Judicial and Constitutional – Glen's Parallax Perspectives

Besides humanizing state-level prison sentences, FEDERAL SENTENCING LAW must be overhauled too.

March 23, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

We must COMPLETELY RE-THINK federal sentencing law: Tackling Excessive Sentences Thousands of people in federal prison are serving severe, outdated sentences that Congress no longer believes are fair. A 2022 Supreme Court decision that seemed to broaden the availability of reduced prison time has been interpreted inconsistently, extending uncertainty on this issue. In the short term, carefully crafted rules can allow judges to offer relief on a case-by-case basis. But ultimately, ending unjust penalties will require a top-to-bottom rethinking of federal sentencing law. Congress must pass the “SECOND LOOK” legislation to reduce some sentences: A man who had been […]

House Republicans use the phony-baloney “debt ceiling” to hold the U.S. hostage and cut programs we really need

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Mainstream news media keep giving credibility to Republican propaganda about the “debt ceiling.” The “debt ceiling” is NOT in the Constitution. It is simply a law that could be repealed, but Democrats keep failing to take that necessary action. Congress has routinely increased it — including in every year of the Trump regime — but when Republican Newt Gingrich had power in the House and when Democrats Obama and Biden have been President, Republicans act like terrorists and hold our nation hostage and threaten to shut down our government because they want to cut spending for programs we really need, […]

Here is what a REAL “Christian nation” would look like

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Right-wing Christians and most Republicans keep saying they want the U.S. to be a “Christian nation.” But they do NOT want it to be the kind of society that Jesus was actually promoting. Jesus NEVER objected to abortion or homosexuality or immigration. What Jesus REALLY kept teaching and practicing are ethical, humane, loving, compassionate actions: Feed the hungry Heal the sick Welcome the stranger (and the foreigner and other ethnic groups) with equal human dignity as ourselves Instead of attacking LGBTQ persons or persons who want abortions, Jesus REPEATEDLY LAMBASTED: Rich people who failed to share with the poor Self-righteous […]

Republicans are an ongoing, EXTREME DANGER to the Constitution and honest democracy!

November 12, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

Here are some ideas from mid-November 2022 and some articles, etc., from July to early November 2022. This is only a small part of the massive information that exists about this crisis for American democracy. #1. In many parts of the U.S., voters in the November 2022 election were smart enough to rebuff some of the worst Republican candidates and defeat some of the worst ballot issues — and to actually elect a number of progressive Democrats and to pass a number of progressive ballot issues. BUT REPUBLICANS REMAIN AN EXTREME DANGER to our nation. #2. For a […]

“Christian Nationalism” is HISTORICALLY FALSE — with bad politics and bad theology

November 11, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

Increasingly in recent years, the FALSE claim that the U.S. was designed to be a “Christian nation” has been gaining strength among right-wing Christians and people with right-wing political beliefs. “Christian Nationalism” is HISTORICALLY FALSE, and it is very dangerous to our nation and to people’s human rights. It also has perverted many people’s religious beliefs. This article explains how “Christian Nationalism” fueled the January 6, 2021, violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and is threatening democracy itself: https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/how-christian-nationalism-fueled-the-insurrection-and-threatens-democracy/ One of the loudest voices comes from David Barton, who is NOT a real historian, but pretends to be. […]

STOP this right-wing scam: PREVENT an “Article V” convention to replace the Constitution!!!

November 10, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

One of the MOST DANGEROUS scams the right wing is promoting is to use our Constitution’s Article V to convene a convention to rewrite (and very likely replace) the U.S. Constitution with one that the right wing wants. This movement has gained enormous support, but it is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. It could result in these being written into the U.S. Constitution and enforced by law: Abortion is prohibited by the Constitution Conservative Christianity is the U.S.’s official religion; others — if allowed — would have fewer rights Men are the head of the household; women must be subservient to them White […]

PROHIBIT nuclear weapons! Support this global Treaty to do this!

October 2, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

During the 1960s the world was alarmed that some nations had nuclear weapons and more nations were starting programs to build their own. The 5 nations that had them (U.S., U.S.S.R., the U.K., France and China) were alarmed that other nations (South Africa, Brazil, etc.) might join their elite “nuclear club” and threaten the world — just as the 5 nuclear nations were doing. In response, the world’s nations negotiated a grand bargain between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Nearly every nation of the world promised NEVER to build or acquire nuclear weapon while the 5 nuclear nations promised to […]

The U.S. Senate is horribly undemocratic: States with small populations are over-represented.

