No, I’m not expecting Donald Trump — should he become president, to kill anyone. However, Trump has a lot of sidekicks who may be happy to do so.
Chief Justice John Roberts tried to reassure us in the Court’s ruling as he wrote:
- “The president is not above the law. But Congress may not criminalize the president’s conduct in carrying out the responsibilities of the executive branch under the Constitution.”
So here we are. It’s another “Can’t have it both ways!” If a president cannot be criminalized, he is above the law.
The Court’s decision means the time-worn phrase “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW” is no longer valid. See the phrase “Congress may not criminalize the president’s conduct” for matters related to the presidency. If a person can’t be prosecuted for doing wrong, he/she is “above the law.”
Question: Are there issues coming up in the presidential race that might test the Supreme Court’s decision?
Biden has a strong record of following the law, so it is unlikely that his actions will become a test case. However, Trump and one of Trump’s promises could become a test case.
When Trump was president before, he relentlessly scapegoated immigrants for everything – they steal, they bring drugs in, they take the jobs, they …. etc., etc. He authorized — was responsible for — tearing families apart; he “farmed” out immigrant children across the country and lost track of where they tossed the kids. Some of those kids are still not united with their parents.
Now, Trump, in his “new” presidential campaign, promises to deport 15-20 million people — all illegal, according to Trump, primarily people of color, many of who come from desperate circumstances, some — likely many, lead established lives, pay taxes, and could be eligible for citizenship. Some may be our next-door neighbors. Some work on farms and others work in meat packing plants. Many will also qualify for asylum according to U.S. law, but the law works slowly. Trump has promised to use law enforcement to deport all of them.
One thing leads to another. One of Trump’s most trusted allies is Stephen Miller.
Politely said, Miller is not a nice guy. He was the power behind the Trump “throne” who saw refugee programs slashed, virtually ended asylum at the southern border, and made a new rule denying green cards to families who might receive public benefits. It was his idea to stop all Muslims at the door. It was his idea to separate the families, and he “managed up” Trump by setting Trump’s innate racism afire.
Sadly, I hate to write this, but it was the same with Hitler. Like Trump, he needed an enemy to blame his failures on. Hitler chose the Jews. Hitler’s orders, Heinrich Himmler’s extreme decisions, and Adolf Eichman. Eichman was a logistic expert. Heinrich Himmler was his boss. Hitler, Heinrich, and Eichnew sent millions of Jews to their deaths — one country’s Jews after another.
I am sad to say the ongoing pattern matches.
According to a report from Vanity Fair, one of Trump’s most trustworthy minions is Stephen Miller, who is credited with shaping the racist and draconian immigration policies of President Trump, which includes the zero-tolerance policy, also known as family separation, the Muslim ban and ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Miller has also “purged” government agencies of civil servants who are not entirely loyal to his extremist agenda.
Vanity Fair also reported: In response to seeing the tragedy documented in photos of children being separated from their parents at the U.S. border with Mexico as a result of Trump’s (Miller’s) zero-tolerance policy, an external White House adviser said, “Stephen actually enjoys seeing those pictures at the border.” According to Miller, the administration’s decision to institute the policy was “simple (Stephen Miller).”
It is an ugly story to write and to imagine how much more tragedy would be cast upon immigrant families — some documented and some undocumented. Still, Stephen Miller and Trump (if elected) working together, with the president protected by the Supreme Court, could be the beginning.
Zachary B. Wolf, CNN: Trump explains his militaristic plan to deport 15-20 million people
Bess Levin, Vanity Fair: Trump Administration Angel of Darkness Stephen Miller Allegedly Wanted to Bomb Migrant Boats: Report
F fwd.us: Tearing Families Apart – The Impact of Trump’s Immigration Agenda
Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker: How Stephen Miller Manipulates Donald Trump to Further His Immigration Obsession
Brian Kean, Medium (by subscription only): This Is the Face An ‘Above the Law’ Trump Will Rely on to Murder Americans