My theory about his attraction to dictators and facists is that it’s not grounded in political theory, but the simple fact that they wield the kind of power that he craves — Wayfarer

I agree. But his following continues to grow in a world turned upside down.

I don't get it. The US Constitution, with respect to what it says, is the supreme law of the US. And judges and others swear to uphold it. Trump's actions on and about and concerning January 6th are matters of law or are not matters of law. If they are, then he, Trump, belongs in the court system, subject to the law, and everyone else should pretty much shut up. Or it is not a matter of law, in which case the courts should shut up. But it seems clear that it is a matter of law. Thus Trump is entitled to zero consideration on the basis of any schedule he has, for any reason. Any idea or claim that he has any "right" to participate in running for an elected office that is superior to his ordinary obligations under law, being just nonsense.

And as to presidential immunity, I have yet to hear any qualifications of the claim. Does that mean that presidents can murder, rape, and pillage at will, being "immune" from prosecution? And for life?

Great points.

Further, it's not even clear to me what SCOTUS can do here. The Colorado Supreme Court ruling pertained specifically to Colorado law - which SCOTUS has no authority to overrule, unless they find something unconstitutional in the law or in the ruling.

Re-statement of the 14th Amendment:

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

But doesn't apply to Donald Trump, because...

They keep saying "let the voters decide" but the entire problem is caused by Trump not wanting to let the voters decide.

Adam Serwer expressed my thoughts above regarding the conservative Supreme Court better than I did:

In theory, originalism is committed to interpreting the Constitution according to its original meaning as it was understood at the time of adoption. This should lead to legal outcomes that liberals prefer sometimes and outcomes that conservatives prefer other times. In practice, it has most frequently been an undead version of the supposed “living constitutionalism” it rejects, a method of rationalizing and using history to offer a patina of legitimacy to the preferred outcomes of the Republican Party or its key constituencies. This reality has become more and more clear to the public since conservatives on the Court obtained a 6–3 majority, and began to reshape society on the basis of right-wing whims and obsessions.
Originalists are not supposed to rule based on the impact of their decisions, a tendency they derisively refer to as “results-oriented judging.” Instead, they are merely supposed to ensure that the law is implemented to the letter, as it was intended to be. Indeed, all of the self-identified originalists and strict constructionists in the conservative intelligentsia should be demanding this provision be enforced as written, damn the consequences. If these labels had any meaning for most of them, they would be. — The Colorado Ruling Calls the Originalists’ Bluff by Adam Serwer

Wow, they’re really doing it. He’s calling Trump a threat to Our Democracy™ right after a majority of Dem judges removed Trump from the ballot for crimes no one has been convicted of. These people are insane.

why is THAT the thing that makes you think they're insane? January 6 happened nearly 3 years ago, Biden is not saying something new. This has been said the last 3 years. "They're really doing it" wtf do you mean?

They are actually going to evoke Our Democracy after Dem judges remove their political opponent from the ballot for something no one has been charged with or convicted of. I thought there might be a little pause in the Our Democracy propaganda, at least until the matter is settled, but they’re actually doing it. It’s just terrible optics, or he thinks his voters are stupid, one or the other.

What reason would any person who thinks Trump tried to steal an election have to "pause" voicing their view right now? I don't understand why you think that might happen, or had even a smidgeon of possibility of happening.

He’s calling Trump a threat to Our Democracy™ right after a majority of Dem judges removed Trump from the ballot for crimes no one has been convicted of. — NOS4A2

Free speech.

They are actually going to evoke Our Democracy after Dem judges remove their political opponent from the ballot — NOS4A2

They didn’t remove him from any ballot. They said that “the Secretary may not list President Trump’s name on the 2024 presidential primary ballot, nor may she count any write-in votes cast for him.”

And, of course, these are just words. They have no power to influence what the Secretary does. If she doesn’t add Trump to the ballot then that’s her choice and only she is responsible.

Yes, they’re just words, and it’s superstitious to pretend they have power to manipulate the actions of organisms… but law isn’t just words. People are employed to obey and expected to enforce those words, for instance the Secretary. Of course, she can disobey and leave him on the ballot because words don’t have the magical powers you pretend they do, but she’ll be punished.

but law isn’t just words — NOS4A2

What else is it? It's certainly not magic.

People are employed to obey and expected to enforce those words, for instance the Secretary. Of course, she can disobey and leave him on the ballot because words don’t have the magical powers you pretend they do, but she’ll be punished. — NOS4A2

Yes. So you can blame the Secretary if she doesn't add him to the ballot, but you'd have to accept that she's doing it out of fear of punishment and not because she has some anti-Trump agenda.

I’m not sure where you’re going with this except into a deeper hole.

