I don’t mean to be an alarmist, but there is an attempted coup d’etat happening right now in this country. Our future as a constitutional republic is legitimately at stake, and whether we survive will be determined over the next two months. This needs to be first and foremost on everyone’s mind. For supporters of President Trump, to aid and abet what he is doing is to give up America as a republic for eternity in order to hold power. While this might seem appetizing to some on the right, understand that when it turns against you, you will no longer have the protection of the Constitution. This is how Countries end. This is the point where the Roman Republic turns into the Roman Empire. Where the Shah is no more and the Ayatollah becomes the Supreme Leader, where the Weimar Republic turns into Nazi Germany, where Venezuela turns into Chavezuela. It will happen if people—all good people—don’t stand up against it. The Country your kids will inherit is at stake.
Donald Trump lost the election fair and square. This is not actually in dispute. There was no systemic fraud and were no irregularities. Nothing happened out of the ordinary. This was a landslide in terms of popular vote and states. This bears no resemblance to 2000 when the entire election came down to 600 votes in one state, and there were legitimate issues of voter intent. That was a dispute that needed to be resolved and was. This is an attempted theft of an election. The Constitution, states’ laws, and precedent indicates that if there was indeed a legitimate dispute and a state couldn’t certify their election by December 14, state legislatures could use that “uncertainty” to select their own slate of electors. There are Republican state legislatures in Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona. Trump doesn’t need to win in Court. He simply needs to tie things up in enough of those states until December 14 when legislatures appoint electors to cast ballots for their states. That is why he is claiming fraud and irregularities with no evidence. He told us months ago that if he lost the election, he was going to do this. He is now doing it. It’s all about his own power, and he would sacrifice our country for it. Sure, if there were legitimate issues he has a right to have those determined. What he doesn’t have a right to do is use the Constitution to destroy the Constitution. That’s what he is doing.
It’s worth noting that a purge of sorts has also started. He fired the defense secretary who refused to use the military against citizens. He’s threatening to fire the head of the FBI and the CIA. He has stopped the GSA from releasing traditional funds to Biden’s team. Even if democracy wins, this puts the Country and its continuity in peril. This is the time to fight like our future is at stake. It is. It’s incumbent on all people—including Trump supporters and Republican electeds to put the Country and the Constitution before his power,to not allow him to create a crisis in order to maintain power in the face of an electoral defeat. Or America is no more. That’s not hyperbole. The Founders would be horrified.
This is a guest post from: Todd Michaels, a Miami, Florida attorney who is involved locally and nationally with Democratic Party politics.