This is how authoritarianism is normalized

 

I cannot stop thinking about this: It's now been one week since Donald Trump's lawyers told the Supreme Court that presidents should be able to murder political rivals or stage coups—and multiple Supreme Court justices acted like it was a serious argument.
This is how authoritarianism is normalized. I can't stop thinking about it—nor should any of us who are dedicated to democracy.
My head nearly exploded hearing this exchange in particular, with Trump's lawyer arguing that presidents are entitled to immunity for violating criminal laws for any "official act:"
Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked Trump's lawyer: "If the president decides that his rival is a corrupt person, and he orders the military or orders someone to assassinate him, is that within his official acts for which he can get immunity?"¹
Trump's lawyer responded: "It would depend on the hypothetical, but we concede that could be an official act."²
Justice Elena Kagan followed up, asking, "How about if the president orders the military to stage a coup?"³
Trump's lawyer responded: "It would depend on the circumstances whether it was an official act."⁴
This is how democracies die and dictatorships arise. It's truly terrifying.
We cannot minimize what's at stake. And we certainly cannot rely on the courts to save our democracy from Trump. No way. That is as clear as day.
Our only way forward is to defeat Trump decisively at the ballot box in November. And that's why I'm writing today.
The Republican justices last week refused to even consider the facts of the Trump case in front of them and instead were focused on future hypotheticals. By blowing it up into something else, the Republican justices are blowing up Trump's trial—which is exactly their intention. Read for yourself:
Justice Samuel Alito: "I'm not discussing the particular facts of this case."⁵
Justice Neil Gorsuch: "I'm not concerned about this case so much as future ones too."⁶
Justice Brett Kavanaugh: "Like Justice Gorsuch, I'm not focused on the here and now of this case. I'm very concerned about the future."⁷
Trump attempted a coup, but the Republican justices can't be bothered. Not even with Trump poised to be president again.

This message was written and sent by Mr. Robert Reich, the leader of the MoveOn movement, a progressive action body, working on educating younger voters and enlightening them. I thought the article quite lucid and explicit, reflecting a reality of what's taking place at our highest court's level, and in the country.

My profound thanks to all .