McLarenblog

QUESTION: Why is it that hundreds, maybe thousands of Americans are in jail for doing incredibly less than Donald Trump?

ANSWER1: The easy answer is the profound ignorance of a very large population of Republicans politicians who think it more important to achieve current self serving political goals and objectives than adhering to the principles of the Constitution.

ANSWER 2: Project 2025 is a long-term strategy developed by the Heritage Foundation to advance a conservative agenda in the federal government. The project includes the “Mandate for Leadership,” a document detailing policy changes and a staffing plan to prepare government appointees. Critics have raised concerns about the project’s proposals to consolidate executive power, circumvent Senate confirmation, and cut federal spending. The Center for American Progress characterized it as an “authoritarian guide”. Policies aligned with the plan have reportedly been implemented, despite Donald Trump’s disassociation from the project he has followed it.

ANSWER 3:  Donald Trump is a complex issue rooted in the American legal system. The disparities in accountability arise from a combination of legal, structural, and political factors.

1. Legal and Procedural Factors

• The Power of Counsel and Resources: Wealthy individuals and public figures can afford highly experienced, aggressive legal teams. These teams often succeed in delaying, suppressing evidence, or negotiating favorable plea deals that allow them to avoid jail time, a luxury not available to most defendants.
• Case Specifics and Evidence: Even if actions seem similar, the specific details of the law, the quality of evidence, and the ability to prove intent differ wildly between cases.
• Immunity and Presidential Privilege: As a former and returning president, Donald Trump has benefited from legal arguments regarding presidential immunity, with the Supreme Court ruling that presidents have immunity for official acts.
• Prosecutorial Discretion: Prosecutors have significant discretion in deciding whether to bring charges, which charges to bring, and whether to pursue prison time. Cases involving high-profile, political figures often face higher scrutiny and different strategic decisions than, for example, drug offenses, which constitute a huge portion of federal prison populations.

Answer 4:  Disparities in the Justice System

• Class and Wealth Inequality: The justice system often treats individuals differently based on their economic status. The poor and middle class often face faster convictions and harsher penalties, while the wealthy and politically connected are less likely to face significant jail time.
• Systemic Biases: Studies show that racial and socioeconomic disparities are persistent in the federal sentencing system, with Black and Hispanic defendants often receiving longer sentences than white defendants for the same crimes.
• The “Two-Tier” System: Critics argue there is a two-tiered system where the well-connected, high-profile, or wealthy can navigate legal challenges differently than the average citizen, resulting in cases that appear to have unequal outcomes.

3. Political Nature of Crimes

• Politically Motivated Charges: Some legal challenges against political figures are, or are perceived to be, politically motivated, causing legal battles to become drawn-out political, rather than purely legal, fights.
• The Power of the Pardon: The executive branch has the power to pardon, which can directly eliminate consequences for supporters and political allies, as seen with several individuals in the Trump organization.

4. Specific Cases and Outcomes

• Convicted But No Jail Time: In the New York hush money case, Donald Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts but received an “unconditional discharge” (no jail or probation).
• Dismissed Cases: Federal cases regarding classified documents and election interference were dismissed following his 2024 election win, largely due to Department of Justice policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

While some individuals have been imprisoned for “lesser” crimes (such as campaign finance violations or falsifying records), their situations lacked the legal resources, the high-level legal defenses of presidential immunity, and the political protections that surround a former president.

ANSWER 4: Project 2025 is a long-term strategy developed by the Heritage Foundation to advance a conservative agenda in the federal government. The project includes the “Mandate for Leadership,” a document detailing policy changes and a staffing plan to prepare government appointees. Critics have raised concerns about the project’s proposals to consolidate executive power, circumvent Senate confirmation, and cut federal spending. The Center for American Progress characterized it as an “authoritarian guide”. Policies aligned with the plan have reportedly been implemented, despite Donald Trump’s disassociation from the project he has followed it.

QUESTION: Why is that the Supreme Court fails to protect the constitution?  “This term, extreme right-wing justices on the Supreme Court have abandoned settled law; constitutional principles; and their own institutional integrity for the purpose of advancing an antidemocratic, far-right policy agenda.”

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-supreme-court-has-fully-embraced-an-antidemocratic-right-wing-agenda/

Question: Why has Donald Trump failed to adhere to the full and complete intention of the US Constitution?

Answer: “ In the more than 150 executive orders (EOs) that President Trump has issued during the first four months of this term, he frequently asserts that he is acting under authority granted him by Article II of the Constitution. In fact, the Constitution is intended to limit the powers of the presidency, not provide nearly limitless authority as President Trump is contending. The Constitution does not give a president the power to violate the Constitution, create or change congressional statutes, or override U.S. Supreme Court decisions—no matter what the EOs say.

When a president acts beyond the scope of his constitutional powers, members of his administration and the other branches of government must step in to stop him, lest the nation face not just a constitutional crisis but also the dismantling of American democracy. Congress has thus far failed to serve as a check on executive overreach, perhaps out of fear of political retribution. Thus, it is falling to the courts to robustly fulfill their constitutional role in policing the executive branch when it violates the Constitution and the laws as enacted by Congress.”

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-president-and-constitutional-violations-will-the-federal-courts-contain-the-presidents-power-grabs/

QUESTION:  Congress has not stopped the erosion of the reputation of the United States.  Why?

ANSWER: “Congress has largely failed to stop the erosion of the U.S. reputation due to intense partisan polarization, a decline in its own constitutional authority relative to the executive branch, and fear of political retribution. Hyper-partisan dynamics mean that when the same party controls the presidency, Congress often acts as a check-in-name-only, declining to provide oversight or restrain executive actions.”

Posted January 23, 2026 by Score Card.