The Trump administration's recent actions have raised concerns about accountability and the potential erasure of history. The publication of a 52-page legal opinion declaring the 1978 Presidential Records Act unconstitutional, authored by a jurist involved in overturning the 2020 election, is a troubling development. This opinion, combined with Trump's planned 'presidential library' in Miami, a waterfront skyscraper that appears more like a hotel, sends a clear message: the former president is seeking to avoid accountability for his deeds. The indifference displayed by Trump towards archiving and preserving records is not new, as evidenced by his actions after his first administration, where he took documents from the White House to Florida. This behavior is particularly concerning given the ongoing investigation into mishandling classified documents, led by Jack Smith, which has resulted in 40 felony counts. The Trump administration's transparency claims are also questionable, as they have been marked by impunity and the erasure of history, especially for those engaging in illegal activities. The pardoning of violent January 6 insurrectionists and the removal of those involved in establishing the facts about them from the FBI and the Department of Justice further underscore this point. The administration's actions have raised questions about the public's right to accountability and the potential for political motivated amnesia. To counter this, Democrats can push for record-keeping and shame those scrubbing websites and historical explanations. They can also consider designing a truth commission, which, while often seen as a failure, can help question witnesses and produce videos that clearly show the violence that GOP members wish to forget. The pardon power, adopted from the British monarch, is another area of concern. While the Supreme Court's decision granted the president virtually total immunity, the possibility of a constitutional amendment to clarify and limit this power should be considered. The post-Trump era of political system reconstruction should include this on the agenda, as the founders intended for a president prone to abusing the pardon power to be impeached, ensuring circumspection and accountability.
