The presidential and post-presidential era of Donald J. Trump impacted on every facet of the United States government. Among the components that it impacted is the Supreme Court of the United States of America (SCOTUS). It impacted the SCOTUS in such a way that Americans can no longer depend on the SCOTUS to make decisions on cases based solely upon the law.
Instead, it appears that some SCOTUS justices make their decisions based on, what I will coin and refer to as the Trump Formula: and it is buckling under its weight. The Trump Formula is; D = CLT2. In this formula, D is decision, C is case, L is law, and T is Trump; that is, Decision = Case x Law x Trump squared. And no decision can be made without giving full consideration and weight to Donald J. Trump’s opinion of what a right or wrong decision is and then increasing that consideration and weight exponentially.
Figuratively speaking, the pillars that support the high standards of the SCOTUS, this once great and highly esteemed institution, are being strained to the edge of collapse due in great part to the Trump Formula and Trump’s influence on the SCOTUS itself. Not only that, but the foundation of the SCOTUS is replete with cracks and out-of-place pieces that have been chipped away during this presidential and post-presidential era of want-to-be dictator, Donald J. Trump.
Trump has said publicly that if reelected “I would be a dictator…but only for a day.” Any American who believes the “but only for a day” part of this quote needs to take a closer look at Trump’s record; a more appropriate word in his case might be jacket. Jacket is the term that is very often used when law enforcement is referring to a criminal’s record. Yet, while all this is happening, this current Republican party – which is now the party of Trump, continues to support Trump and is doing absolutely nothing to prevent the demise of a key component of the foundation of the American government.
No American should ever want any facet of the American government to fail: And most of us do not. Unfortunately, there are some Americans who do want it to fail and they are working hard trying to assure that it will. Many of these Americans are elected officials and many of these elected officials are Donald J. Trump sycophants. It does not matter to them that Trump is a want-to-be dictator or whether he becomes one. What matters to them is that his policies and what he does to shape America are in line with their way of thinking. It appears that if they are then he will have their full support.
This situation is among the key reasons why it is so important that Americans need the SCOTUS to operate based on those high principles and standards that existed prior to the presidential and post-presential era of Trump and make their decisions based upon the law and not the Trump Formula. Let me be clear, the reason why it is so urgent right now for the SCOTUS to return to these high principles and standards is because it is highly possible that it will play a part in Trump’s plan.
The first trial that Trump will likely face is currently scheduled to begin on March 4, 2024. Trump has claimed complete immunity to all charges because, at the time that the things that he is accused of doing occurred, he was the Donald J. Trump of the United States of America. Judge Tanya Chutkan, the presiding judge in this trial has denied Trump’s claim. True to form, Trump has filed an appeal and that requires that all proceedings be stopped until he receives a decision on that appeal. Enter the SCOTUS.
As a result of Trump’s appeal, Special Counsel Jack Smith has asked the SCOTUS to bypass the appellate court and take this case on immediately. This would save time and help to maintain the integrity of the March 4, 2024 trial date. The obvious problem here is a SCOTUS that has lost the trust of the American people: will they rule based upon the law or based upon the Trump Formula? Remember the ruling that overturned Roe vs. Wade?!
There was a time before the presidential and post-presidential era of Trump that the answer to this Trump Formula question would have been obvious; of course, the SCOTUS would rule based upon the law. However, under these current circumstances where Trump has an outsized influence on American politics and the SCOTUS, the answer to this question is not a given. And since it appears that the SCOTUS will agree to accept Special Counsel Jack Smith’s request to bypass the appellate court, expedite their consideration of a ruling on Trump’s appeal and immediately render their decision, the SCOTUS’s potential decision will determine whether Trump’s plan is successful.
What is Trump’s plan? Anyone who is accustom to regularly executing their civic responsibility of voting – even if they do not follow politics closely, knows by now Trump’s situation. If they have done the slightest bit of research, they also know Trump’s reputation so know that he is a prolific liar, been sued numerous times and typically tends to drag out litigation to a point that is favorable to him so that he is able to win, and thus, survive.
Drag out the litigation process; that is Trump’s plan and that is what he is trying to do right now to survive the five indictments and 91 criminal charges that he is faced with. He is trying to hold on until he becomes the Republican 2024 presidential nominee and then, possibly be reelected The Donald J. Trump of the United States of America. If he is reelected, after that he will have much more power and much greater influence to mitigate these indictments and charges or simply make them disappear.
There is still a strong chance that Donald J. Trump could be reelected and once again be The Donald J. Trump of the United States of America. If American voters do not step back real soon, see the big picture, and realize the grave mistake that they will be making if they put Trump back into office, there is an extremely high chance that America will not remain a democracy. As voters, we hold the power to stop Trump, this want-to-be dictator, from achieving his goal to become America’s first dictator.
As responsible voters who want to keep America a democracy, we have an obligation to get involved now and stay involved until we can help to assure by any legal and peaceful means necessary, that neither Trump nor any of his sycophants who, like him, want to destroy democracy, will become president. So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!
Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line