WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.399 You know that feeling when the news cycle just 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:06.839 becomes a torrent and you spend hours scrolling, 00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:10.000 but end up feeling maybe more confused than informed. 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:12.359 Yeah, we get it. That feeling is exactly why 00:00:12.359 --> 00:00:14.859 we do this. Welcome to the deep dive. This is 00:00:14.859 --> 00:00:16.859 where we take a stack of source material, try 00:00:16.859 --> 00:00:18.980 to pull out the signal from all the noise, and 00:00:18.980 --> 00:00:21.699 give you the crucial insights without, hopefully, 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:24.300 the overwhelm. Think of it as your curated briefing. 00:00:24.620 --> 00:00:26.420 Really, we've gone through the latest headlines, 00:00:26.579 --> 00:00:28.480 looked at the details, and we're here to bring 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:31.199 you the core understanding. OK, so today we're 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:35.640 diving into excerpts from 2025 514 electoral 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:38.840 vote news dot PDF. And honestly, there are some 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:41.219 really significant things to unpack here. Definitely. 00:00:41.420 --> 00:00:43.820 We're looking at a potential challenge to, well, 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:46.719 the bedrock of our legal system and a surprising 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:49.100 power dynamic emerging within the Justice Department. 00:00:49.680 --> 00:00:52.479 And that jumbo jet gift, that raises some serious 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:55.240 questions. It really does. Plus, there's a notable 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:58.420 Republican strategy on Medicaid, an eyebrow raising 00:00:58.420 --> 00:01:01.179 Democratic win out in the Midwest, and the ongoing 00:01:01.179 --> 00:01:03.560 struggle over voting rights in Alabama. Right. 00:01:03.700 --> 00:01:06.219 Our aim is to give you not just a summary, but 00:01:06.219 --> 00:01:09.379 real clarity, you know, and context for these 00:01:09.379 --> 00:01:11.900 things that might seem separate, highlight the 00:01:11.900 --> 00:01:13.519 connections and what they might mean down the 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:16.420 line. All right. Let's dive right in. First up 00:01:16.420 --> 00:01:22.609 is something that really made me pause this discussion 00:01:22.609 --> 00:01:26.209 around suspending habeas corpus. Yeah. Now, just 00:01:26.209 --> 00:01:28.629 a quick reminder for anyone who needs it, this 00:01:28.629 --> 00:01:31.090 is that fundamental legal right. It ensures that 00:01:31.090 --> 00:01:32.810 if you're detained, you can actually go before 00:01:32.810 --> 00:01:34.730 a judge to challenge if that detention is legal. 00:01:34.989 --> 00:01:37.129 It's absolutely core. Protection against the 00:01:37.129 --> 00:01:39.049 government just locking people up without cause. 00:01:39.349 --> 00:01:42.150 Think back. Historically, abuses of power, people 00:01:42.150 --> 00:01:44.530 jailed indefinitely with no recourse. Exactly. 00:01:44.909 --> 00:01:47.250 Habeas corpus was key in preventing that kind 00:01:47.250 --> 00:01:49.609 of unchecked authority. And what's really noteworthy 00:01:49.609 --> 00:01:51.730 now, as the source points out, is how Stephen 00:01:51.730 --> 00:01:53.829 Miller and Donald Trump have discussed actively 00:01:53.829 --> 00:01:56.170 looking at suspending this right. Initially, 00:01:56.269 --> 00:01:58.129 it was framed around deported individuals, but 00:01:58.129 --> 00:02:01.170 there are hints it could be broader. And, you 00:02:01.170 --> 00:02:03.370 know, the source raises a significant point. 