this post was submitted on 15 Dec 2023
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politics

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[–] knotthatone@lemmy.one 119 points 2 years ago (4 children)

We should try making bribery illegal again. That would be fun.

[–] ArtVandelay@lemmy.world 66 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

I'll give you a million dollars to not make bribery illegal again

-these conservative legal groups

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Foiled again! Damn you, money!

[–] Daft_ish@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Money doesn't bribe judges people bribe judges

Just doing the ol conservative loop-d-loo

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 36 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

A low level government employee would loss their job if someone takes them out to a nice dinner.

We don't need to make it illegal, it already is.

We need to start enforcing the rules across the board.

[–] banneryear1868@lemmy.world 16 points 2 years ago

If I accept "gifts" above a very small amount it's a big deal. With inflation it got to the point we could barely have meals or celebrations with vendors when major projects were completed. Private sector is rife with this behavior though, corporate boxes at sporting venues etc. and the schmoozing.

[–] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 13 points 2 years ago

Illegal for the people doing and taking the bribe, with real teeth.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

The thing is- at least with SCOTUS justices- we can make absolutely anything illegal regarding them and they can just turn around and say, "fuck you, what are you going to do about it?" And the rest of the government says, "uh... nothing I guess?"

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.world 27 points 2 years ago (3 children)

So the courts are illegitimate. Got it.

[–] RagingRobot@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago (3 children)
[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I’ll tell you what we do. We turn all of Sunnyvale into an all-inclusive resort and casino, we charge at the door, and we all the liquor and free dope you want. Then we get those judge cocksuckers to come out and party with us so they think we’re cool, and we can pass any laws we want.

It’ll fuckin work, I know it will boys. We just gotta come together and make er happen, like in the old days.

[–] hips_and_nips@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

It’s not rocket appliances.

[–] Pratai@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 years ago

Nothing. As usual.

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.world -4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

It's simple: stop going to court, paying taxes or supporting them in any way. Band together with like-minded people under new collectively agreed upon laws you actually will follow. Train yourselves to fight for when the thugs of the old system inevitably do come at your door. Buy land and set up intentional communities, and start putting money toward buying land in the former counties to regain control. Bribe officials in the old counties to facilitate this.

That's the bare minimum of what we should be doing right now, honestly. The bare, bare minimum.

Really we should be banding together and overthrowing those old governments.

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

you're kinda underestimating the power of organized, state sanctioned violence.

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

You're underestimating the ability for people to organize and fight off tyrannical governments. It's literally how the U.S. became a country at all.

Have more faith in yourself and stop being a coward.

[–] Cuttlefish1111@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Yea just stop paying taxes guys… duh

[–] Pratai@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 years ago

It has always been this way.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

And have been since at least Dred Scott.

[–] AllonzeeLV@lemmy.world 20 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (4 children)

The framers COMPLETELY dropped the ball on checks on the judicial.

We need a new constitution. This one was designed for information at the speed of horse, a population less than 2% the size of today's, and sets too high a bar to change the status quo. It might have been the most flexible governmental framework of its time, but that was a quarter millennium ago, before the first mass produced revolver was a twinkle in colt's eye btw.

I think most of the framers would be shocked and not necessarily pleased that we haven't by now. Then again, some of them would be upset that women and minorities can vote, so maybe their opinion wouldn't mean much.

[–] banneryear1868@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

It was basically designed around nobody having enough power to do anything that would affect landowners, or doing much in general. I think the founders would be shocked at the political factions they feared so much and considered the country a failed project. They didn't see a reason for anyone to vote that didn't hold arable land etc. Kicked the can on slavery as far down the road as they could to avoid the inevitable confrontation. Handed power back to the planters during reconstruction. Beat down any opportunity for collective public action.

[–] Evilcoleslaw@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

To be fair they dropped the ball completely on the whole of the judiciary. They said "Okay there's a Supreme Court, and it'll have at least a Chief Justice... Congress can decide how many others there are, but they serve for life. And Congress can determine how it works otherwise. There should probably be some lower courts and stuff but Congress can figure that out later."

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

We’re tired, we’ve been here for god knows how long, and I haven’t been laid since I left the farm. Let’s wrap this up and let the first congress handle it. Besides, I’m wasted by this point.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

and I haven’t been laid since I left the farm.

If the rest of them were anything like Franklin (and I guarantee there were more like Franklin than Adams), they probably had gotten laid a lot more since leaving the farm.

[–] ApostleO@startrek.website 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I used to imagine, "What would a new constitution look like if we actually invoked the clause to hold another constitutional convention?"

But imagine if we voted to hold one now, when billionaires hold so much power already. I all but guarantee that they'd make sure they had control over a majority of the delegates, and we'd end up with something that was somehow even worse than what we have today.

Before we can even have a talk of a new government, we have to get rid of the villains destroying every government from the inside.

And that will cause a power vacuum sociopaths will use to take over. It already happened to Russia.

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago

The framers COMPLETELY dropped the ball on checks on the judicial.

First and second amendments were intended to be that check. Communicating and causing damage are the two capabilities a populace needs to be respectable enough to have to play nice with.

And all this talk of revolution … that’s the check. The government was built with an off switch, in the form of specific protections for the things that could destroy it.

They knew that no structure would be incorruptible. You can have layers but eventually the layers stop. It’s a who watches the watchers that watch the watchers … and so forth scenario.

They knew that there’s no way to arrange those pieces so that it won’t go bad eventually. Sp they made a rule that the people must keep the power to destroy that structure.

Like summoning a dragon to protect you, but first making sure there are dragon-proof boxes with lances inside, because dragons are dangerous as fuck. You only summon one if there’s something even worse coming at you. But just because it’s your best option doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous as fuck and may need to be put down.

[–] JustZ@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yeah Scalia died while on one of these trips.

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 5 points 2 years ago

good to know even the rich sometimes get bad coke

[–] snekerpimp@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

“One country for sale, slightly used, quiet neighborhood, fixer upper. Act quick before the disillusioned citizens wake up from the propaganda fever dream we have lulled them into!”

[–] Cruxifux@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

I feel like this system is past the point where it can be saved at this point.

[–] Zolidus@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

You don't say....

[–] gregorum@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago

"b-b-but destroying democracy isn't illegal! stop oppressing me!"