Celebrating the Immunity Ruling? The joke is on you…

The Supreme Court ruled today that Trump is immune to prosecution for actions taken as part of his official duties. These duties apparently include asking the Department of Justice to investigate election fraud after losing said election. A president’s motives, the majority ruled, are irrelevant.

They agreed he is potentially liable for “unofficial” acts. This might include trying to coerce state officials to follow along with his attempt to derail the election. But they were less decisive on this matter, punting the issue back to the district court.

That almost certainly assures the trial will not take place until after the election. So, Trump has a fifty-fifty chance to pardon himself regardless what the lower court decides.

Anybody celebrating this asinine ruling needs to understand what it means for our nation.

By the reading of their argument, it is clear even Nixon would’ve had nothing to fear. Calling up the CIA to break in to the offices of political opponents? Perfectly fine. That’s an “official duty.” A request made to a federal agency. His motivations were irrelevant.

It also means that if Biden’s critics are correct and he has orchestrated the federal cases against Trump, well, he’s immune to prosecution too. This kind of abuse of power, according to the Supreme Court, is absolutely normally.

Biden could, right now, bar justices entry to the Supreme Court. He’d be breaking no law and suffer no accountability. Why? They’ve also ruled physically storming a government building does not count as obstructing an official proceeding. And a request from the president to, say, the Capitol Police to storm the building would be perfectly “official” as well.

Presidents are now above the law.

The majority opinion claims that isn’t what their ruling means. Presidents can still be held accountable for “unofficial duties.”

But the largely useless distinction between “official” and “unofficial” duties doesn’t matter. Mostly because while in office, the power of “official” duties is so incredibly vast, they can accomplish anything through the veil of presidential prerogative.

Let’s look at what this means for Joe Biden, the current President of the United States.

Trump insinuated in the debate that Biden should be prosecuted for private actions like taking money from China. That he was a “Manchurian candidate.”

If Biden were pursuing this money as part of his “official duties” then he’d be immune to prosecution. Just like he’d be immune for “weaponizing the justice system” against Trump. There is no such thing. Just a President performing “official duties.”

Fabricate election fraud? Fabricate crimes committed by your predecessor? Who cares.

Besides, the Supreme Court recently legalized kickbacks to government officials. China can buy as many as they want.

The only possible tool to use against a rogue president is impeachment. But as history has shown, this is highly unlikely. Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump all faced that fate. But as a political not judicial process the odds of it succeeding rely entirely on the party in power. And the likelihood of either party in the duopoly holding a two-thirds majority is next to zero.

So, Presidents are now completely above accountability. They are kings. Congratulations on this soaring victory of “originalism.” We’ve come full circle.

Celebrate on your knees, peasants. The joke is on you.