Well, here we are, with a looming constitutional crisis before us. I have to revert back to my undergraduate degree in American History to confirm that while we have been in some interesting crises over the past two hundred year span of American democracy, we have never been in a position where the President has sided with a foreign power who is not our friend, by any stretch of imagination, as opposed to our country’s interests.
Over the past year I have thought, even as others have called for Trump’s impeachment, that nothing he has done, warranted that heavy hand, and that it was best left to the voters to give control of the Congress to the Democrats and let the democratic process work it’s will to correct the problem.
After Trumps actions in the meeting with our Allies in NATO and then an absolutely unbelievable meeting with Putin in which he sided with Russia over our own experts and our own interests, I personally am on board with the impeachment process. I’m certain most Democrats, and a minority of Republicans, are in favor of impeachment, even if they don’t express it publicly. The only thing holding them back is a fear that Trump’s loyal base will rise up and cause major political problems for elected officials who espouse impeachment. It is past time for politicians to read all or at least portions of the Federalist Papers, written at the founding of our democracy.
Here is a quote found in the Federalist papers by Alexander Hamilton that politicians should read and take to heart as they worry about Trump’s supporters and their possible impact upon their reelection:
“When occasions present themselves in which the interests of the people are at variance with their inclinations, it is the duty of the persons whom they have appointed to be the guardians of those interests to withstand the temporary delusion in order to give them time and opportunity for more cool and sedate reflection. Instances might be cited in which a conduct of this kind has saved the people from very fatal consequences of their own mistakes, and has procured lasting monuments of their gratitude to the men who had courage and magnanimity enough to serve them at the peril of their displeasure.”
― Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers
It is time for small backboned politicians to represent this democracy, not their own prurient interests.
by Dick Goodson
Emeritus Chair, Des Moines Committee on Foreign Relations
Posted 7/24/18
3 Comments on "When Will It End?"
It would be better to concentrate our time on electing new democrats to offices in the November elections , so we can keep the real threat at bay till the next election in 2020, and so that we can fix the stupid things done by congress under this rubber stamp Trump .
We have feckless politicians unwilling to stand up to Trump. Even Senator Grassley criticized Trumps behavior and remarks in Helsinki, but then after Trump’s backtracking the following day, Grassley was willing to give Trump a pass. The more outrageous his actions, the more inertia on the part of Congress to act the role of the third branch of government. Unfortunately, the list of actions and aberrations done under the Trump banner will take years to recover for whomever follows him in the Oval Office.
The mendacity, egotism, vanity, immorality, and sense of entitlement have become so routine that the Republicans rarely call Trump out of his malfeasance. Rally the voters for the November elections!
I agree that we must rid our selves of “small-backboned” politicians if they can’t figure out how to grow a real spine, but until we have an informed electorate, we’re going to keep electing those same (types of) Congresscritters, Presidents and Judges. Or until the electorate gets pissed off enough to actually 1) throw the bums out! (we’ve done that before…) and 2) replace them with people who have spines – and character – and conviction – and dare I say it, integrity?
We have a great chance to do 1 and 2 this fall; are we up to the task ourselves? And if we do, are we going to expect a “quick fix”? Steve H is right; it will take years to undo the damage this administration/these Congresspeople have done to our Republic.