To The Reader’s Forum:

SCOTUS, (Supreme Court of the United States) actually only the Conservative majority, has granted Trump, essentially, unlimited power to do anything (even quasi-legal acts) as president as long as the acts are part of his official duties. Courts, from the District level to Appeals Courts, have ruled against Trump on various issues (ex. migrants, tariffs, firing federal employees, etc.) saying what Trump is doing is “illegal” and/or directly violating the Constitution (ex. “birthright citizenship”). SCOTUS has let Trump continue his “illegal” actions while failing to address the illegality or direct violation of the Constitution.

For example, SCOTUS has failed to rule on one major aspect of the “separation of powers” – the three co-equal branches of government – by failing to rule that Congress, and only Congress, has the authority to approve the funding and rescission of funds it appropriates and/or the authority to set and change tariff rates. How SCOTUS does that is by NOT ruling on, or by ruling against itself, lower court decisions and/or decisions of juries about the legality of those decisions. We have yet to see what SCOTUS does with the tariff appeal by the Trump administration although tariffs have been declared illegal.

SCOTUS gives power to the Executive branch of government by letting Trump’s actions (ex. immigration policy, tariff policy, etc.) stand while appeals of implementation (of illegal/unconstitutional policy) are heard. I mean, if the policy is illegal or unconstitutional, SCOTUS should say so and terminate the illegal/unconstitutional action while an appeal is pending! SCOTUS’ action gives the Executive power it does not deserve or have a right to! SCOTUS is allowing the Executive to become a king, which our forefathers fought a war to be independent from! America shall have no king!

Apart from the revolutionary war, Americans also died to prevent Hitler from taking power in World War II. I wonder why SCOTUS is now granting the American president the SAME power as a king and other demagogues who extoll authoritarian views! SCOTUS’ actions sure seem “unAmerican”! America shall have no king!

There is NO argument whether Americans should protect its “democracy”, but SCOTUS, with its rulings, seems to be pretending that democracy is some abstract theory! “Democracy”, not authoritarianism, has been a 250-year guide for America. The “rule of law”, which is central to democracy, must prevail! I ask myself, what is SCOTUS doing by abandoning the “rule of law” simply for “political” purposes? America shall have no king!

Paul L. Demler

Jamestown