November 09, 2026
Strict Scrutiny
Will the Blue Wave Come for SCOTUS?
In This Episode
Post-blue wave and on the eve of Crooked Con, Kate, Melissa, and Leah break down what went right on election night, and how the Supreme Court did its very best to prevent it by disenfranchising voters and enabling Trump’s lawlessness. Then, some executive branch news both welcome (see ya, Harmeet Dhillon) and horrifying (the ascension of Stephen Miller to chief of staff), before a breakdown of the biggest case SCOTUS heard last week. Is there a constitutional right to use public funds to discriminate against gay and trans people? Brett Kavanaugh seems to think so! Finally, Sherrilyn Ifill, founding director of the 14th Amendment Center for Law & Democracy at Howard University, joins to talk about one of the most important tasks for Democrats ahead: Court reform.
Favorite things:
- Leah: Barrett Adair’s Election Night Instagram content; Stacey Abrams, Ayanna Pressley, Debbie Dingell, & Mallory McMorrow telling Haley Stevens to go pound sand and dragging her for filth; Governor elect Amy Acton not picking up the phone when Vivek called to concede and adding that she doesn’t plan to speak to him.
- Melissa: American Hagwon, Min Jin Lee
- Kate: The Most Dangerous Way to Misread the Midterm Results, M. Gessen
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