Supreme Court ruling shields presidents on official acts ( thehill.com )

We're watching US democracy dying right before our eyes.

If Biden and the Democrats had any mental coherency and a spine they'd be using this ruling to their advantage and fuck over conservatives before conservatives get into office to kill democracy and the opposition parties.

fine_sandy_bottom ,

“When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution,” Sotomayor wrote Monday in dissent.

“Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune,” she continued. “Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune.”

This is so bizarre. It's just blatantly partisan & corrupt.

papertowels ,

"take a gratuity after dismissing a case? Immune"

GiddyGap ,

Seriously, the US is just embarrassment upon embarrassment upon embarrassment these days.

postmateDumbass ,

Biden needs to order the execution of Trump.

It will be the only way to make the MAGA people understand.

lightnegative ,

No, he would become a martyr which would only strengthen the resolve of the MAGA people

kmartburrito ,

FFS, Presidents have ALWAYS been shielded by official acts. The real issue here today is the 6 months of delay they handed to trump.

Adalast ,

Someone needs to do Project 2029 figuring out all the most effective ways to abuse all of this bullshit. We need to detail how to define fascists as enemies of the state under their own rules. Figure out how to use their rules to place the nuts of every landleech in a vice and spin the wheel like we are on the Price is Right. We need to put every religious tenent on the walls of every school, starting with the Satanic Temple. Just point for point find the abuses in their entire plan, then we all make sure to kick as many of them out of congress and state and local governments as possible and start going ham on flipping every abuse like we are Jesus chasing lenders from the temple.

cmbabul ,

Dude we need to get through this one first, there may not be a 2029 election

Adalast ,

Yeah, but then we could have it copyrighted so if he does lose they can't just change the me to 2029. Attack everything.

Bytemeister ,

Biden should dissolve the supreme court and re-appoint the 9 most activist judges possible.

They made this bed, make them sleep in it.

SlothMama ,

I hope you can appreciate that this would be the move of a tyrant. You don't dissolve the cornerstone of law and order without actually destroying the foundation.

No matter how corrupt, this would be unconscionable.

Adalast ,

Unconscionable, yes. Necessary, most likely. There are times when someone must wear the mantle of villain in order to be the hero who can actually do what is needed.

Also, the unconscionability of the act does squarely depend on one's philosophical definition of "justice". The conscionability of any decision is predicated on how one values the world around them. Personally, I lean towards a form of altruistic utilitarianism. As long as an act does not genuinely do harm, and it is for the benefit of the majority of people, it is good. If an act is harmful to some, but benefits the whole, it is justifiable. If an act harms many, but benefits few, it is unconscionable.

As for what OP said, I believe he mispoke or misunderstood the ramifications of the word "dissolve" in this context. What he described is not a dissolution of SCOTUS, but a forced full reset. Dissolution would be to eliminate it as one of the 3 federal houses of government, leaving only the Presidency and Congress to govern. Removing all members and pursuing filling the seats as the constitution dictates would not dissolve SCOTUS. It would be the same resultant event sequence if something happened and all of the justices died simultaneously. All sitting justicesl being replaced by the Democratic process of the country would be fine, and indeed, would be a good thing. As much as I love Sotomayor and Kagen, removing them would be necessary for it to not be a political action, but one which recognizes that the body is no longer able to do its sworn duty in its current state and it needs replaced.

fine_sandy_bottom ,

You're right, but what is the solution?

The cornerstone of law and order destroying democracy, that can't stand.

JimSamtanko ,

Outraged enough yet? No?

Expect a LOT more of this if you keep urging people to not vote this year. Because this is a tase of what’s to come.

TokenBoomer ,

United States of America on July 1, 2024 ceased to be a democratic republic representative of its citizens.

Rapidcreek ,

Sounds like Richard Nixon would have had very little to worry about had this Court been around fifty years ago.

Which brings us to Trump....

henfredemars ,

I see this upcoming election will be the final one. Nice work.

ceenote , (edited )

So, the United States is no longer a democracy. If a president wants to remain in power despite losing an election, they can, as long as they get the right people behind them, which is how every dictatorship works. What makes democracies different is that they have laws to stop that, and the supreme court just ruled those don't apply to the president. There is no mechanism to stop them. You can say impeachment, but the results of an impeachment against the president are as much of a foregone conclusion as a North Korean election. The trappings of democracy does not unmake a dictatorship.

We're no longer a democracy, and the only way we can ever return to being one is if we elect a string of dictators who feel disinclined to push their power as far as it can go. If we can do that long enough to get this decision overturned, we can have our democracy back.

NotMyOldRedditName ,

You can't impeach him when he officially drone strikes the vote.

Akuden ,

The U.S. Constitution includes several provisions that limit the powers of the president and prevent the president from committing crimes without consequences:

Article I, Section 2 and Section 3: These sections provide the House of Representatives the power to impeach the president and the Senate the power to try and convict the president. Impeachment is a process by which the president can be removed from office for committing "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Article II, Section 4: This section specifically states that the president, vice president, and all civil officers of the United States can be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Article II, Section 1, Clause 8: The president must take an oath of office to "faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." This oath implies a legal and ethical obligation to adhere to the law and Constitution.

