Trump Isn't Above the Law (Yet) But is Above Its Consequences

 

President-elect Donald Trump isn't above the law. Well, not yet anyway.

Trump will return to the White House a convicted felon. But he will also return as a convicted felon with access to nuclear codes and virtually unlimited power to make our lives a living hell via the presidential immunity granted him by the Supreme Court last summer. 

Most convicted felons face some sort of consequence for their actions. But because of Judge Manuel Merchan's unconditional discharge, Trump will face none and never will. Merchan has helped render the law as a paper tiger. 

Don't get me wrong. I understand the bind Judge Merchan was in. Had he not signaled a week ago that an unconditional discharge was in Trump's future then perhaps the Supreme Court would have accepted Trump's bid to have his sentencing delayed. Perhaps Chief Justice John Roberts and/or Amy Comey Barrett would have switched their vote had they thought Merchan intended to impose anything harsher than an unconditional discharge.

Of course, a plurality of American voters bears responsibility for this state of affairs. Trump ran for the White House as a means to stay out of jail and voters rewarded him for it. Following President Biden's disastrous debate last June, I wrote:

If one bad night for Biden counts for more with a plurality of American voters than a lifetime of dishonesty and criminal behavior on the part of Trump, then we will get the President we deserve.

Well, the chickens will be coming home to roost in 10 days from now and we are going to get plucked, then fucked and then wonder why a convicted felon would treat us so dastardly - again.