Max Boot, Washington Post: “I am in despair as I have never been before about the future of our experiment in self-rule… This nation is at the mercy of a criminal administration.”

Max Boot’s column today in the Washington Post details the fall of our democratic government as exposed by the testimony of William Barr before the Senate on Thursday.  He who must not be named has advanced the position (through his Attorney General) that he is above the law.  If he feels that he has been unjustly accused (he knows he’s innocent) he can shut down a special counsel’s investigation of his actions and not be obstructing justice.  Barr said, he “does not have to sit there constitutionally and allow it to run its course.  The president could terminate the proceeding and it would not be a corrupt intent because he was being falsely accused.”

This is reminiscent of the old Nixon formula: “When the president does it, that means it’s not illegal.”  Epic stonewalling is perfectly justifiable in his mind because he “just knows” he’s innocent of any underlying wrongdoing.  Those of us who have our doubts as to the legality of his behavior may be excused for their skepticism, but it’s clear to his narcissistic/sociopathic personality that he can do no wrong.

Max Boot concludes that there is little that we can effectively do to investigate the president, much less remove him from office, for the next eighteen months.  Unless a true smoking gun is found or tapes with his voice on them confessing his criminality, the Senate would never vote to convict him.  With his obstructive ability and the impotence of the House when it comes to enforcing their subpoenas, there is a good chance that no more information about his taxes or his business affairs will be unearthed before the next presidential election.

Thus his despair: “This nation is at the mercy of a criminal administration.”

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)