.

Sept. 18: The Financial Panic of 1873 begins. 5,183 business fail; Congress makes gold the national standard and eliminates all silver currency.

Period of recurring epidemics beginning in 1865 comes to an end. From Boston to New Orleans, epidemics of smallpox, cholera, typhus, typhoid, scarlet fever, and yellow fever had killed thousands.

1875 - Steven begins his studies at Harvard; Nell begins hers at Vassar; Christopher, her older brother begins his final year at Harvard. (Occurs before the story starts, not depicted.)

1876 - Centennial Exposition opens in Philadelphia, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Feb. 14: 29-year-old Alexander Graham Bell patents the telephone.

May: The nation celebrates its centennial by opening an International Exhibition in Philadelphia.

Christopher graduates from Harvard and goes on his Grand Tour. (Occurs before the story starts, not depicted.)

June 25: Battle of the Little Big Horn - George A. Custer and 265 officers and enlisted men are killed by Sioux Indians led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse at the Little Horn River in Montana.

1877 - Hayes Inauguration, Reconstruction ends with the withdrawal of federal troops in the south, Great Railroad Strike: After West Virginia railroad workers strike to protest wage reductions, sympathy strikes and violence spread across the Midwest. Federal troops break the strikes.

June to Oct.: Nez Percé Indians, led by Chief Joseph, surrender after a 1600-mile trek retreating from U.S. troops through the U.S. northwest. They are sent to a reservation in Indian Territory (Oklahoma).

Thomas Edison patents the phonograph.

Christopher Fairchild weds Marian Hudson. (Occurs before the story starts, not depicted.)

1878 - German engineer Karl Benz produces the first automobile powered by an internal combustion engine; Thomas Edison patents the photograph.

Jan. 10: The Senate defeats a woman's suffrage amendment 34-16.

Steve graduates from Harvard University. (Occurs before the story starts, not depicted.)

1879 - The Carlisle School (Pa.) is opened “Americanize” Indian children.

Feb. 15: Congress grants woman attorneys the right to argue cases before the Supreme Court.

Oct. 21: Edison invents the first practical light bulb.

Steve travels Europe on his Grand Tour; Nell returns to France upon news of her parent’s ill health. (Occurs before the story starts, not depicted.)

1881 - Helen Hunt Jackson's Century of Dishonor recounts the government's unjust treatment of Native Americans.

January: Christopher and Marian Fairchild welcome the birth of their son and heir, August.

May: Steven returns to New York from the Continent; begins working with his father at their various real estate holdings. (Occurs before the story starts, not depicted.)

July 2: President James Garfield is shot by Charles Guiteau, a disgruntled office-seeker. He died on Sept. 19.

July 4: Booker T. Washington opens Tuskegee Institute.

July 19: Sitting Bull and other Sioux Indians return to the United States from Canada.

September: Arthur and Delphine Fairchild pass away after battling tuberculosis; Christopher takes over the family holdings and arranges for his sister to travel back to New York from France; Marian begins paying calls to the Four Hundred and laying the groundwork for Eleanor’s societal debut. (Occurs before the story starts, not depicted but mentioned.)

1882 - Attorney Samuel Dodd devises the trust, under which stockholders turn over control of previously independent companies to a board of trustees; Standard Oil Trust, the first trust, is formed by John D. Rockefeller.

May 6: Congress passes the Chinese Exclusion Act, barring Chinese Chinese immigration for ten years.

December: Eleanor arrives in New York from France entering her half-mourning period and Steven has one-sided meet cute; news the arrival spreads quickly; her debutante ball to be held at the Fairchild manse on 5th Avenue is the talk of the town. (Chapter I. Coup de foudre - story begins here.)

1883 -

January: Mrs. Astor’s annual ball, the most anticipated event of the season, is held; Nell and Steve both receive invitations.

March 26: Mrs. Vanderbilt, feeling snubbed by The Four Hundred, throws her famous masquerade ball, commemorating the completion of her new Fifth Avenue mansion, Petit Château; Nell and Steve are once again invited to the masquerade, but Nell is warned by Marian to keep her distance from Mr. Harrington; each invite has instructions to dress as their assigned characters. (Chapter II. Traîner quelqu'un dans la boue)

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 11.27 (after 1950)

1954 – Alger Hiss is released from prison after serving 44 months for perjury. 1965 – Vietnam War: The Pentagon tells U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson that if planned operations are to succeed, the number of American troops in Vietnam has to be increased from 120,000 to 400,000. 1968 – Penny Ann Early becomes the first woman to play major professional basketball for the Kentucky Colonels in an ABA game against the Los Angeles Stars. 1971 – The Soviet space program's Mars 2 orbiter releases a descent module. It malfunctions and crashes, but it is the first man-made object to reach the surface of Mars. 1973 – Twenty-fifth Amendment: The United States Senate votes 92–3 to confirm Gerald Ford as Vice President of the United States. (On December 6, the House will confirm him 387–35). 1975 – The Provisional IRA assassinates Ross McWhirter, after a press conference in which McWhirter had announced a reward for the capture of those responsible for multiple bombings and shootings across England. 1978 – In San Francisco, city mayor George Moscone and openly gay city supervisor Harvey Milk are assassinated by former supervisor Dan White. 1978 – The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is founded in the Turkish village of Fis. 1983 – Avianca Flight 011: A Boeing 747 crashes near Madrid's Barajas Airport, killing 181. 1984 – Under the Brussels Agreement signed between the governments of the United Kingdom and Spain, the former agrees to enter into discussions with Spain over Gibraltar, including sovereignty. 1989 – Avianca Flight 203: A Boeing 727 explodes in mid-air over Colombia, killing all 107 people on board and three people on the ground. The Medellín Cartel will claim responsibility for the attack. 1992 – For the second time in a year, military forces try to overthrow president Carlos Andrés Pérez in Venezuela. 1997 – Twenty-five people are killed in the second Souhane massacre in Algeria. 1999 – The centre-left Labour Party takes control of the New Zealand government with leader Helen Clark becoming the first elected female Prime Minister in New Zealand's history. 2001 – A hydrogen atmosphere is discovered on the extrasolar planet Osiris by the Hubble Space Telescope, the first atmosphere detected on an extrasolar planet. 2004 – Pope John Paul II returns the relics of Saint John Chrysostom to the Eastern Orthodox Church. 2006 – The House of Commons of Canada approves a motion introduced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper recognizing the Québécois as a nation within Canada. 2008 – XL Airways Germany Flight 888T: An Airbus A320 performing a flight test crashes near the French commune of Canet-en-Roussillon, killing all seven people on board. 2009 – Nevsky Express bombing: A bomb explodes on the Nevsky Express train between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, derailing it and causing 28 deaths and 96 injuries. 2015 – An active shooter inside a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, shoots at least four police officers. One officer later dies. Two civilians are also killed, and six injured. The shooter later surrendered. 2020 – Iran's top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, is assassinated near Tehran. 2020 – Days after the announcement of its discovery, the Utah monolith is removed by recreationists.

