Checks and Balances of the US Judiciary Have Blocked a Bull in a China Shop--Trump

 Checks and Balances of the US Judiciary Have Blocked a Bull in a China Shop--Trump

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)

 February 16, 2017

 Translation of an Except

Less than a month after a pompous and egotistic President Trump ascended to power, he has suffered two major setbacks in a row. First, after his "travel ban" against seven nations was challenged by the Washington State Attorney-General, both the United States District Court in Seattle and the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco refused to reinstate the ban. Secondly, his National Security Adviser Michael Flynn secretly contacted Russia and did not report the whole truth; he was forced to resign in a sudden move. The two things have shown: the judiciary, among the separation of the three powers in the United States, has demonstrated its function of checks and balances, rendering "Emperor Trump" unable to do what he had wanted to do.

The judiciary in the United States has established a solid and unwavering authority and reputation. The ruling of a single judge of the Federal District Court in Seattle could block Trump’s travel ban, and made the whole United States observe his ruling. This kind of authority and reputation has been established by the judiciary system through meticulously observing its functions and its limitations for over a century. As one of the three powers, the judiciary can and must also check and balance the President in accordance with the Constitution. Otherwise, if the President alone could go his own way, then how could democracy and the rule of law be maintained?

From this episode that the United States judiciary has blocked a bull in a china shop that is Trump, we can say that only when the judiciary acts on upholding human rights, pursuing justice, and fearing not political power, and checks and balances in a timely fashion, can it win the people's trust. In this aspect, Taiwan has a long way to go.

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