Gransnet forums

News & politics

Presidents above the law?

(13 Posts)
rosesarered Tue 15-Nov-16 17:04:46

Both Houses are mainly Republican, which should help Trump, but a lot of them don't like him so may slow things down or refuse to pass things anyway.

Sheilasue Tue 15-Nov-16 15:43:05

Obama was stopped from doing a lot of good things by the American government because there are more republicans in the senate at the moment. It will be interesting to see if they stop Trump from doing some of the things he wants to do.
I can't remember his name (my memory lately) but he has an aide who is anti Jewish and racist so the press say. That's a concern too.

nigglynellie Tue 15-Nov-16 10:37:05

Wow, and I said nothing surprised me anymore!! Hard to know what to say so I'll leave it to others. What about the young man who is, I believe, to be deported to stand trial in the States for hacking? I don't say much for his chances. Very worrying.

JessM Tue 15-Nov-16 10:19:14

Bags I would refer you back to the case of the British nanny accused of murdering a baby in the USA. Many of us were shocked at the "trial by media" and other aspects of the actual trial that would not have happened in the UK.
We have a sub judice law here so that media are restrained during trials.
The main influence the president seems to have is in appointing supreme court judges - and that is a very slow process because they tend to serve for many years once appointed.
Extradition is another matter - much more political both here and there.

thatbags Tue 15-Nov-16 10:11:57

Worrying article about Obama's role over the past eight years in increasing presidential powers without what the author, Tim Mak, calls "public oversight".

Now it would seem Trump has those extra powers to wield. I don't think Obama's actions can be justified if this report is correct.

nigglynellie Tue 15-Nov-16 09:41:34

I don't believe anyone, nothing surprises me any more!

AlieOxon Tue 15-Nov-16 09:40:14

Nobody, but nobody, is precisely squeaky clean, but please don't believe Trump....

nigglynellie Tue 15-Nov-16 08:42:03

Hillary Clinton too I guess as she's hardly squeaky clean!

AlieOxon Tue 15-Nov-16 08:35:03

....anyone else thinking of suing him, do it now?

AlieOxon Tue 15-Nov-16 08:34:18

Re pending lawsuits for Trump - I read yesterday that because he wasn't - and isn't yet - president, he would have to go to court............

Azie09 Tue 15-Nov-16 08:23:55

They may apparently speak the same language but clearly America is a very different country. I did think that the President was subject to Congress and what laws got passed related to the balance between Democrats and Republicans in that house but I don't know for sure.

I did read recently that judges are 'democratically' elected in some US States. From what we've seen of late, my blood runs cold at the thought. I thought the recent media attacks on the judges who ruled on Article 50 here were disgraceful and I hope that more was done to slap down those newspaper editors 'behind the scenes' than was apparent from newspaper reports. May's comment about freedom of the press just seemed lazy to me.

On a brief look at the case, it doesn't seem fair to me that we should extradite Lauri Love. Either the UK government is being leaned on by the US or it's a tacit agreement that they don't want ordinary citizens hacking into national databases, after all that's the remit of the CIA, FBI and our GCHQ!!!

Anya Tue 15-Nov-16 08:19:51

I'm wondering about the pending laws suits that face Trump and how they will be dealt with.

thatbags Tue 15-Nov-16 07:48:40

In the recent story about the three judges' ruling on the triggering of Article 50 and Brexit negotiations, I thought I understood the argument about the government not being above the law but in another story there appears to be a suggestion that the US President is above the law at least insofar as he can influence how it affects individuals charged with crimes. This doesn't seem right.

The case is that of Lauri Love who is charged with serious, US security-breaching hacking offences. I quote Tor Ekeland, Love's US lawyer, from a newspaper article this morning: "I'm afraid Lauri is going to be facing a way harsher environment than he would under the Obama administration".

I'm shocked and my faith in the "straightness" of criminal law's relation to government is shattered.