America of America is at a precarious second. Our constitutional republic is hanging by a thread when the president himself appears unsure about his obligation to uphold the Structure — whereas those that do are being honored for his or her braveness, as if constancy to our founding rules have been distinctive slightly than elementary. The U.S. Structure is what holds us collectively as a nation. With out allegiance to it, I worry we threat shedding our very id.
In the meantime, the legislative department envisioned by our founders as having probably the most energy has utterly abdicated its responsibility of excellent governance, surrendering as an alternative to partisanship.
President Donald Trump appeared on NBC Information’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning. When Host Kristen Welker requested whether or not due course of ought to apply to each residents and noncitizens, citing the Fifth Modification, Trump replied “I don’t know. I’m not, I’m not a lawyer.”
Welker adopted up: “Don’t it is advisable uphold the Structure of the USA as president?” Trump’s response was troubling. “I don’t know. It appears — it would say that, however in the event you’re speaking about that, then we’d need to have 1,000,000 or 2 million or 3 million trials,” the president responded. “Now we have 1000’s of individuals which are — some murderers and a few drug sellers and a number of the worst individuals on Earth. … I used to be elected to get them the hell out of right here and the courts are holding me from doing it.”
In a time when management ought to reaffirm our dedication to the Structure, uncertainty in its protection is just not solely troubling — it threatens the very cloth of our republic.
However much more regarding was this trade. Welker requested whether or not he wanted to “uphold the Structure of the USA as president” and Trump stated: “I’ve to reply by saying, once more, I’ve good legal professionals that work for me, and they’re going to clearly comply with what the Supreme Court docket stated.”
The president should acknowledge that he’s chargeable for the execution and enforcement of legal guidelines created by Congress, to not defer to the present U.S. Supreme Court docket, however to uphold the Structure itself. But, he appears poised to disregard this sacred accountability with out consequence.
Simply over 100 days in the past, Trump took his oath for the second time: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I’ll faithfully execute the Workplace of President of the USA, and can to one of the best of my capability, protect, defend and defend the Structure of the USA.”
Within the sitcom “Associates,” Chandler tells Rachel and Ross that his girlfriend Janice is mad at him. Chandler tells his buddies “Janice requested me, do I look fats at the moment, and I checked out her.” Wherein Ross jumps in and responds “You checked out her? You by no means look. You simply reply. It’s like a reflex.” Rachel and Ross clarify to Chandler that there may be no pause, you simply must reflexively have the ability to reply.
To not diminish the precarious scenario the nation is in by quoting a tv comedy collection, however the identical instinctive certainty needs to be anticipated from all elected officers, and particularly our chief government, when requested whether or not they may uphold the Structure of the USA. There needs to be no hesitation and a proud exclamation of “Sure!”
The occasions of Jan. 6, 2021, made one factor unmistakably clear. Donald Trump holds no love or dedication to our constitutional order. He ought to by no means have been entrusted with holding the best workplace once more.
The Founding Fathers understood the potential for corruption and established the method for impeachment and Congress’ accountability with it in Article II, Part 4 of the Structure. Sadly, uncontrolled partisanship has prevented Congress from upholding its authority. With no significant effort to revive accountability, presidential energy continues to go unchecked.
On the exact same day that Trump refused to decide to upholding the Structure, Vice President Mike Pence obtained the John F. Kennedy Library Basis 2025 Profile in Braveness Award “for placing his life and profession on the road to make sure the constitutional switch of presidential energy on January 6, 2021.”
Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Jack Schlossberg highlighted the importance of Pence’s actions stating, “Regardless of our political variations, it’s arduous to think about an act of larger consequence than Vice President Pence’s choice to certify the 2020 presidential election throughout an assault on the U.S. Capitol. Upholding his oath to the Structure and following his conscience, the Vice President put his life, profession, and political future on the road. His choice is an instance of President Kennedy’s perception that an act of political braveness can change the course of historical past.”
That is the dire scenario we’re in as a rustic: The president of the USA brazenly questions whether or not he should abide by the Structure, whereas we really feel compelled to present out awards to courageous women and men who do.
Solely when members of Congress prioritize placing the nation over celebration, as Pence did, will we now have any hope of rebuilding this nice experiment. Sadly, I’m not holding my breath.
