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To actually give an answer, it's because the Constitution very deliberately does not allow criminal convictions to disqualify someone. This was done because it was, and in plenty of places still is, common practice for a government to simply make up charges and arrest any opposition, thus disqualifying them from running.
You always have to look at this kind of stuff from the other side. Would you really want a Trump to be able to disqualify an opposing candidate for running a red light once twenty years ago?
I think it's good that Trump can technically run - but it's fucking embarrassing that he's managed to retain so much support.
Correct, but I think it's important to add that this is showing that the other systems of checks and balances that were supposed to be in place for frivolous crimes drummed up in the scenarios you're mentioning, are supposed to stop someone like trump from running.
Specifically the RNC and the Electoral college. Both of which have miserably failed in their jobs to prevent a dictator from taking power in the united states. As did our legislative side, fail to convict him on 2 airtight impeachment cases.
This is because the smaller half of our government (republicans), have completely sold out to trump, and there's no turning back from them. They're going to ride this ship into the ground.
You're correct, but the fundamental blame for that does lie with the voters, at the end of the day. No amount of structural protections can protect democracy from voters that do not care about it. At that point, they're just ink on a page.
Agreed.
Which is why voting is so incredibly difficult to do for the people who are the most exploited and marginalized in this country.