If Garland "is committed to returning the Department of Justice to pre-Trump norms," why continue to frame the problem as "Trumpism"? Isn't it time to admit that Trump was never some unique threat to the liberal order but rather that there never was a liberal order in the first place? The commitment to institutionalism Garland represents is a terrible threat to American democracy whether or not there ever was a Donald Trump.
"No doubt this is a factor, but equally important is Garland’s own preferences. Garland is an institutionalist who is committed to returning the Department of Justice to pre-Trump norms. Unfortunately, those norms include elite impunity."
Yes, well, the elite impunity is the problem. It's a been a problem with Trump for more than 40 years, given that the guy is (and was!) a known crook and running around NYC being an asshole for decades on end.
"Garland wants to return to the tried and true norms of pre-Trumpian Washington."
They aren't tried and true, they're unworkable and bad, but beloved by swamp critters. I expect Biden appointed Garland as some cutesy revenge move for failing to get the gone on the Supreme Court, but the evidence suggests he was merely a really poor choice for the SC on Obama's part. Performance-wise, having tried him out, it seems like a good time to sack him and get somebody else - if it's not working, it's not working. It's not like he's not going to get a extremely well-compensated job as a white shoe lobbyist after he leaves DOJ.
"On several key matters, Garland’s DOJ has concealed the full extent of Trump’s wrongdoing;"
There was a lot of refusing subpoenas and the like that should have been punished and wasn't. It's not a matter of concealing things (and it accomplishes that en passant) - it's matter of refusing to go after rich white people and crying constantly about a mildly increased crime rate (involving black people). The general response anytime such a person talks about the rising crime rate should be 'hey, fuck off schmuck!'. Can't stand on principle and moral authority if you have not got any. (Incidentally, Garland has severely underwhelmed here, but Bill Barr is and was (in the Bush the Elder administration too) a total scumbag.)
"Out of a desire to maintain the appearance of non-partisanship, Merrick Garland has become an enabler of Trumpism."
A little overly generous I think - he doesn't want to deal with the monsters and instead is leaving it to somebody else to do.
"Out of a desire to maintain the appearance of non-partisanship, Merrick Garland has become an enabler of Trumpism."
There's another issue: moral cowardice. Like many DAs who turned a blind eye to the Mafia in the late 20th Century, the Party of Death Threats has a Code of Silence (Omertà) enforced by "Made Men" like Tucker Carlson, who direct the hits at The Don's enemies. You've already written about this.
Garland possibly also fears for his life if he doesn't play along with the Trumpist La Cosa Nostra.
I wonder what kind of Supreme Court justice he would have been? Garland is not a profile in courage. He is a coward, but maybe he has reason to be worried about getting whacked. He and his family are as vulnerable to GQP intimidation as any DA would be.
If Garland "is committed to returning the Department of Justice to pre-Trump norms," why continue to frame the problem as "Trumpism"? Isn't it time to admit that Trump was never some unique threat to the liberal order but rather that there never was a liberal order in the first place? The commitment to institutionalism Garland represents is a terrible threat to American democracy whether or not there ever was a Donald Trump.
"No doubt this is a factor, but equally important is Garland’s own preferences. Garland is an institutionalist who is committed to returning the Department of Justice to pre-Trump norms. Unfortunately, those norms include elite impunity."
Yes, well, the elite impunity is the problem. It's a been a problem with Trump for more than 40 years, given that the guy is (and was!) a known crook and running around NYC being an asshole for decades on end.
"Garland wants to return to the tried and true norms of pre-Trumpian Washington."
They aren't tried and true, they're unworkable and bad, but beloved by swamp critters. I expect Biden appointed Garland as some cutesy revenge move for failing to get the gone on the Supreme Court, but the evidence suggests he was merely a really poor choice for the SC on Obama's part. Performance-wise, having tried him out, it seems like a good time to sack him and get somebody else - if it's not working, it's not working. It's not like he's not going to get a extremely well-compensated job as a white shoe lobbyist after he leaves DOJ.
"On several key matters, Garland’s DOJ has concealed the full extent of Trump’s wrongdoing;"
There was a lot of refusing subpoenas and the like that should have been punished and wasn't. It's not a matter of concealing things (and it accomplishes that en passant) - it's matter of refusing to go after rich white people and crying constantly about a mildly increased crime rate (involving black people). The general response anytime such a person talks about the rising crime rate should be 'hey, fuck off schmuck!'. Can't stand on principle and moral authority if you have not got any. (Incidentally, Garland has severely underwhelmed here, but Bill Barr is and was (in the Bush the Elder administration too) a total scumbag.)
"Out of a desire to maintain the appearance of non-partisanship, Merrick Garland has become an enabler of Trumpism."
A little overly generous I think - he doesn't want to deal with the monsters and instead is leaving it to somebody else to do.
elm
you don't have to pull your punches jeet
"Out of a desire to maintain the appearance of non-partisanship, Merrick Garland has become an enabler of Trumpism."
There's another issue: moral cowardice. Like many DAs who turned a blind eye to the Mafia in the late 20th Century, the Party of Death Threats has a Code of Silence (Omertà) enforced by "Made Men" like Tucker Carlson, who direct the hits at The Don's enemies. You've already written about this.
Garland possibly also fears for his life if he doesn't play along with the Trumpist La Cosa Nostra.
I wonder what kind of Supreme Court justice he would have been? Garland is not a profile in courage. He is a coward, but maybe he has reason to be worried about getting whacked. He and his family are as vulnerable to GQP intimidation as any DA would be.