As if the Biden debacle at his debate with Donald Trump wasn’t enough, the recent decision by the Supreme Court in Trump v. United States just added to the troubles of the Democratic Party. The Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution. The nature of presidential power entitles a former president to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority. He is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his “official acts” or “official conduct.”
The decision almost certainly means that there are virtually no limits on what a president can do. As long as actions are “official,” they’ll be immune from criminal prosecution for the rest of their lives and almost anything that a president does within the executive branch is characterized as an “official act.” This ruling effectively places presidents above the law by giving them a free pass to engage in criminal acts without criminal accountability.
It means that if Trump is elected president on November 5, 2024, and assumes power on Jan. 20, 2025, he’ll be able to do whatever he wants to do. That could even include assassinating a political rival, defined as an “official act,” and or go after anyone else who offended him in any way. He can also eliminate departments and bring in supporters who will do whatever he wants them to do. He will have unlimited power. The United States will no longer be a democracy. Democracy will be destroyed, replaced by an autocracy, a government controlled by one person with this absolute power. The president or rather “king” will be above the law. Can you imagine King Donald Trump the First, with such absolute power?
Is there anything that can be done to prevent such a catastrophe, considering that there will not be much time to do it? Factually, the Supreme Court’s ruling replaced a president with a king, one with absolute power. “Praise the Lord and long live King Joseph Biden the First,” who will have plenty of official acts to do. He no longer will he have to propose them. He is king! He is the law.
The first thing King Biden the First must do is to lock Donald Trump up for crimes committed, the four he has been charged with: business fraud in New York, keeping classified documents, election interference in Fulton County, Ga., and scheme to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power in the 2020 presidential election. For good measure, Trump should be charged with treason for consorting with Russia and its leader, Putin. From a business point of view, Trump during his presidency had to be generating revenues by taking bribes.
Second: Jail two Supreme Court justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, for accepting bribes. That’s on the record.
Third: Throw Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts off the bench, impeach him for dereliction of duties for allowing Trump v. United States to succeed.
Fourth: Appoint three Supreme Court Justices, including one as Chief Justice.
Fifth: Jail anyone who tries to overthrow democracy.
Sixth: Overturn Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and reinstate Roe v. Wade.
Seventh: Reinstate the original decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council.
And, after the victorious Nov. 5, 2024 election, overturn Trump v. United States and allow democracy to return to the United States.
As for Trump, he should be put into a work release program that allows a prisoner, sufficiently monitored, to go outside the prison and work at a place of employment, perhaps with a New York City Housing Authority maintenance crew, returning to prison when his shift is complete.
Enough of Trump and politics. I’d rather get back to the dull life called everyday living.
Alvin Goldberg
Great Neck