After President Trump‘s acquittal in the Senate‘s partisan impeachment trial, many constitutional scholars believe America‘s system of checks and balances is effectively broken. The President appears to be above the law. This quarter we shall explore if Congress has lost power over the President, who has defied subpoenas for witnesses and documentary evidence with impunity. In addition, Trump‘s legal team essentially claimed that the abuse of power is not impeachable, which is an unprecedented theory of presidential power. The Senate has not only enabled Trump‘s imperial presidency, they have further polarized the country. The question now is how emboldened will he act, both domestically and abroad?
Turning our attention to the Democratic Primary this electoral season, we shall follow the fate of left-leaning candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren as they challenge the corporate wing of the party. Since they represent a threat to the Establishment, will the DNC try and rig the system with rule changes and superdelegates? The contest between the left-wing and the Democratic establishment is going to be as interesting to watch as the general election. Ironically, the primary process may be less transparent than November‘s election. We are looking forward to an exciting quarter and interesting discussions. Come one, come all…
• In English
• Room: Ann Arbor
• Admission: free
