‘Liberty and Justice For All’ – A Tattered Cliche?

American Greatness ^ | 17 Dec 2023 | Roger Kimball

[Rummyfan]

One set of laws for Donald Trump and his supporters, and another set for the harassers

Throughout history, the tyrannical abuse of governmental power has been a fearsome thing to behold. Wise men instituted laws in an effort to tame that abuse. The Constitution of the United States, for example, was framed in large part as a prophylactic against the coercive power of the state. The Framers witnessed the “long train of abuses and usurpations” perpetrated by the British crown and resolved to respond. The Constitution dealt with many other things, to be sure, but concern about tyrannical abuse of power by the government and its minions is patent from the opening paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence straight through the Constitution and its Amendments. The idea was that we Americans would live in a polity governed by “laws, not men.” That is to say, laws would be legitimately formulated, clearly defined, and administered impartially, so far as was humanly possible. How are we doing on that score?

Not so well.

The terms “administrative state” and “deep state” entered parlance only about seven years ago. The realities those phrases name long predate their currency, but Donald Trump was the lens through which worry about those legitimacy-devouring, essentially tyrannical phenomena crystallized. During the 2016 campaign, Trump’s chief strategist Steven Bannon raised eyebrows when he said that “deconstructing the administrative state” was a high priority. In the event, Trump’s success on that task was only a patchwork affair, but he did make an effort.

[Haddit]

Here’s an example of laws not enforced:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/101st-congress/senate-bill/3266
S.3266 - Crime Control Act of 1990
101st Congress (1989-1990)
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE] (Introduced 10/27/1990)
Increases the maximum penalty for sexual abuse of a minor from five to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Establishes penalties for knowingly possessing with intent to sell visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct involving minors, or possession of three or more books, magazines, periodicals, films, videotapes, or other matter containing such depictions.