Balkinization  

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Talking Frogs, Presidential Disqualifications, and other Unprecedented Choices.

Mark Graber

Several talking frogs hop into a voting precinct and ask for a ballot. The frogs produce documentation demonstrating that they were born human beings, were cursed by an evil genie, and will be transformed back into human form only when kissed by a contented first year law student (hard to find).  The documentation demonstrates the frogs meet age and residency requirements.  One election worker says, “We have never allowed a talking frog to vote before.”  Another responds, “We have never not allowed a talking frog not to vote before.”

Donald Trump is our national talking frog.  He presents unique constitutional problems by poses unique and unprecedented challenges to American constitutional democracy.  Many people truthfully say, “we have never disqualified a presidential candidate before under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment.”  The proper response is, “we have never not disqualified under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment a candidate who egged on a mob to violently attack Congress.”  Any decision that states, the Supreme Court, Congress, and voters make is and will be unprecedented.  Arguments that we should do what we have always done with candidates such as Trump are for this reason unavailing. All Americans can do is choose the option they believe constitutionally best.


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