... and we had a nice afternoon visiting family and nice evening relaxing afterward. But despite the fact that it worked out well for us, it's important to take some time out to share that news with your friends and family, because political action, as important as it is, can sometimes backfire on you.
More in a bit. But everyone is safe.
-the Centaur
Pictured: A New Fashioned at the 07, a restaurant with a great vegan menu that my wife and I enjoy quite a bit - and is becoming a new favorite of her mother, who recently moved to town.
So today I'm going to a #nokings protest in downtown Greenville to stand up for our democracy in the face of the authoritarianism creeping over our whole society since the re-election of Donald Trump. I'm never going to be someone who criticizes my opponents for everything that they do, but ever since Trump chose to lie about his affinity for the ideas in Project 2025 - after praising the project at the Heritage Foundation in 2022 and before embracing it in his administration in 2025 proper - we've been sliding more and more to a "unitary executive" idea in which the President has plenary power to do whatever the hell he wants.
Not in my country!
So we're going to a #nokings protest in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. No Kings may be a movement, but it's also an idea - and an ideal. For example, the No Kings Act was designed to counter the Supreme Court's blatantly unconstitutional grant of immunity to the President - when the constitution implies exactly the opposite: "the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law."
Now, Heaven knows I'm no fan of Donald Trump's policies, but there's a difference between disagreeing with what he wants to accomplish and opposing the methods by which he's doing it. Sure, I don't like many of the things that he's doing, but that's a normal part of the political process: you don't always get what you want. But the actions of ICE, the roadmap of Project 2025, and Trump's embrace of strongmen is a direct threat to the civic foundations of American democracy, and must be stopped - for everyone's sake.
So, even if you're a conservative supporter of Donald Trump, you should join these protests. The unitary executive theory is the path to authoritarianism, and while the powers and privileges of strongmen may be appealing to Trump and some of his followers, we're driving dangerously close to the edge in this country, and if we slip down that cliff into dictatorship, it can take decades to get back. As Rush Limbaugh said, if you loan power to someone, you've got to watch them. And even if you agree with Trump, you should not give him any more power than he needs - or the next president may use that power against you.
It's going to take a long time to get our civic ship righted; it's time to get started.
"I'ma gonna get that bird in the mirror, I swear, this is my territory, I'll show him---BONK!" "Okay, this time for sure---BONK!" "Tenth time's the charm---BONK!"
Not even putting up a screen in front of the mirror has helped; our little friend just hopped down onto the stairs of the cat condo (that "table" is a cat condo with a re-purposed glass tabletop, to give one of our now-passed older cats a place to sit and see the stars while shielding him from the rain) and started bonking the lower section of the mirror.
There's no reasoning with some people.
-the Centaur
P.S. Yes, I am making a direct comparison of people whose political beliefs are built around their persecution by imaginary enemies to a bird not smart enough to recognize his own reflection, why?
2024 is shaping up to be one of the most consequential American elections in recent history, in which our first twice-impeached ex-president is running AGAIN for the highest office in the land. When he ran for office the first time, it wasn't clear precisely what he would do if elected, and Clinton had her own problems.
But now, what Trump stands for - and would do - is clear. Even if you forget the two impeachments (no convictions) and the many indictments (not conclusive yet), Trump was more than just a poor loser hawking false claims of a stolen election: he actively tried to overturn it, and stoked the fires of insurrection on January 6th. He's a proven threat to American democracy.
American democracy is the light of the world. Whether you're Democrat or Republican, you should register to vote, and vote for almost anyone else than Trump. And if you're a Republican, you should contact your congrescritter and state your opposition to Project 2025.
Democracy is a wonderful thing - if we can keep it.
Regardless of the merits of the case, we shouldn't be doing things like that. All too often we let things go that we should drop, or press things that we shouldn't, because of political appearances.
Has the statute of limitations passed on Donald Trump's indictment? As an AI language model, I cannot provide legal advice or make a definitive statement about a specific legal case. However, to provide some general information, the statute of limitations varies depending on the type of offense and the jurisdiction. In the United States, federal offenses typically have a five-year statute of limitations, but this can vary depending on the offense. State laws also have their own statutes of limitations for criminal offenses.
Regarding any potential indictment of Donald Trump, it would depend on the specific charges and the applicable statute of limitations. It is also important to note that the decision to indict someone is made by prosecutors based on the evidence and legal standards, and is not determined by whether the statute of limitations has expired or not.
the Centaur in dialog with ChatGPT.; emphasis mine.
Gee, thanks, AI overlord! Seems like the prosecutor's job here may have been to bring the indictment if they believed a crime was committed, even if the statute of limitations had passed. Let's get more specific:
What is the statute of limitations in New York? In New York State, the statute of limitations for criminal offenses varies depending on the severity of the crime. Here are some examples:
- For most felony offenses, the statute of limitations is five years. However, for certain serious offenses such as homicide or terrorism, there is no statute of limitations. - For misdemeanor offenses, the statute of limitations is typically two years. - For certain sexual offenses committed against minors, the statute of limitations has been extended in recent years. For example, the statute of limitations for second-degree rape of a minor is now 20 years from the victim's 18th birthday, or within 10 years of the offense, whichever is later.
It's worth noting that the statute of limitations can be tolled, or paused, under certain circumstances, such as when the defendant is out of state or in hiding. In some cases, the statute of limitations may also be extended if new evidence is discovered.
the Centaur in dialog with ChatGPT; emphasis mine.
According to Wikipedia, what Trump is accused of - falsifying business records - is normally a misdemeanor, but can become a felony if used to further another crime. From what I've read, the prosecution has withheld a lot of facts from the indictment to improve the surprise of their case at trial, so they may have more evidence forthcoming; but "The indictment raises novel and complex legal issues." Sheesh.
This isn't the way to do this.
I understand the desire to speak truth to power, and the importance of holding the powerful to account; but the way to uphold the rule of law is NOT to ignore the rule of law so we can bring a case. There's a word for that: a kangaroo court, "a court that ignores recognized standards of law or justice," leading to show trials.
Donald Trump certainly isn't my favorite politician, and perhaps he needs to be brought to justice; but we should also presume innocence until proven guilty. Here's hoping that either the District Attorney coughs up some very good evidence that justifies his actions, or that the case gets swiftly thrown out if his actions weren't justified. I just can't see any good coming from anything between those two extremes.
