Democratic politicians and pundits are claiming that Donald Trump’s presidency is fundamentally illegitimate, and therefore so are his exercises of presidential power, such as his judicial nominations. This is mostly an attempt to derail the pending confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
However, some on the left even believe that if the president is removed from office and found guilty of crimes related to the election, then all of his actions in office will be delegitimized and undone as null and void. This is political Donatism, with all the allure and errors of that old heresy.
The idea of an “illegitimate” president is either a meaningless rhetorical flourish urging the election of a Congress that will more vigorously oppose the president, or it is an attempt to create a constitutional crisis. If applied, it would be a banana-republic tactic that would make governments unstable and governing untenable. It would be a farce, like the NCAA’s attempt to regulate college football amateurism by occasionally and capriciously voiding victories.
This sort of drastic measure might be justified in extremity, but the left is trying to argue that Trump’s exercise of the constitutional powers of the presidency is illegitimate because of possible involvement in campaign finance violations related to buying the silence of his mistresses. That would be bad, possibly criminal, but it would not be delegitimizing in an unprecedented way.
Even if he broke the law during his presidential campaign, Trump was still legitimately elected according to constitutional procedure. If Congress wants to impeach and convict him for this or anything else, it can. Until then, Trump will be the legitimate president of the United States. Even if he is removed, his lawful actions and appointments will retain their legitimacy, despite the new creed of political Donatism.
The original Donatists at least believed in their doctrine and its importance. They thought it crucial to the eternal happiness or misery of human persons. Today’s political Donatists are developing their dogmas out of pure political opportunism. They are either hacks, or fanatics willing to sacrifice the constitutional order in fit of pique over losing an election.
Even If His Campaign Broke Laws, Trump Isn’t An Illegitimate President
However, some on the left even believe that if the president is removed from office and found guilty of crimes related to the election, then all of his actions in office will be delegitimized and undone as null and void. This is political Donatism, with all the allure and errors of that old heresy.
The idea of an “illegitimate” president is either a meaningless rhetorical flourish urging the election of a Congress that will more vigorously oppose the president, or it is an attempt to create a constitutional crisis. If applied, it would be a banana-republic tactic that would make governments unstable and governing untenable. It would be a farce, like the NCAA’s attempt to regulate college football amateurism by occasionally and capriciously voiding victories.
This sort of drastic measure might be justified in extremity, but the left is trying to argue that Trump’s exercise of the constitutional powers of the presidency is illegitimate because of possible involvement in campaign finance violations related to buying the silence of his mistresses. That would be bad, possibly criminal, but it would not be delegitimizing in an unprecedented way.
Even if he broke the law during his presidential campaign, Trump was still legitimately elected according to constitutional procedure. If Congress wants to impeach and convict him for this or anything else, it can. Until then, Trump will be the legitimate president of the United States. Even if he is removed, his lawful actions and appointments will retain their legitimacy, despite the new creed of political Donatism.
The original Donatists at least believed in their doctrine and its importance. They thought it crucial to the eternal happiness or misery of human persons. Today’s political Donatists are developing their dogmas out of pure political opportunism. They are either hacks, or fanatics willing to sacrifice the constitutional order in fit of pique over losing an election.
Even If His Campaign Broke Laws, Trump Isn’t An Illegitimate President
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