POTUS Immunity? If the SC is not a Rightwing Tribunal, why are we here

1. 82

   Credence2posted 13 months ago

   It was interesting to note a recent Supreme Court ruling:
   
   “On the self-executing issue, the unsigned majority “per curiam” decision is not merely evasion, but error. It rewrites Section 5 of the 14th Amendment. Where the section says that Congress may enact legislation to enforce the amendment, the court has transformed the language to say it must enact legislation. This avoids a simple command in the Constitution.”
   
   While I support the decision in this case only because any other alternative would bring chaos to our elections nationwide, So much for the idea of strict construction and original intent conservative jurors are always speaking about. Conservatives always crow about this but when the truth be told,  it never holds water. Where was their authority to changing “may” to “must”? Is Trump paying them, are the ones he appointed “his people”?
   
   Prosecutor Jack Smith asked the SC early on to rule on the idea of absolute Presidential immunity, the court did not want to get involved. I see this as something that was at least as critical as the issues regarding Trump’s disqualification in certain states, they certainly moved on that fast enough.  Next, when the idea of absolute Presidential immunity was brought up, it was unanimously turn down by an appellate court, with a legally excellent, ironclad judgement. The Supreme Court simply could have let that ruling stand so the Smith could get on with the trials. But, no, now they want to continue to deflect and delay by even considering the ridiculous question proposed by Trump and his henchmen. Now, they want to actually hear the arguments in late April. I have to wonder about the integrity of conservative “anything” these days. So, why the stalling?
   
   I take Jack Smith’s view that the question is not so much Presidential immunity within the scope of his duties and job description, but that Trump, by undermining the our electoral process for his own advantage, has committed a crime beyond the scope of his duties, not anywhere within the periphery.
   
   Sometime I have to wonder how much power people like Trump and the 1 percent actually have beyond putting a Lamborghini in their garage? They neutralize the press, making it appear that it is just about two opposing sides, when in reality the ramifications are far greater. How much malignant influence do they have over government and its institutions, how many have they bought off? Their abuse of power and authority is my first line of offense against the Right and everything that it stands for. I suspect that the court, particularly its rightwing jurists have been compromised.
   
   That is my opinion, any thoughts?

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      Sharlee01posted 13 months agoin reply to this

      At this juncture, my only concern is that the Supreme Court swiftly examines Trump's case regarding his immunity. It's crucial, especially considering the upcoming election. All Americans deserve access to all relevant information before heading to the polls in 2024. If Trump is found to have immunity, it would put an end to yet another costly investigation and trial. I believe the Court will expedite the process. 
      
      I respectfully disagree with your viewpoint regarding the integrity of the Supreme Court justices. From my perspective, they appear to be making decisions impartially and adhering closely to the Constitution. I find them to be a commendable group, demonstrating a fine balance in their approach. Their diverse perspectives contribute to well-considered rulings that carry significant weight.

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         Credence2posted 13 months agoin reply to this

         We share a desire for once. I want this matter settled quickly. If he is found not to have immunity to do anything he wants while in office, we should all know that prior to election season as well, and he should be held accountable.....
         
         As for the court and its behavior, we agree to respectfully disagree.

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      Ken Burgessposted 13 months agoin reply to this

      I sometimes wonder if we are living in the same world.
      
      Trump is neutralizing the press?
      
      Trump has bought off the government and its institutions?
      
      Wow... to say you and I see what is going on differently would be the understatement of the century.

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         Credence2posted 13 months agoin reply to this

         Well, Ken we aren't living in the same world. Your world is just as unfathomale to me as mine is to you. This is at the very crux of the great American schism today.
         
         It is the understatement of the century, but it is quite accurate.

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            Ken Burgessposted 13 months agoin reply to this

            Yours is quite fathomable to me.  Or perhaps I should say, how you came to perspectives regarding race, the Republicans, etc. is.
            
            There are plenty of people, I'd imagine, that think it would be a good thing for us to attain a society much more in line with what China has today... or who believe in goals set by the autocratic government of Brussels and their CBDC rollout, their constriction of farming, property ownership, etc. in EU.
            
            That is what the Democrats stand for today... I'm just not sure you recognize it.

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               Credence2posted 13 months agoin reply to this

               Ken, It seems after all this time you still misunderstand. Protection of civil rights and liberties concepts are not Chinese nor European, it is disengenous of you to make such absurd comparisons. People too often hear but don't listen.
               
               It is simple, me and mine are not going to tolerate any autocratic, racist, misogynistic replacement ideology and will hold fast to our hard earned  protections regardless of the cost.
               
               If you learned anything about me, that is lesson no. 1

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                  Ken Burgessposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                  If that is true, you are backing the Trojan Horse, that is going to bring to fruition an autocratic, race based ideology, that will mirror much of the worst elements found in China and the EU today.
                  
                  The fact that you think you are fighting against it, is testament to the power of their propaganda and control of perception and information.  Also, it goes back to the Cave/Matrix analogy spoken about not so long ago.