00:02:04.909 --> 00:02:07.010 Some argue the administration has already kind 00:02:07.010 --> 00:02:08.990 of done this for certain deported immigrants, 00:02:09.530 --> 00:02:12.280 like Kilmar Abrego Garcia. They're effectively 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:14.699 beyond legal challenge once they're out of the 00:02:14.699 --> 00:02:17.000 U .S. system. That's a really crucial point. 00:02:17.379 --> 00:02:18.699 And this is where it gets really interesting 00:02:18.699 --> 00:02:21.719 when you look at the Constitution itself. Article 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:24.979 one is pretty clear. It says, habeas corpus shall 00:02:24.979 --> 00:02:28.479 not be suspended unless when in cases of rebellion 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:31.520 or invasion, the public safety may require it. 00:02:31.740 --> 00:02:34.680 So two immediate problems jump out there. First, 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:36.939 that threshold rebellion or invasion. I mean, 00:02:37.340 --> 00:02:40.400 despite all the heated rhetoric, there's no legally 00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:42.639 recognized invasion at the border that meets 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:45.539 that specific constitutional bar. Right. And 00:02:45.539 --> 00:02:48.020 second, the power to suspend. The Constitution 00:02:48.020 --> 00:02:50.319 gives that to Congress, not the president acting 00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:53.189 alone. Exactly. So looking at the history. makes 00:02:53.189 --> 00:02:55.629 the current talk seem even shakier. It really 00:02:55.629 --> 00:02:58.229 does. Habeas Corpus has only been formally suspended 00:02:58.229 --> 00:03:00.810 four times in U .S. history. You've got the Civil 00:03:00.810 --> 00:03:03.430 War, parts of the South during Reconstruction 00:03:03.430 --> 00:03:06.169 against the KKK, the Philippine War, and briefly 00:03:06.169 --> 00:03:08.830 in Hawaii right after Pearl Harbor. And each 00:03:08.830 --> 00:03:11.830 time, it was limited, right? Geographically limited, 00:03:12.229 --> 00:03:17.030 time bound. Precisely. And crucially, Congress... 00:03:16.909 --> 00:03:19.789 authorized the suspension in three of those four 00:03:19.789 --> 00:03:22.009 cases. The exception people always bring up is 00:03:22.009 --> 00:03:24.969 Lincoln during the Civil War. Right. But as the 00:03:24.969 --> 00:03:27.750 source material really emphasizes, that was during 00:03:27.750 --> 00:03:31.050 an actual massive rebellion. Congress was out 00:03:31.050 --> 00:03:33.189 of session, couldn't act immediately. And then 00:03:33.189 --> 00:03:35.590 Congress came back. and approved what Lincoln 00:03:35.590 --> 00:03:39.050 had done. Exactly. So the precedent for a president 00:03:39.050 --> 00:03:41.629 just deciding to suspend it on their own, it's 00:03:41.629 --> 00:03:44.349 just not there. Which raises this critical question 00:03:44.349 --> 00:03:47.150 about a potential collision course with Congress. 00:03:47.349 --> 00:03:49.689 Definitely. And you see varied reactions from 00:03:49.689 --> 00:03:52.069 Republicans in the Senate. Some seem to be dodging 00:03:52.069 --> 00:03:54.710 the question. Like Arasso? Yeah. Others, like 00:03:54.710 --> 00:03:56.969 Senator Langford, are rightly pointing out that 00:03:56.969 --> 00:03:59.150 due process is fundamental, applies to everyone. 00:03:59.330 --> 00:04:01.030 But then you have someone like Senator Tuberville, 00:04:01.090 --> 00:04:04.669 who seems to just... dismiss due process as what, 00:04:05.189 --> 00:04:07.729 an inconvenience? It highlights a really concerning 00:04:07.729 --> 00:04:10.349 gap in understanding basic legal principles, 00:04:10.370 --> 00:04:13.150 doesn't it? It does. The source even includes 00:04:13.150 --> 00:04:17.230 this pretty provocative editorial idea about 00:04:17.230 --> 00:04:19.509 a Democratic governor arresting Tuberville to 00:04:19.509 --> 00:04:22.250 make a point, comparing it to Rosa Parks, that 00:04:22.250 --> 00:04:24.730 kind of civil disobedience. It