Whether the majority of the American public realize it or not, our Democracy is under attack. In fact, Congress, the First Branch of our democratic government established in the Constitution of the United States of America is systematically and pervasively being attacked by a lawless Executive Branch who in every way is seeking to destroy the constitutional prerogatives of the First Branch, while seeking to obstruct justice and The Rule of Law. If the Congress of these United States do not fight this war with our outlaw Executive Branch with every tool at their disposal, with every ounce of their fervor and courage, we can forever kiss our democracy goodbye. Period. We are not only now in a Constitutional Crisis, a question remains whether our republic as it was established for over two centuries can endure this assault on all of the rights that Americans for generations have fought and died for and now take utterly for granted.
The story is frequently told that after Benjamin Franklin emerged from the Constitutional Convention, when asked by a lady what sort of government America now had, that he replied, “We have a Republic, Madam, if you can keep it.” This foretells what the Founders always knew to be true: A Democracy must be carefully cultivated, fought for, and encouraged by a well-informed and caring citizenry. As the Washington Post reminds us daily, “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” Indeed, our Democracy is being killed right before our eyes. Does anyone care? Will our Congress stand up for the powers invested in it by our Constitution to hold a lawless Executive in check? Will our Judiciary Branch? Will the American public demand accountability?
All of these uncomfortable questions lead me to the most uncomfortable question of them all. Will the gutless democrats in the House actually begin doing the job that they were elected to do in the 2018 election, to act as a true check and a balance on this lawless administration? OR will they continue to wimp out and wait for the public to demand that they do their duty? We know, after all, that the Republican Party and virtually all of their elected leaders have opted to tie themselves to the mast of their sinking ship of their Russian-appointed president. Talk about your Ship of Fools! All we can do is hope that they all go down with #45. I, for one, cannot wait to see their sorry asses heading out of Washington, DC, with their traitorous tails between their legs. That they have betrayed their country and their sworn oaths to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States can no longer be in doubt to any thinking American who is paying attention. The whole lot of them must be turned out of office. And the Republican Party as it is now constituted needs to die and be buried once and for all.
As to the Democrats, who are our only hope left, are they FINALLY going to step up to the plate and fight our Democracy or will they continue to whimper and complain but basically do nothing, bringing a knife to a gunfight. The president and his minions are shooting at them with guns, machine guns and cannon fire, while the Democrats keep acting as though a contempt citation is going to cut it with the outlaws in the Executive Branch. The Democratic House needs to think about using their powers to arrest those who are breaking the law. When Steve Mnuchin and AG Bill Barf are both walked in handcuffs into a holding cell in the basement of the people’s House, then others who are defying legal subpoenas may think twice about defying Congress.
I keep hearing the argument that Congress has not utilized its power to imprison those who do not obey legal subpoenas since 1934 so the Congress should not resort to such a regressive action. To which I say, Bullshit. This excuse is NOT a good one given the current circumstances; it only tells me that Congress once upon a time many decades ago actually stood up to defend their constitutional rights and standing, and that our current Congress doesn’t intend to do the same, even as the enemy is at the gate, tearing down our Constitution each and every day. Did they take an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic, or did they not? It is past time that the House Democrats, and in particular Speaker Nancy Pelosi, grow a pair and do their job.
They must step forward and declare war with the unconstitutional stance of this president and his political hacks and lackeys. If Congress could throw people in jail for breaking the law in 1934 they sure as hell can and must do it now. Otherwise, they should just pack up and come home and leave our newly declared Dictator and Emperor on his usurped throne. They must declare that if the president is going to act like a Dictator that they will begin treating him like one. And in America, Dictators get thrown out on their ass. They must declare Impeachment Hearings now in session and do it now and lead the American public toward what must be done to preserve our Democracy by patiently informing the public through Impeachment Hearings what this criminal president and his criminal family and criminal businesses have been up to. Call it an Impeachment Hearing and begin acting as such, putting all of the information and all of the witnesses under oath and on national television.
Once the public understands that these are IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS and not merely investigations, the American public will come to see that our Democracy is under attack. You can’t have a real war if you don’t declare it. The Executive Branch has declared war on our Congress. The Congress needs to start acting like it, and stop pussyfooting around the edges while our Constitution and all of the institutions of the Federal Government are.
To this end, the Judiciary Branch needs to get its butt in gear, too, and recognize that these are not times for business as usual, not when our very Democracy is under assault. They must expedite every court proceeding and not allow the lawless bunch of thugs in the administration to threaten The Rule of Law by wasting all of our courts' time and patience. The Judiciary must be willing to force arrests when and if necessary, and to act not only judicially but quickly in the nation's interests and not the president's.
