With thoughts of Barr's unitary executive in my head I found this exchange between the Chief Justice and Mr. Dreeben during the SC hearing chilling.
CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: ....Because the fact of prosecution was enough, enough to take away any official immunity, the fact of prosecution, they had no need to look at what courts normally look at when you're talking about a privilege or immunity question.
MR. DREEBEN: Well, I --I think I would take issue, Mr. Chief Justice, with the idea of taking away immunity. There is no immunity that is in the Constitution, unless this Court creates it today. There certainly is no textual immunity. We do not submit that that's the end of the story.
United States versus Nixon wasn't a textually-based case. Neither was Nixon versus Fitzgerald. We endorse both of those holdings
CJ Roberts just assumed an immunity for the President. That's why they took the case.
Scary - thank you David .. I missed that. HCR, thank you also for your weighty analysis this morning.
I had not known of the 'unitary executive' order theory. If its accepted as "constitutional", then its obvious Mike Pence hadn't heard of it either.
Lastly, President Biden's public service announcement at the correspondents dinner will thankfully elevate the nation's discourse; public policies over polls.
It's a theory in search of some Constitutional bootstrap. The gang that overturned Roe cuz abortion wasn't mentioned will invent immunity that doesn't exist.
In the middle of the night, following my read of Professor Cox Richardson’s letter (oftentimes, I read it and then listen afterward), and Robert Hubbell’s newsletter, I found myself unable to sleep. Nothing seemed to console me, neither listening to one meditation or another, nor music that soothes.
Then the morning light came. Still searching for a way to calm the restlessness.
Somehow, I fell asleep for a little while. On waking, I turned to poetry, which I sometimes do, that and nature, to find my footing.
Something I came upon:
“Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.”
~ Edgar Allan Poe
And so I ponder the offering of the powerful words of HCR and RBH, of the truth of this moment. And I wonder what I am called to do in response.
"The contention of the former attorney general—who had been responsible for enforcing the rule of law in the United States of America—that a man who has demanded the execution of people he dislikes is a better candidate for the presidency than a man who is using the power of the federal government to create jobs for ordinary people, combat climate change, protect the environment, and promote health and education, illustrates that Republican leaders have abandoned democracy." (HCR)
Well stated, professor!!
*****
"Until now, ... [n]o American president had ever faced a criminal trial. No American president had ever faced a federal indictment for retaining and concealing classified documents. No American president had ever faced a federal indictment or a state indictment for trying to overturn an election, or been named an unindicted co-conspirator in two other states for the same crime. No American president ever faced hundreds of millions of dollars in judgments for business fraud, defamation, and sexual abuse…." (George Stephanopoulos)
*****
... which is not to say no president ever has done any of these things - only that they never have been indicted or held accountable in a court of law. And, isn't that the big issue being challenged here - that state or federal intrusion into the realm of free men acting according to their perceived God-given rights, to hold them accountable for consequences of their actions ... this is government interference, deprivation of freedom and a violation of individual rights ...?
"Barr said. “I think the real threat to democracy is the progressive movement and the Biden administration.”"
More to the point, the progressive movement for justice and accountability affirms democracy - only poses a threat to big money dominance of a select private club of players who firmly believe America is their playground - a casino where the house rules the game and anyone who is not a member of the home team gets to play for pennies - where life is a lottery - a gamble in the name of their Almighty God:
ALL-AMERICAN GAME-TIME USA!!
In fact, America is a threshing ground where souls are tested - and sorted, like wheat from chaff - every one of us is held accountable for choices made and actions taken - in the long run, goodness will prevail ....
Like many folks now, I read the Letters from an American and then later when I’m awake in the night, (far too often) pondering on the State of the coming Elections I listen to the Letters. This latest recording had me feeling sad, not despondent but concerned about how the Elections will play out in both our countries. When so many lies are being told. Here the party in power is sinking to unheard of depths to revile their opponents, whilst across the Pond with you Mr Trump sits in court day after day, apparently unconcerned that any of the charges against him will prevent his becoming President once again. Whilst his Republican Party supporters admit he has acted in an awful manner and should not be considered worthy, he is better than “the progressive party” of Jo Biden. It is hard to make this up and in the middle of the night it is indeed chilling.
With thoughts of Barr's unitary executive in my head I found this exchange between the Chief Justice and Mr. Dreeben during the SC hearing chilling.
CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: ....Because the fact of prosecution was enough, enough to take away any official immunity, the fact of prosecution, they had no need to look at what courts normally look at when you're talking about a privilege or immunity question.
MR. DREEBEN: Well, I --I think I would take issue, Mr. Chief Justice, with the idea of taking away immunity. There is no immunity that is in the Constitution, unless this Court creates it today. There certainly is no textual immunity. We do not submit that that's the end of the story.