calls it an ugly 00:04:24.730 --> 00:04:27.470 notion and obviously a slippery slope. For sure. 00:04:27.629 --> 00:04:30.029 Because it really drives home how seriously some 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:33.100 View this threat to a foundational right makes 00:04:33.100 --> 00:04:35.060 you think about what lengths people might feel 00:04:35.060 --> 00:04:38.259 they need to go to Okay, let's let's shift gears 00:04:38.259 --> 00:04:42.139 now to another area raising concerns The Department 00:04:42.139 --> 00:04:44.620 of Justice right the traditional view as you 00:04:44.620 --> 00:04:46.319 know is the Attorney General even though they're 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:48.500 a political appointee Keep some independence. 00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:51.120 They're meant to apply the law impartially, but 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:54.120 it seems From Donald Trump's perspective anyway, 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:56.959 that very independence is seen as a bug, not 00:04:56.959 --> 00:04:59.500 a feature. The source points to Jeff Sessions 00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:02.639 and Bill Barr. Despite generally aligning with 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:05.600 Trump, they acted independently sometimes, like 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:07.980 with the Mueller probe or after January 6th. 00:05:07.980 --> 00:05:09.939 And apparently they didn't go over well. And 00:05:09.939 --> 00:05:12.779 that leads to this current situation, which the 00:05:12.779 --> 00:05:15.600 source describes as, well, pretty unconventional. 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:18.839 You have Pam Bondi as the official AG, but her 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:21.220 actual power seems limited. Yeah, the report 00:05:21.220 --> 00:05:23.779 suggests Stephen Miller, working out of the White 00:05:23.779 --> 00:05:26.199 House, is the one really calling the shots on 00:05:26.199 --> 00:05:29.779 policy at the DOJ. Despite not having the usual 00:05:29.779 --> 00:05:31.980 legal background or Senate confirmation you'd 00:05:31.980 --> 00:05:34.500 expect for someone wielding that kind of influence 00:05:34.500 --> 00:05:37.600 over law enforcement. It's quite an alarming 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:40.399 picture, the source paints. It doesn't pull punches, 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:43.259 characterizing Miller as having significant control, 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:45.439 potentially without the normal text and balances. 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:48.300 That concentration of power in an unelected official 00:05:48.300 --> 00:05:51.339 is certainly something to keep an eye on. And 00:05:51.339 --> 00:05:53.100 if you look at Trump's inner circle over the 00:05:53.100 --> 00:05:56.639 years, Miller's staying power is kind of remarkable, 00:05:56.759 --> 00:05:59.230 isn't it? It is. Lots of others have fallen out 00:05:59.230 --> 00:06:02.170 of favor, but Miller's remained. Suggests a unique 00:06:02.170 --> 00:06:04.750 level of trust or ideological alignment there. 00:06:05.029 --> 00:06:07.250 The source even suggests the initial idea of 00:06:07.250 --> 00:06:10.310 Matt Gaetz for AG and then Bondi sort of fit 00:06:10.310 --> 00:06:13.009 this pattern of wanting people perhaps more loyal 00:06:13.009 --> 00:06:15.810 than independent. Right. Though the source does 00:06:15.810 --> 00:06:19.970 offer a sliver of potential hope, maybe. Suggesting 00:06:19.970 --> 00:06:22.329 Miller's hardline stance might lead to overreach. 00:06:22.430 --> 00:06:25.189 Which could trigger the courts to step in. Potentially. 