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On Monday, the Supreme Court made a decision that could have far-reaching consequences. They granted former President Donald Trump’s request to wield absolute power over America for a day. Was that ‘one day’ on January 6th, 2020, or is that day yet to come? A president has absolute immunity in his capacity as President only if he is perfect. And there are no perfect presidents. There are no perfect kings, dictators or emperors.
The Republican-led Supreme Court is akin to children playing with matches, unaware of the potential dangers they are toying with. Many houses have burned down because of reckless, uninformed children playing with matches. The potential consequences of this decision are grave, and we must all take responsibility to prevent them.
The unprecedented decision has legal scholars scratching their heads. What could this mean for America down the road?
Dissenting Justices
In response to the Republican majority 6 / 3 ruling, Justice Sonya Sotomayor wrote: “The President of the United States is the most ‘powerful’ person in the country and possibly the world. Under the majority’s ruling, he will now be insulated from criminal prosecution when he uses his official power in any way.”
Absolute Power
Absolute power means there are no checks and balances. Unless the President is incapacitated, his official duties are 24/7, 365 days each year, even if he grabs a woman by the cat.
Perhaps the Republican Justices don’t know the meaning of the word ABSOLUTE.
Power corrupts absolutely, and absolute power corrupts absolutely—Lord Acton. In 1989 when, Donald Trump called for the execution of five Black teenagers in a full-page newspaper advertisement that ran in prominent newspapers such as the New York Times and the daily rag the New York Daily News.
A Donald Trump with absolute power would have executed the Central Park Five instead of just calling for their execution. The President could order all black people to concentration camps. Although that is a fight, he would lose–instantly–per Providence.
Justice Sotomayor sees the danger in the Republican’s opinion. Sotomayor’s dissent made an eye-opening point. She wrote that should “the President order the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate Joe Biden, he would be immune from prosecution. Organize a military coup to hold on to power? Immune. Take a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune.”
When Senator Joe Biden created the 1994 Crime Bill to destroy the lives of Black people, he pleaded his case to pass the law in the Senate. A Biden with absolute power would order all Black people to prisons — instead. That is absolute power.
The Supreme Court, which has come under scrutiny as a hotbed of corruption, is now attempting to insulate itself from prosecution. Many Americans believe Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have accepted expensive gifts for favorable rightwing. The kind of rightwing rulings like the one they ruled on today. These allegations of corruption haven’t been proved in a court of law because the justices are immune from prosecution.
However, they are immune from prosecution until an opposing party comes to power and decides to prosecute them. That is the Banana Republic ruling that they attempted to establish on Monday.
Checks and Balances
Being a dictator for one day is all it takes to turn America upside down and inside out. That one day of absolute ‘power’ would allow a dictator to outlaw all checks and balances. It takes one day to outlaw the Constitution. It takes one day to dissolve Congress. It takes one day to order the roundup and execution of all political enemies.
Justice Clarence “Uncle” Thomas
To clarify that the ruling is all about Special Prosecutor Jack Smith going after Trump, Clarence “Uncle” Thomas wrote, “If there is no law establishing the office that the Special Counsel occupies, then he cannot proceed with this prosecution. A private citizen cannot criminally prosecute anyone, let alone a former President.”
Clinton Franklin is a formally trained Computer Scientist and a writer at heart. Clinton is an avid observer of nature and a lover of people and diverse cultures. He adheres to the adage, “Think globally, but act locally.”
It is crucial to be forward-thinking but not a forward person. “Be kind to everyone you meet because each carries his heavy burden…” Plato.
Embrace the three Constants: Change, Justice, and Rightness.
The thought police are busy at work trying to suppress free speech — if allowed their march to madness — they will arrest your very thoughts.
