• @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    79
    edit-2
    4 days ago

    Yeah, we know. I am particularly interested in seeing if he will go the extra mile and try the self-pardon, though. If he does that, and the courts uphold it, then we know we’ve officially crossed the line to dictatorship.

    If he doesn’t, it will only be because people tell him the courts won’t back him on that.

    OTOH, there is always the tiny, tiny chance that the self-pardon is a step too far, and convince Republicans to finally impeach his ass.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      71
      edit-2
      4 days ago

      There is no way a self pardon will be the line too far. Democrats expect it and the Republican electorate would cheer him on.

      If he crosses a line it will be fucking with other Republican’s money.

    • Nougat
      link
      fedilink
      324 days ago

      … then we know we’ve officially crossed the line to dictatorship.

      We already know that.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        10
        edit-2
        4 days ago

        Don’t be so sure. It is well documented that the Founders felt that no person should be their own judge. But, more importantly, letting the President self-pardon gives that person an enormous advantage that the other branches can’t put in check. It subordinates the other branches.

        Congress and the courts will, of course, go along with Trump’s priorities. But will they go along with diminishing their own power? Recall that even with the immunity decision, the courts left to themselves what is covered under that, so still kept some power in all that.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      64 days ago

      Does he need to yet?

      It’s not like he can be impeached and most of the cases will pause by default as he’s a sitting president. If any don’t he’ll have a tame Attorney General to kill them for him. State level charges could have a theoretical shot, but what state will take that fight?

      The window to hold him accountable was 2020-2024 and the people responsible dropped the ball, sometimes with obvious intention, sometimes from naivité or incompetence

      The problem as usual is that the Democrats bring Debate Club weapons to a knife fight

    • Cethin
      link
      fedilink
      English
      84 days ago

      I suspect he doesn’t pardon himself day-1. No matter how he leaves office, there will be warning (or he’ll be dead). He’ll pardon himself as late as possible so he can tell people that he hasn’t (yet). There’s zero benefit to doing it early.

      That said, he’s really fucking stupid, so I’m tired of predicting what he’ll do.

    • SnausagesinaBlanket
      link
      fedilink
      94 days ago

      Plan B or maybe it is plan A is do a money grab, hand over the presidency to Vance, and have Vance do all the pardons, and he walks free.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        74 days ago

        That would require Trump to trust Vance. The absolute split second that Trump is out of power, everyone will turn on him. There’s no such thing as loyalty, just self interest.