If Trump is cornered, the judges he disdains may finally bring him down - by Walter Shapiro

[kpete]

The president thinks justice only matters as it affects him. As his defenders fall away, he may find this all too painfully true


................

...........Trump appears incapable of handling patriotic abstractions. It is why the ceremonial aspects of the presidency, like visiting Arlington Cemetery on Veteran’s Day and bearing witness to the first world war dead in France, seem so baffling to him. The best he can do on such solemn occasions is to woodenly read someone else’s words off a teleprompter as he flashes the thumbs-up sign.

Concepts like democracy, a free press, due process, an independent judiciary and the rule of law are lost on Trump. As far as his understanding goes, the constitution might just as well be carved in cuneiform characters on stone tablets.

Up to now, many of Trump’s worst impulses have been resisted by the saner members of his entourage, like the former White House counsel Donald McGahn, who told the president he had no authority to prosecute Clinton and Comey. Other aides in The Perils of Pauline melodrama that is playing on a constant loop in the White House have intervened to save the Mueller investigation.

But as Trump’s arrogance of power grows along with his political peril from the newly elected Democratic House, we may be close to the moment when no one is left with the power or the willingness to constrain a cornered president.

The final line of defense of democratic values are judges and top law enforcement officials who answer to a higher loyalty than fealty to Trump. It would be both bracing and ironic if the president were ultimately thwarted by black-robed figures whom he denounces as “Trump judges”.


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The Rest:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/23/donald-trump-judges-walter-shapiro?CMP=twt_gu

[SHRED]

1. He denounces "Trump judges"?

I've only heard him denounce what he calls, "Obama judges".

[mgardener]

9. I think he meant

Judges that Trump thinks support him or were nominated by him.
When they start to overturn his agenda. Trump will lose whatever is left of his mind.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

2. As an aside to the Judge thing...

ever wonder if SCJ Roberts little 'tiff' w don is to make people think he's extra judicious about deciding cases about don and family? Kinda like, "See...I dont like him either but, the law is the law, and there's no case for treason or emoluments (etc.)"...and in the end the russians in the wh go free? Just a thought.

[empedocles]

5. As an opposite perspective, my wonder to your 'aside to Roberts little "tiff" thing'.

traitortrump has ben all out in attacking Roberts in particular. Back in 2015 with Roberts key vote for Obamacare [Scalia in particular was furious, as he assumed Roberts was putting his personal agenda against the party line]. Then another big trump issue - immigration, and Roberts again. Big 'tiff'.

A cornered trump is a dangerous trump. If trump is able to generate more power [through crisis, etc.] Possible Roberts may not only get his back up, but fear for his Justice position.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

6. I like your analysis better. I hope you're right.

Happy Holiday Season.

[empedocles]

8. A scary, under the radar aspect of a cornered traitortrump,

is trump's under the radar support. Ghouli the Fool barks and gets media coverage. Behind him are around 14 Jones Day quiet WH lawyers backed by Jones largest law firm in the US, with over 2400 lawyers. JD a noted 'blackbox firm' [they are maximum 'hiders'], with a lot of ugly clients; Koch big on them, Sinclair, dark international political work, etc. [note that lobbyists are located right in the law firms for a number of years, a sticky actual conflict situations].

Plus Putin, Sawedi, notorious 'con donors, et al, backing. Unlimited resources. [Far cry from Watergate Haldeman's safe stuffed with refill dollars].

Hopefully, a Happy New Year

Best to you.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

10. Thank you.

[pangaia]

16. I think you have hit on a lot.

We simply can not look at what is happening as we have looked at things in the past, at least not in America's past.

A far cry better to look at how other authoritarian states came to be.

Many Do see it happening, including me somewhere along the middle of the "knowledge scale." But most have no idea.. It is a process.... softening us up. The old frog in a pot of water. When it finally is a fait acompli, it is always, "What happened?"


One more comment-----
REPUBLICAN politicians are to blame. In addition to blind Americans.

[empedocles]

18. A cornered trump might try to make a big move in December

'con House still in control, been firing up troops with immigration/race edge, military ready to act, perhaps with new authority to shoot on US soil, crisis martial law excuse, [and traitortrump fully realizes his power is being eroded by midterms, Dem House investigations and subpoenas, declining popularity in polls]. [While liberals worry about divisive language, and the laundry list Dems promote their items].

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[empedocles]

19. Just look at the latest thread page here at DU any given hour . . . ,

. . . all most all small detail issues, rare big picture trump dictator threat.

[mountain grammy]

13. Pesonally, I think

when it comes down to the wire, Republicans will behave like republicans.. He declared racism over when he gutted the VRA.. a privileged white man who, in my opinion, was getting back at Obama for voting against his nomination. Then there's Citizens' United.. No, his vote for Obamacare hardly makes up for the harm he's done.

But, deep down I hope you're right.

[luvtheGWN]

11. I think Roberts' tweeted reply was made

as a response to the Kavanaugh appointment because he was well aware of the extreme controversy. He desperately wants the American public to believe that SC Justices are IMPARTIAL. Thus, any decisions going forward will be "based on the rule of law, and precedent" and not because of any personal bias. It's a PR thing with Roberts.

Just my 2 Canadian cents' worth. And as an addendum, it seems to me that SC judges who have a demonstrated partiality to any political party should be automatically ruled out for any appointments. We have 9 justices on our Supreme Court. I have no idea which - if any -- political party they have supported, nor does it make any difference as to which Prime Minister nominated them.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

12. Thanks. I guess I never thought about the Canadian Supreme Court. Im embarrassed

I have'nt. I love Canada. Cleanest country I've ever been to. CONSISTENTLY squared away w kind people 99% of the time. Happy Holidays.

[pangaia]

17. "It's a PR thing with Roberts. "

BINGO !

he is setting a 'precedent' even for lower court actions, not just the SC.

[Honeycombe8]

3. That's what he fears & what he's trying to fix. Throw the fear of Trump into 'em.

But unfortunately for him, or for us depending on how you look at it, most judges are likely to decide cases on their merits. (Except for certain ones chosen because they are loyal to one person, and we know who that person is.)

[George II]

4. You know what they say about waiters...."Don't piss of the person who is serving your food!"

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

7. Oh man.

So true. Seems a no-brainer but folks do it. Eeesshhh. gag.

[Scruffy1]

14. The judiciary didn't get us into this mess.

And I'm not going to count on them to get us out of it. With only 23 months to go until the next election the clock is running out. There seems to be a rule in Washington that once your gone no one cares . I'm sure that his lawyers strategy is to run out the clock. The hardest job will be for the Republicans will be to convince him not to run again or convince him to resign for "health" reasons. He's not Nixon and the US Senate has become the bastion of senile fools like Grassley and Imhoffe. In a way, I hope he makes to to 2020 because he is the gift that keeps on giving.

[Doitnow]

15. Unless someone running for office who has a very loooooong RECORD of contributing

to the general welfare, let us be wary of the notion that government should be run like a business. CEO's are, generally speaking, used to the idea that they are king of the hill and, with the wave of their little finger, they can order just as they wish, without regard for but the few. Promises are just words readily forgotten. Very few people can succeed well beginning at the top and deserve no consideration as candidates without said RECORD.

Voting public, beware.