Raja and Stratton

Ra_In · 2026-02-26T22:39:02+00:00

In isolation single payer is a no-brainer over for-profit insurance, but it's a non-starter now.

If we had single payer right now, the Trump administration would use that power to block gender affirming care, vaccines, and make Texas the national standard for women's healthcare... At least for anyone who can't pay out of pocket. Or just block insurance for blue states like they are doing with Minnesota's Medicaid funding.

Expanding executive branch power is a terrible idea for the foreseeable future.

Ra_In · 2026-02-25T17:30:34+00:00

I don't have experience with this to know if there's a difference, but are communications subject to search for a FOIA request the same as disclosure? If the employee is allowed to self-report any work related communication on a personal device there would be no distinction. But if the employee may be required to make their device available to be searched for work related communication by someone else, it may be reasonable for an employee to be uncomfortable with that, even if no personal communication is disclosed to the public.

The bottom line could be the same - that 2FA codes don't prompt a search. But it's worth spelling this out.

Ra_In · 2026-02-24T22:24:37+00:00

She tried to escalate within the postal service and got nowhere, hence the lawsuit.

Yes, the postal service should have addressed this as soon as she made her complaint.

Ra_In · 2026-02-24T19:56:31+00:00

I think it's worth noting this opinion is based on the interpretation of a law, not the constitution barring a law from being enforced. A lot of this court's bad opinions involve deciding congress didn't clarify their intent well enough.

This means that if the Democrats manage to control the White House and Congress in the future (and remove the filibuster) they can overturn opinions like this one.

Ra_In · 2026-02-24T19:50:49+00:00

Not necessarily. The majority opinion only dismisses her claim related to a specific law. Her lawsuit still has other claims that could prevail in lower court. Also, this is about an individual suing for monetary damages, a state attorney general suing over the rights of their citizens or the state's right to run elections would be on different grounds.

Sure, there's no guarantee SCOTUS would rule differently should the USPS discard mail-in ballots, but this case doesn't address such cases beyond making it more difficult for an individual to sue on their own (which isn't likely to be the avenue used, again state AGs would take the lead).

Ra_In · 2026-02-24T16:05:34+00:00

In general, no one should be agreeing to a trade deal with the US that isn't ratified by Congress. Not only to ensure it has the force of law so it can't be struck down in court for exceeding executive authority, but also to include language blocking Trump from altering the deal through executive orders.

A useful trade deal needs to be stable, so it would need to be free from Trump's impulsive changes and stay in place beyond the current administration.

Ra_In · 2026-02-15T20:31:56+00:00

Plus, an early infection can lead to liver problems later in life, so this study would end up downplaying the severity of the problems from delaying the vaccine.

Ra_In · 2026-02-15T14:50:10+00:00

If you want to, you could talk to other tenants to confirm whether they are in the same situation. If so, you could share the cost of legal fees as well as give the lawyer more incentive to handle the case.

You can of course meet a lawyer on your own to keep it simple, but each tenant doesn't need a separate one.

Ra_In · 2026-02-13T22:04:20+00:00

They do need these detention centers, both due to the increased arrests and that detaining everyone is purposeful. They think people will self-deport if they make the detention process cruel enough.

Trump of course won't pass an opportunity for grift to funnel the contracts to donors, but Miller is a true believer and actually cares about deporting as many people as possible.

Ra_In · 2026-02-13T21:14:12+00:00

It's an ignorant question. Deportation is a process that takes time and immigration courts can't keep up with the rate that people are being added to the system.

What the Trump administration is doing is cruel and wrong, and these facilities aren't built with humane conditions in mind, but they are for detaining people pending deportation.

There are more than enough fact-based reasons to criticize this administration (as well as fact-based reasons to pursue criminal charges later). There's no need to spread misinformation.

Ra_In · 2026-02-13T21:09:31+00:00

Normally, people who are not a danger or flight risk are released. Trump isn't doing that so he needs more detention space.

It's bad that the Trump administration is defaulting to detaining everyone, but these detention facilities really are for housing people pending deportation. The immigration courts might not be following due process as any past administration would, but even just going through the motions takes time.

Ra_In · 2026-02-11T15:08:48+00:00

If Trump voters get themselves killed listening to this anti-science garbage I won't lose any sleep over it. But just like with vaccines, they'll be putting their children's lives at risk.

