Trump’s behavior on January 6, 2021, more than anything else, obviates his right to vie for the presidency of the United States irrespective as to what his Supreme Court says.
I served on four corporate governing boards simultaneously, valued today at more than $600 billion; and I have no doubt about what my boards’ action would have been if a company president/CEO had fostered an attempt to usurp our governing power. Those boards’ primary mission was and remains profit. The primary mission of America’s government, as articulated by the founders, is to achieve the common good and for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people.
In America’s present condition, a FLAWED DEMOCRACY, of the two principal requisites for a legitimate, enduring, progressive, FULL DEMOCRACY –knowledgeable, involved Citizens, broadly representative of the entire population — normally second, is now primary. Involved citizenry is the greatest threat to an exploitative, oppressive, suppressive, and negligent political system, and, thus, the most crucial lever for the salvation of our most severely neglected citizens.
This requisite – Involved Citizenry – supersedes the other principal requisite, normally first — moral, ethical, and competent leaders at every level and across all major entities in the nation, government and non-government — by a significant degree.
Jefferson said, “…the people alone can protect us against the evils of kings, nobles, and priests (current day Autocrats, Fascists, Plutocrats, and Power Elites). Therefore, Involved Citizenry constitutes America’s Board of Governors.
We, in the COLLECTIVE, have failed to fulfill our primary “board” responsibility, so we blame America’s domestic enemies for having for having taken advantage of our indifference.
Both Requisites are now strongly influenced by America’s Maniacal National Political Party System, condemned by Jefferson, which includes all three major parties, in particular, and the “minor” parties.
To the party leaders, multi-partisanship that is actual and effective is not compromise; it is treason.
Unproductiveness has become normalized, certainly not the kind of leadership needed for efficacy in the current milieu.
There is no way a truly educated, loyal American could say that the condition of our nation is nearly as good as it could be or should be. At the same time, however, that same group could not say that the Advocators of Fascism and Despotism are the better choice for solving our national ills.
The leaders of all political parties have failed us; however, WE THE PEOPLE also failed because we did not hold the “leaders” we elected accountable for outcomes, as made obvious by our 90+ percent incumbency reelection rate, despite single digit congressional approval rates.
WE THE PEOPLE must assume the role of America’s Governing Board by going to the polls in every election and staying directly involved at the local levels as MLK, Jr., admonished us to do on August 28, 1963.
WE OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO DONALD TRUMP – he has clarified the choices for America’s highest national leadership position, the presidency, better than anyone before him has done, irrespective of political affiliation.He has called out all of us.
In recent decades, most Americans had learned or had been forced through lawsuits, disciplinary actions, firings, demotions, and school suspensions to avoid uttering certain statements and, certainly, to refrain from overt, objectively biased and racist actions.
Practically all Americans had learned to avoid offensive talk; however, not enough had learned to think differently and act positively. (From Whitney Young) Silence and stealth constituted the Modus Operandi for our worst enemies.
Thus, far too many members of formerly oppressed groups, like “drowners” grasping for straws, concluded that positive, permanent changes had been effected in the spirits, hearts and minds of the American citizenry, en masse. We had been playing let’s pretend that silence was a positive indicator.
The deplorable conduct that followed the November 2016 election, and that continues to exacerbate, is not an indication of a worsening of attitudes, but a revelation that such feelings had never left the nation and are now more readily acceptable.
People who joined the Republican Party prior to 2016 may genuinely have thought that they were joining Abraham Lincoln’s Party; were advocates for the Democratic Principles that were fostered by the Founders and Lincoln; and honestly thought the GOP had the best “plan” for achieving America’s founding principles. Nevertheless, by 2020, and especially after January 6, 2021, it had become abundantly clear that Radical Right, Extremists, Fascists, and corrupted Evangelicals had assumed control of the GOP.
Nevertheless, there are Republicans who are loyal to the Principles of Democracy. However, they may refrain from openly chastising members of their party who violate moral, ethical and justice principles for all. Many of them live in areas heavily populated by Republicans and if they overtly advocate for the Principles of Democracy, they are likely to be attacked, not only verbally, but also physically.
Let’s hope they will muster the courage in the voting booth to put America’s interests above party dictates.
Even more importantly, let’s hope that more Americans now understand the importance of VOTING!
