Donald Trump Doomed By The Only Mistake That Really Counts.
Donald Trump made one critical mistake — and it is not what you first thought just now. His trip down the escalator at Trump Tower two years ago and his subsequent election have doomed him. As a private citizen, he was known to manipulate and threaten people whenever his interests were at risk. As president, he is unable to have goons call people and tell them to lay off of Trump “because we know where you live.” As a private citizen, he could hide his assets and income sources, refuse to pay vendors and inappropriately proposition young women. As president, he has been forced to use a different set of thuggery tools now in his quiver.
The awkward firing of James Comey has been called “Nixonian” by many media pundits. While partially accurate, this is a false equivalency. What we face today is much worse on the face of it. Watergate itself was a bungled domestic break-in. It was the cover-up and his firing of Archibald Cox that forced Nixon to resign. It’s always the cover-up. The critical difference today is we are looking at numerous investigations into potentially treasonous acts relating to a foreign government. The rules and resources are different and Donald Trump is at least partially ensnared in interlocking investigatory spider webs and it is no secret they always come back when knocked down.
I read many FBI employees were in shock and reacted with anger and tears over Comey’s termination. It is likely five or six — or more — of them will not allow the individual Trump puts in charge of the FBI to sit on an active investigation or impede the actions of a much-needed independent prosecutor.
Our form of representative democracy has been at risk for some time and the cracks have grown larger over the past decade. Manipulation of voting districts, impeding the right to vote for minorities and relaxed campaign-finance regulations capped by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling loom large. This remains a combustible environment when combined with a continuation of skewed income inequality in favor of the top 10% and a much talked about but still neglected middle class. We also face rapidly declining education standards and a viral, spiteful ignorance that stems from only listening to sources that mesh with an individual’s way of thinking.
Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump tapped into the fears and concerns in the heart of many Americans in the 2016 election. President Trump has now proven himself to be the fever we must break to re-engage with the idealistic and powerful vision of America our Founders outlined in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. All of the factors outlined above — and others — are eroding our form of government and these times and the actions of this administration require our institutions and politicians to step up and keep us from tumbling further into the abyss of totalitarianism.
Yes, our representative democracy is battered and bruised but it is not dead. We are indeed at a defining moment with the firing of James Comey and those U.S. Justice officials who were terminated since January. It is a time for even just a very few of those on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill to come forward and clearly stand up for country over party.
Those who knowingly impede the march to truth and justice on the Russia investigation may even find themselves at legal risk. Those who just stand by and watch the spiraling descent into chaos or worse caused by this administration will be stained for the rest of their lives.
I’m sharing two key U.S. Code provisions relating to treason. It’s important to note again that Watergate started as a domestic break-in, while Russia is a foreign country actively working to destabilize and diminish our country. Anyone who actively supports suppression of the facts in this case or simply sits idly by to reap short term political gain care not one iota for our country and the people who live in it.
18 U.S. Code § 2382 — Misprision of treason
U.S. Code › Title 18 › Part I › Chapter 115 › § 2382
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States and having knowledge of the commission of any treason against them, conceals and does not, as soon as may be, disclose and make known the same to the President or to some judge of the United States, or to the governor or to some judge or justice of a particular State, is guilty of misprision of treason and shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than seven years, or both.
18 U.S. Code § 2381 — Treason
U.S. Code › Title 18 › Part I › Chapter 115 › § 2381
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