[bearterritory]

#3 Cal Takes First at Wasatch Classic

Bears Achieve 9th Highest Score in Program History, 197.525

1/15/2023 | By: Cal Athletics

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – The No. 3 California women's gymnastics team improved to 6-0 Saturday night taking first place at the Wasatch Classic with the ninth-highest score in program history. A 197.525 for the Golden Bears lifted them over #26 Oregon State (196.850), #16 Iowa (196.575), and #20 Pitt (193.650). As the top-seed in the quad meet, the night began on vault for the Bears and the team wasted amending the record book with a 49.450, which now stands as the team's third-highest score on the event. Sophomore  Mya Lauzon matched her career-high with a 9.925 which was good for second in the meet. Junior Andi Li, freshman eMjae Frazier, and senior Nevaeh DeSouza followed tied for third with a 9.900. The Bears matched their vault score on the even bars with a 49.450 thanks to a trio of scores of 9.900 or better. Sophomore Ella Cesario and Li tied for the bars title with 9.925 and Maddie Williams tallied a 9.900 to keep Cal ahead after rotation two. It was Cesario's career-high mark in her young career. Sophomore Maddie Williams notched a season-high 9.900 to take third on the event. The balance beam was the toughest event of the night for Cal with the team amassing a 49.250 but still found a pair of strong performances from Li and junior Gabby Perea. Li's 9.925 was enough to tie for the top score in the meet and Perea's 9.90 set a career-high for the Bear vet and ranked her third in the standings. With the third rotation complete, The Bears took a slim 0.025 lead over Oregon State into the final event. With the meet on the line Cal planted its foot in the ground and posted six scores of 9.800 or better to secure the win. Both Lauzon and Li posted scores of 9.925 to tie for second in the meet, which matches a career-high for Lauzon. Frazier finished the night out with a 9.875 which tied for ninth overall and secured a first-place finish for the Bears.

Li finished second in the all-around race with a 39.675, followed by senior Nevaeh DeSouza who had a very balanced night in third with a 39.375, and Frazier finished fourth with a career-high 39.175. Pac-12 competition opens up next weekend as the Bears head to Tucson, Arizona to take on the Bearcats from #28 Arizona.

[awkwardpariah]

The Insurgency: After the MAGA regime fell in November of 2031 a crop of secessionist states and terrorist organizations rose from the Ashes. Most fell mere months after their formation like the Christian Republic centered in Western Nebraska and the 2nd Texas Republic around Amarillo. However, some groups managed to hold out for years. The most infamous: the American Redoubt in the Northern Rockies. Founded by the most extreme elements of the NDF and the Atomwaffen terrorist organization, they managed to keep fighting a guerilla war for 4 years thanks to their massive stockpiles of small arms. The Other War: When AOC took office, most people expected her Green New Deal to be shelved in favor of a more pragmatic, i.e. oil based, war economy. By 2032 her decision was paying real dividends. With so many oil, gas, and coal sources behind enemy lines, modernizing the country's energy grid not only proved essential to war production, but kicked off an economic boom in the Southwest, a region rapidly becoming known as the new "World's Factory." But an unlikely hero in the fight for climate change was the fledgling algae farming industry. Once limited to a handful of small sites in Los Angeles and San Francisco, the country's need for a reliable source of protein without land for livestock feed kickstarted a boom in the demand for genetically modified algae derived proteins. By 2032 once empty desert in California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado were blanketed in algae greenhouses that not only provided a stable source of food, but also extracted a good deal of CO2 from the air, and increased the Earth's albedo, cooling the planet. The Big Linkup: After 3 years of fighting, and the hard slog across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, Army Groups East and West meet at Burlington, Colorado. For most people, this signals the end of the war, and indeed it does for the government as well. Both army groups will reduce in size considerably, and the conflict against the insurgents will transition over to a primarily counter-terrorist campaign against the insurgent cells. Air power and special forces units will do the bulk of the fighting from now on. Election 2032: There was no question about AOC seeking a 2nd term, and after the collapse of the MAGA regime, the idea of challenging her for the nomination seemed absurd. By the Democratic National Convention, AOC was at the height of her power and used it to finally dump Pete Buttigieg and nominate a strong VP that wouldn't try to undermine her: Senate Finance Committee Chair Katie Porter. The National Union Party puts up Utah Governor Joel Ferry, one of the few National Union Green New Dealers. The National Union Party makes a strong showing among suburban voters who are still no fans of AOC's progressive agenda, particularly with regard to her war on their portfolios, but ultimately the President wins her re-election bid thanks to the success in the war and on crafting a strong social safety-net. Crafting a New Order: 2033 is a year for ends and new beginnings. Mitt Romney dies at 86 in the middle of his third Senate term. The Senator leaves behind a legacy as the leader of the wartime loyal opposition, and in many ways the last man to carry Ronald Reagan's torch. Not long after Romney's death, Congress passes the 29th Amendment to the Constitution, which establishes informed consent and in effect bodily autonomy, an unalienable right. By Summer, those who tried to destroy those rights are charged with high treason and crimes against humanity. To cap off the year, Donald Trump Sr. is taken off life support. The former President had been brain dead for almost 3 years, kept alive by his family to maintain their legitimacy as leaders of the MAGA movement. Artemis VI: In 2029, Artemis VI lifted off from Cape Canaveral carrying six astronauts to the Gateway station and then onto Shackleton Base in the Lunar South Pole. The mission was the final flight of the SLS rocket, rushed into service before the Cape was completely surrounded by the NDF. The crew had a single assignment: mine as much water ice as was possible to keep the newly nationalized fleet of on-orbit servicing satellites, and by extension every other satellite, fueled and flying for the duration of the war. The Rebs captured the team at Kennedy Space Center, and the 2030 hurricane season trashed the Cape. No further launches could be safely conducted beyond small supply flights out of Wallops until 2034. When the Artemis 6 returned to Earth their bodies were frail, having lost muscle and bone density. But radiation damage was minimal thanks to their decision to move Shackleton into a nearby lunar lava tube. VA Day: On May 26, 2035 the town of Salmon, Idaho was completely destroyed by a combined air an artillery campaign that had been going on for a week. Salmon was the last hold out of the American Redoubt terrorist state, and its destruction finally brought Victory in America. VA Day was, in practice, a technicality. The Redoubt hadn't been able to threaten anyone outside of the Idaho panhandle for over a year, and for 4 years the insurgency had been limited to the Rockies and Appalachia. But on that day Americans everywhere celebrated the end of the bloodiest war in our country's history. Almost 9 million people had died, 2.5% of the population. 50 million people had been displaced and the war had cost the country trillions to bring to a close. Justice was still being sought by those who suffered under the MAGA regime, with Congress finally agreeing to hold a vote on the proposed War Reparations bonus to the UBI system. But for many, the debt of the war can never be paid. New Normal: With the war over Congress sets out to keep the victory they fought so hard for. A new amendment is sent to the still readmitting states for ratification, one that would give Congress the power to regulate redistricting, campaign finance, and places the country under a Ranked Choice/Popular Vote system for all elected offices, including the President. Meanwhile, the government also struggles to right many wrongs of the war, particularly with regard to the million or so Americans still displaced from the War. With the elections of 2036 on the horizon, nobody wants to be held responsible for making hard decisions. But at least one more is made with Congress agreeing not to repeat the mistakes of the past and to simply assume the war debts of the rebel states, rather than consigning them to financial ruin. <-Part III  \ Part IV

[bkdotblog]

"Unfashionable Behavior," S3E13

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 3 Episode 13 Recap

My Title: "Panic! At the Meredith Marks Charity Fashion Show to Benefit Mental Health Awareness"

My rating: 10 out of 10 Brooks Marks atelier fashions. (Every Housewives episode with a third act charity fashion show is perfect to me.)

