Immunity and the Second American Revolution.
Now that the stage and the candidates have been set for the 2024 presidential campaign, let me go beyond economics, immigration, reproductive rights, and foreign wars, and even take us past politics with one word that should rouse the American spirit: immunity. Right now, the Republican nominee for president, Donald J. Trump is arguing before the Supreme Court that he seeks total immunity from the law. It is in writing: Presidents should be unbound by and refute the oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. I believe this disqualifies him from seeking the office. The American Revolution was fought to not only take down a king, but the concept of kings forevermore.
Immunity.
On December 7, 1896, in his address to Congress, the first President of the United States, George Washington, stated that “Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.” In less than a year, he would step down when everyone in the government begged him to stay on until his death – like a king. Washington did not stay and began the “peaceful transfer of power” tradition that every president until Donald Trump provided the nation. The central critique of Trump’s attempts at a coup through false electors and demanding the vice president not ratify the electors as proposed by the will of the people through the vote originates from Washington’s grand humble gesture. Trump did not – and does not now – believe in votes. He believes he should have remained president despite the people, and, therefore, and for all intents and purposes, a monarch. Then he is back again to seek the throne. He will argue this before the highest court in the land at the end of next month. Listen to him.
Immunity.
It’s the Merriam-Webster definition: Protection or exemption from something, especially an obligation or penalty.
Protection from obligation. Protection from penalty.
Donald Trump sees no obligation to the office, or a penalty if he commits crimes.
Immunity.
Like a king.
In January of 1776, seven months before the Continental Congress drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence from King George III (which was an unpopular sentiment among the colonists), Thomas Payne, the true father of this nation, wrote in his brilliant Common Sense, “Men who look upon themselves born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow insolent; selected from the rest of mankind their minds are early poisoned by importance; and the world they act in differs so materially from the world at large, that they have but little opportunity of knowing its true interests, and when they succeed to the government are frequently the most ignorant and unfit of any throughout the dominions.”
Ignorant.
Unfit.
Payne was the first colonist – the first American – to put into words that the infallibility of the king, the idea of one voice being above all the other voices engendered by a patriarchal God was total bullshit. This shook the foundation of the “belief” in one voice as the voice of the people. Until those words, there was one set of rules for the body politic and another for the ruler. Listen to those who support Trump. They only want one voice – his voice. No compromise. No solutions. They say he is anointed by God to become our leader; the exact definition of how the King of England gained his power. The Republican National Committee, which is now run by the woman currently sleeping with Trump’s offspring (very king-like), does not have a platform – a list of policies, agenda, and ideologies reflected in the Party. In its place is Whatever Trump Says.
No plan.
Immunity.
Monarchy.
That is the plan.
Why do you think Trump praises the despot Vladmir Putin and supports his invasion of Ukraine? It is understandable that a narcissistic lunatic wants total power, but for those to openly give it to him or sit idly by while he takes it, should not be conceived of in America, much less enacted. That is a Russian ideal – their revolution traded in one form of monarchy for another ideological one. The few decide for all. It is embarrassing to even have to write this, but it needs to be said: We don’t do kings here.
The fact that this already exposed politically compromised Supreme Court is wasting five seconds listening to arguments from a candidate to be king is beyond prosperous on its face and is antithetical to the entire American Experiment. This should enrage us. By taking this case, the Court proves it cannot save democracy. Democracy will come down to what it always comes down to – as it did in 1776 and 2020 – the people. This should galvanize us. We must see immunity as what it is, a plea to rule without parameter, without recourse, without constraints from our Constitution. We must stop it in its contemptible, what did Washington say, “licentious” tracks.
If you vote for a king, then you wish to change the concept of America. I, as great French philosopher Voltaire once said, “disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Do not begrudge your decision – if you want a king, then vote for that. A lot of decent people I know have and will vote for Donald Trump, but they need to know this is his aim – total immunity. And there is a very good chance this will be their last vote, because, you know, kings don’t need your vote.
Whether Trump gets a thumbs up on his egregious immunity plea from this wacky SCOTUS is unknown, probably not, but by merely asking for it (quite publicly and proudly) should send him packing, not to the fucking White House.
Immunity.
This election is not about anything but this, really. One candidate wants to be king, the other merely president. Agree or disagree on policy or politics, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent, you can choose whatever semantics you’d like, but all of it matters little in the shadow of this monumental threat.
Immunity.
The second American Revolution has commenced.
I’ll let Payne take it home: “Common sense will tell us, that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us, is of all others, the most improper to defend us.”
Amen.
