Lex will of course answer, since the question is directed toward him, but I want my own crack at this.
My grudge against Donald Trump and the particular form of elitism he embodies is that he holds, espouses and seeks to establish (indeed codify) the view that certain people--on the basis of race, material wealth and social standing--are inherently superior to others and therefore should be exempted from the constraints--particularly the moral and legal constraints--that bind those others.
At his (almost preternatural) insistence, our society is presently reeling to maintain several of the pillars on which it was founded: that all men are created equal, that we are a nation of laws not of men, and that no man is above the law.
Donald Trump wants not only to
be above the law (a status his wealth has largely afforded him). That is not enough. He wants it established as a
principle that he is above the law. This is an existential commitment for him. He will not rest until he can establish this or until the law does restrain him.
He raises and presses this matter on every occasion that is afforded to him:
- When they're a star they let you do it.
- I could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and I wouldn't lose any votes.
- Historically, that's true with stars . . . unfortunately or fortunately
- I am allowed to take classified documents.
- Michael Cohen can serve time for a particular crime, but myself as instigator and chief beneficiary of that crime should not have to.
- Other candidates for president are bound by the electoral vote but I am not to be.
And just in case we can't see the trendline, he decided to make it as absolutely stark and explicit as it is possible to be:
- A president has absolute immunity.
We can let him pull down the pillars, or we can give him the haircut our society gives to prisoners.