Dear Reader,
Texas went blue. Mississippi might follow suit. I never thought I’d live to see the day!
But the timing of this blue wave calls for decisive action to protect our democracy. Trump is still the President, and Stephen Miller just replaced Susie Wiles as the White House Chief of Staff. An emergency could be announced, insane lawsuits filed, existential crises alleged anew.
Trump is an opportunist. It would also be in his character to dump the Republicans for the Democrats, if they would have him. He already dumped the Democrats for the Republicans, because the Republicans would have him.
Perhaps some voters wanted fundamental change. Others may have only wanted cheaper gas and an end to war. At best, the voters’ mandate is unclear.
The Democrats could impeach Trump. They could force a trial before the Senate where damning documents and testimony could be forced into the light. The trial itself could be a tool for accountability and discovery even if the Senate does not vote to remove.
The Democrats could do many things. But the Democrats seem more likely to rinse and repeat. They have a track record of washing away the era’s version of Nixonian corruption, only to usher in new Reagan eras.
Yet, things are different now. In Trump v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court gave absolute immunity to the President to potentially commit political violence with impunity. In other key cases, it nullified much of Congress’s power in favor of the unitary powers of the President.
President Trump also seems willing to rule by fiat. He really could announce an emergency any day now, commit some level of political violence to secure his power according to the Supreme Court’s holding in Trump, before the new blue government is seated in power. Here’s to hoping that Trump just accepts his diminished power as a lame duck.
It is not in Trump’s character to fade into the background. I suppose it cannot hurt to say a little prayer for America in the interim: God bless the representatives we elected, and ensure the people’s choice for their leaders against anyone — especially the world’s most unruly lame duck President. Amen.
Yours Cordially,
Joshua J. Schroeder, Esq.