Since he can still run for office and become president while in prison, is this actually going to do anything to stop him from being president? Obviously it’s not gonna sway anyone who’s gonna vote for him, so is there any actual way this keeps him from office, or at least has some positive effect for us? I wanna join the celebration about this, but I don’t see any way it actually leads to a good outcome, just more deeply convince those for or against him that they’re right, maybe at best a few people on the fence about voting for Biden will be convinced by this. It just feels like theatrics, something to grab people’s attention that will never have any real effect on Trump or his campaign
Depends on what you mean by matter. The point of the criminal justice system is, theoretically, to determine who breaks the law, and to punish people who break the law. In that sense it matters because Trump was found guilty in a fair trial by a jury of his peers.
If what you mean is that it will change the politics of America, certainly. Trump is now running with the specter of a conviction hanging over him. Even assuming appeals and pardons, that fundamentally changes the nature of the election. It raises real and serious questions about how he could serve if under house arrest, parole, or in prison. It forces us to reckon with the balance of powers in this country - can a person dodge justice because they attain high office, or do we hold them accountable no matter what?
If what you mean is in reality, no it probably won’t do shit.