00:06:25.389 --> 00:06:27.850 Even if the White House and Congress don't act, 00:06:28.209 --> 00:06:30.589 it's described as a precarious hope, but maybe 00:06:30.589 --> 00:06:32.569 a necessary one in these circumstances. Okay, 00:06:32.610 --> 00:06:35.370 let's shift again to something a bit more. Well, 00:06:35.829 --> 00:06:39.329 unusual. This story about the Qatari jumbo jet 00:06:39.329 --> 00:06:42.740 offered as a gift to Donald Trump. Huh. Yeah. 00:06:43.160 --> 00:06:45.480 This one definitely has a surreal quality. It's 00:06:45.480 --> 00:06:47.680 like being offered this amazing present, but 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:50.300 then realizing it's totally impractical. I mean, 00:06:50.459 --> 00:06:53.459 converting a commercial 747 into something like 00:06:53.459 --> 00:06:56.139 Air Force One, the logistics are just staggering. 00:06:56.639 --> 00:06:59.899 Building a standard 747 takes Boeing ages anyway. 00:07:00.300 --> 00:07:02.220 And the current Air Force One replacement, that 00:07:02.220 --> 00:07:04.680 program's been going on for the best part of 00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:07.079 a decade. Right. And the source highlights comments 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:09.779 from people who know this stuff, ES and GW. Uh 00:07:09.779 --> 00:07:12.310 -huh. They really emphasize the huge cost and 00:07:12.310 --> 00:07:14.949 the years, literally years it takes, especially 00:07:14.949 --> 00:07:17.290 for the secure communications, the radiation 00:07:17.290 --> 00:07:19.290 hardening, all that specialized stuff Air Force 00:07:19.290 --> 00:07:21.470 One needs. The current replacement program with 00:07:21.470 --> 00:07:24.689 Boeing is already way over budget and behind 00:07:24.689 --> 00:07:27.250 schedule. Exactly. So the idea of just quickly 00:07:27.250 --> 00:07:30.889 modifying another plane seems optimistic, let's 00:07:30.889 --> 00:07:32.750 say. And here's where it gets really interesting 00:07:32.750 --> 00:07:35.810 and maybe a bit concerning. The source raises 00:07:35.810 --> 00:07:39.199 this possibility. What if Trump tries to transfer 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:41.939 this Qatari plane to his presidential library 00:07:41.939 --> 00:07:44.779 foundation? Potentially with sensitive security 00:07:44.779 --> 00:07:48.000 tech still on board. Yeah. The security risks 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:50.139 if a foreign power got access to that kind of 00:07:50.139 --> 00:07:53.620 technology are, well, pretty obvious and serious. 00:07:53.699 --> 00:07:55.420 And you have to wonder about Qatar's motives, 00:07:55.620 --> 00:07:58.459 right? The source suggests maybe increased access 00:07:58.459 --> 00:08:00.860 to U .S. defense gear, selling more liquefied 00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:03.720 natural gas to the U .S. Clauseable goals. And 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:05.959 the optics are complicated, too, given Qatar's 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:08.610 relationships in the region. Plus, just the image 00:08:08.610 --> 00:08:10.949 of the U .S. needing or accepting such a big 00:08:10.949 --> 00:08:13.790 gift raises questions. Unsurprisingly, this whole 00:08:13.790 --> 00:08:16.829 idea has met with quite a bit of bipartisan pushback 00:08:16.829 --> 00:08:18.810 in the Senate. Senators across the spectrum have 00:08:18.810 --> 00:08:21.069 serious reservations. And Trump, well, he took 00:08:21.069 --> 00:08:23.310 to social media, didn't he? Defending it, saying 00:08:23.310 --> 00:08:25.250 the planes for the Air Force, it's temporary, 00:08:25.269 --> 00:08:28.050 it'll save money. But his grasp of the actual 00:08:28.050 --> 00:08:31.389 processes involved seems, let's say, questionable, 00:08:31.670 --> 00:08:34.049 according to the source. So the bottom line seems 00:08:34.049 --> 00:08:36.096 to be... Well, the source suggests this gift... 00:08:36.090 --> 00:08:39.070 Probably isn't going anywhere. The modifications 00:08:39.070 --> 00:08:41.490 need money and approvals Trump doesn't directly 00:08:41.490 --> 00:08:44.370 control. And the political pushback is strong. 