In It to Win It
In It to Win It's JournalChief Justice John Roberts says American public wrongly views the justices as 'political actors'
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/chief-justice-john-roberts-says-justices-are-not-political-actors-rcna343958Speaking at a conference for lawyers and judges in Hershey, Roberts said the Supreme Court is required to make decisions that are not popular and bemoaned that there is not a better understanding among the public of how the court operates.
“I think at a very basic level, people think we’re making policy decisions, [that] we’re saying we think this is what things should be as opposed to this is what the law provides,” Roberts said. “I think they view us as truly political actors, which I don’t think is an accurate understanding of what we do. I would say that’s the main difficulty.”
While he conceded that people have a right to criticize the court and its decisions, he added that there is a tendency to focus too much on politics.
“We’re not simply part of the political process, and there’s a reason for that, and I’m not sure people grasp that as much as is appropriate,” Roberts said.
NEW: Chief Justice John Roberts bemoans that Americans don't understand how the Supreme Court operates and see justices as "political actors". The court at times simply has to make "unpopular" decisions, he adds:
— Lawrence Hurley (@lawrencehurley.bsky.social) 2026-05-07T00:02:43.440Z
www.nbcnews.com/politics/sup...
South Carolina clears first hurdle on path to gerrymander, eliminate Black district
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/south-carolina-clears-first-hurdle-on-path-to-gerrymander-eliminate-black-district/In an 87-25 vote, the South Carolina House approved a sine die amendment allowing lawmakers to return after adjournment to take up congressional redistricting — clearing the first major procedural hurdle in a growing national push to redraw maps after the Supreme Court gutted key Voting Rights Act protections that had long shielded Black voting power from racial gerrymandering.
The move comes as GOP-led states across the South race to capitalize on the Supreme Court’s devastating ruling.
The measure now heads to the state Senate, where Republicans still need a two-thirds vote to move forward with redistricting. Though the GOP holds a supermajority in both chambers, only a handful of Republican defections could derail the effort.
🚨 BREAKING: South Carolina Republicans took a crucial step toward gerrymandering the state’s congressional map Wednesday, clearing the first hurdle in a post-Callais push that could dismantle the state’s lone Democratic district represented by Rep. Jim Clyburn.
— Democracy Docket (@democracydocket.com) 2026-05-06T23:31:15.921Z
Republicans Unveil Map Carving Up Tennessee's Majority-Black House District
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NYT
The new map slices up Memphis, a majority-Black city, and Shelby County into three districts and will most likely give Republicans the ability to flip Tennessee’s lone remaining Democratic seat, which includes the city.
The state legislature tried to make a 63 percent black city live with a statue honoring a slave trader, KKK leader, and convict lessor. Now they’re going to make sure Memphians are represented in Congress by someone who hates them, and is terrified to step foot in the city. (Or any city.)
— Radley Balko (@radleybalko.bsky.social) 2026-05-06T22:52:41.407Z
The Alabama House voted 75-29 to pass legislation that could change the state's congressional map
BREAKING: The Alabama House voted 75-29 to pass legislation that could change the state’s congressional map during ongoing primaries — a last-minute attempt to diminish Black voting power before the midterms in light of SCOTUS’ ruling last week.
— Democracy Docket (@democracydocket.com) 2026-05-06T18:42:30.985476529Z
The measure now heads to the state senate for a vote.
Pulse check: How are we feeling about Ohio? 🤔
Governor's race?
US Senate Race?
Ohio Supreme Court races?
Justice Samuel Alito MELTS DOWN After Criticism for Disaster SCOTUS Ruling - Leah Litman
Brightline finances create 'substantial doubt' about company's future
https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/brightline-finances-create-substantial-doubt-011920372.htmlAuditor Ernst & Young, which prepared the financial statements, says in its accompanying report that the Orlando-Miami passenger operation "requires funds to service its debt and meet such other obligations as they become due and has stated that it does not currently have the liquid funds necessary" to meet those requirements.