Checks and Balances: The Constitution establishes a system of checks and balances, whereby the legislative and judicial branches can limit the actions of the executive branch. Congress can pass laws, override presidential vetoes, and control the budget, while the judiciary can review the constitutionality of presidential actions through judicial review.

Together, these provisions and principles ensure that the president is subject to the rule of law and can be held accountable for criminal actions.

obviouspornalt ,

Meh, not really. Control 51 seats in the Senate and a majority of the supreme Court and you can do pretty much whatever the fuck you want to as president. We have not yet found the boundary where a president will be held accountable under those conditions.

Adalast ,

Just going to point out that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Amendments to the constitution are all specificying that the citizenship are the final check to keep the government in balance.

CosmicTurtle0 ,

This is why this election is so important. I know it's said in every election but this one may be the last free* election.

That * is there because I know that Republicans have made inroads in red states, with many secretaries of state either vowing to not verify a Biden win or not affirming that they will certify the election.

Please, for the love of democracy and our Republic, consider volunteering as an election official or as an observer.

ceenote ,

Not just the next election, either. We can't afford to have a Republican president again until this has been overturned, or the party has undergone a radical reform

"This is the most important election of our lifetime" is gonna be true for every election until the GOP stops using any power they can get to inoculate themselves from voters.

cmbabul ,

I came to realize this sometime around April of 22, I kinda had a complete mental breakdown, as in I quit my job and tried something crazy career wise because it gave me a feeling of control over my life again. I landed on my feet but that’s not the point. The point is that we are now locked into an ever repeating cycle of stopping the fascists. Which means it will be decades, until after all the ancient occupiers of power have passed. But by the time that comes I don’t even know what the world will look like, we need a general stirke

minibyte , (edited )

We’re no longer a democracy, and the only way we can ever return to being one is if we elect a string of dictators who feel disinclined to push their power as far as it can go

The right to bear arms is provided to protect yourself from tyranny, both foreign and domestic. Less than 250 years ago we gave Great Britain the finger.

One thing I admire about the French is their ability to remind those in power who they should be working for, forcibly.

ceenote ,

The notion that a civilian militia could plausibly overcome the US military was outdated over 100 years ago. The only viable path toward a violent revolution in the United States is getting all or most of the military on board.

Semi_Hemi_Demigod ,
@Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world avatar

It'll be parts of the military versus other parts of the military, and both sides arming guerilla fighters.

minibyte , (edited )

I haven’t considered a militia. I figure a lone gunman could do a considerable amount of damage, assuming they had good timing and were a decent enough shot.

Navy SEAL Chris Kyle has 160 confirmed kills as a sniper. There are only 100 members of senate and 9 in the Supreme Court.

Adalast ,

The whole process could be foreshortened by rapidly shrinking the count of filled seats on SCOTUS. Make it dangerous to be a conservative on the bench and see how many fuckwits still decide it is a career move they see as valid.

SkyezOpen ,

Is it an official act to order drone strikes on over half of the supreme court? Nobody knows! Sounds like a case for the remaining justices to figure out.

TokenBoomer ,

When dictatorship is a fact, revolution becomes a right.

-Victor Hugo

killea ,

The United States Supreme Court is corrupt and illegitimate.

Zaktor ,

They're in dire need of a visit from Seal Team 6.

Milksteaks ,

Best I can do is meal team 6 aka gravy seals

Thassodar ,

Searching for Al Quesadilla and led by Admiral Snackbar, their mission is to combat hypertension.

TheHottub ,
@TheHottub@lemmy.world avatar

Holy shit this isn't right. Perfect for dictatorship.

randompasta ,

Perfect setup for Trump.

NeptuneOrbit ,

How can Thomas say both anything a president says to the DOJ is an immune official act AND ALSO SAY that Jack Smith is not legitimate?

It seems Biden has carte Blanche to sic the FBI/CIA/DOJ/ST6 on Trump. His very life may depend on wielding this power. Thanks everyone.

gravitas_deficiency ,

Thomas is very experienced with cognitive dissonance

Nollij ,

He should sic them on SCOTUS instead

Zaktor ,

Because he doesn't care to maintain the pretense of justice. He and Scalia are tired of pretending and want to start on the outright fascism.

samus12345 ,
@samus12345@lemmy.world avatar

Scalia is doing whatever the opposite of rolling over in your grave is right about now.

kevindqc ,

"justice" boner has a new meaning

Also eww

JohnOliver ,
@JohnOliver@feddit.dk avatar

9 people decide to allow presidents to act as dictators

AbidanYre ,

Well, 6 of them did.

JohnOliver ,
@JohnOliver@feddit.dk avatar

The 3 who voted against were also part of the decision makingjgroup. What blows my mind is, that decisions like these are left to be decided by so few

Zaktor ,

And while their dissents were blistering and explicit, this ruling warrants more extreme actions. They should have be in the senate right now ringing all the alarm bells and calling the ruling and the court illegitimate. This is an "end of democracy" ruling.

kevindqc ,

So if Trump gets elected, all Americans elected him?

Do you hear yourself?

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