The indictment against former President Donald Trump for his role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election results is the most important case in U.S. history, according to the author. The indictment alleges that Trump conspired to make false claims of election fraud and used those claims in an attempt to steal the election through pressuring state officials and interfering with Congress’ certification of the electoral votes. If convicted, it would deter future would-be authoritarians from attempting to subvert elections. However, Trump may argue that he honestly believed the election was stolen, and assert First Amendment defenses. Still, the risks of not prosecuting Trump for undermining democracy are greater than the risks of prosecution. The outcome of this case will greatly influence whether the U.S. remains a democracy after 2024.

  • dunning_cougar@waveform.social
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    1 year ago

    Weak charges. Every flimsy indictment only galvanizes MAGA and vindicates Trump’s bloviating about the deep state. Hell raise 100 million dollars off this.

    • root@socialmedia.fail
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      1 year ago

      Irrelevant. An impartial grand jury decided he should be charged. It’s not about whether it’s advantageous to him politically, it’s about law and order.

    • relyn
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      1 year ago

      This is the reality. The best thing everyone including the doj could have done is stop even acknowledging his existence. Things like this are just fanning the MAGA flame.

      • keeb420@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Nope we need to stop this shit now. Letting him go only emboldens the next person who wants to do it.

        • L43nM034@beehaw.org
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          1 year ago

          Exactly this.

          Anyone carefully read the history of the Roman Republic as it transitioned to dictatorship? All the democratic republican functions that set the foundation for governance still existed after the changeover. What was different was where the center of power lay. Sully pointed the way. Caesar learned from this (not enough, though). Octavius put it all together and, get this, Italy for 1700 years was not a democratic republic.

          This is the cautionary tale that Americans could learn from. Alas, anyone who thinks or studies or does any manner of research is considered “elitist” and is quickly dismissed. Ignorance is no excuse, but it, apparently, is a state of being for too many Americans.