I don’t think it’s an exaggeration at all to say the decision threatens the Republic. I might not have said so in 2015, before I saw how triumphantly lawless and autocratic the President could be, and how so many people would applaud it or at least shrug.
The norms of democratic self governance were a real thing, if unenforceable at the margins. And we needed them. And now that they’re gone, we need to start over from scratch.
Is there a legislative fix or would it require an amendment?
Well someone's gotta start the, This is what I'd do as King for a Term: I declare a $10k/yr child care tax credit. It's not illegal if he reappropriates funds. Also, like, they're through with that building for the term. No reason to keep the doors locked.
It's interesting that a country founded on a revolution that got rid of a king, just effectively created an elected king
Wait until you hear about Andrew Jackson…
If anyone wants to understand why Mexico has such problems with corruption, it's LITERALLY because their Constitution actually PROHIBITS prosecuting presidents, sitting or retired. That has meant Mexican presidents can and thus generally do whatever they want, legal or not.
Frankly, it's a death sentence for any semblance of representative democracy in this country, activated upon the election of the next GOP president.
there are so many things that trump was famously restrained from doing in his first term and this has to be seen as approval of all those