I hadn’t planned to write Congress today. But then Trump said what he said, and I had to. His words, as chilling and un-American as they are, will likely fade into the general terribleness of everything, but they stopped me cold. So as I said, I wrote a letter to my members of Congress, Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) and Senators Claire McCaskill (D) and Roy Blunt (R). It was off the cuff, not at all thought out, and probably a bit less smooth than my usual writing, but I thought it probably reflects how some of you feel, so I’m sharing it. Watch at least the first 17 seconds of this video, then read the letter, which I sent via Resistbot.
“[Kim Jong Un] speaks and his people stand up in attention. I want my people to do the same.” This morning, June 15, 2018, President Donald J. Trump openly admitted his dictatorial goals. Perhaps this is not technically treason, since we are not at open war with North Korea, but it is most certainly seditious.
Trump has threatened to strip the First Amendment rights of journalists he doesn’t like. He has suggested that his opponents should be thrown in prison. His spokesman, Rudy Giuliani, said that Peter Strzok should be “in jail by the end of next week.” FOR WHAT? Having an opinion? No. For opposing the president. Because as Trump has shown by his rejection of our allies and his approval of the murderous dictators Putin, Duterte, and Kim Jong Un, that is where he sees himself. That is where he wants to be. He has “joked” that the US will give president-for-life “a shot someday.”
Donald Trump has no intention of relinquishing control of this country in 2020, were he to lose. I believe that he would attempt to postpone the election, even. This is not a radical supposition. This is using past behavior to predict future behavior. Before the outcome of the 2016 elections, and even after, he said he was willing to challenge it because he didn’t think he had enough of a win. He has lied and lied and lied about voter fraud. He has done abhorrent things using executive orders and policies. And he has gotten away with every single bit of it.
Our country has its problems. It has always had its problems. Yet, until the past few years, I believed what Bill Clinton once said: “There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured with what is right with America.
I also thought, as I am sure many did, that our Constitution and the rule of law was sufficient to protect what is, I still believe, the best of all the deeply flawed forms of government available, a democratic republic that is supposed to serve all its citizens. Of course, it doesn’t and never truly has served all citizens equally, but we have a good foundation for getting there. But that foundation is crumbling before our eyes. We relied less on codified law than on presidential norms and customs to protect us from becoming subjects of a de facto king or dictator, to an extent that I think even you did not realize.
We the people, the American people, are terrified. And we are very, very angry. But most of us do not want a civil war or a violent revolution. We want only the chance to shape this country into its best self. We cannot possibly do that with a toxic, lying, destructive leader who cares only for himself, his money, his reputation, and his feckless, traitorous spawn—and who clearly has no intention of governing fairly or relinquishing power.
If we are to have any hope of restoring our country, Trump must be impeached. You have impeached a much better man for far less. Impeach now, while you still have the chance. Regardless of the outcome, history and the American people will not look kindly on you if you fail us.
Better yet, invalidate the election results. Restore Hillary Clinton to her rightful place as leader of this once-great nation. Or determine some other way to handle the situation. Yes, it is unprecedented. But so is nearly everything Trump does, and for the wrong reasons. There is a first time for everything. The Constitution can be amended. Laws can be passed.
You must stop our slide into fascism before it is too late.
Thank you.
