A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

Breaking News!! JD Vance and the White House have just announced

that President Trump is now a Dictator!!

OK, so that is not the exact words they used, but that is the effect. By stating that  the President is not required to comply with the ruling a Federal Court, they are stating that the President is effectively a dictator. [JD Vance previously previewed this argument during the Campaign, but the Media did not take him seriously.  

Some background: Since being inaugurated, most actions Trump has taken has been illegal. [the only major lawful actions involved immigration and tariffs]. More importantly, some of the actions he has taken constitute major constitutional violations, such birthright citizenship, refusing to spend funds appropriated by Congress and closing down AID and the Consumer Protection Bureau.      .

What happened next is shocking and dangerous. Predictably, various groups have filed suit against Trump nine times seeking to stop his violations of law; to date, he has lost all nine, with Federal Judges issuing Temporary Restraining Orders requiring him to withdraw his actions and restore the status quo.  He may have complied with some, but a Federal Judge has determined that the Administration has NOT complied with the Order to cease withholding funds approved by Congress.  

The usual responses in this situation are we’re sorry, it was an administrative error, we’ve started complying but it just takes more time etc.  Even for non-Presidents, it is very rare for any organization or individual party openly defy the Court; the Court usually would send an individual to jail, and fine the organization a substantial amount, which goes up until there is compliance. To my knowledge, however, no President since the Civil War has directly defied an Order by a Federal Court.

Instead, the Trump White House has thrown down the gauntlet. In response to the Federal Judge who challenged non-compliance, they said NO!  Specifically, both Whie House Spokesperson and Vice President Vance dared the Judge to enforce his ruling; they both stated that Federal Judges have no authority to restrict or even limit the Presidents’ “legitimate” exercise of his power. The use of the term “legitimate” is intended to mislead—the Court has already declared the actions to be illegitimate.

As of now [February 11] I doubt anyone knows what happens next. Trump’s actions may be a bluff or a provocation – to see how Congress, the Courts or the Media will react. But they may be real challenges to the rule of law, which will escalate to the Supreme Court. Trump has already attempted to intimidate the Court, by allowing his surrogates to suggest he would defy even the Supreme Court, as Andrew Jackson did.    

I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH JUST HOW SERIOUS THIS IS—IT IS AN EXISTENTIAL MOMENT FOR DEMOCRACY. If Trump prevails, then Congress and the Courts are powerless, save for impeachment. The President can literally do anything he wants, including cancelling an election. Call your Congressperson or Senators; write letter to your local paper. Our children’s future is at stake.