Supreme Court Decision: Trump Restored to Colorado Ballot Sparks Controversy

The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling to restore Donald Trump to Colorado's presidential primary ballots has ignited a wave of controversy, raising questions about accountability, the rule of law, and the implications for future elections. The decision, made in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, has left many Americans divided and uncertain about the path forward.

Legal Argument and Tellwut Survey Results

Lawyers for Republican and independent voters who sued to remove Trump's name from the Colorado ballot had argued that there is ample evidence that the events of Jan. 6 constituted an insurrection and that it was incited by Trump, who had exhorted a crowd of his supporters at a rally outside the White House to "fight like hell." They said it would be absurd to apply Section 3 to everything but the presidency or that Trump is somehow exempt. Section 3 of the 14th amendment of the Constitution states: "No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability." We asked over 2600 Tellwut members and found that when asked if they think Trump incited an insurrection, 55% of respondents answered yes, 30% said no, and 15% were undecided. Tellwut member scouthward commented "I watched the speeches by Trump and his cronies on J6. I watched the attacks on the Capitol all afternoon. There is no doubt that Trump tried to incite an insurrection. None." however Lazer58 states "He couldn't incite something that never happened. There was no insurrection there was a riot no different than all the BLM riots in 2020."

Chief Justice's Concerns and Survey Results

Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts said if the Colorado decision is upheld, other states will proceed with disqualification proceedings of their own for either Democratic or Republican candidates. "And it will come down to just a handful of states that are going to decide the presidential election. That's a pretty daunting consequence," Roberts said. We asked our Tellwut members if they agree with Roberts that States should not have the power to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency and found that 55% do agree. Tellwut member jeebus44 said "Colorado, and any other state that wants to remove Trump from the ballot, have clearly overstepped their boundaries. Federal matters, like a presidential election, are not within their purview." while sdouglass left a passionate comment, stating "Do you think Colorado and the other states should ignore this ruling like Alabama did with voting rights in July 2023 or like Texas did regarding razor wire? Some of the things I can contend with like states removing candidates due to their political affiliation. Then I think, well hell if the Supreme Court left the decision of women's health care up to each state ANYTHING and everything is fair game."

Public Opinion and Tellwut Member Quotes

The controversy surrounding Trump's reinstatement to the ballot has prompted Tellwut members to voice their opinions on the matter. When asked if they had to vote today, 35% said Trump, 40% said Biden and 25% said neither. As this issue boils down to Trump being on the ballot, we asked our members if they think Trump should be on the ballot with 38% in favor and 51% against, and 11% were undecided. Tellwut member Jen444 commented "He hasn't been convicted of an Insurrection. That should be needed to kick him off the ballots anywhere. NOT that I am sticking up for him BUT we don't punish anyone unless they have been convicted. It would be a terrible precedent to set if we did--especially for average citizens." Meanwhile,  Mericson said "People who are in favor of keeping a candidate they don't agree with off the ballot must love people like Vladimir Putin and yearn for the former USSR and Joseph Stalin. It's just another example of how the democrat party has turned so far to the radical left. Anytime they disagee, they will immediately try to change the law just to satisfy their radical insane agenda, destroy America."

Conclusion

As the debate rages on, one thing remains clear: the Supreme Court's decision to restore Trump to the Colorado ballot has reignited discussions about accountability, justice, and the integrity of the electoral process. The fallout from this ruling is likely to reverberate far beyond the confines of Colorado, shaping the political landscape for years to come. The question now is how we, as a nation, choose to navigate these turbulent waters and uphold the principles upon which our democracy stands.