The Flag Problem

The American flag is an important symbol for our country. From elementary school classrooms to sporting events to veteran parades, the showing of the Stars and Stripes holds us together in our history, national identity and shared values.

Until now.

Now, Betsy Ross’ creation has been abused by the least patriotic among us, namely MAGA and its supporters. It’s been reported that, shortly after January 6, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito flew the flag upside down at his home. This is a traditional ‘distress’ signal now co-opted by the phony “stop the steal” movement that led to the Capitol riot. Additionally, Alito’s beach home flew the controversial “Pine Tree/Appeal to Heaven” flag, associated with Christian Nationalists and prevalent among the crowds on January 6.

It’s now abundantly clear that Alito has a bias favoring the insurrectionists. Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife Ginni was allegedly also involved in supporting activities around the attempted coup.  Both jurists will be ruling on critical issues around the 2020 election and the 1/6 riot and by all standards of impartial justice, should recuse from those cases. But at this stage, they appear to not give a damn.

This revelation comes on the heels of news that, for years, Thomas took money and lavish gifts from a wealthy benefactor. Alito has done the same. Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh have their own problematic interactions with the wealthy and well-connected.

Alito and Thomas’ flouting of their power is enraging. Democratic Senators Dick Durbin (IL) and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) have requested a meeting with Chief Justice Roberts to encourage him to do something to get his rogue colleagues in check. Will he? Well, his wife purportedly makes millions each year recommending lawyers to elite firms, many of whom have cases before SCOTUS. So, there’s that.

As it stands now, a justice can only be removed by impeachment which requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate. The only other ways they leave the bench are through either resignation or by passing away.  At this stage, there are two remedies to balance any abuse of power. One is to increase the number of justices from nine to thirteen, equal to the number of circuit courts in America. It wouldn’t be the first time in our history that seats have either been added to or removed from the bench.

The other is to impose term limits of 18 years. Because face it: a lifetime appointment where you’re free to do as you please with no consequences has obviously brought out the worst in these particular jurists.

To make these changes happen, we must vote “blue” up and down the ticket in November. An overwhelming Democratic victory that sweeps the Congress, Senate, and White House, will provide the power to get this needed legislation passed.

And it will allow us to heal some of the “distress” in our nation and once more, fly Old Glory the way she was meant to be flown.

Cindy Grogan is a writer, lover of history and "Star Trek" (TOS), and hardcore politics junkie. There was that one time she campaigned for Gerald Ford (yikes), but ever since, she's been devoted to Democratic and progressive policies.