Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah tore into another outrageous supreme court ruling this week: the 6-3 decision in West Virginia v EPA, which limits the Environmental Protection Agencys power to regulate emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants. The supreme court ruled that Environmental Protection Agency does not have the authority to protect the environment ? So what is their job now? Just to look at the environment and be like oh shit? Noah wondered on Thursday nights Daily Show.
Its always weird to me how the news in America frames some of these stories, he continued, such as calling the ruling a defeat for the Biden administration.
It is a defeat for human life! It has nothing to do with Biden, said Noah.
Experts believe the logic of the ruling will make it difficult for any agency to pass any regulations without Congress passing a specific law first. These agencies arent perfect, dont get me wrong, but could you imagine if Congress had to approve, like, vaccines? he said. Imagine if you had to wait for them. It wouldve never happened. Wed still all be locked in our houses, clapping out of our windows, because Congress couldnt convince Marjorie Taylor Greene that needles werent actually a space alien conspiracy.
The ruling only clarified what has been evident from this supreme court term: From environmental regulations, to abortion, to guns, to school prayer, to voter rights, this is one of the most radical supreme courts in American history, Noah concluded.
And theyre also imposing their power on a country that, for the most part, isnt on board with any of it.
The most recent supreme court term has been a real rollercoaster ride, in that I am nauseous and scared were all going to die, said Stephen Colbert on Thursday evening.
He elaborated: In the last week alone, the justices have weakened the separation of church and state, overturned Roe v Wade, struck down a 109-year-old New York law limiting guns in public and today, they dropped a ruling limiting the EPAs regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.
What are you thinking, supreme court? he wondered. Its the Environmental. Protection. Agency. If they cant limit emissions, then the agency cant protect the environment. Theyre going to have to change what the P stands for. Maybe Environmental Punch Dolphins in the Taint Agency.
Chief justice John Roberts argued in the majority that while capping carbon emissions would be a solution to the crisis of the day, a decision of such magnitude and consequence rests with Congress itself
Hey! Johnny Bobby! This is an emergency, Colbert fumed. You dont stand on the side of the pool watching somebody drown and say uh, well, actually Mr Lifeguard, you cant jump in and save him, because I saw you eat less than half an hour ago. There are rules.
In a scathing dissent, Justice Elena Kagan wrote: The court appoints itself instead of Congress or the expert agency the decision-maker on climate policy. I cannot think of many things more frightening.
Really? Have you seen their other decisions? Colbert responded. With these maniacs in charge, our only hope is that the smokestacks put on a condom.
And on Late Night, Seth Meyers debriefed another intense week of public January 6 committee hearings. Though he was not optimistic that the hearings would change any hardcore Republicans minds, Meyers said he was hopeful the hearings will influence prosecutors in the justice department, because one area where these hearings have been shockingly successful have been establishing criminal intent and a consciousness of guilt among Trump and his gang of pro-coup weirdos.
Meyers pointed to former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pushed Trump to use the military to seize voting machines. In his interview with the committee, Flynn consistently invoked the fifth amendment for what you would think would be pretty straightforward questions for any non-fascists.
Flynn refused to answer questions such as: Do you believe the violence on January 6 was justified morally? Do you believe the violence on January 6 was justified legally? And Do you believe in the peaceful transition of power in the United States of America?
Youre pleading the fifth over a hypothetical that has nothing to do with the law? Meyers laughed. The fifth amendment doesnt work like that. Its not Family Feud it doesnt say you have the right to pass after you buzz in.
These are just benign hypotheticals, he continued. This is like if your spouse said how do you feel about monogamy? And your answer was Im invoking my fifth amendment right not to answer questions about your sister. Its not going to end the conversation.
Thats how aware these guys were that they were in legal trouble, he added. They wouldnt even answer questions about whether they believe in the peaceful transfer of power.
More here:
Trevor Noah on supreme court gutting the EPA: So what is their job now? - The Guardian