Dear US Justice System: Thanks For Nothing

Song of the evening:

After years of much ado, on Friday morning, it all ultimately came to be about nothing.

Sure, Donald Trump is now a convicted felon. He will be the first person to enter the presidency of the United States as such (which is not illegal, btw).  As a convicted felon, he will (or possibly will) be banned from entering at least 16 countries, including some of our allies. He also legally cannot own a gun in the US or vote in US elections.

I am sure these are minor inconveniences for him, at this point. 

But 34 felony convictions. 

3..4. 

The ultimate result being an F on his forehead and a „Godspeed“.

And absolutely nothing else.

Someone is out there laughing at this. And it would be laughable if it weren‘t so frightening.

I understand the judge‘s reasoning behind this sentencing.  But I am still confused by this effort to protect the position of the presidency, rather than the person in said position? How are you going to protect the position as it is about to be defouled, yet again, by the most obscene individual to have ever held the highest political office in the US, Supreme Court ruling be damned?  If the person in the Oval Office is going to do crimes while in office, wouldn’t this ultimately reflect on the stature of position of the presidency? 

HE might think he’s the big guy, but his actions as president may end up reflecting otherwise, especially on the world stage.

I would venture to say (and i am strictly hot taking here) that this might be the point.  Quite a few Americans might even want this. Diminish his appeal abroad so that he can take care of us exclusively.  Raise those tariffs and kick out those immigrants! That‘s the ticket!

I am also laughing at the general indignation over his lack of contrition.  Of course he is never going to admit any wrongdoing. He is Donald Trump.  He will always be right, even when he is threatening other countries over tax issuesand tech billionaires who won’t let him and his buddies have their way on various online platforms. 

He is also going to be appealing these convictions. Because of course he is.

Sitting here overseas, I shake my head at this slow, methodical dismantling of the US justice system.  I read columns by persons such as Robert Reich, Paul Krugman and Heather Cox Richardson and try to maintain as much hope as I can that the last 10 years haven’t been a fever dream of diminishing political returns, social graces and international capital.

We had 4 years to convict this motherfucker before he could return to power and make a mockery of the US in front of the world again.

I am trying to keep my head up, and hope the 249 year old experiment is not all for nothing.