Judicial and Constitutional – Page 2 – Glen's Parallax Perspectives

Sister Helen Prejean spoke about an innocent man on death row whose trial was grossly unfair.

May 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

On May 8, 2023, Sister Helen Prejean was interviewed about a horrible decades-long case of Oklahoma’s mania to execute an innocent person. Now even Oklahoma’s Attorney General says Richard Glossip did not receive a fair trial. Even if you already know about Richard Glossip’s tragic situation, this interview will be interesting. If you do not already know, this information will be powerful. https://www.democracynow.org/2023/5/8/richard_glossip_prejean?utm_source=Democracy+Now%21&utm_campaign=171a29f9d3-Daily_Digest_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fa2346a853-171a29f9d3-191704661

A strategically smart 3-step testimony for legislation to abolish the DP

May 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Many times I have testified to Washington State legislative committees. In 2020 I did this again. I’m attaching below a slightly longer version of what I said. This document summarizes a strategically smart three-step process to convince people (legislators, the public, etc.) why it is important to abolish the death penalty — and why abolishing it would not endanger the public. A major obstacle in convincing the public and legislatures to abolish the DP is their fear that it protects our safety. My third point in this testimony points out that we could abolish it without endangering public safety. It […]

Amnesty International’s new report on the death penalty worldwide

May 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Amnesty International posted this new information on May 16, 2023: Worldwide executions have reached the highest level in five years. According to Amnesty’s new Death Penalty Report 2022 released today, the Middle East and North Africa’s most notorious executioners carried out killing sprees and China remains the world’s leading executioner. “It’s often those from disadvantaged backgrounds disproportionately affected by this callous punishment.” Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General VIEW REPORT (PDF) Amnesty International recorded 883 executions in 20 countries in 2022, a 53% increase from 579 recorded in 2021. This figure represents the highest number of executions Amnesty International recorded in […]

“Using Lotteries to Create an Open Democracy”

May 25, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The June 2023 episode of “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series helps us think about democracy more profoundly, more creatively, and more boldly than we are used to doing. Instead of narrowly electing one person or another, how could we devise a more profound kind of democracy in which ALL people have real voices and real power? How could we eliminate the corruption caused by big businesses, extremely rich people, and political parties? How could we empower real people instead of being dominated by a political class of overlords? Anyone anywhere can watch this June 2023 program through this blog: WATCH […]

“We the People vs. Corporate Rule: It’s up to Us” — May 2023 TV program and article about constitutional amendment

May 23, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The May 2023 episode of “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series makes a solid case for amending the U.S. Constitution in a way that would greatly strengthen democracy and promote fairness and progress for the wide range of issues people care about. For a long time the Supreme Court has given business corporations constitutional rights that our nation’s founders intended only for human beings – and the Supreme Court has allowed Big Money to corrupt our elections. Glen interviewed two well informed guests who are savvy organizers working with the organization Move to Amend. They explain how we got into this […]

“International Courts and War Crimes” — TV + online

April 10, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Anyone anywhere can watch the April 2023 program on “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series. This interview informs people about exciting, positive ways to protect peace, human rights, and fairness worldwide. Joanne Dufour is exceptionally well informed about the United Nations, International Humanitarian Law, international courts, war crimes, and related issues. She explains these and related topics in a one-hour TV interview that you can watch through this blog post. (See the link below.) Also, people in Thurston County WA who have cable TV can watch it on channel 22 three times a week throughout April 2023: every Monday at 1:30 […]

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 […]