September 28, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

The U.S. Constitution gives an equal number of senators (2) to each state, regardless of population. This means that the states with very small populations (e.g., Wyoming, Alaska, South Dakota) have the same power in the Senate as do the states with very huge populations (e.g., California, New York, Illinois). The small-population states tend to be more white and more Republican, while the bigger states tend to be more diverse and more Democratic. The correlations are not perfect, but the tendencies are strong. Republicans have half of U.S. Senators, but represent FAR LESS than half of U.S. population. The […]

CIA’s long history of extremely serious abuses

September 28, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

In 1947 President Truman created the Central Intelligence Agency in order to provide HONEST, ACCURATE intelligence about international issues. He did this because the intelligence agencies that had existed (in the Army, Navy, etc.) provided BIASED information that was largely propaganda serving the selfish interests of those agencies (Army, Navy, etc.). The new CIA would be HONEST and ACCURATE. Also, the CIA promptly started producing BIASED information that served its own extremist political positions — and the CIA started conducting military activities (e.g., the 1961 Bay of Pigs attack on Cuba) and secret wars in many countries. The CIA started […]

Gov. DeSantis’s FEDERAL FELONIES: Kidnapping immigrants + transporting them across state lines

September 27, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

Sign the petition: Ron DeSantis must be investigated. You read that right. Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis may have violated federal law by using over $600,000 in taxpayer dollars to lure 50 asylum seekers onto a flight that diverted them from Florida and sent them to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. That’s transporting human beings across state lines under false pretenses. Lawmakers and experts think that DeSantis broke the law. Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Department of Justice cannot stand by and let this continue. The asylum seekers DeSantis deceived were told they would be given housing and jobs. Instead, they […]

Supreme Court is considering an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS right-wing threat to honest elections

September 27, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

Our Voting Rights Are at Stake in Upcoming Supreme Court Ruling This is the case that will decide the “independent state legislature” theory. U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Moore v. Harper by June 2023. I urge you to read this article: https://truthout.org/articles/our-voting-rights-are-at-stake-in-upcoming-supreme-court-ruling/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=ae8ecac9-3460-4387-a7dd-f254f36c6139 Some of the efforts to overturn the 2020 election through state legislative efforts might become federal law if the Supreme Court agrees with the right-wing extremists that are promoting a bizarre theory. See this: https://www.alternet.org/2022/09/supreme-court-election-changes/?utm_source=123456&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11459&recip_id=22838&list_id=2 For half a century, Common Cause (www.commoncause.org) has worked to protect honest government and fair elections from the powerful […]

YES! We really CAN organize grassroots movements to solve big, hard, scary problems!

September 1, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

Many important issues (climate, nuclear weapons, etc.) are big and scary to think about, so many people do not want to think about them. Many people feel that those problems are so big and are imposed upon us by powerful forces (big businesses, the Pentagon, etc.). This power imbalance causes many people feel that they are powerless to solve the problems because the problems were created and are perpetuated by forces that are so big and powerful, and that we are too small and weak to oppose them. It’s easier to simply avoid dealing with them. As a result, the […]

Fresh Insights into Felony Sentencing — Glen’s August 2022 TV program and more resources

August 10, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

The August 2022 interview on “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” provides fresh information and insights into prison sentences. Besides discussing several problems about felony sentencing and imprisonment, we will also discuss some solutions that deserve more public awareness, support and implementation. Even if you are already fairly well informed about felony sentencing, you will learn a lot more from this interview. If you are not already well informed, you will learn a lot! An expert guest helped us explore this topic. Nazgol Ghandnoosh earned a Ph.D. in sociology and wrote her doctoral dissertation about reducing long prison sentences. Nazgol works for a […]

Trends in U.S. Corrections — an 8-page .pdf

August 9, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

This 8-page .pdf provides a lot of information: 2022.08 Trends-in-US-Corrections We discussed some of these graphs in the August 2022 TV program, “Fresh Insights into Felony Sentencing.” You can watch that TV interview program and/or read a thorough summary of what we said at a different link in this blog’s “TV Programs” category or “Criminal Justice” category.

Why the Supreme Court’s decision against the EPA and the climate is so recklessly dangerous

August 8, 2022 GlenAnderson 0

On June 30, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court slashed EPA’s power to protect the climate from power plant emissions. People who care about the climate — and people who care about the environment — and people who care about the government’s responsibility to protect us effectively from big business’s abuses — expressed alarm. BELOW I’M PROVIDING LINKS TO A FEW ARTICLES ABOUT WHAT THE COURT’S DECISION MEANS. HERE IS WHY THE SUPREME COURT’S DECISION IS SO RECKLESSLY DANGEROUS: “We the People” create government to protect our “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.” Big business has a very different goal: […]