Support for Lisa Barlow: Unassailable

<><><>

I want to begin by talking about the elephant in the room: Heather's black eye. This is an obscenely early BK's Take, so I apologize, but I have seen the allegations pin-balling across the discourse: Was it bad Botox, a drunken tumble, or a Knuckle sandwich served up hot but still somehow raw by one soon-to-be-convicted white collar criminal?

It's so clear to me that whatever it is, Heather is playing it up for the camera. Not so much by pinning the blame on anyone — more by grinding up the blame into a fine powder and then blowing it in everybody's direction. Snorting lines of it before dinner. Telling her blonde daughters she's going to the store and then driving to a dilapidated apartment complex to buy more.

My point is that, if this was an actual "assault" situation, I think Heather is handling it poorly. If it was anything else, she is handling it disastrously, and in a way that is surely to come back and knock out her other light.

Unfortunately for all, I am not a television detective. So while I can privately disclose to you that I believe Heather was punched by Jen in the night and is waiting on her to come forward and apologize, I can publicly disavow all knowledge related to this case, and I look forward to seeing the truth emerge when it inevitably does.

OK that's all!!! Happy New Year everyone! Let's dive in to this week's episode.

Not five minutes in to the episode, Jen evokes the Constitution.

Danna, perhaps sensing a vacancy for a nonwhite main cast member in the near future, takes this opportunity to share that a friend (who she won't name) has become an informant in the Jen Shah case. Shah maintains that, according to the Constitution, she is "innocent until proven guilty." (Presumption of innocence isn't spelled out in the American Constitution but is inferred from the 14 thru 16th amendments -- we'll have to give this one to her) And then, like any innocent person would do!, she storms off.

Heather and Meredith go to Jen's side. Jen reveals that she gave Danna a box of hair color to cover her grays, a gesture she now regrets. At the dinner table, Whitney, Lisa, Angie and Heather discuss what would happen if Jen went to prison. Whitney says this:

(I think she knows what this word means but is deploying it for a dumb blonde joke here, and it lands! I laughed)

Heather says to Jen: You know what will shut them up? Let's bring up my black eye again. Because they all know what happened but refuse to say anything.

Jen is like: Great idea.

Meredith, standing there, is like: What? So we know what happened with the black eye?

And then they return to dinner. What time do you think it is? I'll just tell you: It's 4:01 AM. Lisa literally leaves the table to go catch her flight back to Salt Lake, and the rest of the women follow after, waddling to her rooms wrapped in blankets.

San Diego is OVER I think. What a horrible trip for all of us!

Back in Utah, Whitney meditates. (#HillingJourney!) Lisa goes fishing. Meredith and her dumb fucking family that poses are planning a fashion show with a charity angle. The fashions are being provided by her son Brooks, and the charity honors her nephew. Her other daughter is also there. All three speak in identical tones of voice.

Meredith expresses her concern for Jen Shah and then her contempt at Lisa Barlow. If you told me that two seasons ago, I would have exploded. But I get it — Meredith has totally abandoned her principles. It's cool Mare!! hope u find them again.

Heather, wearing only tones of white, goes to visit Bad Angie. Holy shit Bad Angie house reveal:

It looks like the inspo was "All of Europe at once." Bad Angie's English bulldog has a grotesque eye infection unfortunately captured on camera. But it's not the ailing eye we're here to talk about!

Bad Angie tries to be forensic and asks to go over the details of the "crime scene," and Heather gives her a list of suspects:

Bad Angie: "Why did you say Jen last?"

Heather: (being honest) "I was just going through the list."

Now we are back in this strange waltz: Heather denies knowing anything about the incident to Bad Angie, while suggesting she knows EVERYTHING about the incident to the producer in the confessional. This is exasperating. Soon the topic will be entirely exhausted and the reveal will have no payoff!! Edging with gossip isn't fun, Hedder!

(BK's Take: The only circumstance that would make this worth the wait is if the truth was almost unimaginably more dramatic than we thought. A Fight Club situation, or domestic terrorism. Barring those options, it's tiring to watch Heather come up with riddles on the spot — and her inability to confide in anybody says a lot about where her friendships are this season.)

Whitney is going through old photos with her step-kids. Daughter Bobbie wearing pearls + lashes + blue eyeshadow with her soccer uniform is kind of a slay I must say:

Whitney calls her brother to discuss her fillings. Jen has Zoom therapy and I honestly skipped it — I really do not care about her pre-trial anxiety.

You know what I love? A charity fashion show!

Correction: Brooks is among the designers being featured, but not the sole feature. BK Blog regrets the error. Also, Brooks (accidentally?) revealed in the earlier sequence that this whole shebang took about 48 hours of planning, so we'll have to keep that in mind as we proceed. "It takes a village," Meredith says.

Danna and Good Angie arrive and wish Meredith well. Meredith tells Good Angie that she's "not mad, but disappointed" that she revealed to Lisa what Meredith said about the SEC filings. At once point, the hilarious and fickle Gods that puppeteer this show begin to count how many times Meredith says she isn't mad but:

Final count is 5.

Jen arrives with her husband. Lisa arrives and wishes the guests well, because "mental health awareness starts with kindness." Meredith thinks this is a pose and does a rude impression in her confessional. Remember when Good Angie said that she paid for Jen's husband's birthday? Well, awkwardly, Jen asked for an invoice, and the Shahs wrote a check to give to her in person.

The good part is that we get to see the invoice:

Good Angie and Danna seek out Lisa with gossip: Apparently Jen Shah is trying to mend things with... BAD Angie, of all people. Bad Angie told Danna this herself! (They don't say where, but from the flashback it looks like a wedding where Danna and Whitney were maybe bridesmaids?)

This infuriates Lisa, as was intended. It's easy to forget that Bad Angie has said some pretty insane things about Lisa, and that the @shahexposed Instagram was always intended to cyberbully the Barlows, mostly because Jen made the whole thing about herself. She was doing this as recently as one episode ago, when she explosively revealed that the ordeal made her contemplate suicide. Jen reaching out to Bad Angie could have been an important step in her own hilling journey. Everyone else is confused.

"They are the most inconsistent people I've met in my whole entire life," Lisa says.

Danna says she doesn't like or trust Jen, nor has she ever. To her credit she does say this nearly every time she is on screen, both to the others and privately.

(BK's Take: Danna fails to captivate me in a main cast kind of way but I appreciate her speaking truth to power.)

A glittering Meredith takes the metaphorical stage.

And the show begins!

Eagle minds will remember Brooks Marks' first (and only) design: A tracksuit bearing his name. What kind of couture has our fashion twink cooked up in the intervening years?

Nice!

(This is a blazer that says BROOKS MARKS on the front! Jen was screaming.)

Jen and Coach Shah give Good Angie and a husband a check for $13K, and everybody was graceful about it. Especially Jen who did not open her mouth once! Good Angie says in her confessional that she is running to the bank to deposit it before the government freezes her account.

