Absent a robust defense of our democracy by the Supreme Court or Congress, the citizenry must demand for Trump’s resignation. Whether the case is made for the rule of law to be applied to big business crimes and abuses, or against disastrous, dangerous, and delusionary delays and bungling of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is time for Patriots to act.
On June 5, the Portland Press Herald called for Trump to resign, urging Trump to ask himself – “Can the country take five more months like the last five?” The editorial said Trump’s “shortcomings are unleashing historic levels of suffering on the American people.”
When this staid newspaper took this position, it did not evaluate the prospect of success. That is not its responsibility. Nor should any such prejudgment of Trump’s rejection of resignation inhibit Congressional lawmakers, civic group leaders, columnists, and editorial writers, who have made the overwhelming case against corrupt Donald Trump. But, unfortunately, most of these people have failed to reach the obvious conclusion from their convictions.
The call for Trump’s resignation should never be withheld because of the odds of success. The demand itself is the necessity of our times.
1. Trump’s ignorance and ego-driven bungling and obstructions of professional scientific management of the COVID-19 pandemic occur daily. After weeks of delay fatal to tens of thousands of Americans, his continuing abandonment of presidential leadership in assuring supplies, facilities and critical coordination for the states warrant removal of this flailing, failing, careening so-called chief executive. America cannot wait until January 21, 2021, to stop the irreparable destruction.
2. The mass resignation demand highlights in an organized way the case for Trump’s removal that Congress possesses and has failed to pursue in both the House and Senate.
No one so guilty of violating the basic laws of our land, so corruptly selling our government to giant corporations while asking CEOs for campaign contributions should disgrace our White House any longer. Trump’s increasingly shrill bigotry, pressing for selective voter intimidation and suppression, and incitements to violence illustrates what Alexander Hamilton meant by calling “abuse of the public trust an impeachable offense.
3. The mass resignation demand will highlight the specifics of Trump’s damage to our country. He arbitrarily declares “economic emergencies” so as to make corporate crimes worse by literally stopping enforcement of consumer, worker, environmental and economic protections.
The resignation demand highlights Trump leaving young people defenseless against rapacious commercial universities and student loan exploiters, his support for freezing a $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage and other anti-worker slams.
4. Trump doubles down on his many outrageous refusals to “faithfully execute the laws,” spending monies not appropriated by Congress, pursuing nine wars undeclared by Congress, giving his cronies lucrative government contracts, all the while daily distracting with his news-cycle-dominating foul-mouth tweets and personal attacks.
The reliance on the election in November deters many civic groups from pressing for Trump’s eviction now.
Trump’s rampage will continue unless he is removed from office, whether by impeachment and conviction, or a massive public resignation demand that sinks his poll numbers, leading him to quit because he can’t stand losing the election.
5. Trump himself will nourish community-level resignation demands.
Already underway in GOP controlled states are pernicious efforts to obstruct voter registration such as the closing of precincts in minority areas, purging of certain voters, and harassment of low-income voters, including requiring notarized mail-in votes or launching inappropriate challenges of signatures. There are neither prosecutors nor judges who can or will stop these and other dictatorial ravages.
With Trump still in office, prepare for an election crisis, as he unleashes street violence and harassing lawsuits before favorable judges claiming the election was “rigged,” or “stolen,” no matter his margin of defeat. With the pandemic of COVID-19 still taking casualties, genuine conservatives and current and retired military people are seething against Trump repulsively and chaotically acting in their name.
The history of the Democratic Party, losing repeatedly to the worst Republican Party ever, is not propitious for the coming months. The stakes are too high to rely on the Democrats winning in November.
It is our obligation as citizens to organize and demand Trump’s resignation.
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