A Seattle federal judge ruled against President Trump's executive order of an entry ban of those coming from seven Muslim majority countries and the judge's ruling was upheld by a Court of Appeals.
Darn, that pesky rule of law and an independent judiciary. Trump is learning that being a CEO is not the same as being POTUS. As a CEO he could set the rules with his memos. Presidential executive orders are still subject to laws, the Constitution, and judicial rulings.
Once again, as he has done before in the Trump University case, he launched on a tirade against the judge who first ruled against his "ban".
The lesson for all in our democracy is that the rule of law and an independent judiciary are the keystones for maintaining the democracy we treasure. The lawsuits against the Trump executive order are increasing in number daily. The bases range from discrimination to the lack of factual reasons for the ban (i.e. if the purpose is to prevent terrorists who would harm the US from entering the country, then none of the terrorist attacks we have had on our homeland came from the banned countries, yet the terrorist attacks we have had come from other Muslim majority countries not banned..) The fact that the Trump administration would give priority to Christians over Muslims in entry adds fuel to
argument against the ban based on religious discrimination. It also illustrates the question of Trump's business causing conflict of interest in his role as president since the majority Muslim countries left out of the ban were the same in which Trump had business interests.
He may have been fulfilling a campaign promise, making his followers happy, but it is a promise he should not have made and he often had to backtrack and recraft as many pointed out to him during the campaign the legal issues such a ban would raise. Nonetheless, he forged ahead within a couple of weeks of being sworn in as President.
His lack of respect for the judiciary, launching personal attacks against the ruling judge, as he did against the "Mexican judge" who ruled against him the Trump University civil case, is the type of behavior we would expect of a tyrant in a non-democratic society.
Watch now how he goes about trying the stack the lower courts with his appointments he can count on to walk lock step with him. That is a technique used by wannabe dictators to get around their own constitutions similar to ours. That replacement of the judiciary is the tool of choice by those attempting to undermine the democratic process, upsetting any checks on the executive, and to seize power. It is going on now in Turkey. Their president attempting to become the dictator of the country by replacing judges with those who support his power grab.
Attacking and disrespecting the rule of law or judicial rulings is the Trump modus operandi. This is a very dangerous time for our US democracy and requires vigilance and push back from those who understand the Constitution and the fundamental importance of separation of powers.
Watch now how he goes about trying the stack the lower courts with his appointments he can count on to walk lock step with him. That is a technique used by wannabe dictators to get around their own constitutions similar to ours. That replacement of the judiciary is the tool of choice by those attempting to undermine the democratic process, upsetting any checks on the executive, and to seize power. It is going on now in Turkey. Their president attempting to become the dictator of the country by replacing judges with those who support his power grab.
Attacking and disrespecting the rule of law or judicial rulings is the Trump modus operandi. This is a very dangerous time for our US democracy and requires vigilance and push back from those who understand the Constitution and the fundamental importance of separation of powers.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/27/politics/trump-christian-refugees/
http://www.uscourts.gov/cameras-courts/state-washington-vs-donald-j-trump-et-al
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-judiciary-idUSKCN0ZH4IZ
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/01/29/trump-s-muslim-ban-excludes-muslim-countries-linked-to-his-busin/21702521/
No comments:
Post a Comment