The company says it is pursuing two avenues to address its debts and obligations: obtaining additional extensions on the debt, or raising additional capital through methods "including but not limited to one or more of the following: newly issued senior secured indebtedness, subordinated secured indebtedness, unsecured indebtedness and/or additional equity contributions, which may be in the form of preferred equity, from our Parent and its affiliates or third parties."
The statements show that Brightline sustained an operating loss of $127 million in 2025 and a net loss of $233.1 million in 2025. Both figures are improvements over 2024, when the company reported an operating loss of $153.5 million and net loss of $548.7 million.
They also show the company faces a total of $5.85 billion in long-term debt, interest on that debt, leases, and other contractual obligations. Of that, $4.96 billion is debt or interest on debt.
'Disappointed,' 'Surprised,' 'Betrayed': 11 Trump Voters on What Has Gone Wrong
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NYT
That leaves plenty of people who voted for Mr. Trump but who may not feel good about the direction of the country. For Opinion’s latest focus group, conducted earlier this month, we spoke with voters like this: people who cast their ballots for Mr. Trump and said they were disappointed with his second term. A few said they even regretted their votes.
Some participants had been hopeful in 2024, but many of them felt that Mr. Trump was the “lesser of two evils” and the alternative might have been not voting at all: social conservatives, antiwar Republicans, people with hopes about prices and taxes coming down or deep dissatisfaction with Democratic policies. Their frustration mostly came in three categories: the implementation of Mr. Trump’s immigration policies, the Iran war and the continued high cost of living. People had praise for what Mr. Trump had done with the border, on crime and the idea of DOGE, but many of these voters are unhappy, some depressed and upset, with the direction of the country.
How do you talk about a situation you’re disappointed about or even a decision you regret, though, especially with people you know might disagree? It can be difficult.
My takeaway from the Times focus group of Trump voters is that they are collectively dumb as a bag of hair, do not have a single clue about how the world works, and are as disingenuous as they are defensive. No taking responsibility in any real way. Just narcissistic whiners.
— Grits for Breakfast (@gritsforbreakfast.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:41:53.156Z
Most are just lying about "regrets." You believed Trump would reduce inflation? He promised new taxes on imported goods, if you believed that, you're an idiot.
— Grits for Breakfast (@gritsforbreakfast.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:41:53.157Z
You wanted non-bigoted immigration enforcement? You voted for the "Mexicans are rapists" guy, go straight to hell.
It's just not credible.
Only one truly sounded like they understood the gravity of their error, saying Dem family member warned them and: "time and time again, all of the things that they pointed out would happen have ended up happening. And I looked dumb as hell believing in fairy tales and wishy-washy promises."
— Grits for Breakfast (@gritsforbreakfast.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:46:01.378Z
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That's actually saying, "I was wrong." All the others are saying, "I was really right, but Trump isn't doing the assholery I voted for the right way." Sorry, but you don't get cut any slack for that and deserve every bit of criticism coming your direction.
— Grits for Breakfast (@gritsforbreakfast.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:54:07.655Z
9 Out of 12 Trump Voters Express Shocking Regret - John Vibes
A New York Times focus group of Trump voters reveals widespread regret. When asked to grade his second term, nobody raised their hand for A or B. One person gave him a C. Most gave him a D or F.
Multiple voters said they thought he would learn his lesson from the first term. They hoped Congress would keep him in check and he would have better advisors. One woman from Alabama said she thought he was going to prove he learned from his mistakes and turn the country around. She called it a horror movie.
A military veteran said he voted for Trump because Republicans are usually pro-military, but the Iran conflict is uncalled for. He said he is very disappointed. Several voters complained about how immigration enforcement only targets one demographic. One woman said her boyfriend who looks Mexican was pulled over by ICE just because of how he looked.
The frustrating part is that all of this was obvious before the election. He told everyone exactly what he was going to do.
The Supreme Court's Jim Crow Jurisprudence - Jamelle Bouie
How John Roberts, Sam Alito and the conservatives on the Supreme Court flipped the Equal Protection clause on its head to disempower black Americans, empower white conservatives and make genuine democracy that much harder to achieve.
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