00:08:44.549 --> 00:08:46.889 Seems like a non -starter, really. OK, let's 00:08:46.889 --> 00:08:49.129 turn to a different kind of challenge now. The 00:08:49.129 --> 00:08:52.029 Republican strategy for the federal budget, specifically 00:08:52.029 --> 00:08:55.509 targeting Medicaid. Right. Given the ongoing 00:08:55.509 --> 00:08:58.730 push for tax cuts, finding places for significant 00:08:58.730 --> 00:09:01.309 spending cuts is always tricky. And Medicaid 00:09:01.309 --> 00:09:03.649 seems to become the target. Why? Well, other 00:09:03.649 --> 00:09:07.210 big areas like defense, Social Security, Medicare, 00:09:07.429 --> 00:09:09.850 they're often seen as politically too risky to 00:09:09.850 --> 00:09:12.610 touch. So Medicaid, even though millions rely 00:09:12.610 --> 00:09:15.090 on it, including in red states, looks like a 00:09:15.090 --> 00:09:17.830 more politically feasible target for cuts to 00:09:17.830 --> 00:09:19.490 some. And remember the public health arguments 00:09:19.490 --> 00:09:22.309 for it, too. Absolutely. Now, the earlier idea, 00:09:22.570 --> 00:09:25.289 putting federal caps per person on Medicaid funding, 00:09:25.509 --> 00:09:27.929 that didn't really fly. So they've shifted tactics. 00:09:28.250 --> 00:09:30.409 Yeah, to what the source calls a more indirect, 00:09:30.629 --> 00:09:33.409 maybe even sneaky approach. It involves these 00:09:33.409 --> 00:09:35.970 community engagement requirements, basically 00:09:35.970 --> 00:09:38.929 work requirements for certain adults, plus more 00:09:38.929 --> 00:09:41.330 state screening and audits. The underlying idea 00:09:41.330 --> 00:09:43.509 being? Well, the analysis suggests it's similar 00:09:43.509 --> 00:09:45.450 to the thinking behind things like strict voter 00:09:45.450 --> 00:09:48.350 ID laws. You create more hurdles, frame it as 00:09:48.350 --> 00:09:50.789 preventing fraud or abuse, but the practical 00:09:50.789 --> 00:09:53.450 effect is often that fewer eligible people end 00:09:53.450 --> 00:09:55.990 up enrolled. Even though evidence suggests most 00:09:55.990 --> 00:09:58.840 Medicaid recipients who can work already do work. 00:09:59.259 --> 00:10:01.700 Exactly. And increased screening often costs 00:10:01.700 --> 00:10:04.120 a lot administratively for very little gain in 00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:06.519 finding improper payments while potentially kicking 00:10:06.519 --> 00:10:08.960 eligible people off. And the Congressional Budget 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:10.980 Office looked at this. They did. Their estimate 00:10:10.980 --> 00:10:14.720 is pretty stark. Potentially 8 .6 million people 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:17.500 losing health insurance. That's like a 30 percent 00:10:17.500 --> 00:10:20.000 jump in the number of uninsured Americans. Wow. 00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:21.899 And is there agreement among Republicans on this? 00:10:22.139 --> 00:10:24.759 Doesn't sound like it. The source mentions internal 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:27.799 disagreements in the House caucus. Budget hawks 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:30.320 pushing for cuts versus moderates worried about 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:32.799 the political impact, especially heading towards 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:35.879 the 2026 elections. And Speaker Johnson has other 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:38.139 headings, too, like the salt deduction issue. 00:10:38.440 --> 00:10:40.860 Right. It's a tough balancing act. The source 00:10:40.860 --> 00:10:43.179 even critiques a New York Times headline calling 00:10:43.179 --> 00:10:46.100 it an example of both -side -ism that perhaps 00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:49.000 downplays how significant those CBO numbers really 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:51.460 are. OK, let's move to the political landscape 00:10:51.460 --> 00:10:54.909 now. There was a notable mayoral election result 00:10:54.909 --> 00:10:57.529 in Omaha, Nebraska. That's right. John Ewing 00:10:57.529 --> 00:11:00.490 Jr., a Democrat, won quite decisively against 00:11:00.490 --> 00:11:03.210 the Republican incumbent Gene Stothert. Officially 00:11:03.210 --> 00:11:06.129 nonpartisan race, but everyone knew the alignments. 