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                     Credence2posted 13 months agoin reply to this

                     Perhaps, Ken, but I have no indication of that and you can bet that I am watching with jaundiced eye. after following their behavior and advocacies, I would take the current status quo over anything Trump and MAGA proposes. Excuse me if I tend to believe my own lying eyes.
                     
                     We will just wait and see.... I will take my chances.

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                        Ken Burgessposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                        Your chances aren't good, they're worse than mine, because I see the current Administration for what it is.
                        
                        There is a war going on, one of their creation, and you, like many Americans don't understand what it is, or what it means.
                        
                        The American economy is being crushed, in ways that cannot be seen today.  Kicking Russia out of SWIFT, pushing Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Russia, and others into the arms of China... that's not the rules based order.
                        
                        The Biden Administration decided to play hardball against Russia using the Dollar and Sanctions against it, what was the message to the rest of the world?
                        
                        Get the F(&^ away from America, get off the Dollar, if Biden or who-ever replaces him turns on us next, they will use the Dollar and Sanctions to destroy us.
                        
                        The Biden Administration has turned a good percentage of the world against America with its antics against Russia, and now that has been complicated to a much worse degree, by the support America shows to Israel's continued assault on Gaza... the entire Body of the UN wanted an end to the attacks, the Biden Administration was the lone naysayer.
                        
                        America is no longer seen as the Protector anymore, the Biden Administration has changed world history, long time allies on which the Dollar's place on the International stage depended have turned from the Dollar... BRICS will be more dominant on the world stage sooner than anyone could imagine.
                        
                        Americans may never know how badly the Biden Administration has harmed America... his Administration would be hard pressed to have done more damage, while at the same time strengthening China's position so much.

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                           Readmikenowposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                           "There is a war going on, one of their creation, and you,  like many Americans don't understand what it is, or what it means."
                           
                           I think you should count yourself among those who don't understand what it is or what it means.  There is more to this than just looking up links on the internet that support your view and ignoring everything else.
                           
                           "The Biden Administration has turned a good percentage of the world against America with its antics against Russia"
                           
                           There you go again, stating stuff you see in the state controlled russsian media which is simply untrue.  This is something they say over and over again. 
                           
                           "by the support America shows to Israel's continued assault on Gaza... the entire Body of the UN wanted an end to the attacks, the Biden Administration was the lone naysayer."
                           
                           Support of russia and the hamas palestinians speaks volumes.

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                              Ken Burgessposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                              You have relatives in Ukraine, so sorry for you, they have suffered, that's terrible. 
                              
                              How that impacts global trade, how other nations look at what America has done, none of that has to do with your personal feelings or how people you know in Ukraine are feeling about the war.
                              
                              You don't have to think it is right that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, and many, many other nations have either joined BRICS or have applied to join BRICS... it doesn't matter if you think Russia is evil... what matters is what the rest of the world is doing and why.
                              
                              America tried to use its leverage to destroy Russia... it failed... and now more and more of the world is joining the side standing against America.
                              
                              Because the Biden Leadership has pushed it into doing so... it pursued this BS war in Ukraine... it is supporting the destruction of Gaza... the rest of the world doesn't agree... outside of the EU and Canada, and some of them are wavering.
                              
                              There is a divide going on and it is because of an out of control Biden Administration that has done more damage to America home and abroad than any other Administration in history... and its not even close.  Wilson being the next worse.

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                                 Readmikenowposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                                 "it pursued this BS war in Ukraine."
                                 
                                 Could you at least admit that russia invaded a sovereign nation and that is the reason for the war?  russia was the aggressor annexing parts of Ukraine and then invading.
                                  
                                 That is a fact.  It is also a fact the the major industrialized nations and majority of the world agrees with.

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                                    Ken Burgessposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                                    The Neocons, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Victoria Nuland, etc. had plans and goals for Ukraine, and beyond, they were countered by Russia... their decision to become involved there began in earnest in 2012... Biden's decision to plow ahead with backing Ukraine in its efforts to reclaim Crimea were always going to lead here.
                                    
                                    The chances were always very good that the end result would be a tragic loss for Ukraine... or WWIII (which is a loss for us all, especially Ukraine).
                                    
                                    We will never know what Russia would have done if the Minsk Agreement was followed through with, or the negotiations in Turkey were followed through with.
                                    
                                    But the blame for how this went falls equally on the Biden Administration as it does anyone else, including Russia.