Scene change! Heather goes to visit Whitney, who seems to have not left her house in days. (Except to go to that wedding?) Both choose to be instantly uncomfortable with the other one.

(BK's Take, sartorial: Feeling complicatedly about Whitney's sweatshirt fabric corset hoodie, which feels both like a complete and utter athleisure slay AND a melancholy nod to our current aesthetic moment. My heart violently breaks and then furiously repairs itself every time I look at it)

They move to the fire pit. Whitney tries to express her concerns for Heather (and the Eye), but Heather brings up the "friendship break" of it all. Whitney is unable to process her fillings about her friendship with Heather in real time, and ends up being clumsy with her words; Heather than takes these words and throws them at her. The conversation moves on when Heather says, "You don't even know about anything that's going on in my life," Heather says. "You don't even know how I got my black eye, so..."

What is she getting at? Whitney is like, do you remember what happened to your eye? As she goes over the details of what she knows, Heather lets out a psychotic little giggle. "It's all part of the mystery of the eye!" Why is she speaking like a storybook chimera?

Whitney asks more questions; Heather answers them with silence. Finally she says, "I remember how I got it, and other people know how I got it too,"

Whitney is like: How come I don't know?

Heather says:

Friendship break, friendship break, friendship break, Heather keeps saying. It seems like Whitney does want to repair their friendship, but Heather keeps insisting she actually doesn't. By hinting at Whitney's other friendships in the group, it seems as though Heather's real problem lies with the fact that Whitney no longer hates Lisa's guts. But in conversation, she simply says that their relationship is unfixable, and to suggest it can be fixed is somehow taking Heather for granted.

Kind of a weird, sad ending to an otherwise good episode. Sending love and light to all of our ladies, but especially Lisa; Heather needs to stop burning bridges and start building them; Jen Shah trust you will be dealt with. If you made it this far, thank you for reading. Season Finale next week!! I'm excited... and scared. –BK

<><><>

Gay Imagery

Heather performing the "Uncork Her and Pork Her" dance from John Tucker Must Die to the tune of "Snitches get stitches."

I liked this outfit and I don't mind saying so.

[isostatic-uplift]

The text of the law is available here:

If my understanding is correct, the article linked in the original post may be based on the original version of the bill, not the version that was ultimately passed (the enrolled version; the Utah state legislature page linked above automatically displays this version, but the original text and amendments can be viewed using the links under “Bill Text” on the righthand side of the page).

Obviously this law in any form is fucked up, but a key difference between the original and final version is that the final version doesn’t criminalize restroom use, only the use of changing rooms that are both accessible to the general public and in facilities that receive government funding. From my reading of the final text, here’s a summary of what all the bill includes (I’d be happy for another set of eyes on it to confirm that my reading of it is correct):

Section 63G-31-201: Sports ban (applies to all ages in any program/facility/event that receives government funding)

Sections 63G-31-202, 63G-31-203: I don’t follow these as well as the other parts, but I think they are laying groundwork for later parts of the bill by saying explicitly that the government is allowed to regulate the division of folks by sex in the context of restrooms/changing rooms, prisons, and athletics

Section 63G-31-204: Says that in the public education system, equal athletic opportunities have to be provided for males and females and that males and females can’t be required to compete against each other

Section 63G-31-301: Forces students in public schools to use restrooms/changing rooms corresponding with the sex on their original birth certificate, unless the school and the kid’s parents make a plan for the student to use a unisex restroom/staff only restroom/student restroom corresponding to the student’s gender identity but only on a schedule so that no other students will be in there at the same time (WTF); this section doesn’t apply to intersex students

Section 63G-31-302: Prohibits trans folks from using changing rooms in facilities receiving government funding if those facilities are accessible by the general public, unless you have both an amended birth certificate and proof of having had at least one surgery from a list in a later section of the bill (58-67-102)

Section 63G-31-303, 63G-31-304, 63G-31-401, and 63G-31-402: Talk about government facility compliance, including reporting complaints of violations of the other parts of the bill, availability of unisex or single occupant restrooms, and retrofitting of existing facilities

Section 68-3-12.5: Defines sex based on reproductive anatomy, chromosomes, and endogenous hormone profiles; defines woman, man, father, and mother to be equivalent to sex

Sections 76-6-206, 76-9-202, 76-9-702, 76-9-702.5, 76-9-702.7, 76-9-702.8: Define what violations of the above sections are misdemeanors or felonies

While I’m here on this general topic, folks might also be interested in these projects and reporters who track trans-related legislation:

Utah will become the third state to restrict trans persons from using bathrooms in buildings other than schools, alongside Florida and North Dakota. However, the legislation in Utah is of a different caliber as North Dakota’s bill only applies to correctional facilities and dorms and Florida’s legislation only applies to government-owned buildings.

In accordance with the bill, trans individuals could also be charged with voyeurism and/or criminal trespass if they use publicly owned bathrooms that align with their gender. According to Utah’s law, these class B Misdemeanors are punishable with up to six months in jail and a fine starting at $1,000 if charged and convicted.

[cksmart-world]

SMART BOMB

The Completely Unnecessary News Analysis

By Christopher Smart

September 17, 2024

TRUMP EATS DOG. FOR REAL?

Hey Wilson, did you see the thing on the web that Donald Trump eats dog. People are talking about it. Some heard he has a kennel at Mar-A-Lago and every once in a while he gets a hankerin' for dog and sends his chef out with a meat clever. Insiders say he still loves Big Macs. (They stick to the wall better.) There are any number of good recipes for dog. One, said to be Trump's favorite, is dog Kibbeh made with ground dog (preferably retriever or poodle), cracked wheat and onions. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice to taste. Other favorites include roast leg of dog; grilled dog chops; and dog tacos. (Find more delicious dog recipes at donaldjtrump.com) Of course, dog is a favorite in China, South Korea (no dogs in North Korea, they've already been eaten), the Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Interestingly, dog is not on menus in Haiti, despite comments by Trump in his Sept. 10 debate with Kamala Harris. The former president said pets are disappearing in Springfield, Ohio. The Haitian immigrants “are eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the pets of people...” Of course when Trump eats dog he's not eating someone's pet. His people get them from the rescue shelter. Bon appétit!

TOP TEN MISPERCEPTIONS BY THE UTAH LEGISLATURE

1 – Voters are just plain stupid

2 – Judges are just plain insipid

3 – Secret government is the best government

4 – Trump won the debate — except for that little pets-on-a-plate thing

5 – Our air is as pure as we are

6 – More freeways means less traffic congestion

7 – Books teach kids to be perverts

8 – We manage lands better than the feds who insist on regulations

9 – Amendment D is good voters — ignorance is bliss

10 – The Great Salt Lake doesn't need our help — God has it covered

BOMB THREATS: AS AMERICAN AS APPLE PIE

Bowling used to be one of America's favorite pastimes, but new data reveals that has been overtaken by folks who rather than rolling for strikes and spares are now calling in bomb threats. The new hobby is just exploding — no pun intended. You remember back in the crazy days when once in a blue moon some cowardly sonofabitch would call in a bomb threat. Well now right wing-bomb threats are like bugs on stink. Death threats are now as much a part of America as bad drivers, long lines and political polls. Remember Christine Blasey Ford who blew the whistle on Brett Kavanaugh at his supreme court confirmation hearing. She got so many threats that she had to move three times, get plastic surgery and have her fingertips removed. Lucky for her she wasn't caught making shish kabob with her neighbor's chihuahua. Enter J.D. Vance and his felonious daddy Donald Trump. Faster than you can say, pass the ketchup, half of the residents of Springfield, Ohio got bomb threats and they weren't all immigrants. This after the GOP presidential ticket insisted that Haitians were chowing down on everyone's pets. Schools were evacuated, college classes canceled, medical facilities shut down. Bomb threats came in to hospitals, City Hall and various government agencies. Trump and Vance's reply: Not sorry.

