Courts

Greg Abbott Kicks Off Constitutional Crisis In Supreme Court Showdown… So What Are You Wearing?

You can't control the death of the American experiment, but you can choose to look good.

By Joe Patrice on January 26, 2024 1:47 pm

991764The United States Supreme Court narrowly decided that the Supremacy Clause still exists this week, dropping a 5-4 shadow docket opinion affirming that state governments can’t make up their own personal immigration policies. Neither side issued a written opinion — because why would they do that? — opening the door for Texas governor Greg Abbott to double-down Orval Faubus-style and ignore the Court ruling.

Will Abbott back down when the Court unanimously rules “we don’t agree on everything, but we’re not letting local dog catchers ignore rulings” or not? Probably not, since it’s been the mission of the current majority to erode the legitimacy of the Court so heavily that even its beneficiaries don’t respect it anymore.

Welcome to the Constitutional crisis! We’ve got Red Carpet coverage.

As far as I can tell, this was the post that kicked off the trend. A simple call for how we’re dressing for the decline and fall of America.

Folks have taken the call in a lot of different directions.

That… pretty much sums up academia when things really hit the fan.

These run the whole spectrum. That Carol Burnett clip spoofing Gone with the Wind really nails Greg Abbott’s Confederacy cosplay.

The Playa Haters have a crucial role to play in the coming revolution.

Shotgunning beers in a luxury box with Taylor Swift while the Republic falls seems like a fair option.

Things didn’t work out for Lord Humungus, so maybe that’s not the post-apocalyptic avatar you want. It reads a little too… “actually the Supremacy Clause is superseded by the Federalist Papers!” (a thing that non-lawyers actually tweeted at me over the last few days).

As for Sean Connery… I too plan to atrociously pretend I’m Spanish if things go sideways here.

Elie’s going with Rafiki so I guess he’s going to find the prodigal jurist who could’ve saved us all along. Is he searching for Merrick Garland?

LawProfBlawg plans to be an anarchist anti-hero. Or he’s channeling the original Guy Fawkes and intends to have an elaborate plan that comically fails. One or the other.

As for myself…

I considered a couple of alternatives, but somehow Gordon Shumway feels like the man — alien — for the moment.

What are you all wearing? Keep the chain going over on Twitter. Or Bluesky (though they don’t have GIF support yet which sucks for this purpose).

HeadshotJoe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.