Trump's Republican enablers are complicit in the state of our democracy
I have not been one to argue that the United States under President Trump is on the verge of turning into a tyranny. But it is clear that, left to his own devices, Trump would act with little regard to law, precedent or the Constitution. As president, he has shown a willingness to shut down investigations into his conduct, offer pardons to those whose lawbreaking he approves of, and punish media organizations and social media platforms that are, in his mind, biased against him.
Even many of his supporters will privately say we need not worry about Trump because his excesses are always checked. But the American system does not work through magic. It needs its other leaders judges, bureaucrats, generals and, above all, politicians to speak out when they see blatant abuses of power. Some have done so most recently senior military leaders but one gaping hole remains. That is the one inside the presidents own party.
On Monday evening, in Lafayette Square, in the shadow of the White House, police in riot gear descended upon a peaceful protest which is explicitly protected in the Constitution and disbanded the demonstration using force and weaponry, including pepper balls, smoke canisters and rubber bullets. The protesters were not violating a curfew or committing acts of violence. The police used brute force on law-abiding citizens so that the president could stage a photo op holding a Bible in front of a church.
When asked to comment on this dangerous abuse of governmental authority, which flashed across every news channel and website in the world, the presidents allies had this to say. Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.) wouldnt comment because he wasnt there. One wonders whether he will from now on comment only on world events at which he is physically present. Several senators Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) demurred because they didnt watch it closely enough, in Romneys words. Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) said they were late for lunch. A few Republican senators did break with the president, but others went out of their way to defend him. Ted Cruz (Tex.) who used to describe Trump as utterly amoral and a pathological liar said the only abuse of power was by the protesters themselves.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trumps-republican-enablers-are-complicit-in-the-state-of-our-democracy/2020/06/04/311ee55c-a69f-11ea-bb20-ebf0921f3bbd_story.html
safeinOhio
(32,688 posts)Farmers were the first group to support Hitler.
They were also the first to be sent to the Russian Front. L
elleng
(130,974 posts)Karadeniz
(22,537 posts)Decency to turn on Nixon.
dawg day
(7,947 posts)-the very chaotic and immoral king, Henry VIII. Cromwell is like Trump's enablers (just much, much smarter and more competent) who knows his only power is staying near the tyrant.
Henry VIII was charming and talented along with being brutal and vengeful. Trump has no charm and little talent, but he's got that same "divine right of kings" attitude, and the same belief that any offense to him must be punished.
I remember thinking, "Well, Trump doesn't BEHEAD his ex-wives and his fired servants." But then I realized that he probably would if he could get away with it, and he certainly thinks he has the right to do so. "I could shoot someone on 5th Avenue...."
-Laelth