Post script — That's going to do it for another frightening week here at Smart Bomb where we keep track of scary stuff so you don't have nightmares. Believe it or not the world keeps spinning despite the presidential race. Here are some headlines to prove it:

Missouri water lily holds 142 pounds of sandbags, wins worldwide contest

27-year-old man sentence after enrolling in high school to prey on teens

Mayflies are sending warnings about urban wildfires

A geomagnetic storm is headed to Earth

Even after having their tubes tied, some women get pregnant

Young people worldwide are drinking more sugary beverages

Brazilian politician upends debate by hitting opponent with chair

Sterilizations among women increased after Roe was overturned

Tito Jackson, Jackson 5 singer and guitarist, dies at 70

Blood Red Is the new Barbie Pink

As you know Wilson, here at Smart Bomb we've eaten our share of crow. And we've seen it rain cats and dogs — but we've never eaten any of them. You'd have to be a real dog to spread a mean-ass lie about people eating their neighbor's pets. Wilson, you and they guys in the band must have a little something for those great patriots, Messrs. Trump and Vance:

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog Cryin' all the time You ain't nothin' but a hound dog Cryin' all the time Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit And you ain't no friend of mine When they said you was high-classed Well, that was just a lie When they said you was high-classed Well, that was just a lie You ain't never caught a rabbit And you ain't no friend of mine You ain't nothin' but a hound dog Cryin' all the time You ain't nothin' but a hound dog Cryin' all the time Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit And you ain't no friend of mine When they said you was high-classed Well, that was just a lie When they said you was high-classed Well, that was just a lie Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit And you ain't no friend of mine

(Hound Dog — Elvis Presley; originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton)

[bllsbailey]

Sen. Marsha Blackburn Urges House To Pass Kids Online Safety Act

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) speaks on stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Senator Marsha Blackburn has released a video urging the House of Representatives to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), aimed at increasing children’s digital safety and privacy.

Following the bipartisan vote from the Senate to pass KOSA, Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released a video titled “Why We Must Pass the Kids Online Safety Act.” 

In the video, she highlighted the story of a 17-year-old who passed away after taking a fentanyl laced pill he had bought from someone off the social media platform Snapchat. 

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) September 16, 2024

Thomas suffered fentanyl poisoning and died after taking what his mother called “counterfeit Xanax.”

“When Vaughn-Thomas didn’t wake up to his alarm, that’s when we found him,” the mother, Kathy, told Blackburn. “He took what he thought was a Xanax, it was a counterfeit Xanax [laced with fentanyl].”

Blackburn, and co-author of the KOSA bill Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), said the bill would require social media platforms to protect underage kids from potentially harmful content, including limiting addictive features.

“We have found so many kids that are meeting these drug dealers online, and the precursors come from China into Mexico, and then the drug cartels bring it into the country,” Blackburn said. “Over 100,000 Americans a year die.”

In July, KOSA passed in the Senate in a 91-3 vote, along with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Action Act. 

Those who voted against it were Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah). The senators argued that it violated the First Amendment and that it would allow the executive branch too much power to censor content. 

Big tech companies are expected to lobby against the bill, having derailed a bipartisan data privacy bill in the House Energy and Commerce Committee last month and preventing antitrust legislation from being enacted.

A group of parents led by the advocacy group, ParentsTogether, recently delivered a petition supporting KOSA to House leaders. The petition received over 100,000 signatures, and boxes containing messages from parents about online safety were delivered to members of Congress.

The Hill reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has expressed support for the bill. This comes despite the fact that House Republican leadership warned last month that it could lead to speech censorship and could grant the Federal Trade Commission new authority.

Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts

[epicarchbattler]

op i love this but i made some modifications

1) California ends at The Squares

2) Colorado and Wyoming swap names

3) Montana stays how it is but Canada gets Mount Rushmore for comedic purposes (Canada also gets the PNW and Alaska)

4) Louisiana purchase becomes the state of Louisiana and follows the natural border of the Mississippi river

5) Mexico gets most of its land back

6) Big Florida to dilute voting power

7) Hawaii renamed to Puerto Rico but remains a state allowing actual Puerto Rico to have voting power and representation in congress

8) Michigan gets the whole midwest as an apology for the Toledo war (they keep the UP, too)

9) West Virginia and Kentucky combine to amend the Hatfield-McCoy feud. also it gets the former state of Franklin so it can have the name

10) North Carolina and Virginia combine, the way god intended

11) Pennsylvania but in english

not pictured is that Utah is just removed from the planet and Boston joins the UK (but as a part of England so their basketball team has to pick a new name)

Was drunk and bored and getting annoyed at the ridiculous coverage of the US election so I decided to fix the place.

I'm from Australia where we only have 7 states, as such I have the (objectively correct) opinion that 50 is too many states, so I decided to cut it down to 10.

A few notes on my improved US map:

•Despite Illinois making the cut, Chicago is now in Michigan, due to the state getting the entire bank of its namesake.

•Boston is also in Michigan due to special exception.

•New York is now the capital of Pensylvania

•Yes that's how you spell Pensylvania

•The border of California is just roughly the Rockies, no need to overthink it.

•Making Florida bigger actually dilutes it's power, but Texas must be abolished

•Colorado should still be a rectangle, that's my mistake, I just couldn't be bothered fixing it.

•Alaska has been returned to Canada with a hand written apology

•All the random ass islands that the US forgot to pretend they didn't colonise have gained independence

Please let me know if there are any more improvements you can think of.

[pscottm]

In addition to the nationwide preliminary injunction against enforcement of the Department of Education's new Title IX rules on transgender discrimination (see prior posting), two other federal district court last week issued more geographically limited preliminary injunctions against enforcement of the same rules. In State of Florida v. Department of Health and Human Services, (MD FL, July 3, 2024),  a Florida federal district court enjoined enforcement within Florida, saying in part:

HHS and the Final Rule interpret Title IX, and hence section 1557, to prohibit discrimination based on “gender identity.” 89 Fed. Reg. at 37,699 (45 C.F.R. § 92.101(a)(2)). The Final Rule is stillborn and a nullity if Title IX does not prohibit discrimination on the basis of “gender identity.” The Eleventh Circuit has spoken on this point, clearly: Title IX does not address discrimination on the basis of gender identity. Adams v. Sch. Bd. of St. John’s Cnty., 57 F. 4th 791, 812–15 (11th Cir. 2022) (en banc). Frankly, this ends the issue—the new Rule appears to be a dead letter in the Eleventh Circuit.

