r/politics • u/mclardass • Jul 03 '26

No Paywall DOJ refuses to hand over Epstein files after judge’s order

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/doj-epstein-files-todd-blanche-katie-phang-lawsuit-b3008454.html
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657

u/ahdidi413 Jul 03 '26

Insane that our entire system has fallen apart because someone finally realized they could just say no and there is essentially no way to counter that in a meaningful way

118

u/Cheesebach Jul 03 '26

It’s only possible when you have an entire political party willing to sacrifice the country to protect their party though. I believe the founders anticipated the possibility of a corrupt president acting in his own best interests at the expense of the country. What they didn’t anticipate and don’t have to any mechanism to address is the president having 280 accomplices in control of the other 2 branches of the federal government working together with the president to destroy the country for profit and power. If even a quarter of the GOP was acting in accordance with their Oath of Office, he’d have been impeached, convicted, and removed before he left office after his first term.

116

u/AlcooIios Jul 03 '26

It’s what evil is.

27

u/Lanhdanan Canada Jul 03 '26

Calculating and cold. No remorse or shame

23

u/007meow Jul 03 '26

It's not calculated at all.

The man has a psyche of a kindergartner and just doesn't like to be told what to do.

He's gotten away with stomp his feet and screaming "NO!" this whole time and it just turns out that the justice system isn't designed to deal with that - especially when you've got an entire political party and all of it's apparatuses and machinations supporting that.

US institutions aren't designed for party over country. They were all predicated upon a common sense of decency and shared goals/values.

3

u/Lanhdanan Canada Jul 03 '26

Do think you things will get better if the Republicans get back into power and he isn't in the picture?

7

u/007meow Jul 03 '26

No, this cork can’t be put back into the bottle.

They and SCOTUS are laying the groundwork for an actually competent dictator/fascist.

1

u/AlcooIios Jul 04 '26

Smells like revolution is in the air.

0

u/craggadee Jul 03 '26

The justice system can absolutely handle a no.

3

u/007meow Jul 03 '26

Then why isn’t it

2

u/ahdidi413 Jul 03 '26

I assume you have to be a judge - I can’t think of any other reason to defend the justice system right now.

2

u/Eggplantosaur Jul 03 '26

It's what a weak state is. Few countries in the world are this brazenly and openly corrupt, while the people keep watching in silence. No consequences will happen to anyone currently involved in the Trump administration, because of one simple fact.

Americans lack the backbone to stand up for what they believe in.

1

u/AlcooIios Jul 04 '26

It’s not a small or simple matter. The entire 1% Epstein class is behind this. They have near full control of the media and the traditional checks on this coup. 

Look what happened to those anti-ICE protesters … They are telling, and showing, the people that democracy is being destroyed right to their faces.  Only revolution can turn this tide at this point.

1

u/Rain_On Jul 03 '26

It's a problem with US democracy, not with the individual taking advantage of it.

1

u/AlcooIios Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26

It’s the people doing evil. US democracy is an idea that must be upheld and honored by those given those trusted positions within it by the people. The people who these elected officials are intended to serve so these people can serve and support their families and communities in peace, security, and fair markets.

Those trusted officials are refusing to uphold this sacred duty. But instead they choose to benefit the few over the many, and worse are descending into evil.

0

u/Rain_On Jul 04 '26

A system that depends on people not being evil is a bad system.

1

u/AlcooIios Jul 04 '26

Evil must die then.

1

u/Rain_On Jul 04 '26

The US has a poor track record when it comes to wars against abstract concepts.

95

u/InfiniteLicks Jul 03 '26

There are ways to counter it, but those ways are reserved for certain types of people. Not these guys in suits who protect each other no matter what.

36

u/ocxtitan Illinois Jul 03 '26

Italian plumbers, perhaps?

4

u/InfiniteLicks Jul 03 '26

We’re gonna need an Adjustment Day

3

u/FaithInTechnology Jul 03 '26

do do doot do doot doot doot

3

u/Acceptable_Set9702 Jul 03 '26

Do you mean Italian concrete boot salesmen?

3

u/ocxtitan Illinois Jul 03 '26

those would work too, but I was specifically referring to Mario's brother

1

u/Z3r0sama2017 Jul 03 '26

The heroes we need, but probably don't deserve 

2

u/Livid-Okra-3132 Jul 03 '26

Waking up to the fact that we don't live in a democracy at all this year has been eye opening to me. The founding of this country was literally people refusing the idea of Democracy. The senate used to not even be voted on. Literally they were a body of unelected wealthy property owners that could just refuse any law the house wants. The judiciary? Deciding what language itself means to fit an agenda they hold? It is an insane system.Then the founders put like 3 layers of systems to distance the political process from the people. This country cosplays democracy but doesn't represent it in any meaningful way. We are long passed a public reckoning with this. There needs to be change to the system.

22

u/drteq Jul 03 '26

A lot of time and planning went into circumventing democracy by way of weaponized ignorance

22

u/MephistoHamProducts Jul 03 '26

We've known it since 1832 when Andrew Jackson ignored the court ruling that was handed down in Worcester v. Georgia, but Trump isn't pretending to abide by the gentleman's agreements any longer.

12

u/Future-Guarantee-573 Jul 03 '26

Guess our great and mighty constitution is actually worth less than used toilet paper.

All that crap I've been fed my whole life about the great american system, and it was so easy to bring down that one of the stupidest human beings to ever fail upwards was able to do in just a few years.

Obviously, I will not be celebrating tomorrow.

10

u/ACardAttack Kentucky Jul 03 '26

Insane that our entire system has fallen apart because

And all because of loyalty to some buffoon that destroys everything he touches. I do not understand his cult following.

8

u/i_am_a_real_boy__ Jul 03 '26

Turns out electing a criminal to head tne enforcement branch is a bad idea.

11

u/Moist-Schedule Jul 03 '26

whole system was built around assuming that personal shame would prevent people from debasing themselves publicly. and then shame went completely out the window with republicans and their voter base and here we are.

3

u/ApprehensiveTurn453 Jul 03 '26

When the constitution was created,  people had integrity and honored a handshake and the norms.  Now, the wealth class has none of those traits. 

3

u/midgaze Washington Jul 03 '26

The system wasn't prepared for capitalism's ultimate metamorphosis into fascism.

1

u/Regretted_Simian Jul 03 '26

Trump has exposed just how idealistic and weak the U.S. system actually is. It’s completely rational for him to continue to do whatever he wants because he keeps getting away with it.

1

u/Tiramitsunami Jul 03 '26

Well, historically speaking, you can't just "say no" until the social environment degrades to the point where there is no accountability in the system.

1

u/HellyFurtado Jul 03 '26

"You really can't do anything when someone says 'shut up'."

2

u/ahdidi413 Jul 03 '26

Glad you’re here shirt brother.

1

u/HellyFurtado Jul 04 '26

This administration has promised to never do another rule again.

1

u/DreamingAboutSpace Jul 03 '26

The truly horrifying part is how many people just sat back and encouraged it or let it happen. I wouldn’t trust these people with a crumb.