“[…] cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.
And after the fall of the Roman Republic, when the emperors would speak to “rule of law” in theory, but relied almost entirely on “might makes right” in practice, assassination attempts became so commonplace that it simply became part of the job of being imperator.
Without due process, our civilization devolves into a mafia mob boss scenario - assassination and coup after assassination and coup - until eventually the empire fragments into fiefdoms. But now with rifles and drones.
Yes, my immediate thought: he will when he’s tried for treason. Not that that will help him, if he and his Business Plot 2.0 co-conspirators are ever tried. So will W, Cheneys, Rices, and if we’re lucky, hrc.
Just wait till it affects him personally and he will.
It already did and he got off scot-free because of it.
In classic Conservative fashion he benefited from due process when he needed it and now he wants to remove it so others can’t benefit from it.
George Washington saw this coming
“[…] cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
It’s Wilhoit’s Law in action:
Two would-be assassins tried to circumvent due process. Due process benefits all without regard for politics. Or it should.
And after the fall of the Roman Republic, when the emperors would speak to “rule of law” in theory, but relied almost entirely on “might makes right” in practice, assassination attempts became so commonplace that it simply became part of the job of being imperator.
Without due process, our civilization devolves into a mafia mob boss scenario - assassination and coup after assassination and coup - until eventually the empire fragments into fiefdoms. But now with rifles and drones.
No sane person should want this.
Yes, my immediate thought: he will when he’s tried for treason. Not that that will help him, if he and his Business Plot 2.0 co-conspirators are ever tried. So will W, Cheneys, Rices, and if we’re lucky, hrc.