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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJonathan Capeheart: Stop wondering who's going to save us from Trump
by Jonathan Capehart July 25 at 10:57 AM
No matter where I am, here in Washington or elsewhere in the United States, the question is almost always the same. Jonathan, whos going to save us? Not an unreasonable question given the daily assault against morality, truth and democracy that is President Trump and his administration. At first, I struggled for an answer. Like everyone else, Ive run out of words to describe what we are living through. But each query forced me to think and to find my voice and a solution. Stop wondering who is going to save us. We are the ones to save us.
Long ago, the Trump presidency revealed that our solid, seemingly indestructible Constitution is fragile. Thanks to the 45th president of the United States, we now know that our founding document is only as strong as the reverence of it by the 44 men who swore to protect it. The genius of the Founding Fathers was to create a government built on a system of checks and balances. A system that is failing.
Most folks not residing on Earth 2 are appalled by Congresss inability or unwillingness to fulfill its responsibility to check-and-balance the excesses of the executive. The legislative branch is AWOL. The Republican-controlled House and Senate simply roll over for a Republican president with an 88 percent approval rating among fellow Republicans. And with the retirement of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, the Supreme Court majority is poised to swing hard to the right. Past remarks of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, Trumps nominee to replace Kennedy, erode confidence that the judicial branch of government will protect hard-fought rights or be an effective brake on Trumps chaos. But watching the failure of our three branches reveals a fourth branch that we never really took seriously: Us. We the people.
Its one thing to sling outrage on social media or even march in the streets against Trumps horrific policy du jour. Its another thing to get out and vote. Considering an anemic 36.4 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the 2014 midterm elections, the lowest in 70 years, there is plenty of room for the American people to flex their electoral muscles.
More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2018/07/25/stop-wondering-whos-going-to-save-us-from-trump/?utm_term=.ab819fe825c8
Echoing Eugene Robinson. There is no doubt about this.
Gothmog
(145,231 posts)We need to save ourselves by voting
janterry
(4,429 posts)We're missing THAT check.
dalton99a
(81,486 posts)Mr. Ected
(9,670 posts)When we know that 2016 was stolen from us and that the beneficiary of that heist has allowed even more interference in the coming election.
What will we do if THIS election is successfully pilfered?
BumRushDaShow
(128,978 posts)You might recall all the threads about the GOP stealing the 2008 and 2012 elections after what happened in 2000 and 2004. Those Obama elections had such a large turnout that it would be too obvious for it to happen.
But fast forward to 2016 and the strategy was "a little bit here, a little bit there" - just enough to flip the state (coupled with a larger-than-expected 3rd party vote for both Gary Johnson and Jill Stein).
So in this case, there has to be a more significant turnout in terms of mid-term, in order to counteract that peeling off of votes enough to flip another way. 2010 & 2014 were examples of complete "voter fatigue" that cost us dearly.
peggysue2
(10,828 posts)There is no Savior beyond ourselves. That's the bottom line in a Democratic Republic. If we want to keep it, that is.
Which is why November is so very important and getting every ass off the couch and into a voting booth is crucial.
We can do this. Because we must.
BumRushDaShow
(128,978 posts)for governors, state legislators, and others.
We have to reclaim our states in addition to at least one or both chambers of Congress!
Pepsidog
(6,254 posts)disaster of a presidency.