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dclowd990102/19/20256 repliesview on HN

If the Supreme Court and Congress has no enforcement power, though, what recourse is there?


Replies

timoth3y02/20/2025

I know this sounds corny, but people are the recourse. We are part of the checks and balances.

Whether it is as overt as a soldier refusing to follow an illegal order knowing they are risking court marshal, or as clandestine as mid-level bureaucrat slow-walking damaging policies, or people actually voting in local-to-national elections.

Democracy is not a passive form of government.

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dwaltrip02/19/2025

Protest and revolt. Government for the people and by the people

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johnnyanmac02/20/2025

Congress has all the enforcement power, they can impeach the president whenever they want. Will they? I don't know, he's already gone so far in constitutional overreach that he's making Nixon blush.

Judiciary has more power than you'd think too. It's just that they try to act in good faith and generally do not want to throw people into civil contempt that often. The SCOTUS can even re-re-interpret the presidential immunity that Trump has abused to a pulp if they are angry enough. That was their call after all.

Will they do this? Highly unlikely, at least for Trump. I wouldn't be surprised if Musk flies too close to the sun, however.

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boredatoms02/20/2025

I think this is what the second amendment was about

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throw0101c02/20/2025

> If the Supreme Court and Congress has no enforcement power, though, what recourse is there?

While maybe not practical for the president, but at least for various cabinet Secretaries or Directors: if they do not follow court-issued orders could be found in contempt and jailed until the corrective orders are implemented?

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nowandlater02/20/2025

sic semper tyrannis

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