From the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second campaign, there has been concern that the lawlessness in this “next” term would so threaten democracy as to cause Joe Biden to issue blanket pardons of his family (Not a good idea or precedent) and Congress to enact legislation addressing what had been obvious. But Trump continues apace and is now threatening to do the one thing most sure to throw us over the edge into fascism. He is threatening (Through JD Vance) to simply “disregard” court orders he doesn’t like. There is no other single act that most threatens the country’s democratic “rule of law” and Republicans know it – which is why they’re now fighting among themselves over… following the law. Only the GOP.
The federal judiciary, with its life terms and esteemed nature, is one of the few true remaining checks on the Trump administration. Other checks remain in the U.S. Senate in the form of Senators unwilling to compromise their independence for Trump loyalty, of which we can (Thankfully) count the leaders in John Thune, Mitch McConnell, and John Cronyn – perhaps the three most powerful in the GOP Senate Caucus. Thus it is that the GOP is tearing itself apart over the matter as reported by The Hill in its latest:
Senate Republicans are urging President Trump to respect the rulings of federal judges who have blocked his executive actions to freeze spending federal grants and loans, dismantle USAID, and ban birthright citizenship.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on Tuesday said the growing tensions between the White House and federal judges is a “natural give and take” between the branches but added that the president must respect the judiciary.
No sh*t there is “give and take” between the courts and administration. Imagine the strength of the Biden administration’s dismay upon seeing last term’s judicial order over Mifepristone, the abortion pill utilized throughout the United States. It was such a “big deal” precisely because “of course” the administration will obey a judicial order, even one that is near silly, though serious.
“The courts have a way of mediating — or refereeing if you will — some of the disputes between the Article I and Article II branches of government. That’s what you’re seeing here,” Thune said.
Well, sure – for lack of a better word, refereeing will do. Yes, when an administration gets out on the edge it can expect judges to pull it back, whether it was Obama and “Dreamers” or Biden’s termination of student loans, and now concerning Trump’s actions with government funding and birthright citizenship. The only tenuous hold this country has on to democracy is following the courts’ orders in every matter. Blatantly disregarding a judicial order is the one way to ensure that Trump gets in trouble with the GOP Caucus – some just won’t go there with him. Of course, some would and are encouraging Trump to ignore the orders… You know that Trump wants to ignore any order against him. Thus it is that the GOP is about to war with itself as one anticipates the Trump administration running up against a wall that it cannot abide.
We are set up to see it happen. As she often is, Sen. Murkowski of Alaska is once again one of the lone voices of reason in the caucus:
“We have a judicial system. If you don’t like the ruling, you can appeal the ruling and you can follow that through. But we are a nation of laws and it is not necessarily for you or I to be the final arbiter here. This is why we entrust the judiciary with this responsibility.”
It is amazing and telling that she even has to say the above. But she does and did which is more than some. Is this where we are? Yes, and the pattern is such that the party invites Trump to explore heretofore banned territory and he eventually gets there to get what he wants. It will almost surely be so this time, too.
However it happens, the showdown is coming and the only real question is how far the reasonable caucus will go to stop him. Murkowski et. al. can only do so much if unwilling to really press the impeachment button (And if one was ever going to do it, ignoring a judicial order would be the time). The biggest thing that they can do is get in front of the cameras and let people really know.
So far so good. Four regular GOP Senators, none totally in the tank for Trump, are standing up for, well – about as obvious an issue as exists. We will see how it goes but expect it to go poorly at some point, a very dangerous point.
God Bless: I can be reached at [email protected] and on X with the @JasonMiciak and finally on Bluesky which just passed 100 following.
It makes sense to me, that Trump thinks “what good is immunity if you can’t ignore the courts?”
I’m sure that Susan Collins’ brow will be “furled” as she goes along with whatever Mango Mussolini does.
I think you meant “furrowed.” “Furled,” a rarely used word, means “rolled or folded up and secure neatly.” (We usually see the opposite word, “unfurled,” especially in reference to a flag.) “Furrowed,” on the other hand, means “deeply wrinkled” or “deeply grooved.”