Quick poll: should a POTUS be able to use power to protect themselves?

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

Trump is clearly trying to use his Justice Department to go after political enemies- and he ran on doing so. (!)

He appears ready to drop the hammer on Sesh for allowing a pair of prosecutions that he'd have praised if it had happened to a couple of (D)'s.
He's EXTREMELY likely to end investigation of his own activities.

This isn't about does a POTUS have the power, it's about should a POTUS have the power.

 

[Trotsky]

Obviously not. But I expect you'll see his unconditional supporters either avoid this thread entirely, or just avoid the poll and then make asinine posters about how you're triggered.

 

[panamaican]

No, the basic point of separated powers is precisely to make sure that no branch is above investigation, censure and punishment for wrongdoing.

If any branch could protect itself from investigation then that branch would not be an equal to the other branches, it would be above them. That would undermine the point of the Constitution.

So, no, the POTUS should not be able to use the power of the executive office to protect themselves.

 

[KhabibTheBeagle]

What kind of power? Like, heat vision? Fuck yeah

 

[Jack V Savage]

Obviously not. But I expect you'll see his unconditional supporters either avoid this thread entirely, or just avoid the poll and then make asinine posters about how you're triggered.

Pretty sure @waiguoren's explicit position is that the president should be able to use the powers of office to protect himself from consequences for legal wrongdoing. He probably wouldn't apply that to a president in another party, though.

 

[Ripskater]

Yes, if I was constantly investigated, I'd use whatever legal powers I could to stop it.

 

[Krixes]

No, unless it's a witch hunt.

 

[waiguoren]

Pretty sure @waiguoren's explicit position is that the president should be able to use the powers of office to protect himself from consequences for legal wrongdoing.

To be clear, you believe that President Bush's pardon of Caspar Weinberger was illegal?

 

[spamking]

Nope . . . just as no branch should be encouraged to pursue witch hunts for political gain.

 

[Jack V Savage]

To be clear, you believe that President Bush's pardon of Caspar Weinberger was illegal?

 

[milliniar]

Yes, if I was constantly investigated, I'd use whatever legal powers I could to stop it.

No, unless it's a witch hunt.

But the problem there is optics, if he is innocent just let it go through to completion. If he stops the process it creates more doubt than if it completes and he is not guilty.
Sure you will still have people say you can't trust the system and they will believe he is guilty. But for those who believe in the system, and the constitution of not being above the law should want it to go through to finality.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

No, unless it's a witch hunt.

Well that bypasses the legal basis by which the investigation is begun.

This isn't about perceived witch hunts.

 

[nostradumbass]

No, at least not for anything real. You could make a solid argument in favor of the president's ability to protect himself when political opponents try to pull a coup over a minor campaign finance violation cause he smashed some prostitute 15 years ago after their "Russia collusion" investigation didn't give them what they wanted.

The president shouldn't be able to let himself off the hook for any major crime.

 

[waiguoren]

???

 

[waiguoren]

If you vote no, you're interpreting executive power in a novel way. The pardon power, for example, has always been interpreted as absolute.

 

[xcvbn]

Yes, if I was constantly investigated, I'd use whatever legal powers I could to stop it.

No surprise that your reading comprehension is shit tier

And no, the president should not have unchecked power to squash political foes or investigations against themselves. That's literally 3rd world shithole status.

Funny that the usual suspects have no problem adopting strongman dictator policies but refuse national healthcare on 'moral' grounds

 

[Gutter Chris]

NO

Infact the president should be held to the highest standard in the country and prosecuted for any bullshit whatsoever and should have no power whatsoever to stop it

 

[Quequeg]

Yes, if I was constantly investigated, I'd use whatever legal powers I could to stop it.

DERP!!!!

 

[Gutter Chris]

If you vote no, you're interpreting executive power in a novel way. The pardon power, for example, has always been interpreted as absolute.

thanks for telling me what I meant big guy Im too much of a pleb to sort out my own thoughts

 

[panamaican]

If you vote no, you're interpreting executive power in a novel way. The pardon power, for example, has always been interpreted as absolute.

But the pardon power kicks in after the investigation and conviction. Not before.