Opinion | The wisdom of Judge Merchan's Trump sentencing order

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

56% : Trump posted on Truth Social that if it takes place, his sentencing would be "the end of the presidency as we know it."
49% : Wednesday morning, Trump escalated the appellate process, petitioning the United States Supreme Court to intervene on his behalf.
43% : The key to making sure Trump can't wipe out the jury's verdict is completing the appellate process.
41% : And Trump has already benefited enough from delay.
38% : Trump wants the jury verdict, an assessment of his guilt made by his peers, to just go away.
35% : Trump will be 82 when he leaves office.
34% : Once Trump is sentenced, he has 30 days to file.
33% : Trump used the Supreme Court's ruling last year to delay his sentencing date to a point so close to the inauguration that a sentence including incarceration was no longer a realistic possibility.
32% : If that happens, at the end of the appellate process there will be finality for the conviction, which means Trump will forever be a convicted a felon.
31% : Trump was convicted after a fair and extensive trial.
31% : Trump now wants to erase that verdict and escape being forever labeled a "convicted felon."
28% : Trump will have simply been treated like everyone else tried and convicted in the criminal justice system, where sentencing follows conviction.
26% : The criminal conduct in the Manhattan case occurred before Trump became president and was clearly personal, not presidential, conduct.
21% : Trump will be able to argue his conviction should be reversed.
20% : On Monday, Trump tried to persuade Judge Merchan to hold off on the sentencing.
18% : Judge Merchan indicated upfront that he wasn't inclined to sentence Trump to time in prison and indeed that he was leaning toward an unconditional discharge -- meaning Trump wouldn't have to pay a fine or be supervised by a probation officer.

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