Dear John,

First, let’s not bury the lede. Just in time for the 4th of July, the Supreme Court has issued a series of reactionary court rulings that threaten to send us back to before 1776, in what might as well be the first official acts of Project 2025. We’re going to recap some of the worst decisions, as a reminder of the stakes we face.

Onto some good news. A few weeks ago, we recapped the elections around the world, and highlighted a few trends: mostly concerning consolidation of far-right power, but a few optimistic wins around the world that show the power of people-powered organizing!

Well, in the aftermath, left coalitions around Europe have started to organize back, and there are some promising trends.

So what’s the lesson? No matter how bad things look, the only way the world gets better is if we stare the horrors of the world in the eye, resolve to try anyway, and take action.
 

Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to this week:

1. SCOTUS grants Trump criminal immunity 

There’s no sugar-coating this: the Supreme Court has ruled that a President’s official actions can not carry criminal liability. Just before the 4th of July, they have functionally ruled that the President is a king -- to use the language of Justice Sotomayor’s dissent. So much for “Independence Day”!

2. SCOTUS grants themselves the right to take bribes 

It’s the type of ruling you couldn’t write into a TV show without fans calling it unrealistic. Amidst increased scrutiny of Justice Clarence Thomas’ corrupt history of bribes, the Supreme Court ruled that government officials - Court included - could legally take bribes, as long as the bribes came AFTER their actions, not before, like a little corruption tip jar.

3. SCOTUS protects insurrectionists from the consequences of their actions

They didn’t stop there, making it significantly harder to charge people with insurrection, an act clearly aimed at the Jan 6th insurrectionists. Something tells me they didn’t have Black Lives Matter or Indigenous water protectors or labor unions in mind when they drafted this ruling.

4. SCOTUS allows local bans on homelessness

While they may have ruled the President above all laws and immune to all crimes, SCOTUS had no problem issuing their support for local governments charging people with a crime for being homeless, as they sided with a town that had issued a ban on sleeping outside. Immunity for Trump, punishment for the homeless, this is a clear reminder of the America they have in mind for us.

5. SCOTUS dismantles the regulatory state

Finally, SCOTUS overturned Chevron v NRDC, which required judges to defer to the judgements of subject matter experts when it comes to complicated regulations carried out by the executive branch. Whether it’s polluting air and water particulates, food safety, the functioning of the internet, unelected and unqualified judges now have the final say, not public servants with decades of expertise and experience on a specific topic. This, of course, is the long-term goal of the right-wing movement: to destroy our government’s ability to function.

Of course, all you really need to know is that the original case was between Chevron and the National Resources Defense Council, and SCOTUS has gone back in time and retroactively declared Chevron the winner. This is a win for the fossil fuel lobby, a loss for the rest of us.

6. Crushing defeat for UK’s Conservative Party

UK’s Conservative Party collapsed in their recent elections. Just how hard did they lose? Out of 650 seats, Labour is set to capture 412 of them, while the Conservatives are set to get just 121.

In addition, Pro-Palestinian candidates, including Jeremy Corbyn, took several surprise wins!

Finally, one of UK’s more left-leaning parties, the Greens, won every seat they contested!

It’s only one election, and things can always change, but for the country that ushered in one of the first major far-right victories (Brexit), many in the UK must be breathing a little easier, having ended 14 years of Conservative rule.

7. French far-right majority unlikely to materialize

Going into the second round of voting, it looks Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally won't have the numbers they need to be able to form a majority coalition, even by allying with France's center-right party.

On the other hand, France's left-wing coalition, the Popular Front, look poised to overtake Macron's party, Renaissance, and hold the second most seats behind the far-right. 

8. Mary Moriarty announces new unit to review past convictions

Closer to home, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has announced a “Conviction Integrity Unit”, who will be responsible for reviewing past convictions for mistakes and unjustified convictions!

9. Minnesota still has Virginia’s Confederate flag 

During the Civil War, Minnesota soldiers defeated Confederate troops from Virginia and captured their battle flag, and haven’t returned it to this day, despite numerous requests. Is this all that newsworthy? Perhaps not. Is it really funny to me? Absolutely.

And that’s a wrap!

Send us what you’re reading, watching and listening to.

Until next time,

Mattias Lehman (he/him)
Communications Director