When it comes to the presidency, The days of self enforcement are over, forever.

[shockey80]

Throughout our history presidents for the most part kept themselves in check. They did this for political reasons, because they had morals and values and because they were sane. Because of this we did not have to put certain laws in place. For example; There was no need to pass a law presidents have to show their tax returns. They just did it because it was the right thing to do. Trump quickly took advantage and did not care what anybody thought. He does this all the time, it's like he is in a constant, never ending state of, how can I get over.

The Founding Fathers could have never predicted the people would elect a person who was clearly mentally ill and evil. Trump has no morals or values. He is empty inside, no soul. Trump is pure vengeance. He is not human.

Trump has lived his whole life taking advantage of loopholes in our laws or the lack of laws. That is what he does 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Some of the laws that have been put in place to keep a president in check have never been tested, litigated for the same reasons above. Presidents simple would not go there. Not Trump, he will test it. For example, The Emollients Clause.

Trump is changing our country in ways that we don't understand yet. In the future we will see news laws passed to keep a president in check. Laws we never needed before.

If the Democrats move forward with impeachment, I hope when they make their case to the people they just don't talk about Trump's crimes, but also about how is changing who we are as a people. How he is changing our democracy forever.

[unblock]

1. the founders could never have predicted -- i keep seeing this phrase...

but of course the founders could have predicted it. they were very familiar with corrupt leaders. that's why they had a revolution and that's why they created the constitution with its checks and balances and distributed powers in order to try to minimize corruption.

but they weren't naive about it. in fact, the only thing they'd find surprising about donald fraud is how the hell did we manage to go 227 years before electing someone as thoroughly defective as him.


but anyway, yes. if we ever get control of federal power again, we'll have to make some major changes to restore democracy and rule of law. perhaps expanding the supreme court to undo the garland crap, revamping the federal judiciary to undo more senaturtle crap, creating a permanent independent counsel with proper teeth so no president is above the law, preventing emoluments/grifting though proper legislation and enforcement, limiting and clarifying "executive privilege" nonsense, etc.

perhaps most important in practice, congress needs to revise laws that give too much unilateral discretion to presidents. i understand why there might be national security type exceptions to allow a president to impose tariffs, but obviously we can't have a president taking ridiculous advantage of such clauses when there's clearly no national security issue.

[shockey80]

2. I believe the Founding Fathers thought the people may possibly elect a mad man by being fooled.

Trump did not hide the fact he was mentally ill and evil. Sixty million Americans ignored it. It was right out in the open during the campaign and they did not care. I don't think the Founding Fathers saw that coming.

[unblock]

3. well it was a different era.

television really changed things, people can get a first look themselves now. the founders certainly didn't likely envision people getting a front row seat to the crazy show and voting for him anyway, i'll agree with that.

but they could envision the print media manipulating the news in order to tilt an election to their preferred candidate, even if the print media know they guy was nuts....