I’m not sure where you’re going with this except into a deeper hole. — NOS4A2

That if we use your logic then a) you cannot accuse the court of removing Trump from the ballot and b) if Trump is removed from the ballot then it isn't because of some anti-Trump agenda.

Sure, Dem judges are ordering the Secretary to remove Trump from the ballot. Is that better?

Sure, Dem judges are ordering the Secretary to remove Trump from the ballot. Is that better? — NOS4A2

Well, to be pedantic they're ordering her not to add him to the ballot, but yes.

But so what? Orders are just words and you're a free speech absolutist.

I don't see why he's fighting to be on any ballot considering he's already told us the elections are rigged. Why does he want to enter a contest where he knows the result is already decided against him? It seems more fair that he be cheated early by the Colorado courts than to force him through the time and expense to just be cheated later by the vote counters.

removed Trump from the ballot for crimes no one has been convicted of. — NOS4A2

On the contrary. As of July 2023, there have been many hundreds of convictions arising from the January 6 2021 assault on the Houses of Congress

Pleas:

Approximately 594 individuals have pleaded guilty to a variety of federal charges, many of whom faced or will face incarceration at sentencing.

Approximately 160 have pleaded guilty to felonies. Another 434 have pleaded guilty to misdemeanors.
A total of 68 of those who have pleaded guilty to felonies have pleaded to federal charges of assaulting law enforcement officers.
Approximately 36 additional defendants have pleaded guilty to feloniously obstructing, impeding, or interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder.

Of these 104 defendants, 76 have now been sentenced to prison terms of up to 150 months.

Four of those who have pleaded guilty to felonies have pleaded guilty to the federal charge of seditious conspiracy. — DoJ

All at the instigation of Trump, indeed at least some of those convicted explicitly said they acted in accordance with Trump's wishes.

Again the basis of the decision is that due to his actions on that day which will live in infamy, he is not eligible to stand for public office.

Well, to be pedantic they're ordering her not to add him to the ballot, but yes.

But so what? Orders are just words and you're a free speech absolutist.

Coercion is not just speech, I’m afraid.

Coercion is not just speech, I’m afraid. — NOS4A2

And he finally admits that words can influence another's behaviour.

You're welcome ladies and gentlemen.

It’s the fear of force that influences their decision. Sorry.

How many have been convicted of insurrection?

It’s the fear of force that influences their decision. Sorry. — NOS4A2

The fear is in her head, not in the words written by the judges. So, again, by your own reasoning you cannot blame the court for the Secretary's decision to not add Trump to the ballot (assuming she obeys the court order).

I am blaming the court for coercing the secretary, abusing the law for corrupt ends, and political persecution. But thanks for admitting it’s not the words but the fear in her head that influences her.

How many have been convicted of insurrection? — NOS4A2

The charges against the individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, uprising at the U.S. Capitol include obstruction of an official proceeding, assault, trespassing, disrupting Congress, theft or other property crimes, weapons offenses, making threats, and conspiracy, including seditious conspiracy. The District of Columbia’s attorney’s office has sentenced some 378 individuals to periods of incarceration over their involvement in the insurrection . The sentences range from home detention to longer prison terms for those who engaged in violence or threats . According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the median prison sentence for the Jan. 6 rioters is 60 days . However, some individuals have received longer prison terms, such as Stewart Rhodes, founder of Oath Keepers, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison on seditious conspiracy charges.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), “sedition” is conduct or speech that incites individuals to violently rebel against the authority of the government. “Insurrection” includes the actual acts of violence and rebellion. In a constitutional democracy, sedition and insurrection refer to inciting or participating in rebellion against the constitutionally established government, its processes and institutions, or the rule of law.

While the two terms are related, they are not interchangeable. “Seditious conspiracy” is a federal crime that occurs when two or more people conspire to overthrow, put down, or destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof. “Insurrection” is generally understood to mean the actual violent acts of an uprising aimed at overthrowing the government.

However the fact that charges of insurrection were not brought, does not mean that the acts did not constitute an insurrection.

Donald Trump is facing charges related to the January 6th events. He has been indicted on four counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiring against rights, and obstruction and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding. The ABC News reports that the charges against him include obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to make a false statement, and incite, assist or aid and comfort an Insurrection.

Nobody who reads the report of January 6th commission could be under any illusion that Trump did not act with seditious intent, namely, to prevent the transfer of power to Biden, He has said as much in public on numerous occasions.

I am blaming the court for coercing the secretary — NOS4A2

How do they do that? All they've done is printed words on a document. What does it mean for words to "coerce" another person? Seems like another word for "influence".

[However the fact that charges of insurrection were not brought, does not mean that the acts did not constitute an insurrection./quote]

It does not mean that the acts did constitute an insurrection either.

How do they do that? All they've done is printed words on a document. What does it mean for words to "coerce" another. Seems like another word for "influence".

I didn’t say words coerce others. People coerce others.