00:11:06.649 --> 00:11:08.269 Always got to be careful reading too much into 00:11:08.269 --> 00:11:10.570 one local election, right? Absolutely. Omaha 00:11:10.570 --> 00:11:13.149 can be politically mixed. Ewing initially focused 00:11:13.149 --> 00:11:15.870 on issues like public safety, fiscal stuff, things 00:11:15.870 --> 00:11:18.429 that can appeal across the aisle. So not necessarily 00:11:18.429 --> 00:11:21.149 a pure Trump referendum. Not necessarily just 00:11:21.149 --> 00:11:23.450 that. But there are reasons to think national 00:11:23.450 --> 00:11:26.230 politics, maybe Trump's influence, did play a 00:11:26.230 --> 00:11:29.269 part. How so? Well, late in the campaign, Stothert 00:11:29.269 --> 00:11:31.929 went harder on attacking Ewing over transgender 00:11:31.929 --> 00:11:35.409 athletes. And Ewing countered by linking Stothert 00:11:35.409 --> 00:11:38.370 to Trump's agenda. And the margin of victory 00:11:38.370 --> 00:11:42.029 was pretty significant. It was. Especially in 00:11:42.029 --> 00:11:44.370 a congressional district that Democrats really 00:11:44.370 --> 00:11:47.470 need to win back if they want the House. So seeing 00:11:47.470 --> 00:11:50.049 that kind of swing there is potentially meaningful. 00:11:50.350 --> 00:11:52.990 So for Democrats, it's maybe encouraging, but 00:11:52.990 --> 00:11:54.970 don't get overconfident. That seems to be the 00:11:54.970 --> 00:11:57.789 takeaway from the source. Be encouraged, but 00:11:57.789 --> 00:11:59.649 it's just one data point. All right, finally, 00:11:59.710 --> 00:12:02.090 let's look at this ongoing and frankly, kind 00:12:02.090 --> 00:12:04.429 of amazing redistricting situation in Alabama, 00:12:04.950 --> 00:12:07.389 the state legislature versus the federal courts. 00:12:07.629 --> 00:12:11.250 It's been a long saga. So back in 2021, the legislature 00:12:11.250 --> 00:12:14.330 drew a map with only one majority black district. 00:12:14.570 --> 00:12:16.769 Despite Alabama's demographics and voting patterns. 00:12:17.110 --> 00:12:19.070 Right. Federal court stepped in, said this likely 00:12:19.070 --> 00:12:21.110 violated the Voting Rights Act, ordered them 00:12:21.110 --> 00:12:23.629 to draw a second majority black district. The 00:12:23.629 --> 00:12:25.370 Supreme Court backed that up. And what did the 00:12:25.370 --> 00:12:27.970 Alabama legislature do? This is the astonishing 00:12:27.970 --> 00:12:31.029 part, according to the source. In 2023, they 00:12:31.029 --> 00:12:34.129 came back with a new map. that still only had 00:12:34.129 --> 00:12:36.769 one majority black district, basically arguing 00:12:36.769 --> 00:12:42.990 a second one wasn't needed. Essentially, yes. 00:12:43.370 --> 00:12:45.409 The judges, Republican appointees themselves, 00:12:45.730 --> 00:12:48.370 were reportedly quite surprised and frustrated 00:12:48.370 --> 00:12:53.419 by this clear refusal to comply. They appointed 00:12:53.419 --> 00:12:55.960 a special master. That master created what's 00:12:55.960 --> 00:12:58.899 called Remedial Plan 3, which did have two majority 00:12:58.899 --> 00:13:00.679 black districts. And that's the map they used 00:13:00.679 --> 00:13:04.100 in the 2024 elections. Correct. And no surprise, 00:13:04.340 --> 00:13:06.460 black representatives were elected in both of 00:13:06.460 --> 00:13:09.059 those districts. Interestingly, the special master 00:13:09.059 --> 00:13:11.679 focused on things like keeping communities of 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:14.000 interest together, like the black belt, rather 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:16.820 than explicitly using race data to draw the lines. 