Sorry if this is not the proper community for this question. Please let me know if I should post this question elsewhere.

So like, I’m not trying to be hyperbolic or jump on some conspiracy theory crap, but this seems like very troubling news to me. My entire life, I’ve been under the impression that no one is technically/officially above the law in the US, especially the president. I thought that was a hard consensus among Americans regardless of party. Now, SCOTUS just made the POTUS immune to criminal liability.

The president can personally violate any law without legal consequences. They also already have the ability to pardon anyone else for federal violations. The POTUS can literally threaten anyone now. They can assassinate anyone. They can order anyone to assassinate anyone, then pardon them. It may even grant complete immunity from state laws because if anyone tries to hold the POTUS accountable, then they can be assassinated too. This is some Putin-level dictator stuff.

I feel like this is unbelievable and acknowledge that I may be wayyy off. Am I misunderstanding something?? Do I need to calm down?

  • Dojan@lemmy.world
    40·
    5 months ago

    The king of Sweden has a similar exemption from the law, but he also doesn’t hold any political power. I also don’t know how waterproof his status is if he did something heinous enough.

    Trump already has done heinous stuff.

      • rammer@sopuli.xyz
        34·
        5 months ago

        But SCOTUS just made a ruling which states that some of the evidence used to convict him is inadmissible.

        Just because he made those comments while in office. Because somehow lying about paying off porn stars to win a second term is protecting the American people and thus part of his official duties. Go figure.

        US justice system is f*cked.

      • Dojan@lemmy.world
        13·
        5 months ago

        Boggles the mind how one can be a convicted felon and still be in the race, but if you’re in prison you can’t vote.

        • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
          14·
          5 months ago

          I think prisoners and excons should be able to vote. But it’s definitely important to have people be able to run from prison. See Eugene Debs, Nelson Mandela, and others.

          I would love for prisoners to be able to vote actually. I mean aside from the part time slavery they endure they’ve got pretty much nothing but time. Time they could study the candidates and think about the issues.

        • samus12345@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          5 months ago

          Yup! There’s also the fact that kings usually tend to at least care about their country’s welfare somewhat. Republicans don’t give a shit about anything but money, power, and theocracy.

            • samus12345@lemmy.worldEnglish
              3·
              5 months ago

              True, but there are true believers in there that actually believe Jesus is coming back and such.

              • Kaput@lemmy.world
                3·
                5 months ago

                I suppose some do, sometimes I wish they were right and that they would j just get raptured already. No need for a new Kingdom and tons of massacre, just come and take them.

                • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
                  2·
                  5 months ago

                  I don’t even believe Jesus ever existed as a single person but if the guy who said the shit in the book showed up he’d whip so much conservative ass. Then possibly fuck the rest of us up for eating shrimp or wearing modern clothes or cutting the hair above our sideburns or something.