Donald Trump announced he’s pulling the Republican National Convention out of Charlotte. As far as I’m concerned, good riddance. It wasn’t going to be nominating convention, anyway. It was going to be a three day COVID-spreading Trump rally full of sycophants kissing his ass. Let some other state have it.
Trump has fully taken over the Republican Party, demanding loyalty to him instead of the Constitution or the principles of the GOP. Most respectable members of the former Party of Lincoln have either left altogether or are engaged in a battle to take it back from populist, illiberal usurpers who prefer authoritarianism to democracy. Like the final bit of detritus swirling in the porcelain throne, the convention will be their last hurrah.
Trump has finally crossed a line that has members of his party outraged. In a sickening show of arrogance and disregard for our Constitution and rights, Trump threatened to order the military to attack citizens of the United States. He’s shown no regard for the lives of African Americans taken unjustly by law enforcement or white vigilantes. Instead, he’s used the unrest to try to further divide our country and suppress dissent. It won’t work.
Americans seem to be finally waking up to the threat Trump poses to our democracy and our principles. Poll after poll shows his support beginning to tank and Joe Biden opening up a formidable lead. Real Clear Politics now says the average of recent polls puts Biden at eight points above Trump. There’s still a long way to go, but Biden is looking more presidential every day and Trump is looking more and more like a desperate, wannabe despot.
For those worried about the election being cancelled or Trump imposing martial law, don’t. With powerful statements, highly respected military leaders are signaling that Trump cannot be trusted. Former Admiral and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen and former Marine General and Trump Defense Secretary James Mattis issued stinging rebukes of no confidence in the president. That they issued their statements on the same day is no coincidence. It’s a message to the country and our troops.
Mattis stated, “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership.”
Mullen said, “It sickened me yesterday to see security personnel—including members of the National Guard—forcibly and violently clear a path through Lafayette Square to accommodate the president’s visit outside St. John’s Church. I have to date been reticent to speak out on issues surrounding President Trump’s leadership, but we are at an inflection point, and the events of the past few weeks have made it impossible to remain silent.”
We are in disturbing times when military leaders feel the need to send a signal to troops that their commander-in-chief cannot be trusted to defend the Constitution. Still, it’s a relief to know that if Trump attempts to suppress dissent with military force, the most respected members of the military community are prepared to resist his attempts at destroying our democracy. Trump will learn that the military swear an oath of loyalty to the Constitution, not the president.
The fix for this mess lies in a robust election that ousts Trump and all of his cowardly enablers. Senators like Thom Tillis who surrendered their principle to curry favor with a menace must be defeated. Mitch McConnell needs to be tossed on the ash heap of history for his destruction of institutions or his refusal to hold the executive branch in check. As the Republican patriots and insurgents at places like the Lincoln Project and the Bulwark understand, the solution is to burn the Republican Party to ground, ousting the authoritarian and racist wing, and rebuilding from the ground up.
So let the Trump rally go somewhere else. We don’t want Charlotte to look like a modern day Nuremburg. Instead, we should be part of the movement to rebuke Trump so badly that we don’t see such dangerously reactive forces infiltrate the highest levels of our government ever again.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
Since Democracy requiters action, I have written Senator Burr and Senator Tillis, Trump believes he has “all the power”, but he would not ef enough Republican Senators opted for “the country” instead of “the #coronapotus”. So here is what I wrote to them:
Senator Burr,
Action now.
Trump knows not how to pray for America.
But he certainly knows how to prey on America.
What I saw by TV the other night from Lafayette Square is “not America”. It reminded me of a newsreel from “Tianamen Square” in China.
America does not use a military operation to pushback peaceful protesters — just for a photo op!
And he said he would use the “Insurrection Act” to send military troops into states, if HE, “America’s Dear Leader”, does not like the results of governors.
Listen and listen now:
He is making the USA into a “Banana Republic”, a “‘Chavez/Madura’ Venezuela”, or a “‘Saudi’ America” or a combination of all three. Stop him!
I am not alone in this belief. America’s top Generals ( retired and active) are finally voicing the dangers of Trump Truly Toying with our democracy, and Tearing the fabric of society apart. —- They never did that before, so it must be really serious. — and They are NOT partisan voices.
Censure Trump, insist he resigns, or impeach him. Something!!!
By November’s election time , if Republican Senators do not reign in this President, we may have lost our democracy and even the electoral process.
Trump is making America GRATE, not GREAT.
Now, Senator Burr, action now.
Edwin Finch
reading your article was like hearing an alarm bell ringing loudly. Words that were not common before 2016 are now urgent and common – sycophant, wannabe (dictator), inflection…add Putin to that list. 45’s entire focus is on money and the stock market – that is why he ignored briefings on the approaching pandemic and had the gall to claim “it was a great day” despite over 110,000 DEAD and over 40 million out of work and global protests against police brutality due to racism. Kudos to Project Lincoln, and may more people stand up for the Constitution and democracy and decency and justice.
If Mattis and Mullen we’re still in uniform, they would be facing court martial under Article 88 of the UCMJ. That article is why you’re not hearing from officers still in the service. The article is written broadly enough that any conversation that takes such a turn could be construed as a violation, of “by an act of the accused, the words came to the knowledge of a Person other than the accused”. And the penalty could be as severe as dismissal from the service, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement up to a year. A stiff price for speaking your mind, which is why you won’t hear a lot of officers doing it. But that doesn’t mean they’re not thinking exactly the same thing that most of us are. And if it comes to making a choice between Tangerine Cthulhu (whom they will outlast, just as they have many of his predecessors) and the country they are sworn to protect (which will, conversely outlast both president asterisk and them) I feel secure in saying they will side with the latter. Cadet Bonespurs is just a passing fad, and he’s only a leader in his own fevered imagination. These men and women have seen presidents come and go, and they’ll see the heels of this one too.
They’re only obligated to obey lawful orders.
WOW! Could not agree more about the GOP convention moving elsewhere. Biden is not the candidate I preferred, but I do not doubt his basic decency. That alone makes him a better choice, but I fear NC voters will still swing for Trump. I would like to be wrong — not something for which I usually wish!
Thomas, I love this column. Thank you.
Americans who continue to support Mr. Trump do themselves and their country such a disservice. I nearly feel pity for them before I realize they are wrecking our country. We must push the Trumpers aside and restore our country and the constitutional order.
As a veteran, I am very concerned about Commander Bone Spur’s ordering of the military to stage and be involved with suppressing the protests. Should deployment actually occur, I fear that the public will react toward military members the way that many protesters did in the Viet Nam era when we were spat upon and heckled. My other fear is that, although “Mad Dog” Mathis, for whom I have a tremendous respect, and other leaders may wish for the military to disregard Trump’s orders, there are also incredibly ambitious officers who may not follow their lead, but will comply with illegal and unconstitutional orders for advancement of their careers. Also, there is often a strong fascist element within the military which does not truly understand the difference. I went through USMC OCS in the aftermath of My Lai, and it was clearly stated what our humanitarian and Constitutional obligations were. From a few conversations I’ve had, I don’t know that all of the “all volunteer” military of today has had the same training.