He accepted expensive non-monetary gifts from friends, and failed to disclose them. I agree it isn't a good look, but I don't think it is as bad as you are painting it.
Can anyone point to a case in which (1) Thomas voted in an unexpected way (given his track record) and (2) in a way which directly benefited any of these friends?
I don't think anyone can. I think, if it was as blatant as "I know your ultra-conservative ideology tells you to vote one way on this case, but here's a suitcase containing a million dollars for you to side with the liberals instead" – he'd be gone very quickly, even the GOP would be voting for articles of impeachment. But it wasn't anything like that.
Rich friends were gifting him expensive vacations, but he'd vote the way they wanted even without that. And he wasn't hearing any cases to which those friends were parties. At most, he was reading amicus briefs signed by conservative lobby groups for whom one of these generous rich friends was a board member. But, given how conservative he is, it is very likely he would have ruled the way they wanted even if his benefactor was not on their board. The real purpose of those briefs is not to convince Thomas which way to vote (everybody already knows), it is to give him ideas for justifications, and to try to convince some of the more moderate conservatives (especially Roberts) which way to vote.
And I can understand how federal bureaucrats, who would lose their job (or even go to prison) for a lot less, must feel upset at the double standard. But there have always been different standards for judges, and especially for those at the top of the judicial ladder. And I don't think the US is unique in that regard, many other countries it is the same thing.
> When calling people "vermins", even if illegally immigrating to a country, is normalised you are not on a Left-shift of the Overton window.
Australia has, in many ways, a harsher immigration policy than the US had, even under Trump. Yes, our politicians are much more careful and measured in their language. But Australia has bipartisan support for harsh immigration enforcement measurements which Republicans could only dream of implementing in the US. If we focus on style, Trump may sound like someone from the far far far right; if we focus on substance, in practice his administration was (in some ways at least) to the left of Australia's current (on paper socialist) government.
"Invading" Congress is artistic exaggeration, to say the least. The people who did go in by and large were peaceful. An actual invasion would be more akin to what we saw in Brazil's Congress in 2023 where significant damage was caused.
The after-the-fact repainting of history is among many reasons why I don't bother with "experts" and the like anymore.
>I'm originally Brazilian...
Doesn't change my point that discussing American politics requires an appropriate compass. The Democrats are the Left in the Left/Center/Right spectrum in America.
>You prefer a corrupt judge in the Supreme Court? Taking lavish bribes from friends? That's absolutely absurd, I really can't comprehend this level of acceptance,
You're going to have to cite some sources, but regardless I by far prefer Justices and judges who rule objectively rather than emotionally. Any judge who rules by emotion isn't doing their job properly; the ink in which laws are written do actually mean something.
>Your whole argument over egregious acts committed under the Trump administration ... is based on "who cares? Everyone else also does it"
Not so much "who cares?" as "Why are we singling out the Trump Administration?". I find it hard to believe corruption is wrong because it's Trump. Call every POTUS with corruption to account, otherwise I don't have time for such political bullshitting.
>I will repeat: you are being an infantile reactionary, the Overton window has not shifted to the Left, when white supremacist discourse is not publicly shocking anymore that is not a leftist shift,
I'm a 2nd generation Japanese-American, aka an Asian, aka a minority. If white supremacy was a real thing I would definitely know about it, but guess what? I see no such thing. If anything, white folks are by far among the most honorable and generous people I've come across in life.
Regardless, the narrative is that white people are evil and must be brought down to end white supremacy. Sincerely screw that notion, the Overton Window keeps on moving further left and I am left to vote for who I relate closer to which is the Right.
Also, don't you dare call me a person of color, or worse POC or BIPOC. I'm an American and I have a heritage, not some stupid identification label.
>When calling people "vermins", even if illegally immigrating to a country, is normalised you are not on a Left-shift of the Overton window.
Illegal aliens are trying (and getting) the things that legal immigrants work their asses off over a span of years to get. What the hell is up with that? Anyone is welcome to come to this country, but they should do so legally through our front door like everyone else.
Incidentally, the people most hostile to illegal aliens are 1st generation legal immigrants. If you need to ask why that is the case, you really don't understand the situation.
>Once again, an infantile opinion "love me, or else..." without acknowledging the complexities of relationships between nations where friction is expected, disagreement is expected, and the mutual benefits of said relationships should prevail over infantile "I feel hurt" responses.
Relationships require a certain level of mutual respect and compromise. If we keep hearing the kind of sheer resentment as the kind I originally replied to, sooner or later we will go have our beer somewhere else.
You cannot seriously expect America to stick around forever despite incessant arguments that our defence budget is insane, that the US Dollar sucks, that our space launch vehicles are hostile, and so on. Every person, or in this case country, has their camel-back-breaking point.
>Good luck with the mess you are about to create
Likewise.
>it's not like you seem to care about others anyway.
We do care, but it's damn hard to care and keep caring about someone who does nothing but complain about us.
> Largely a farce narrative, both from the outset and slowly but surely as the courts work their way through all the quagmire.
I simply cannot continue a conversation when you can't adhere to a basic reality where a sitting president attempted to overthrow your democracy, playing it down as a "farce narrative" while a mob inflamed by the person you want to vote in invaded the Capitol. It's too absurd you are trying to push this under the rug.
> Your European political compass is worthless in America, I would suggest re-calibrating that if you want to discuss American politics usefully. Just like my American political compass would be useless when discussing European politics and need re-calibrating.
I'm originally Brazilian...
> ...Do you even know when Justice Thomas was appointed and who nominated him? Appointed in 1991, nominated by George Bush Sr..
> That aside, I appreciate having Supreme Court justices who judge based upon the word of the law rather than emotional diatribe like seen from Justice Sotomayor.
You prefer a corrupt judge in the Supreme Court? Taking lavish bribes from friends? That's absolutely absurd, I really can't comprehend this level of acceptance, just tells me clearly how degenerate has politics become in the USA if people participating in this forum who are very well versed in getting information from any source they might want to accept this.
> Name me one President who didn't have corruption in his cabinet.
> So did Biden.
Your whole argument over egregious acts committed under the Trump administration, like a blatant bribe of US$ 2bi for Kushner is based on "who cares? Everyone else also does it" without even considering there are varying levels of corruption, again you are in an infantile black-and-white worldview and I don't think we can meet anywhere when your reality simply doesn't match mine.
I will repeat: you are being an infantile reactionary, the Overton window has not shifted to the Left, when white supremacist discourse is not publicly shocking anymore that is not a leftist shift, you simply do not want or cannot comprehend that. When calling people "vermins", even if illegally immigrating to a country, is normalised you are not on a Left-shift of the Overton window.
> It wouldn't be the first time America wanted nothing to do with Europe either, so be aware it's more likely than you think even without all the prodding. We will always bend over backwards to help out the United Kingdom (our mom!), but the rest of Europe? Stop pressing your luck.
Once again, an infantile opinion "love me, or else..." without acknowledging the complexities of relationships between nations where friction is expected, disagreement is expected, and the mutual benefits of said relationships should prevail over infantile "I feel hurt" responses.
Your stupidly ignorant and reactionary point of view will cause harm, you are choosing to be ignorant about it. Not too unexpected from an American which centers the whole world in their own ego and feelings but still disappointing.
Good luck with the mess you are about to create, unfortunately your ignorance by choice will hurt others but it's not like you seem to care about others anyway.