The real test of American democracy. I wrote this blog back in July, when I felt that Donald Trump’s increasing abuse of presidential power combined with his obvious fascination with and envy of, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping’s “President for life” status bode badly for what he might do if he lost the election in November. He had already told the President of China that there was a movement in the U.S. to change the Constitution to allow him to run for a third term. True or false, it doesn’t matter. He was obviously thinking in that direction, and I was positive some of his lawyers were already working on how he could become “President for life” as well.
Today, October 30th, Trump announced that, if he lost the election, he would not accept the result.
I said in that blog that the first step would be to figure out how to invalidate the election results if he loses. If his lawyers could figure out how to do that, and make it stick, the next step of running for a third term is an obvious progression.
That can’t possibly happen in America, you say. It only happens in third-world countries and dictatorships like Russia and China.
Are we really and absolutely sure about that?
Trump has shown a repetitive ability to say and do outrageous things and, for the most part, get away with them. Are we really sure he won’t just declare the election invalid and refuse to leave the White House? And now he has said exactly that.
Who would have the ability and will to order his arrest and forcibly evict him? The Republican Senate……you have to be joking! He is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and he unlikely to order his own eviction. So who would get rid of him?
Fantasy, perhaps but a perfectly possible scenario given his record.
It could be a real test of the strength of U.S. democracy. We all like to think it is unassailable, even sacrosanct, but is it really?
Even after all Trump’s excesses, and his total disregard of anything that does not flatter him or contribute to his re-election, a large portion of the country still seems to wholeheartedly and blindly support him. Why wouldn’t they support him as a “President for Life”?
The U.S. Constitution is over two-hundred and fifty years old. It is a remarkable document, all the more so because it’s still relevant today. However, it undoubtedly has its flaws. Are we sure there’s not something, somewhere, in that document that lawyers can twist to support such attempts from Trump. Even if there isn’t, he could easily just try it. Bluster and gall have worked well for him so far.
We should be vigilant.
America beware! This may be the real test of American Democracy.