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                                       Readmikenowposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                                       Again, it was russia who illegally annexed territory of a sovereign nation.  It was russia who committed a full scale invasion.  russia is the reason there is a war with Ukraine right now.  These are facts.
                                       
                                       You seem to be so ignorant of the history of russia with regard to Eastern Europe.  Trust me, the want to get back the old Soviet Union.  They talk about it on their shows and in their media.  They tend to think Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic States and all the other countries that were part of the Soviet Union belong to them.  Many russian leaders believe it is their right to invade any nation from the former Soviet Union and...as some of them have said, "Bring them back home." 
                                       
                                       Then there is all the history of countries in Eastern Europe with russia. 
                                       
                                       All of this is what has led to where things are now.
                                       
                                       It is essential russia be stopped in Ukraine.  They are expending quite a few men and materials on Ukraine.  Down to using their old T-62 tanks they've refurbished.  Taking territory with the use of human waves.  Their military has shown itself to be not very effective. 
                                       
                                       russia recently passed a huge milestone, they've lost over 400,000 soldiers in the fighting.  In February alone, they lost over 29,000 soldiers for getting very little territory.
                                       
                                       Their loss in tanks, APCs, artillery, attack helicopters, and planes is staggering.  Ukraine has no Navy ship capable of offensive operations.  They've still managed to sink over 30 russian warships as well as a submarine using drone technology.
                                       
                                       russia is in a bad way with the war in Ukraine.  Some say Ukraine can't win, but guess what?  russia can't win either.  If they could, they would have done it by now.
                                       
                                       The good thing is russia's military has been so worn down they are not capable of invading another country. They don't have the resources.

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                                          Ken Burgessposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                                          You and I are getting entirely different "intel reports".
                                          
                                          As always, time will tell.
                                          
                                          For me the issue is never just Ukraine (or Ukraine - Russia).
                                          
                                          The bigger impact, with other nations, with the global power balance.
                                          
                                          This war has done far more damage to America's economic standing worldwide than merely what it costs us to fund Ukraine's economy and war effort.

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                                          Willowarborposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                                          "It is essential russia be stopped in Ukraine. "
                                          
                                          I agree. But...
                                          
                                          
                                          Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán after meeting with Trump in Mar a Lago...
                                          
                                          "I don’t see any other person as determined and strong as Donald Trump,” Orbán told M1, saying Trump “will not give a single penny to the Ukrainian-Russian war, therefore the war will end.”
                                          
                                          Orbán added in the interview with M1 that “Trump has detailed plans for how to end the war, and they coincide with Hungary’s interests.”
                                          
                                          Do you find this a fair trade-off for having Trump in the White House?  He   certainly would advance isolationist policy.
                                          
                                          https://thehill.com/policy/internationa … o-meeting/

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                                             Readmikenowposted 13 months agoin reply to this

                                             It is all politics.
                                             
                                             Do you know much about Orbán?
                                             
                                             He is viewed by the rest of Europe and NATO as an obstructionist.  He has no influence in the matter.
                                             
                                             This is simply hearsay from a Hungarian Prime Minister who is in deep trouble in his home country.  He pardoned a convicted child sex offender and had his president (Equal to a US vice president) resign because of it.  There are other problems.
                                             
                                             In another topic, I would recommend a visit to Budapest if anyone is given the opportunity.  Many people in that city speak English and there are quite a few nice accommodations and interesting things to do.

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   Sharlee01posted 13 months ago

   Hope some are tuning into the Robert Hur hearing... Pretty riveting.  I am going to catch it all on Cspan tonight.  This guy is something to behold.

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   Readmikenowposted 13 months ago

   russia is now facing russians who want to topple the putin government.
   
   Russian rebels vow to 'march on Moscow' after anti-Putin paramilitaries take control of village
   
   Russian rebels who support Ukraine have vowed to “march on Moscow” after capturing a border town.
   
   Anti-Kremlin troops dashed into Russia for a two-pronged assault on Tuesday.
   
   Freedom of Russia Legion, Siberian Battalion and Russian Volunteer Corps have been identified as battling against Vladimir Putin’s squaddies in the regions of Belgorod and Kursk.
   
   Members of the Freedom of Russia Legion pledged to "take our land from the regime centimetre by centimetre".
   
   The legion later claimed: "The village of Tetkino, Kursk region, is fully under the control of the Russian liberation forces.
   
   "Putin's army is rapidly leaving the village, leaving behind positions and abandoning heavy equipment."
   
   It would appear Russian forces were forced to flee Kursk after being overrun by guerilla fighters.
   
   https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ru … &ei=15
   
   About the russians invading russia
   
   The Siberian Battalion was the third unit established by Ukraine for Russian nationals who want to join the fight against the Kremlin. The battalion was meant primarily for ethnic minorities coming from Siberia, including Buryats, Yakuts, Tuvans, and others.
   
   Siberia, a cold North Asian region that covers 77% of Russia’s territory, is home to a variety of ethnic minorities that have been largely disenfranchised by the Russian state.
   
   Nine of the 10 poorest Russian regions, in terms of GRP per capita, are regions with a substantial minority population. Out of them, five are located in Siberia.
   
   Adding another Russian unit to the Ukrainian Armed Forces is more about information warfare than growing Ukraine’s battlefield capacity, experts say.
   
   "Russian volunteer battalions... will have a disproportionate impact in terms of information activities, morale and influence on Russia's population and its leadership," Keir Giles, senior consulting fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, told the Kyiv Independent.

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