Republicans in robes

If I recall my American history correctly, one of its founding concepts – if not the founding concept – was that the United States would not be a monarchy.

Seeking independence from Great Britain and her king was the whole point.

In our republican democracy, the concept was that no man is king. No man is above the law. 

Really?

It's been that way for 235 years, when the U.S. Constitution began operating under ratification in 1789.

So imagine how stunning it was for us believers in the Constitution to see the Supreme Court of the United States listening to arguments from former president Donald Trump that he has sweeping presidential immunity from criminal prosecution. Trump, seeking a second term as president, is the guy currently out on bail for charges of fraud, election interference and a number of other alleged crimes.

There are 88 felony charges in all. No wonder he is seeking immunity.

Shockingly, the Supreme Court heard Trump's arguments for presidential immunity on Thursday, even though the concept of presidential immunity does not exist in the Constitution. It's shocking that the court even heard these arguments in the first place. Worse than shocking, actually. It's disgusting.

Six members  of the court – justices John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Sam Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett "I like beer" Kavanaugh – form an ultra conservative bloc that has already repealed Roe v. Wade (even though the Constitution does not mention abortion. Yet, Alito said Roe should be revoked expressly because it was not mentioned in the Constitution. The hypocrisy of these Republicans in robes is overwhelming. There is nothing impartial about them).

On Thursday, instead of actually hearing arguments about whether presidential immunity exists, the debates devolved into abstract potentialities and possibilities for the actions of future presidents.

In other words, the court seems to be leaning towards giving Trump a pair of golden skates. I have no idea why this court is so intent on protecting a guy who separates children from their parents at the border; from a guy who calls members of the military "suckers" for their service and sacrifice, from a guy who said he would be a dictator only on the first day of a second term in office (Yeah, right. Name a dictator who abdicated after just one day), from a guy who suggested that the Constitution be suspended.

The moment the court grants Trump even partial immunity (when no president has ever needed it before) is when we lose the value and the promise of the Constitution itself. It's the moment when we elevate one man above the law. 

It's the moment when we all lose.