Trump Just Committed These 'New Crimes' in New York

[Stavros]

It's not a good idea to reduce checks and balances too much. I would have thought your own recent experience in the UK would have taught you the dangers of allowing a temporary majority to make very fundamental changes. Just look at countries like Hungary and now Israel to see where this can end up.

That said, it's not good if change becomes too hard. The biggest barrier to legislative change in the US seems to be the Senate filibuster rule, which isn't in the Constitution and should be easiest to change.

There are two chambers in Australia, as well as states. The system was designed to be a blend of the best features of the US and UK systems. I think it works pretty well in allowing change while also maintaining checks and balances. The Federal government almost never has a majority in the Senate, so it has to negotiate with the minor parties and independents, which is probably a good thing in general.

The most important structural change has not been between Commons and Lords, but the creation of devolved authorities in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, though in the case of the latter there was a Northern Ireland Parliament in 1921 since re-named the Northern Ireland Assembly. It remains to be seen if Devolved Government paves the way for the fracture of the UK, given the problems the SNP currently has and doubts about Independence there, a strong issue for some in Wales, but not enough to set it on that path, while the DUP in Northern Ireland has prevented the Assembly there from convening and doesn't look like it will do so in the near future.

I was not opposed to devolution, but it has splintered debate as well as politics, most obviously with the majority in Scotland and Northern Ireland voting to Remain in the European Union, but that is a debate for another thread.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Not directly related to Trump, but this gives some details on gerrymandering and court involvement at the state level:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substac...-2-2023-sunday

[Stavros]

Not directly related to Trump, but this gives some details on gerrymandering and court involvement at the state level:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substac...-2-2023-sunday

What a depressing read! But surely, when someone can say "“Republicans will never lose another election in Wisconsin after I’m elected governor."" what this amounts to is Wisconsin becoming a One-Party State. How Un-American is that? And doesn't the Constitution offer the means to prevent the emergence of tyrannical government?

And in other times I assume this would be a national scandal that even Republicans would be ashamed of, but not today.

As Boris Johnson might put it -'Fuck Democracy!'.

[Fitzcarraldo]

What a depressing read! But surely, when someone can say "“Republicans will never lose another election in Wisconsin after I’m elected governor."" what this amounts to is Wisconsin becoming a One-Party State. How Un-American is that? And doesn't the Constitution offer the means to prevent the emergence of tyrannical government?

And in other times I assume this would be a national scandal that even Republicans would be ashamed of, but not today.

As Boris Johnson might put it -'Fuck Democracy!'.

It's being done in the open. The court can stop it. Courts used to be nonpartisan. The Republicans (who have complained about "activist judges" for at least 50 years) have been working to make judges into Republicans.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Not directly related to Trump, but this gives some details on gerrymandering and court involvement at the state level:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substac...-2-2023-sunday

Not surprised at at all that the MAGA Party will to obtain power,even if it means destroying democracy,the rule of law and making it harder for minorities to vote.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Not surprised at at all that the MAGA Party will to obtain power,even if it means destroying democracy,the rule of law and making it harder for minorities to vote.

This kind of thing was in work before Trump even became a candidate.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

This kind of thing was in work before Trump even became a candidate.

Completely agree it was.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

If the MAGA King Donald Trump thinks that things are bad for him now,things are going to get alot worse for him. When the Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis indicts him for meddling in the Georgia Elections,when he asked Georgia Secretary Of State Brad Raffsensperger to find him 11,780 votes,because claims he won the state,which he didn't. And also Special Prosecutor Jack Smith has 2 ongoing investigations into him,one for the January 6th insurrection and for taking classified documents to Mar-a-largo. And if the MAGA Party wants to continue to defend their leader?,they're going to end up paying the price in next year's election.

[Stavros]

The Judge may not have imposed a formal 'gag order' on Trump, and nobody is surprised that back in Florida Trump insulted and abused the Judge and the DA, after all, he has been insulting and abusing Americans since 2015 -but isn't this contempt of court?

And if the politics is going to be the issue, then stop electing DA's and AG's who run as Republicans, Democrats, Independents or for some other party, because it is inevitable when someone feels aggrieved they have been charged, that they will accuse their accusers of political bias.

The case may not look convincing to some, but the devil is either in the detail, or can be exorcised by clever lawyers. But why wait until December for this proceeding to begin? I don't understand the delay.

[rodinuk]

...But why wait until December for this proceeding to begin? I don't understand the delay.

45 days minimum as the process allows his lawyers to attempt to get it chucked out.

However it's not unusual in prosecutions in this country to have to wait such a period whilst legal teams do their background casework and for court dates to become available.