July 14, 2020--Seven to Two

The first wave of phone calls, texts, and emails I received right after the Supreme Court late last week ruled that even the president is not above the law, that he must respond to subpoenas, and can be held accountable for any felonious activities in which he may have been involved, all the people I heard from were ecstatic, many claiming this would finally assure Trump's downfall.

A few hours later, after everyone had their fill of watching events unfold on CNN and MSNBC (Fox News devoted little programming time to cover this historic ruling) the tone of those who stayed in touch with me changed. 

Where earlier there had been euphoria I sensed the beginning of frustration.

"What's going on with you?" I asked a friend who just hours before had been the most enthusiastic, "I thought you were on happy pills. Now you sound as if you're headed for deep despair?"

In a flat voice she said, "Since we spoke I've been listening to cable news and everyone, their legal experts especially, say none of Trump's tax documents will be available to the public before Election Day. He and his henchmen will be able to run out the clock. The political effect will be nonexistent. I'm turning off the TV or will look for an episode of Friends to lose myself in."

"Before you pack it in," I said, "Be sure you're keeping your eye on the prize."

"What's that?" she said.

"The big picture," I said, "The historic nature of the Court's ruling. People will read about this 100 years from now. Just as we think about and read about Supreme Court decisions during the Watergate era. Like the Supreme Court ruling that Nixon was not above the law and thus needed to turn over to prosecutors the tapes he made while in the Oval Office."

I continued, now feeling euphoric myself, "Remember how through the seemingly endless years of the Trump administration we said that the most important checks-and-balances guard rail would turn out to be our justice system? That ultimately all the big questions would be resolved by the federal courts? Particularly as with Nixon and Clinton, who while still president was required by the Supreme Court to testify under oath, we speculated that soon equivalent matters would find their way to the highest court for resolution. Well, that's where we are now--the most important issues are being dealt with by the Supremes and, based on their rulings thus far, there are reasons to believe that Trump will eventually be bought before the bar of justice. Since, though he is president, he is still, according to the Constitution, just a citizen."

"I see your point," my friend said, "It is all about the precedents. The reassertion that even with an authoritarian like Trump the law will eventually find him and hold him accountable."

"That's the hope," I said. "Though I'll acknowledge there's still a ways to go. But we're finally heading in a good direction. And, by the way, the fact that the vote was 7 to 2, with Trump's two judges voting with the majority, suggests there may be a lot to feel good about."