In State of Kansas v. U.S. Department of Education, (D KS, July 2, 2024), a Kansas federal district court issued a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the new rules in Kansas, Alaska, Utah and Wyoming, saying in part:

... [T]he purpose of Title IX was to protect “biological women from discrimination in education[;] [s]uch purpose makes it difficult to sincerely argue that, at the time of enactment, ‘discrimination on the basis of sex’ included gender identity, sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, or sex characteristics.”... The DoE’s reinterpretation of Title IX to place gender identity on equal footing with (or in some instances arguably stronger footing than) biological sex would subvert Congress’ goals of protecting biological women in education....

... [T]he court finds that the Final Rule involves issues of both vast economic and political significance and therefore involves a major question.... As such, Congress must have given the agency “clear statutory authorization” to promulgate such a Final Rule.....The court finds that Congress did not give such clear statutory authorization to the DoE....

... [T]he Final Rule violates the Spending Clause because it introduces conditions for spending that were not unambiguously clear in Title IX....

The court finds that Plaintiffs have shown that the Final Rule violates he First Amendment by chilling speech through vague and overbroad language.....

 [T]he court finds that the Final Rule is arbitrary and capricious because it offers an implausible explanation for agency action, is a sharp departure from prior action without a reasonable explanation, and failed to consider important interests as discussed herein.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 11.27 (after 1950)

1954 – Alger Hiss is released from prison after serving 44 months for perjury. 1965 – Vietnam War: The Pentagon tells U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson that if planned operations are to succeed, the number of American troops in Vietnam has to be increased from 120,000 to 400,000. 1968 – Penny Ann Early becomes the first woman to play in a major professional men's basketball league, for the Kentucky Colonels in an ABA game against the Los Angeles Stars. 1971 – The Soviet space program's Mars 2 orbiter releases a descent module. It malfunctions and crashes, but it is the first man-made object to reach the surface of Mars. 1973 – Twenty-fifth Amendment: The United States Senate votes 92–3 to confirm Gerald Ford as Vice President of the United States. (On December 6, the House will confirm him 387–35). 1975 – The Provisional IRA assassinates Ross McWhirter, after a press conference in which McWhirter had announced a reward for the capture of those responsible for multiple bombings and shootings across England. 1978 – In San Francisco, city mayor George Moscone and openly gay city supervisor Harvey Milk are assassinated by former supervisor Dan White. 1978 – The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is founded in the Turkish village of Fis. 1983 – Avianca Flight 011: A Boeing 747 crashes near Madrid's Barajas Airport, killing 181. 1984 – Under the Brussels Agreement signed between the governments of the United Kingdom and Spain, the former agrees to enter into discussions with Spain over Gibraltar, including sovereignty. 1989 – Avianca Flight 203: A Boeing 727 explodes in mid-air over Colombia, killing all 107 people on board and three people on the ground. The Medellín Cartel will claim responsibility for the attack. 1992 – For the second time in a year, military forces try to overthrow president Carlos Andrés Pérez in Venezuela. 1997 – Twenty-five people are killed in the second Souhane massacre in Algeria. 1999 – The centre-left Labour Party takes control of the New Zealand government with leader Helen Clark becoming the first elected female prime minister in New Zealand's history. 2001 – A hydrogen atmosphere is discovered on the extrasolar planet Osiris by the Hubble Space Telescope, the first atmosphere detected on an extrasolar planet. 2004 – Pope John Paul II returns the relics of Saint John Chrysostom to the Eastern Orthodox Church. 2004 – Blackwater 61 crash: A CASA C-212 Aviocar crashes into the Koh-i-Baba mountain range in Afghanistan, killing six. 2006 – The House of Commons of Canada approves a motion introduced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper recognizing the Québécois as a nation within Canada. 2008 – XL Airways Germany Flight 888T: An Airbus A320 performing a flight test crashes near the French commune of Canet-en-Roussillon, killing all seven people on board. 2009 – Nevsky Express bombing: A bomb explodes on the Nevsky Express train between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, derailing it and causing 28 deaths and 96 injuries. 2015 – An active shooter inside a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, shoots at least four police officers. One officer later dies. Two civilians are also killed, and six injured. The shooter later surrendered. 2020 – Iran's top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, is assassinated near Tehran. 2020 – Days after the announcement of its discovery, the Utah monolith is removed by recreationists.

[adamsart]

Fuck so I saved Shelby once again and took her in even tho I told mark I wouldn’t save her. Then I sent her back to stay with mark but we were in love at this point and I knew I was destined to be with her. I thought about her all the time. I always wanted her by my side and I made sure she was loved and taken care of. I got her car back from her mother only to lose it to the third impound in a month like 2 years later. These were the happiest years of my life. I don’t know if I’ll ever find that kind of love ever again. Shelby was with me thru thick and thin and stuck threw some pretty scary shit like gunpoint robberies, kidnappings, had her set up this guy we knew and she didn’t know until I mollywhopped his ass for stealing from me. Shelby was a beautiful person and her soul was so beautiful. After getting out of Sacramento county late one December I tried to call home and wish my family a merry Christmas and happy birthday to my brother. No one answered I figured it was because of me but what I didn’t know is my brother had just gone back to jail and my mother was left with no pain meds and a nasty infection in her bowls that she couldn’t fix cause she was allergic to antibiotics. My father tracked me down how I don’t know but he tracked me down and told me he couldn’t watch my mother die and the doctors gave her 24 hours she only actually lasted 3 hours and my father couldn’t watch his wife of over 25 years due infront of him and he felt like a coward. One of the most heartbreaking calls of my life. My mother died the 27th of December 2012. I decided I was going to go to a truck stop and someone would give me a ride in there truck and get me home. I was broke and my brothers wife had now stepped in and was in control of my fathers phone, bank account, vehicles everything and as soon as she showed up my father could no longer talk to me on the phone only thru Sarah over text message was the only way I was allowed to try to speak to my father. After 2 days of sitting at the truck stop with a pathetic sign that read MOTHER PASSED AWAY JUST NEED A RIDE TO SALT LAKE UTAH after 2 days I finally decided I was just going to have to steal a car and chance it my dad needed me and I needed to get there for my mothers funeral. So I preyed to god to help me and that night a girl I had just met her name was ANGEL came to where I was staying and she gave me a set of keys that she found in the laundry room of her building and I went to the apartments and found the car right away. I still have to make amends to those people. I was desperate and selfish. The car was empty when I stole it and the first person Shelby asked filled us up to full and we were on our way the next time we had to refuel it was the same thing first person filled us up and we were back on the road the last time I stoped for gas we were just outside of Utah and the first person filled up our tank again. And gave us a card with a bible quote on it. The last time I stopped it was right across the Utah border and A UHP officer pulled away from a stop to come after us and get us pulled over. After running our tags it took another 15 minutes before they shout down that side of the freeway and pulled me out of the car felony style. I went to jail and had to call and speak to my dad and tell him I wasn’t going to make it home for moms funeral. Maybe the hardest phone call of my life I can only think of one worst. Man I just wanted to give up and die. Missed my mothers funeral and on top of the new felony for a stolen car I was already wanted for 7 pounds of weed they busted me with just before my divorce as well as 4 prescription forgeries 4 insurance fraud and 1 commercial burglary. I was taken to toole county and somehow talked to he judge into releasing me to Davis county after 1 month. I went to Davis county jail and Shelby was released that day. I still had a 50,000$ bond to get out. Where there is a will there is a way cause I was only in Davis county jail 5 hours before I had found a bondsman to get me out on a signature and promise to pay in a week.

