America is a banana republic

If we only grew bananas, and with global warming, that may be coming soon, too.

Slowly, inexorably, this essential truth has revealed itself, particularly since Donald Trump and Melania boarded the down escalator - figuratively and literally - to announce his candidacy for president on June 16, 2015.

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Enabled by a stacked, ideologically amicable Supreme Court and surrounded by obsequious family and sycophants - all familiar staples of a banana republic - Trump sits on his leather throne in the Oval Office, content as a purring cat, sure of his impunity.

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Trump [...] declared that Article 2 of the constitution affords him carte blanche to "do whatever" he wants as president, without any legal repercussions at any time, from any quarter. This is also, undeniably, the modus vivendi of the omnipotent leader of a banana republic.

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[In his Congressional hearings about the Special Counsel report, Robert] Mueller insisted he hadn't "flinched". But he had - in not only failing to get Trump to testify under oath, but also in delivering the convoluted conclusion that while he had not exonerated Teflon Don, he was prevented by legal precedent from charging a sitting president with obstruction of justice.

Ah, there is always the prospect, Mueller agreed, that Trump might belatedly be charged when President Trump becomes citizen Trump.

That would happen in a real republic, not a banana republic, Mr Mueller.

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Still, Mueller provided ample evidence of an executive branch compromised to the core. Trump's campaign welcomed Russia's help to leverage the outcome of the 2016 election in its favour. To achieve that goal, Russia, Mueller said, committed crimes and engineered an elaborate cyber-infrastructure to sway the vote Trump's way.

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While candidate Trump was pursuing a potentially lucrative Trump Tower deal in Moscow, his former campaign manager turned convicted felon, Paul Manafort, was sharing campaign information and internal polling data with alleged Russian "intelligence operative", Konstantin Kilimnik, hoping to cash in - courtesy of Russian or Ukrainian oligarchs.

Not done, Mueller warned that Russia was engaged in a "sweeping" and "systematic" effort to impact the 2020 election. "They're doing it as we sit here," Mueller said.

Now, a mature, responsible "republic" that deems the integrity of presidential elections to be sacrosanct would try to stop that from happening again.

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Trump's confederate, Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell - dubbed "Moscow Mitch" by US television personality and former Republican congressman, Joe Scarborough - blocked election security legislation only hours after Mueller's marathon testimony.

"He (McConnell) is aiding and abetting Vladimir Putin's ongoing attempts to subvert American democracy…and Moscow Mitch won't even let the Senate take a vote on it. That is un-American," Scarborough shouted, as American TV pundits are apt to do.

Well, Mr Scarborough, it is reflective of a banana republic, too.

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When the appalling times and circumstances required it, rather than confronting Trump with the full, punitive measure of constitutional powers she and her caucus enjoy, [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi chose political expediency over principle.

With Mueller gone and Pelosi equivocating, a vengeful and vindictive Trump will become more emboldened to complete the transformation of America into his autocratic image during this or, odds are, a second, disfiguring term.

  Andrew Mitrovica

During his address at a Turning Point USA conference in Washington, D.C. earlier today, Trump declared to a crowd of young conservatives: "Then I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president."

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It was not the first time the president has made the claim. In June, Trump told ABC News: "Article 2 allows me to do whatever I want. Article 2 would have allowed me to fire [Mueller]."

  Newsweek

In front of that wonderful doctored presidential seal.

Of course, Article II does not allow him to do whatever he wants, but it looks as if he's going to be allowed to go on trying.  I'm not sure why he is bringing attention to Article II, because that's the one that speaks to impeachment.

Although the loosely-defined "Article 2" is interpreted by some as granting the chief executive broad authority, the section also provides for a president's removal from office via "impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." The latter offers an explicit check on the president's authority and actions, which negates Trump's claims that he has the "right to do whatever" while in office.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.