this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2025

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We Might Have to “Shut Down the Country” - Anthony Romero, the A.C.L.U.’s executive director, talks about what he thinks could happen if the Trump Administration defies the authority of the courts (www.newyorker.com)

submitted 1 year ago by gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

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[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 92 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

how close is the United States to a constitutional crisis: Are we headed toward one, on the brink, or already there?

Since Trump has already declared that only the President can interpret the law, I'd say USA is already there.
Also the administration is taking over offices that are supposed to be controlled by congress.
Finally, the illegal intervention and control extended to Elon Musk where he has has lifted information also illegally, and has CLEAR conflicts of interest, is enough by itself.

So IMO USA is already there on several counts.

Trump is a fascist, and he is REALLY trying to create a totalitarian state this time, and it's evident to have been planned beforehand.

PS: This alone too is a constitutional crisis:
https://thesource.com/2025/02/19/king-trump-official-white-house-social-media-page-sends-long-live-the-king-message/

To declare himself King, might seem like just in bad taste, but it's actually what he see himself as, and he won't stop until he has absolute control.
It's also unconstitutional because Kings are above the law, and the constitution says nobody is above the law.
So the constitutional crises began already BEFORE Trump was president, when a hijacked supreme court declared the President to actually be above the law. (as long as it's a republican)

PS: Quote from the constitution Section 9 clause 8:

No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States.

[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 32 points 1 year ago

Even most kings weren’t above the law. The America Trump wants to create is far more tyrannical than the monarchy we overthrew.

[+] venotic@kbin.melroy.org 22 points 1 year ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (4 children)

[deleted]

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 25 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

but who the hell is going to step up and actually try to stop him?

To me it seems that there is no actual hard checks and balances, it's all based on respecting norms, and anyone who doesn't, that has control of the executive branch, will be very hard to stop.

But that's what I've been warning USA about repeatedly for more than 20 years. USA is a dysfunctional democracy, the 2 party system undermines democracy. Everybody has known that since the constitution was written, but Americans wanted that because they imagine this system to be more "efficient" at making "strong" decisions.

Maybe so, but if it's at the cost of democracy, those decisions are very likely not good decisions.
I think we can safely say that the US government has failed the people for decades, despite being richer, when you compare to the superior rights and freedoms and quality of life in Europe.

As an absolute fan of USA in the 70's when I was young, the decline of American society over the past 50 years has been a sad sight.
Everything changed when Reagan was elected over Carter, and the humanist ideal have never come back.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

We were the first modern democracy. No one did the math on how FPTP works until over 50 years after the country was founded, and by then it had already produced our two party system. IIRC, they did the math to determine if the US was a fluke, or if that was the natural conclusion of FPTP voting.

[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There was no two party system when the U.S. was formed.

[–] codexarcanum@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is just willful misunderstanding of history. Several of the founders were against political parties, but since game theory hadn't been invented yet they put in place a system that would force a two or one party system. Which it quickly did. There have been two parties from the very beginning, just not the same two parties. But arguably, the same two broad positions: the Federalists favored elites, while the DRs favored liberalism.

[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago

Yeah, so almost 20 years after the formation of the U.S...

[–] A_A@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Will the military respect their oath or will they fall for a tyranny ? This might be USA's last hope.

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Half the military is probably MAGA, military persons tend to like authoritarian leaders.
So don't bet on them as the last defense. It needs to be resolved BEFORE military becomes a factor.

[–] ThomasCrappersGhost@feddit.uk 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I’m surprised that military types support him still.

[–] Ketchup@reddthat.com 4 points 1 year ago

Anecdotally; the retired marines, airman, and navy pilots I know are deeply upset by Trumps appointment. The problem is they aren’t active. They fought in Korea, Vietnam, and the gulf. Hell, the 91 year old Navy pilot I know flew Spy missions into Russian airspace 100 feet off the ground at 500mph. He put a sign on his fence that said. “If you voted for Trump, you’re not welcome”. On his front gate. His fellow democrat neighbors told him he needed to take it down. And he gets emotional with tears in his eyes when he said “Trump is un-American”. This is so sad. Those who care; they did their time! I know there are plenty of MAGA vets that fought along side him. After everything they went through together, the rift they face is over this moron?! Over Trump?! Trump is what broke America in half? That makes my head spin. Not Clinton, not Bush, not 911, not Obama. Trump is the line of separation. I hope we learn that sooner rather than later. I hope we learn whatever this “grievance” is we face as a country. And by god, I hope people get there fill of this bull shit faster, so we can all move on to something else. Sick of eating Trump morning noon and night.

[–] A_A@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Agreed. Also i'm surprised anybody at all could still support him.

[–] ThomasCrappersGhost@feddit.uk 3 points 1 year ago

Well yeah, that’s true. But he’s mocked military people that died or got captured…but then he’s mocked many groups and they still support him.

[–] SkyNTP@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 year ago

You, the people, out in the streets, rioting, en masse. That's how democracy was won, and it's what is needed to maintain it.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Foreign nations are starting to realize that they may well just be on their own because Trump can’t give a single shit to support or engage in peaceful negotiations.

No, that's not true. Even in the context of decrying people understating the problem, you are also understating the problem.

(I'm not saying that to attack you, by the way -- it's really hard not to do that, both because of the lag getting over the "denial" stage of grief and the fact that the MAGAs are moving so fast it gets worse by the minute.)

What's happening re: foreign relations isn't that Trump isn't giving a shit; it's that Trump is actively unilaterally forcing the US to switch sides and ally with Russia.

[–] henfredemars@infosec.pub 17 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Continues to defy the authority of the courts.

But maybe not because do they have any authority if it’s an official act? If true is false, anything goes.

[–] TrueStoryBob@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

General Strike, general strike, general strike!

Let's GOOOOOOOO!!!