Give them what they want

Why would you propose the impossible when you can propose the possible? Whatever happened to the gift tax?

I bring these odd questions up because President Joe Biden the other day proposed term limits for Supreme Court justices and a constitutional amendment that would take away criminal immunity for presidents.

Finally something we can all agree on — no one thinks these proposals have any chance of becoming reality.

So why not do things that are possible?

Packing the court is an option. Maybe not a great option, but an option. Still, the Democratic majority may be a bit too thin right now.

No, the obvious solution is the gift tax.

We’ve all read about the lavish gifts from right-wing rich guys to Supreme Court justices who, I guess, forgot to report them. What we haven’t read about are any gift tax assessments on those gifts.

Admittedly, maybe the news coverage missed out on the tax payments, but do you really think the givers reported this stuff?

We need some serious tax enforcement to stop the purchase of justices.

This will be followed by lawsuits claiming the presents to justices are protected First Amendment speech. And the Supreme Court will agree.

Hmm. Maybe that won’t work.

(Quick aside: Do you wonder if any of those Supreme Court gift-givers deducted their gifts as business expenses?)

Ok, how about this: commit crimes.

The best way to make a conservative change their mind is to take advantage of what they say they want. They wanted presidential immunity so President Biden needs to use it to the fullest. He’s a lame duck and he’s got immunity. He needs to commit crimes that will make everyone wish for that constitutional amendment.

As concerned citizens, all of you reading this should be coming up with crimes that Biden could commit until next January. Send your suggestions directly to the White House.

I’ll start off with a few ideas to get you going.

The obvious crime Biden should commit is to shoot a random stranger on Fifth Avenue. He can say it was for national security. The preferred victim ought to be a guy in a suit and tie heading toward a hedge fund building.

(NOTE: I’m not advocating murder here. A flesh wound will do.)

The government eminent domain power should be used to purchase Mar-a-lago and turn it into a wildlife refuge to protect the environment (at least until Florida is under water).

Supreme Court justices should be arrested to protect the right to vote.

And, finally, if things go badly, the president should order his vice president not to certify the election. Isn’t that the vice president’s job?

After all this, the Supreme Court may want to reconsider its decisions.

By the way, do you remember when Republicans used to be in favor of gun control when they thought the Black Panthers were armed?

We need to give them what they want — no gun restrictions — and then arm antifa.

This is how you make change.

Categories / Op-Ed