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:19.279 And the court just made a final ruling on that 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:22.169 defiant 2023 plan from the legislature. Yes, 00:13:22.169 --> 00:13:24.450 and it was scathing. They found the legislature 00:13:24.450 --> 00:13:26.870 intentionally discriminated against black voters, 00:13:27.070 --> 00:13:28.769 a violation of the Voting Rights Act and the 00:13:28.769 --> 00:13:31.190 14th Amendment. Based on what evidence? The court 00:13:31.190 --> 00:13:34.110 pointed to the clear history of racially polarized 00:13:34.110 --> 00:13:37.029 voting in Alabama, how tough it is for black 00:13:37.029 --> 00:13:40.250 candidates to win statewide or in non -majority 00:13:40.250 --> 00:13:43.110 black districts. The statistics were pretty stark. 00:13:43.230 --> 00:13:45.250 And they really condemned the legislature's actions. 00:13:45.289 --> 00:13:48.070 Oh yeah. The source quotes the court calling 00:13:48.070 --> 00:13:50.549 the attempt to evade their orders intolerable 00:13:50.549 --> 00:13:54.779 in our system. So that 2023 plan is permanently 00:13:54.779 --> 00:13:57.360 blocked. What are the consequences now? Alabama 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:59.399 could be put back under federal preclearance 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:01.779 for voting changes, meaning they'd need federal 00:14:01.779 --> 00:14:04.159 approval before changing election laws again. 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:07.179 A huge step. Like going back to the past, in 00:14:07.179 --> 00:14:09.799 a way. In a way, yes. And the court even hinted 00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:12.120 that the map they drew might just stay in place 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:14.080 until the next census, basically saying they 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:16.139 don't trust the state legislature to follow orders. 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:18.840 Wow. The judges basically said the legislature 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:21.440 raised the stakes beyond just redistricting, 00:14:21.700 --> 00:14:23.740 referencing the history of resisting court orders, 00:14:23.779 --> 00:14:26.100 especially in Alabama. So quite a situation. 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:28.100 there. Okay, let's try to wrap this up. We've 00:14:28.100 --> 00:14:30.600 covered a lot. We have. This concerning talk 00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:33.279 about habeas corpus, the unusual power structure 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:36.450 at the DOJ. That whole Qatari plane saga, the 00:14:36.450 --> 00:14:39.269 potential impacts of the Medicaid proposal. Right. 00:14:39.370 --> 00:14:41.750 The signals from the Omaha election and this 00:14:41.750 --> 00:14:44.669 really stark defiance in Alabama over voting 00:14:44.669 --> 00:14:47.370 rights. A common thread seems to be this tension, 00:14:47.389 --> 00:14:50.309 doesn't it, between established legal and political 00:14:50.309 --> 00:14:53.070 norms and these new challenges or pressures? 00:14:53.450 --> 00:14:55.750 Definitely underscores how dynamic things are 00:14:55.750 --> 00:14:58.850 right now. Indeed. So here's maybe a final thought 00:14:58.850 --> 00:15:01.730 for you, the listener, to chew on. Thinking of 00:15:01.730 --> 00:15:04.129 that Alabama case. What are the longer -term 00:15:04.129 --> 00:15:06.730 implications for enforcing the Voting Rights 00:15:06.730 --> 00:15:09.649 Act, for the role of federal courts in ensuring 00:15:09.649 --> 00:15:11.990 fair representation? That's a big question with 00:15:11.990 --> 00:15:15.070 a long history and, as you said, profound implications 00:15:15.070 --> 00:15:17.590 for the future. It really is. And as always, 00:15:17.769 --> 00:15:19.690 this deep dive just scratches the surface, right? 00:15:19.830 --> 00:15:22.210 Always more layers to uncover, more questions 00:15:22.210 --> 00:15:22.870 to explore.