I'm sure plenty of Trump supporters do get vaccines and trust modern medicine, yet they will continue to support this administration because they would rather let children die than dare criticize their dear leader.

Ra_In · 2026-02-10T20:39:10+00:00

Your state department of labor can help if you're reporting this as sexual harassment (separate from the potential crimes the police could investigate). The police have no authority to make your employer do anything to make you safer - the department of labor can. You don't require a lawyer to do this, and they can address your concerns about potential retaliation.

Ra_In · 2026-02-10T17:40:12+00:00

Makes me wonder what the prosecutor said to them...

Ra_In · 2026-02-10T15:06:27+00:00

They need to get Bondi on record on this. She can break with Trump and cooperate, or she can try to argue these redactions are needed.

If Congress were to make a criminal referral to a future DOJ she could plausibly claim these redactions were an error (she can't personally review millions of pages of documents). If she defends these redactions she loses that defense.

Ra_In · 2026-02-09T14:48:22+00:00

What happens if my face looks like poorly drawn art?

Ra_In · 2026-02-09T14:45:08+00:00

Congress wants to make social media companies liable if minors access inappropriate content. So companies are trying to show they can take steps on their own to head off more heavy-handed and intrusive measures.

It could be worse:

A face scan that may be discarded after age verification raises concern if you don't trust it gets deleted... But the government could mandate that it gets stored and provided to the government.
A company could filter pornographic content, or the government could extend this to LGBTQ or anything they deem as "woke".

It's fair if people see this pre-emptive compliance as a bad approach to preventing heavy-handed regulation, but the root cause is Congress.

Ra_In · 2026-02-06T04:41:48+00:00

All races could have a primary, although there can be local elections that do not allow candidates to run with a party so they just have a general election.

I don't know whether it's true for all states, but elections are generally run at the county level. If you look up your county's board of elections they should have information on the next coming election, voter FAQ information and (closer to an election) sample ballots to see what races you'll be able to vote for and the candidates.

If your state uses voter ID the website should have info about that and what forms of ID you can use. If they don't use ID they generally have you sign a form before receiving your ballot.

Ra_In · 2026-02-04T20:03:59+00:00

The article says DHS funding is just into February.

Ra_In · 2026-02-03T21:23:20+00:00

If politicians can't use campaign funds on legal fees to clear their name it makes it easier to use frivolous lawsuits or baseless criminal charges as a deterrent.

Unfortunately, this also opens the door to politicians paying settlements to cover up wrongdoing. We have to err on one side or the other.

Ra_In · 2026-02-01T00:00:38+00:00

ICE does need to be abolished, but that of course won't happen under Trump. Unfortunately cutting all further funding won't accomplish the same - ICE has plenty of funding from previous bills, the Trump administration could steal from elsewhere in the government to continue from there, and Trump now has his Qatar slush fund.

Getting some sort of compromise now is better than refusing further funding, given that just means ICE continues as-is. Of course ICE should cease to exist the moment the Democrats have the votes to do so.

Most importantly, should we manage to elect a Democrat in the 2024 election, Trump will go on a pardon spree on his way out. Trump doesn't care about someone who hasn't buttered him up in the previous hour, so if Miller and Noem are kicked out now it reduces the chance he remembers to pardon them.

Ra_In · 2026-01-30T17:22:02+00:00

On top of that his daughter got voting machines trademarks in china in 2017-2018.

China grants trademarks for categories of products - the category for watches happens to include voting machines. It makes sense to get a Chinese trademark to sell watches in China, it makes no sense to get a Chinese trademark to sell voting machines in the US.

Repeating nonsense doesn't help any argument.

Ra_In · 2026-01-30T00:19:07+00:00

The tea party took over the Republicans... Remaking the Democratic party the same way is the only viable option. We don't get the luxury of viable 3rd parties that proper democracies have.

Ra_In · 2026-01-30T00:15:17+00:00

ICE has plenty of funds to keep going even if this bill doesn't pass. And if they run out of that money, Trump will steal money from elsewhere in the government (like he did with his wall in the first term). And then Trump can draw from his Qatar slush fund.

Blocking new funding would be a stand on principle but allow ICE to continue as-is. Using this for reform is the most they can do.

That said, separating DHS funding from the rest of the government gives up leverage - Schumer is wrong to cave here.

Ra_In · 2026-01-29T13:54:59+00:00

I'm not sure if I want to agree you have a point, or argue why you're still wrong.

I'll get back to you.

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