[welpnotagain]

more excerpts from the same article

[ID in alt and under cut]

[ID screenshots of excerpts from the article reading:

Image 1: True to her word, Cavanaugh has slowed the business of passing laws to a crawl by introducing amendment after amendment to every bill that makes it to the state Senate floor and taking up all eight debate hours allowed by the rules — even during the week she was suffering from strep throat. Wednesday marks the halfway point of this year's 90-day session, and not a single bill will have passed thanks to Cavanaugh's relentless filibustering.

Image 2: The Nebraska bill and another that would ban trans people from using bathrooms and locker rooms or playing on sports teams that don't align with the gender listed on their birth certificates are among roughly 150 bills targeting transgender people that have been introduced in state legislatures this year. Bans on gender-affirming care for minors have already been enacted this year in some Republican-led states, including South Dakota and Utah, and Republican governors in Tennessee and Mississippi are expected to sign similar bans into law. And Arkansas and Alabama have bans that were temporarily blocked by federal judges.

Image 3: Both Cavanaugh and the conservative Omaha lawmaker who introduced the trans bill, state Sen. Kathleen Kauth, said they're seeking to protect children. Cavanaugh cited a 2021 survey by the Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youth, that found that 58% of transgender and nonbinary youth in Nebraska seriously considered suicide in the previous year, and more than 1 in 5 reported that they had attempted it. "This is a bill that attacks trans children," Cavanaugh said. "It is legislating hate. It is legislating meanness. The children of Nebraska deserve to have somebody stand up and fight for them." /End ID]

Now THIS is allyship.

[divorcelawyergunnisonutah]

Utah State Constitutional Amendment

Family Law In Utah

Utah Constitutional Amendment was an amendment to the Utah state constitution that sought to define marriage as a union exclusively between a man and woman. It passed in the November 2, 2004, election, as did similar amendments in ten other states. The amendment, which added Article 1, Section 29, to the Utah Constitution, reads: • Marriage consists only of the legal union between a man and a woman. • No other domestic union, however denominated, may be recognized as a marriage or given the same or substantially equivalent legal effect. On December 20, 2013, federal judge Robert J. Shelby of the U.S. District Court for Utah struck down Amendment 3 as unconstitutional under the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution. Both pro and anti amendment groups formed to sway voters. The “Don’t Amend Alliance” organized in spring, much earlier than pro-amendment groups. The Alliance raised hundreds of thousands dollars, catching supporters of the amendment by surprise. They responded with the “Yes! For Marriage” group, which only began a coordinated campaign on October 5. Nonetheless, latent support for the amendment appeared high with over 60% support for the Amendment in a Salt Lake Tribune poll conducted early October.

Arguments for Amendment 3

Supporters of Amendment 3 said that the amendment would do three things: • Prevent state courts from making a ruling that current Utah marriage legislation as being unconstitutional. • Prevent state courts from forcing recognition of out-of-state marriages. • Prevent the creation of “counterfeit marriages”, such as civil unions. They also said the amendment would not hurt heterosexual marriage, common law marriages, or the right to will property to whomever one wishes.

Arguments against Amendment 3

Those opposed to the amendment say that section one of the amendment is completely unnecessary since Utah already outlaws same-sex marriage. They also say the second part of the amendment “goes too far”. They feel that it would invalidate common law marriage as well as reducing rights to will property to whomever one chooses.

Court challenge

On March 25, 2013, three same-sex couples, including one already married in Iowa, filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Utah seeking to declare Utah’s prohibition on the recognition of same-sex marriages unconstitutional under the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the United States Constitution. The court heard arguments on December 4. The state argued that there was “nothing unusual” in enforcing policies that encourage “responsible procreation” and the “optimal mode of child-rearing”. Plaintiffs’ attorney contended that the policy is “based on prejudice and bias that is religiously grounded in this state”. On December 20, 2013, District Judge Robert J. Shelby struck down the same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional and violating same-gender couples’ their rights to due process and equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. The ruling prevents the State from enforcing Sections 30-1-2 and 30-1-4.1 of the Utah Code and Article I, § 29 of the Utah Constitution to the extent these laws prohibit a person from marrying another person of the same sex. State Senator Jim Dabakis and his partner of 27 years were among the first same-sex couples to marry in the state. Same sex marriages were performed in Salt Lake, Washington and Cache counties on December 20. Other counties declined to grant same-sex couples their request. At least one same-sex couples planned to camp overnight at the Salt Lake County Clerk’s Office in anticipation of it opening at 8 a.m., one hour before the 9 a.m. hearing scheduled to hear a Motion for Stay submitted by the State of Utah in the 10th District Court. An Emergency Motion to Stay, which would have granted a stay pending the ruling on the stay that is the subject of a hearing scheduled for December 23, was denied December 22. Utah Constitutional Amendment C, Changes Related to Special Legislative Sessions and State Revenue Measure (2018). A “yes” vote supported the amendment to: • allow the state legislature, through a two-thirds vote, to call a special session of up to ten days to deal with matters such as a fiscal crisis, war, natural disaster, or other emergency; • allow a special session of the legislature, other than the 45-day annual general session, to be held at a location other than the state capitol if it is not feasible due to a specified condition; and • require the governor to either reduce state expenditures or convene a special legislative session if the state’s expenses exceed the state’s revenue for a fiscal year. A “no” vote opposed amending the state constitution to: • alter provisions related to state legislative special sessions and • require the governor to either reduce state expenditures or convene a special legislative session if the state’s expenses exceed the state’s revenue for a fiscal year.

Measure design

As of 2018, legislative leaders could not call the state legislature into a special session. Only the governor had the power to convene a special legislative session. The Utah Constitution provides for the legislature to meet annually for a regular 45-day session and allows the Governor to convene the legislature in a special session. Constitutional Amendment C allowed the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives to call the legislature into session for up to 10 days through a two-thirds vote of approval of legislators in each chamber to address, according to the amendment, “a persistent fiscal crisis, war, natural disaster, or emergency in the affairs of the State.” Under the measure, at least 30 days need to pass following the adjournment of the general session for legislative leaders to call a special session. Under the measure, the legislative session is prohibited from addressing matters not outlined in the proclamation to hold a session. Amendment C required that appropriations made during a special session called by the legislature cannot be greater than 1 percent of the annual budget for the preceding fiscal year. The measure also allowed special sessions to be held at a location other than the Utah State Capitol when meeting at the capitol is not feasible due to an epidemic, disaster, foreign attack, or public catastrophe.

Provisions related to state revenue and expenditures

The governor is required, under the measure, to either reduce proportionately the amount of money spent or convene a special legislative session if the state’s expenses exceed the state’s revenue for a fiscal year.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Constitutional Amendment C was as follows: Shall the Utah Constitution be amended to: • authorize the Legislature to convene into a limited session if two-thirds of the Utah Senate and House members agree that convening is necessary because of a fiscal crisis, war, natural disaster, or emergency in the affairs of the state; • require the Governor to reduce state expenditures or convene the Legislature into session if state expenses will exceed revenue for a fiscal year; and • require a session of the Legislature, other than the 45-day annual general session, to be held at the state capitol, unless it is not feasible due to a specified condition?

