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This is the best way I've heard it put. The United States was founded to escape rulers who were above the law, and the Constitution was created to protect it. F

This is the best way I've heard it put. The United States was founded to escape rulers who were above the law, and the Constitution was created to protect it. For the justices who claim to be primarily driven by the constitution to make this ruling seems bizarre, and it's hard for me to see it in any other way than partisan bias. The president does not need this power and protection. The past 2 years are the first time this 'prosecuting a former president' thing has been an issue, and there are lots of unusual circumstances around it. To give the president such power in response to this seems like a very, very, very bad idea. Presidents do not need protection from the people, the people need protection from presidents.

slibhb 2y ago
> Presidents do not need protection from the people, the people need protection from presidents. I know this sounds good but is it true? I've never needed protection from the president but presidents are occasionally shot at and sometimes killed. Presidents need the secret service because they do, in fact, need protection from the people.
- edflsafoiewq 2y ago
  No one is talking about "protection" in the sense of physical defense.
- Vegenoid 2y ago
  Of course presidents need more physical protection. The "protection" being referred to is protection from the government and legal system. If there were a pattern of presidents being unjustly punished for their actions, for political gain or retribution, then something like this might make sense. There is not yet a pattern, and I think that to strengthen the power of the president in such an undefined and potentially very broad way, should be done with great caution and only when it is clear that the ability of the government to use the legal system against former presidents is being systemically abused. I don't think that is at all clear, there just isn't enough data yet. If they wanted to protect Trump from some of the current prosecution against him, they could have done so much more narrowly.

slibhb 2y ago

> Presidents do not need protection from the people, the people need protection from presidents. I know this sounds good but is it true? I've never needed protection from the president but presidents are occasionally shot at and sometimes killed. Presidents need the secret service because they do, in fact, need protection from the people.

edflsafoiewq 2y ago
No one is talking about "protection" in the sense of physical defense.
Vegenoid 2y ago
Of course presidents need more physical protection. The "protection" being referred to is protection from the government and legal system. If there were a pattern of presidents being unjustly punished for their actions, for political gain or retribution, then something like this might make sense. There is not yet a pattern, and I think that to strengthen the power of the president in such an undefined and potentially very broad way, should be done with great caution and only when it is clear that the ability of the government to use the legal system against former presidents is being systemically abused. I don't think that is at all clear, there just isn't enough data yet. If they wanted to protect Trump from some of the current prosecution against him, they could have done so much more narrowly.