United States versus Nixon wasn't a textually-based case. Neither was Nixon versus Fitzgerald. We endorse both of those holdings
CJ Roberts just assumed an immunity for the President. That's why they took the case.
Scary - thank you David .. I missed that. HCR, thank you also for your weighty analysis this morning.
I had not known of the 'unitary executive' order theory. If its accepted as "constitutional", then its obvious Mike Pence hadn't heard of it either.
Lastly, President Biden's public service announcement at the correspondents dinner will thankfully elevate the nation's discourse; public policies over polls.
It's a theory in search of some Constitutional bootstrap. The gang that overturned Roe cuz abortion wasn't mentioned will invent immunity that doesn't exist.
https://markrozell.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Rozell_and_Sollenberger_UE_and_Bush_Legacy_Chapter_2013.pdf
In the middle of the night, following my read of Professor Cox Richardson’s letter (oftentimes, I read it and then listen afterward), and Robert Hubbell’s newsletter, I found myself unable to sleep. Nothing seemed to console me, neither listening to one meditation or another, nor music that soothes.
Then the morning light came. Still searching for a way to calm the restlessness.
Somehow, I fell asleep for a little while. On waking, I turned to poetry, which I sometimes do, that and nature, to find my footing.
Something I came upon:
“Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.”
~ Edgar Allan Poe
And so I ponder the offering of the powerful words of HCR and RBH, of the truth of this moment. And I wonder what I am called to do in response.
prayer for america
. . . how can people pillage
. . . murder . . . rape . . .
all in the name of the LORD . . . ?
Awesome Holy Host
Whose Name I Do Not Know
Will you suffer wounded souls to heal . . .
Can you for give our trespass . . . ?
Inspire our vision -- Please
Dispel this ignorance -- Wisdom
Endow our hearts with Compassion
Empower our lives with Truth . . .
Hallowed Breath of Life
Embrace this child who wanders
. . . still lost -- at such cost . . .
Secure this vessel -- Inspire her song
Absorb her fears -- Bestow her tears . . .
Ocean of Most Wholesome Love
. . . Cleanse . . . Consecrate . . .
Bless Your Children With Peace
In The Name of All That Is True . . . .
https://tahomahome.weebly.com/prayer-for-america.html
What’s up with listening Garamond as source rather than Heather?
4/28/24
"The contention of the former attorney general—who had been responsible for enforcing the rule of law in the United States of America—that a man who has demanded the execution of people he dislikes is a better candidate for the presidency than a man who is using the power of the federal government to create jobs for ordinary people, combat climate change, protect the environment, and promote health and education, illustrates that Republican leaders have abandoned democracy." (HCR)
Well stated, professor!!
*****
"Until now, ... [n]o American president had ever faced a criminal trial. No American president had ever faced a federal indictment for retaining and concealing classified documents. No American president had ever faced a federal indictment or a state indictment for trying to overturn an election, or been named an unindicted co-conspirator in two other states for the same crime. No American president ever faced hundreds of millions of dollars in judgments for business fraud, defamation, and sexual abuse…." (George Stephanopoulos)
*****
... which is not to say no president ever has done any of these things - only that they never have been indicted or held accountable in a court of law. And, isn't that the big issue being challenged here - that state or federal intrusion into the realm of free men acting according to their perceived God-given rights, to hold them accountable for consequences of their actions ... this is government interference, deprivation of freedom and a violation of individual rights ...?
"Barr said. “I think the real threat to democracy is the progressive movement and the Biden administration.”"
More to the point, the progressive movement for justice and accountability affirms democracy - only poses a threat to big money dominance of a select private club of players who firmly believe America is their playground - a casino where the house rules the game and anyone who is not a member of the home team gets to play for pennies - where life is a lottery - a gamble in the name of their Almighty God:
ALL-AMERICAN GAME-TIME USA!!
In fact, America is a threshing ground where souls are tested - and sorted, like wheat from chaff - every one of us is held accountable for choices made and actions taken - in the long run, goodness will prevail ....
What a nightmare!
Like many folks now, I read the Letters from an American and then later when I’m awake in the night, (far too often) pondering on the State of the coming Elections I listen to the Letters. This latest recording had me feeling sad, not despondent but concerned about how the Elections will play out in both our countries. When so many lies are being told. Here the party in power is sinking to unheard of depths to revile their opponents, whilst across the Pond with you Mr Trump sits in court day after day, apparently unconcerned that any of the charges against him will prevent his becoming President once again. Whilst his Republican Party supporters admit he has acted in an awful manner and should not be considered worthy, he is better than “the progressive party” of Jo Biden. It is hard to make this up and in the middle of the night it is indeed chilling.