How America Chose Not to Hold the Powerful to Account
Summary
The Atlantic op-ed argues that elite impunity is a deliberate American project, allowing powerful individuals to avoid accountability through courts, politics, and public opinion. It traces patterns from Nixon through the Trump era, highlighting Supreme Court rulings and anti-corruption gaps, and contrasts U.S. trends with other democracies. The piece concludes with a call to reframe American exceptionalism away from white-collar crime toward real accountability.