.

[. @bromocracy]

@MarcoRPi1 @TslaCC @TeslaOwnersSCV @SjvTesla @BLKMDL3 @mymodl3 @ChargeGoGroup @Sofiaan @klwtts @omg_tesla Still waiting for this one to open

[Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 @cmclymer]

Many of you have probably seen the news from this morning that the Supreme Court may take up a challenge to Obergefell v. Hodges, the SCOTUS ruling that legalized same-sex marriage ten years ago.

The challenge is being brought by Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk and religious extremist who refused to certify same-sex marriages in the wake of the Obergefell ruling and was jailed for six days back in 2015.

She was eventually ordered by a jury to pay $100,000 in emotional damages and $260,000 to a same-sex couple who sued her over being denied a marriage license.

I wish I could tell you that the Supreme Court is going to decline to hear this challenge, but I honestly don’t know. I wish I could tell you that even if the Supreme Court decides to hear the challenge, it will fail and Obergefell will be upheld, but I really, truly, honestly don’t know.

My gut feeling is that Obergefell is in trouble. I hope my gut is wrong.

The extremist conservatives on this Supreme Court have routinely disregarded precedents and common sense, and it would be foolish of me to say with any degree of confidence that same-sex marriage and interracial marriage will be safe at the national level.

So, instead, I’m going to tell you what will happen if Obergefell is overturned and why Pres. Biden and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) deserve enormous credit for creating a safety net back in 2022 just in case a scenario like this would come to pass.

When the Respect for Marriage Act was passed and signed into law that year, many of us—myself included—saw it as a sign that the lifeboats were being prepped in case the ship went down.

It did not “codify” same-sex marriage and interracial marriage in federal law—as was often reported by oblivious journalists who couldn’t take five damn minutes to educate themselves on the bill—but it did cement certain protections for same-sex and interracial marriages.

Here's what that law specifically does and how it would look for same-sex marriage licenses nationwide:

1. It requires the federal government to recognize same-sex marriage licenses. If Obergefell should fall, the federal government would still protect those marriages in every aspect under its purview (everything from Social Security benefits to military families).

2. It requires states refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses to still recognize those licenses issued in states where legal.

Basically, a same-sex marriage license issued in California would be honored in Texas, even if Obergefell is overturned and Texas bans same-sex marriage licenses from being issued within its jurisdiction.

Obviously, that baseline reciprocity is a good thing because it’ll safeguard protections for millions of LGBTQ families in our country.

However, it’s also problematic for a few reasons, one of the more obvious of which is that not every family living in an anti-LGBTQ state can travel to a pro-LGBTQ state to procure a marriage license.

You know those periodic reminders about why people can’t simply move out of hurricane zones because it costs money to move and restart somewhere else?

Same principle here. Many folks can’t afford this nonsense. Imagine, for example, your partner is having a horrific health scare and you need to expedite your marriage to ensure the protections and rights that come with it.

Currently, the constitutions of 26 states have bans on same-sex marriage and any other types of same-sex unions, and 30 total states have statutes with the same effect.

These are all non-enforceable because Obergefell is currently the law of the land.

But if Obergefell is overturned, all of those state constitutional and statutory bans would be enforceable.

That’s why the Respect for Marriage Act is so important. That’s why Sen. Tammy Baldwin is a legislative genius for cobbling together a bipartisan majority to get that bill passed with Pres. Biden’s robust support back in 2022.

No, same-sex marriage will not entirely dissolve in the United States if Obergefell should be overturned, but it will be much, much more difficult for millions of LGBTQ families if that happens.

I hope it isn’t overturned. I hope the extremist majority of the Supreme Court comes to their senses and realizes how foolish it would be to needlessly and cruelly strip marriage rights from same-sex couples and their families.

But if that should come to pass, there is something of a safety net in place.

In the meantime, every state with Democratic leadership that doesn’t currently have constitutional or statutory support for same-sex marriage and interracial marriage needs to immediately get on that.

Don’t trust this Supreme Court to do the right thing. Prepare for the worst and be delightfully surprised if the worst doesn’t happen.

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Full piece available here for easier sharing: https://t.co/Jsf4lkbwwt

[Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 @TulsiGabbard]

No War With Iran. Get our troops out of Iraq and Syria now. https://t.co/QYKPi38UXU #IranAttack #NoWarWithIran

[Joe Biden @JoeBiden]

I love you, America.

[. @bromocracy]

@AcuTheLegend I’ll take Thursday

[Ben Kelly @benkellyone]

10 Free websites that feel illegal to use:

[. @bromocracy]

Much too young to feel this damn old

[. @bromocracy]

#NewProfilePic

[Barack Obama @BarackObama]

Today, a jury did the right thing. But true justice requires much more. Michelle and I send our prayers to the Floyd family, and we stand with all those who are committed to guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice that George and so many others have been denied.

[. @bromocracy]

#NewProfilePic

[. @bromocracy]

@melthehoneypot @orangetheory Congrats! Where is your home studio? Just wondering because that medal is 🔥 I’m studio manager at a Texas studio

[Scott Braddock @scottbraddock]

On a call for Texas lawmakers, I'm told ERCOT said they did not have a worst case scenario to share, the best case scenario was to continue with rolling blackouts. Also lawmakers were not provided with an estimate of when power could be fully restored #TxLege #TexasFreeze

[Evan Smith @evanasmith]

INBOX: @DadePhelan calls for hearings into statewide blackouts. Wants @chrispaddie @GoldmanCraig-led committees to convene jointly on 2/25 #txlege

[Senate Democrats @SenateDems]

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

[Amazon News @amazonnews]

Letter to @POTUS: “Amazon stands ready to assist you in reaching your goal of vaccinating 100 million Americans in the first 100 days of your administration.”

[Biden Inaugural Committee @BidenInaugural]

@JoeBiden is the President of the United States.

#InaugurationDay

[Hillary Clinton @HillaryClinton]

✔️

[Hillary Clinton @HillaryClinton]

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

[Kellyanne Conway @KellyannePolls]

Laughing my #Ossoff

[Joe Biden @JoeBiden]

From the bottom of my heart: thank you.