Politics roundup: Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy to retire

Justice Anthony Kennedy announces his retirement from the Supreme Court, setting off worries about women’s and LGBTQ rights.

Justice Anthony Kennedy to retire

Most of the time, when someone retires, the effect of said retirement echoes in a pretty small circle. Colleagues may be sad or happy to see someone go, while the retiree’s family generally sends a congratulatory card, claps politely at a retirement party, and then gets on with their lives.

Not so for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. His retirement announcement on Thursday was met with both cheers and the gnashing of teeth. After 30 years on the bench, Kennedy had proven that he was planted pretty solidly in the center of the aisle. He was a friend to conservatives on matters of gun control, voter rights, and campaign finance. When it came to issues such as abortion and gay rights, Kennedy was instead more likely to side with liberal members of the court.

Kennedy, who is 81 years old, certainly deserves a chance to relax. But his retirement marks a bigger political issue — the sitting president is supposed to appoint a Supreme Court justice. With a Republican-held Congress, chances are good that someone from this list of (generally) tried and true conservatives will make the cut.

Chances are likewise high that any one of these nominees, if they make it to the bench, will support legislation limiting abortion rights. That does not necessarily mean all abortions will be outlawed immediately, given the long legal process. That said, it does probably spell a contentious battle ahead for abortion opponents and advocates alike.

Meanwhile, LGBTQ rights, such as adoption rights for same-sex parents, may also be under assault by a revamped Supreme Court. The general state of gay rights may be in question, given Justice Kennedy’s frequent deciding vote on such matters.

Travel ban reinstated

Before he left, Justice Kennedy did manage to help uphold the now-infamous travel ban, which blocks travel and immigration from seven countries. These include Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Venezuela, and North Korea. Critics have pointed out that a significant number of these countries have majority Muslim populations.

Conservative members of the court agreed that the president has the power to instate a ban. Furthermore, they said, his previous remarks about immigrants and immigration, in general, haven’t obviously affected his decision to issue the ban. More liberal justices came out clearly against the decision, which passed 5-to-4.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wins New York primary

It’s primary season, in which voters across the United States are working to pick leaders and candidates within their respective parties. That means it is also time for political commentators to make predictions and seemingly endlessly analyze the results of various elections.

Whether or not you’re already tired of another political news cycle, it is worth taking a look at some prominent races. Take the New York Democratic primary for one of the state’s House seats. Most predicted a rather comfortable win for incumbent Joseph Crowley. In fact, he was so comfortable that some expected him to take over for Nancy Pelosi as Democratic leader in the House of Representatives.

Those expectations came crashing down on Tuesday when newcomer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took Crowley’s spot. Ocasio-Cortez is a progressive, socialist challenger and former organizer for Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 bid for the presidency.

The loss is significant in what it spells for the Democratic establishment. Ocasio-Cortez ran on a progressive platform that often spoke out against the norms of the Democratic party. The district in question, located in the New York City boroughs of Queens and the Bronx, appeared especially friendly to a young woman of color running against the incumbent Crowley. Ocasio-Cortez won with over 57 percent of the district’s vote.

EU considers migration issues of its own

After a contentious late-night meeting, leaders within the European Union finally reached an agreement of sorts on the matter of immigration. The nearly 10 hours of talking threatened to upend not only matters of travel within the EU, but the government of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Merkel’s coalition government is already fragile. High-temperature issues, such as migration, threaten to completely upend the agreements between politicians. Merkel, who generally calls for increased border security, has to face opponents both the left and right of the political spectrum.

The EU itself is also dealing with waves of discontent. Italy, under a more populist government, threatened to block other matters until the migration issue was settled to its liking. The looming question of what to do about immigrants to EU countries had already been causing tensions. Some even predicted that this matter could be the signal issue that causes the entire union to crumble.

Details of the deal are still scanty. In general, it seems as if leaders agreed to increased border security measures. These involve the voluntary establishment of screening centers in Europe. Possible future centers in North Africa may appear in order to screen migrants before they arrive.

And, finally, your palate cleanser

Sometimes, comedy is seen as an escape from the pressures of the everyday world. That’s fine, at least on some occasions. There isn’t any inherent shame in escaping at least a little bit from the news cycle. That cycle lately seems determined to crush readers and viewers under a sense of overwhelming despair. So, a few laughs are an understandable, perhaps even necessary, indulgence.

But comedy isn’t somehow separate from the world around it. Arguably, some of the best comedic work is thoroughly planted in the world. It must engage with the world and its people in all of their complexity. That means confronting difficult issues like sexual assault, racism, and the troubles of being queer in a frequently homophobic society.

Next: Executive order ends family separations at the border, kind of

This still doesn’t mean you can’t laugh. With that in mind, check out some excellent comedy recommendations from NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour. These feature comedians such as Cameron Esposito, Ali Wong, and Hari Kondabolu, among other hilarious and significant artists. You may also want to read a review of Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby’s latest stand-up special, “Nanette”, and then find the special itself on Netflix.