A Texas Sovrun in Dr. King's Court

[Gregg]

I'm taking bets at 3:1 that he doubles down on stupid and either doesn't show up at all, or shows up but does something dumb enough to get locked up.

[fortinbras]

Is it possible to bet that he triples down on stupid??

[notorial dissent]

Pretty safe bet in my estimation, I'd go with stupid any time, and this one seems to have it in abundance.

[Gregg]

Is it possible to bet that he triples down on stupid??

Prop bet....

He shows up at the courthouse but refuses to enter the courtroom, opting instead to stage a demonstration in the lobby. When physically brought before the judge by a bailiff, he starts citing sov'run gibberish, accuses the judge of treason and attempts to leave the courtroom after informing the court he "refuses for cause your offer of commerce" and is tased while resiting arrest.

25:1

and I'd gladly pay those odds just to see the U-tube video.

[Prof]

Well, Mr. Pool accepted the certified mail service of J. Sparks' order; interestingly, the receipt contains no language like "refused for cause."

[Pottapaug1938]

Well, I can look around Massachusetts (to name but one state) and see several politicians of indifferent ethical standards who might well be sitting in the United States Senate, today, had the 17th Amendment not passed. No doubt, I could probably say the same about many, if not most, of the other states.

One might say the same thing about the present Senate.

I would still rather take my chances with a popular vote election than with the Massachusetts General Court.

I just came across an old column by Michael Waldman, criticizing the "Tea Party". He criticizes the members for many things; but the excerpt below has to do with the calls for a repeal of the 17th Amendment, which Waldman refers to as a key reform of the Progressive Era, and a step forward for democracy:

"For the country's first century, state legislatures chose senators. The process grew deeply corrupt. By the late 19th Century, lawmakers were flagrantly for sale. It was said that John D.Rockefeller's Standard Oil Co. did everything to the Pennsylvania legislature but refine it. Turn-of-the-century state officials routinely picked senators who were little more than front men for newly flush corporations.

Those who want to end direct election of senators say the step would return power to the states. Certainly, it would give states more power -- and the lobbyists and party bosses who make governing such a treat in so many capitols. The thought of Albany and Sacramento choosing senators doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Lobbyists would make us pine for the good old days of earmarks."