Impartial analysis

The impartial analysis for Constitutional Amendment C was as follows: Constitutional Amendment C makes three main changes to the Utah Constitution. The Amendment: allows the president of the Utah Senate and the speaker of the Utah House of Representatives to convene the Legislature into session under certain limited circumstances; requires the Governor to take certain action if the state’s expenditures will exceed revenue for a fiscal year; and requires a session of the Legislature convened by the Governor or the Legislature to be held at the state capitol in Salt Lake City unless it is not feasible due to certain circumstances.

Current Provisions of the Utah Constitution

The current Utah Constitution provides two ways for the Legislature to meet together or convene in a session to conduct the legislative business of considering and passing laws. First, the Utah Constitution requires the Legislature to meet each year in a 45-day general session. The Constitution does not place any limits on the business that the Legislature may consider during an annual general session. Second, the Constitution authorizes the Governor to convene the Legislature into session, commonly referred to as a special session, at a time other than an annual general session for no more than 30 days. The business that the Legislature may consider during a session convened by the Governor is limited to the business specified by the Governor. Other than the annual general session and a session convened by the Governor, the Utah Constitution does not provide for the convening of the Legislature into session.

Effect of Amendment C

Amendment C authorizes the Legislature to be convened into session at a time other than the 45-day annual general session or when the Governor convenes the Legislature into session. The Amendment authorizes the president of the Utah Senate and the speaker of the Utah House of Representatives to convene the Legislature into session if two-thirds of all Senate and House members are in favour of convening because in their opinion a persistent fiscal crisis, war, natural disaster, or emergency in the affairs of the state requires convening. The business that the Legislature may conduct during the session is limited to the business specified in a proclamation that the Senate president and House of Representatives speaker issue to convene the session. Amendment C contains the following additional limitations on a session convened by the president and speaker: • the session may not be convened within the 30 days following the completion of a 45-day annual general session; • the session may not last more than 10 calendar days; and • the total amount of money that the Legislature authorizes to be spent may not exceed 1% of the total amount authorized to be spent for the immediately preceding fiscal year.

Requirements if State Expenditures Exceed State Revenue

Under the current Utah Constitution, the Legislature authorizes the spending of state money for each fiscal year, which is a period beginning July 1 and ending the following June 30. The spending authorizations occur before the start of a fiscal year and are based on projections of future state revenue for that same period. The Legislature may not authorize more money to be spent during a fiscal year than the state is expected to receive during that period. If actual revenue during any fiscal year turns out to be less than the amount of money the Legislature previously authorized to be spent, the Governor may, in the manner and in the amounts chosen by the Governor, reduce the amount that state agencies spend. Alternatively, the Governor may, but is not required to, convene the Legislature into session to adjust the amount of money to be spent to match the amount of state revenue.

Effect of Amendment C

Amendment C requires the Governor to take one of two actions if the state’s expenses will exceed the state’s revenue for a fiscal year. The Governor must either reduce proportionately the amount of money spent, except for money spent for the state’s debt, or convene the Legislature into session so that the Legislature may address the revenue shortfall.

Location of Legislative Sessions

The current Utah Constitution requires each 45-day annual general session of the Legislature to be held at the state capitol in Salt Lake City and does not provide any exception to that requirement. The Constitution does not currently specify the location for a session convened by the Governor. Constitutional Amendment C amended section 2 of Article VI, section 16 of Article VI, section 7 of Article VII, and section 5 of Article XIII of the Utah Constitution. The following underlined text was added, and struck-through text was deleted: Article VI, Section 2. [Time and location of annual general sessions — Location of sessions convened by the Governor or Legislature — Sessions convened by the Legislature.] • Annual general sessions of the Legislature shall be held at the seat of government and shall begin on the fourth Monday in January. • A session convened by the Legislature under Subsection • shall be held at the seat of government, unless convening at the seat of government is not feasible due to epidemic, natural or human-caused disaster, enemy attack, or other public catastrophe.

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Biden to sign historic same-sex marriage bill at the White House

President Joe Biden will sign legislation protecting same-sex and interracial marriage on Tuesday afternoon.Biden is hosting a ceremony on the White House South Lawn at 3:30 p.m. ET with lawmakers and cabinet members as the Respect for Marriage Act becomes law.Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday that Biden would be "joined by a bipartisan group of lawmakers as well as advocates and plaintiffs in marriage equality cases across the country.""There will be musical guests and performances," Jean-Pierre said, adding that the president would also "note that there is more work to be done" and that he would pass federal legislation known as the Equality Act to expand. We will reiterate our call for Civil rights protections for LGBTQ people.After months of negotiation, particularly over provisions related to religion, the historic marriage bill passed with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.The House voted 258-169 last week to send the bill to Biden's desk after the Senate passed it 61-36. A minority of Republicans joined the Democrats in both votes.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi attends a bill nomination ceremony with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and a bipartisan group of senators and representatives for the Respect for Marriage Act at the US Capitol Building on December 8, 2022 in Washington, DC.Anna Moneymaker / Getty ImagesWisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay senator, helped guide the legislation through Congress. Baldwin has said that the bill will "protect the hard-won progress we've made on marriage equality."It became a priority for Democrats after the Supreme Court's June decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, in which five conservative justices ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade and the national guarantee of access to abortion.Justice Clarence Thomas concurred, saying that he believed the court should reconsider other precedents based on a similar legal principle, including 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges—which found that the 14th Amendment requires all states to is required to license same-sex marriages.The Respect for Marriage Act does not include a national requirement of Obergefell, but would mandate that individual states recognize same-sex and interracial marriages that were legally performed in another state.Some Republicans who voted for it in Congress cited the additional language to protect religious groups that still object to same-sex marriage.Critics such as Utah Sen. Mike Lee said it didn't go far enough, however.Biden hailed the passage of the Marriage Act last week, saying it would "give peace of mind to millions of LGBTQI+ and interracial couples that are now guaranteed the rights and protections they and their children deserve.""After the uncertainty created by the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, Congress has restored the protections for millions of marriages and families," he said in a statement. "He has provided hope and respect to millions of young people across this country who can grow up knowing that his government will recognize and honor the families they built."

In this November 9, 2022 file photo, President Joe Biden answers questions from reporters at a post-election press conference at the White House in Washington, DC.Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, FileBiden has been vocal on the issue for a long time. In 2012, he famously publicly supported same-sex marriage to then-President Barack Obama.Biden said during an interview, "I am completely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual men and women married to each other have equal rights, all civil rights, All citizens are entitled to liberty." time on NBC's "Meet the Press"."Who do you love? Who do you love and will you be faithful to the person you love?" Biden then said. "And that's what people are finding, what all marriages are at their core."Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was emotional as the bill was passed in the House on Thursday. Pelosi, stepping down from her leadership role in the new Congress, said she was pleased that the bill was one of the last she was signing as the top House Democrat."After all, we have history to make," she said at the bill's nomination ceremony last week. "But not only are we on the right side of history, we are on the right side of the future, expanding freedom in America."ABC News' Molly Nagle contributed to this report. Source link Read the full article