Trump’s judicial testing of America

Donald Trump is the first former president of the United States to face criminal charges - 91 of them, to be precise, in four cases. Also, in three states he was barred from being a candidate in the Republican Party primaries for this year's presidential election.

He denies all the charges, claiming that he is the victim of a Democratic Party "witch hunt." He is almost certain to win the Republican nomination and could return to the White House. From there, as he proclaims, he will take revenge on all who sought to stand in his way.

But how can it be that the much-vaunted system of "checks and balances" is unable to stop Trump? The key reasons are three: The US Constitution does not bar the election to the presidency of someone who has been indicted or convicted; the Supreme Court appears to be on his side; his supporters are unfazed by all that he does, with enough...