Dimensionally Barrett

As I’ve been writing this commentary on Snyder’s work, it’s become obvious how much he has written is happening in real time. The actuality of the crumbling of the United States as a democracy is playing out in conformity to standard authoritarian playbook rules.  In short order, we’ve witnessed the suppression of free speech on university campuses and threats to remove federal funding; a law firm targeted by the occupier in the White House that had led the prosecution against him for his crimes; and most recently, not one but two flights carrying alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to be deported without due process to a prison in El Salvador by invoking the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. Judge James E. Boasberg of the DC district court agreed with the ACLU that the act only applies to “enemy nations” and ordered the planes to return to the U.S.  The administration has admitted that it was ignoring both due process and the court’s order. The regime might posture that the “Democrats...

Huh, the Supreme Court building...looking morally vacant. I hope no one was surprised by the SCOTUS ruling on limited immunity regarding the 45th president's criminal cases. I'm unpleasantly shocked that it finally happened, but now that's passed, all I can think of right now is ruminating on how it's all come to this. Essentially, the ruling paves the way for any number of possible futures of governance in this country. I don't feel like reading tea leaves, but in the short term, it has rendered holding power at the highest level accountable nearly impossible.  The ruling is vague enough to tie up cases in what is to be considered "official business" at any given point in a president's tenure, but no matter how you may want to spin it, its meaning is clear; the president cannot be tried for criminal acts while in office. The president is now quite literally "above the law" and this, to anyone paying attention - and I'll definitely be rev...