Interesting how the stupidest man ever to hold the office of president of these United States is the one who is causing all the constitutional scholars to burn the midnight oil in an effort to save the nation from self-immolation. The biggest debate this week has been about Section 3 of the 14th Amendment and whether Donald Trump can be precluded from even running for office. To Trump’s ears, this is the crack of doom. He not only has to run, he has to win in order to self pardon. So he’s busy saying how his people know more than the government’s people…don’t they? Oh, no….what if they don’t?
Almost “all” legal scholars? Oh, you mean like Mark Levin? Tom Fitton? And oh yes, Alan Dershowitz has chimed in as well. He sold his soul long ago so he’s on board to render any kind of a legal opinion, Satan only needs flick his tail. But the legitimate legal scholars are saying something else, namely Michael Luttig, Laurence Tribe and Glenn Kirschner. 12:28 in length, well worth the listen.
Now here’s the interesting part, where Kirschner talks about how “each state and federal official who judges qualifications” should enforce this clause. That means at the grass roots level, Donald, you’re not going to get on the ballot.
To Trump, of course this is a “trick.” No, it was written into the Constitution sometime back, it just never was applied on this particular level before because there’s never been a case like this before. The Amendment was originally written to address Civil War traitors who had betrayed their oaths of office and were thereby barred from seeking office in a post-Civil War world.
Trump created his own little Civil War in the streets of Washington on January 6, the Insurrection. There’s no lack of evidence for that.
And here’s the sublime irony: Trump may shriek like a stuck pig but the GOP is going to be thrilled with this. Ron DeSantis is probably jumping up and down in the governor’s mansion right now, because his one shot is precisely some kind of a legal fluke where Trump gets knocked from competition and DeSantis can sweep in from the wings and take the lead.
Although in truth, if and when this happens and Trump is out of the primary, there could be a reshuffling of musical chairs to blow your mind. Who knows, Vivek Ramaswamy might spin things to make himself seem the inheritor to the MAGA throne and maybe he’ll take Trump’s votes and be on the GOP ticket.
At least that’s what Russian TV and Vladimir Putin are hoping. Daily Beast:
Putin’s mouthpieces are considering Trump’s runners-up, in case he is unable to reach the finish line. The Russians initially placed their hopes in Ron DeSantis, whose Russian nickname is “Number Two,” but another contender captured their attention after the first Republican debate. Vivek Ramaswamy became an overnight success in Moscow, because of his geopolitical naiveté and statements about cutting U.S. assistance to Ukraine.
Friday’s broadcast of 60 Minutes included a montage of Ramaswamy’s debate performance set to Johnny Thunder’s 1968 song, “I’m Alive.” Multiple clips of his statements were peppered throughout the segment and featured all over Russian state media, including RT.
Political scientist Vladimir Kornilov pointed out, “What’s most important—the most telling moment—did you hear the excitement in the audience when Ramaswamy said he wouldn’t support continued U.S. aid to Ukraine? There was an ovation in the auditorium! This shows that Ukraine will certainly experience problems!”
Despite being pleased with Ramaswamy’s rhetoric, Kornilov surmised: “The debate has demonstrated that Trump has no real competition within the Republican party.”
In Russia, the final outcome of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is roundly considered to be dependent on the outcome of the next presidential election. State media pundits are openly pining for the day when America focuses predominantly on its own issues, ceases to be a global driving force and becomes merely another “regional leader.”
Regional leader/banana republic, to be precise. That’s what they’re looking for.
What Putin’s marauding troops weren’t able to take by force is expected to be handed over by Trump or a Trump-adjacent candidate. Political commentator Sergey Strokan openly said that the outcome of the American presidential elections will ultimately determine how and when the war in Ukraine will end.
A lot of truth in that. This just underscores why Joe Biden needs to be reelected. It’s not only democracy on the line in this country, it’s democracy on the line worldwide. If God forbid somebody like DeSantis or Ramaswamy would be elected, that would be the end of U.S. aid to Ukraine and the expansion of Putin and allies across Europe.
My God, can this election year get any more pivotal than it already is? We need to get out the vote and we need to crush the illusion of No Labels being some kind of a third-party “alternative” at its grass roots. No Labels is dark GOP money being used to undermine the coming two-party election with the fantasy of a third party in this country and all it will do is bleed votes away from Biden.
That might not be so meaningful at some other point in history, but in 2024 the consequences of such a thing could be deadly and have sweeping geopolitical ramifications as well as what will happen here domestically. Eyes open everybody and tell your neighbors: no on No Labels and Get Out The Vote.
Seems to me like he’s got lawyers he sort of thinks know stuff telling him there’s actually something to this 14th amendment thing. And it scares him.
If TFG is successfully barred from running, the republicans are forked. DeSantis is sinking like a lead weight and Ramaswamy is too annoying to appeal to more than a fraction of the hard-core MAGA. Racism is one of the MAGAts calling cards and I can’t see them selecting a brown man who is a Hindu. Haley is also Indian and was raised Sikh, although she now attends her husband’s Methodist church. Tim Scott may be a congenial fellow, but he’s black and single. Doug Burgum and Asa Hutchinson are barely even in the race. That leaves Chris Christie and Mike Pence – a NJ bully and a white bread mayo evangelical who actually believes his BS.
So I am feeling pretty good about our chances given this field, but we can’t afford to not do the work and pay attention. Every election they’ve won this century has involved some chicanary (Brooks Brother Riot in 2000, Russian disinfo in 2016).
“Almost all”? I hadn’t heard any constitutional scholars speak against the 14th amendment. Granted, I might have missed something on NPR…if they even bothered to interview the likes of dersh. Every time I turn around someone is muttering about the 14th amendment problems former guy has but I’ve not heard the opposite viewpoint.