Citizens will soon decide whether the United States of America is to survive as a democratic republic. In a very close vote total, even those who choose not to vote by mail or in person at the polls may be in part responsible for the result. To Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, Donald Trump has already breached the requirements of the presidency, so they attempted to remove him from office by impeachment as set forth in the U.S. Constitution. Unfortunately, the Republicans are more committed to their party than to patriotism, and the impeachment failed. So now, the removal of a delinquent president is up to the people.
Candidates for high office will normally disagree on public issues. Indeed, Joe Biden’s proposals are not expected to be supported by Trump. However, the major fear among some Americans is that four more years of Trump’s aberrant conduct will destroy any belief in the nation’s fundamental principles.
While it has not been required by law, candidates for president have always published their tax returns for several years. This is to reveal any potential conflict of interest that might affect presidential decisions. And once elected, presidents are required to place all business properties in trust. Trump did not reveal his tax returns or establish a completely independent trust. The objective of those procedures is to involve the president exclusively in the business of the people. The president is to be essentially retired from personal business activity. The “emoluments clause” of the Constitution also prevents the president from receiving any compensation from doing business with the U.S. government, other than to receive his official salary.
A major responsibility of the president is to serve as commander in chief of all of the U.S. armed forces, as well as the states’ militia. That duty is to protect all citizens from any danger, foreign or domestic. In earlier times, all danger came from armed forces. Now invasive threats also include pandemics or cyberattacks. Trump has been deficient in the protection of Americans from all three forms of attack.
There has been no government response to reports that Russia has been paying bounties for the killing of American troops in Afghanistan. There has so far been no response from the president on the recent report from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that Russia interfered in the elections of 2016. And Trump has provided no leadership in coping with the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 has been devastating in the U.S., and the president seems to be insensitive to the deadly consequences. About 5,850,000 people in the country have been afflicted and 180,000 people have died. The lack of leadership and the lack of encouragement to utilize appropriate protective measures has caused more deaths and economic devastation in the U.S. as compared to countries in Europe. In fact, Trump has opposed wearing a mask, distancing and closing down businesses that would create hot spots. The pandemic has consequently increased the nation’s rate of unemployment.
Trump’s indifference to human suffering has taken lives and destroyed livelihoods. And he has continued to provide a defective quality of presidential leadership. He constantly disrespects the public with his incessant lies. According to the Washington Post that keeps track of his statements, Trump has told more than 20,000 lies or serious falsehoods during his time in office. That amounts to an average of 12 per day.
It comes as no surprise that Trump would want to remove any governmental process that records the level of accuracy and efficiency of his administration. In the 1970s the federal government established a system of inspectors general to review the integrity of the implementation by the executive administration of programs established by Congress. Trump has begun the process of firing inspector general staff so that his actions will have little legislative review.
In addition, Trump has induced the attorney general to pursue the concept that the president, while in office, is above the law. So far, the courts have not accepted the notion entirely. However, many Americans seem to be comfortable with that idea.
The realization of freedom and justice for all has been slow in coming to America. Another victory for Trump will erase much of the progress and send the nation in another direction. Trump would prefer the president to be an autocrat rather than the chief executive who must share the power of government with congress and the judiciary.
The people must now decide whether that is the kind of America we really want!