However long it takes—and it must happen far sooner than later, we must see McGahan forced to testify before congressional committees, and we must see Mueller to testify to Congress. Both must report the truth about all of the crimes that were and still are committed by our president. Then Barr, Mnuchin, and all the other Banana Republicans who have done this vile president’s bidding, need to be exposed for the truly vile and rotten swamp creatures that they are.
The story is frequently told that after Benjamin Franklin emerged from the Constitutional Convention, when asked by a lady what sort of government America now had, that he replied, “We have a Republic, Madam, if you can keep it.” This foretells what the Founders always knew to be true: A Democracy must be carefully cultivated, fought for, and encouraged by a well-informed and caring citizenry. As the Washington Post reminds us daily, “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” Indeed, our Democracy is being killed right before our eyes. Does anyone care? Will our Congress stand up for the powers invested in it by our Constitution to hold a lawless Executive in check? Will our Judiciary Branch? Will the American public demand accountability?
All of these uncomfortable questions lead me to the most uncomfortable question of them all. Will the gutless democrats in the House actually begin doing the job that they were elected to do in the 2018 election, to act as a true check and a balance on this lawless administration? OR will they continue to wimp out and wait for the public to demand that they do their duty? We know, after all, that the Republican Party and virtually all of their elected leaders have opted to tie themselves to the mast of their sinking ship of their Russian-appointed president. Talk about your Ship of Fools! All we can do is hope that they all go down with #45. I, for one, cannot wait to see their sorry asses heading out of Washington, DC, with their traitorous tails between their legs. That they have betrayed their country and their sworn oaths to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States can no longer be in doubt to any thinking American who is paying attention. The whole lot of them must be turned out of office. And the Republican Party as it is now constituted needs to die and be buried once and for all.
As to the Democrats, who are our only hope left, are they FINALLY going to step up to the plate and fight our Democracy or will they continue to whimper and complain but basically do nothing, bringing a knife to a gunfight. The president and his minions are shooting at them with guns, machine guns and cannon fire, while the Democrats keep acting as though a contempt citation is going to cut it with the outlaws in the Executive Branch. The Democratic House needs to think about using their powers to arrest those who are breaking the law. When Steve Mnuchin and AG Bill Barf are both walked in handcuffs into a holding cell in the basement of the people’s House, then others who are defying legal subpoenas may think twice about defying Congress.
I keep hearing the argument that Congress has not utilized its power to imprison those who do not obey legal subpoenas since 1934 so the Congress should not resort to such a regressive action. To which I say, Bullshit. This excuse is NOT a good one given the current circumstances; it only tells me that Congress once upon a time many decades ago actually stood up to defend their constitutional rights and standing, and that our current Congress doesn’t intend to do the same, even as the enemy is at the gate, tearing down our Constitution each and every day. Did they take an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic, or did they not? It is past time that the House Democrats, and in particular Speaker Nancy Pelosi, grow a pair and do their job.
They must step forward and declare war with the unconstitutional stance of this president and his political hacks and lackeys. If Congress could throw people in jail for breaking the law in 1934 they sure as hell can and must do it now. Otherwise, they should just pack up and come home and leave our newly declared Dictator and Emperor on his usurped throne. They must declare that if the president is going to act like a Dictator that they will begin treating him like one. And in America, Dictators get thrown out on their ass. They must declare Impeachment Hearings now in session and do it now and lead the American public toward what must be done to preserve our Democracy by patiently informing the public through Impeachment Hearings what this criminal president and his criminal family and criminal businesses have been up to. Call it an Impeachment Hearing and begin acting as such, putting all of the information and all of the witnesses under oath and on national television.
Once the public understands that these are IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS and not merely investigations, the American public will come to see that our Democracy is under attack. You can’t have a real war if you don’t declare it. The Executive Branch has declared war on our Congress. The Congress needs to start acting like it, and stop pussyfooting around the edges while our Constitution and all of the institutions of the Federal Government are.
To this end, the Judiciary Branch needs to get its butt in gear, too, and recognize that these are not times for business as usual, not when our very Democracy is under assault. They must expedite every court proceeding and not allow the lawless bunch of thugs in the administration to threaten The Rule of Law by wasting all of our courts' time and patience. The Judiciary must be willing to force arrests when and if necessary, and to act not only judicially but quickly in the nation's interests and not the president's.
However long it takes—and it must happen far sooner than later, we must see McGahan forced to testify before congressional committees, and we must see Mueller to testify to Congress. Both must report the truth about all of the crimes that were and still are committed by our president. Then Barr, Mnuchin, and all the other Banana Republicans who have done this vile president’s bidding, need to be exposed for the truly vile and rotten swamp creatures that they are.