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So, the prez is immune from anything...

Considered to be part of official duties.... How does that make you feel... Comfortable?
What's the old quote..."cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war “?

Gilead just got one step closer..
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dancingtongue · 80-89, M
The headlines, including yours, imply a President can do anything they want. My reading of the decision is, that it has to be in his official capacities as President. Not anything he does while in office. What is in or outside their capacities as President is kicked down to the lower courts to draw out the decision making even in longer, at least until the election cycle is over. Which is disappointing but not the end of the world, imho.

What is in their official capacities is somewhat defined but has been blurred by previous Supreme Court decisions. Declaring war, for example, is a power left to Congress under the Constitution, but got blurred by the Supreme Court in the case of the Tonkin Gulf when they ruled the President had the authority to react to attack, as fanciful as that attack may have been.

The bigger issue, imho, which they danced around while kicking the can down the street, is the question of what is outside their official capacities, or official capacities they fail to act on? Is calling a Governor and bullying him into finding a few thousand more votes within his official capacity or not? Is sitting on your hands in the oval office watching the Capitol being stormed and not acting acceptable? I suspect the Supreme Court would say this is what the impeachment process is for, which brings the blame back to the Senate for failing to act on the House impeachments.
sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M
@dancingtongue So you buy into the left-wing nut-job marxists spouting their usual bullschiff, eh? Amusing
Fukfacewillie · 56-60, M
@dancingtongue A bribe can’t be looked into because if its for say, an Ambassadorship, that is done in his official capacity. And what if you jail someone, an enemy, just say it’s for the National Defense, and just imagine what can be done. It’s really just about the man now, not the law. That’s the problem.
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
@sunsporter1649 No cartoon? I miss you and Branco.
sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
@Fukfacewillie The risk was always there, imho. And the risk of handicapping the Presidency from dealing with exigent situations by too rigid a leash is real as well, imho. The Justices didn't really change much as far as I can see -- just kicked the can back to the lower courts to start the process all over again, which was a convenient way of avoiding the issue during an election cycle. Disappointing, yes. Would have been preferable to see them actually have given a more definitive answer so the trials could have proceeded.
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
@sunsporter1649 You two never disappoint.
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whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
@dancingtongue Any attempt to linka political process like impeachment with the criminal (or civil) law is dangerous. impeahment is about a person being unfit for high office.A crime is a crime. Having said that, Americas approach to international law has always been high handed. But try telling Americans that..😷
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
@whowasthatmaskedman I have no quarrel with your point about international law. Impeachment is the U.S. Constitution is more than a political process, and more than just being unfit for office. It also is the method by which the President (and other elected officials) can be tried by the closest thing to a jury of their peers as possible -- in the case of the President, by the U.S. Senate. (People frequently confuse the impeachment vote in the House as convicting someone, but it is more like a Grand Jury indicting the person and saying there is enough evidence supporting the allegations to bring it to trial in the Senate. The Senate then holds the trial -- or not -- and only they can convict.) The concept of the President being immune from other prosecution has been around for some time and is based on the idea that if they are being dragged into court over every decision they make, they will be paralyzed and/or afraid to act. But they are not immune from high crimes -- such as treason, or failure to do their job, or corruption -- if the House votes for impeachment, the Senate holds a trial, and they are convicted. Unfortunately, although Trump was impeached twice, the Senate voted not to try him.
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
@dancingtongue And in your closing statement lies the problem. The House can and does vote on party lines, not the lines of truth of justice. And that alone makes the whole process politial.. And these Biden impeachment investigations are merely an attempt to level the field and claim Biden is as bad as Trump, as if that excuses Trump. I am not a Biden fan and never was.. But Jeez Trump makes his look good..😷
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
@whowasthatmaskedman The process has not always been strictly party line. But we have become a totally digitalized binary society, unfortunately.
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
@dancingtongue No matter how benign a system is, man will find a way to corrupt it sadly. We are a greedy species...😷
Convivial · 26-30, F
@dancingtongue all very true and pertinent... But in their decision they did state that talking to pence about certifying the election was in his official capacity
Convivial · 26-30, F
@whowasthatmaskedman words, like elastic, stretch
Fukfacewillie · 56-60, M
@Convivial And pressuring the Justice Department. All to protect one man, Trump.
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
@Convivial
talking to pence about certifying the election was in his official capacity

But did they say browbeating a Governor to find a few thousand votes in his state was in his official capacity?
sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M
@dancingtongue Still trying to sell that bridge, eh?
Convivial · 26-30, F
@dancingtongue not that I'm aware of... But in sure they might be able to stretch it to cover it