Trump has exposed the weaknesses of our much-ballyhooed system of checks and balances. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Pay Attention to the Risk of Martial Law
The latest ravings of our tyrannical President highlight a true threat to democracy.
History will record that on Friday, December 18, Donald Trump held a discussion in the Oval Office about imposing martial law.
Martial law!
To even consider imposing martial law should be anathema to anyone who respects democracy and is sworn to uphold the Constitution.
Disgraced General Michael Flynn was in the Oval Office urging Trump to engage in this grotesquely unconstitutional and anti-constitutional maneuver. So was Trump's lawyer, Sidney Powell.
This will leave the ultimate stain on Trump's reputation, along with the blood of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who died of COVID-19 due to his negligence and narcissism.
To even consider imposing martial law should be anathema to anyone who respects democracy and is sworn to uphold the Constitution.
And to consider it for the sole and selfish purpose of holding on to power marks a new low, one that even Richard Nixon didn't stoop to.
And let's remember, Trump did this after his defeat was upheld in every state court and every federal court, including the U.S. Supreme Court.
Outrageous as it is, Trump's consideration of martial law hasn't received the attention and denunciation it deserves and demands.
Republican officials again have remained cravenly quiet.
And with the exception of CNN, most of the media have given it only faint coverage.
That's a huge mistake.
When democracy is under all-out threat, minimizing the risk is a dangerous course of action.
Trump probably won't be able to pull it off. His chief of staff reportedly argued strenuously against it, and military leaders have shown no inclination to go along--quite the contrary.
But the very idea that he is considering doing this should put all of us on our guard.
And even if he fails, he is setting the table for the next narcissist or fascist who would ride into the Oval Office.
Trump has exposed the weaknesses of our much-ballyhooed system of checks and balances.
Assuming that Trump does leave office on January 20, Congress will need to pass laws, on the double, that would prevent a future President from even considering martial law.
One would be to require approval of Congress before the President could issue such a declaration. But there are others. Chief among these are repealing the Insurrection Act, which lets the President put federal troops in our streets; repealing the National Emergencies Act, which gives the President enormous powers when he or she unilaterally declares an emergency; and overturning National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 51, which gives the President even more powers after he or she unilaterally declares a "catastrophic emergency."
In all likelihood (but not 100 percent guaranteed), Trump will be gone on January 20.
But the risk of a future tyrant will remain.
This article first appeared in the Wisconsin Examiner.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
History will record that on Friday, December 18, Donald Trump held a discussion in the Oval Office about imposing martial law.
Martial law!
To even consider imposing martial law should be anathema to anyone who respects democracy and is sworn to uphold the Constitution.
Disgraced General Michael Flynn was in the Oval Office urging Trump to engage in this grotesquely unconstitutional and anti-constitutional maneuver. So was Trump's lawyer, Sidney Powell.
This will leave the ultimate stain on Trump's reputation, along with the blood of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who died of COVID-19 due to his negligence and narcissism.
To even consider imposing martial law should be anathema to anyone who respects democracy and is sworn to uphold the Constitution.
And to consider it for the sole and selfish purpose of holding on to power marks a new low, one that even Richard Nixon didn't stoop to.
And let's remember, Trump did this after his defeat was upheld in every state court and every federal court, including the U.S. Supreme Court.
Outrageous as it is, Trump's consideration of martial law hasn't received the attention and denunciation it deserves and demands.
Republican officials again have remained cravenly quiet.
And with the exception of CNN, most of the media have given it only faint coverage.
That's a huge mistake.
When democracy is under all-out threat, minimizing the risk is a dangerous course of action.
Trump probably won't be able to pull it off. His chief of staff reportedly argued strenuously against it, and military leaders have shown no inclination to go along--quite the contrary.
But the very idea that he is considering doing this should put all of us on our guard.
And even if he fails, he is setting the table for the next narcissist or fascist who would ride into the Oval Office.
Trump has exposed the weaknesses of our much-ballyhooed system of checks and balances.
Assuming that Trump does leave office on January 20, Congress will need to pass laws, on the double, that would prevent a future President from even considering martial law.
One would be to require approval of Congress before the President could issue such a declaration. But there are others. Chief among these are repealing the Insurrection Act, which lets the President put federal troops in our streets; repealing the National Emergencies Act, which gives the President enormous powers when he or she unilaterally declares an emergency; and overturning National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 51, which gives the President even more powers after he or she unilaterally declares a "catastrophic emergency."
In all likelihood (but not 100 percent guaranteed), Trump will be gone on January 20.
But the risk of a future tyrant will remain.
This article first appeared in the Wisconsin Examiner.
History will record that on Friday, December 18, Donald Trump held a discussion in the Oval Office about imposing martial law.
Martial law!
To even consider imposing martial law should be anathema to anyone who respects democracy and is sworn to uphold the Constitution.
Disgraced General Michael Flynn was in the Oval Office urging Trump to engage in this grotesquely unconstitutional and anti-constitutional maneuver. So was Trump's lawyer, Sidney Powell.
This will leave the ultimate stain on Trump's reputation, along with the blood of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who died of COVID-19 due to his negligence and narcissism.
To even consider imposing martial law should be anathema to anyone who respects democracy and is sworn to uphold the Constitution.
And to consider it for the sole and selfish purpose of holding on to power marks a new low, one that even Richard Nixon didn't stoop to.
And let's remember, Trump did this after his defeat was upheld in every state court and every federal court, including the U.S. Supreme Court.
Outrageous as it is, Trump's consideration of martial law hasn't received the attention and denunciation it deserves and demands.
Republican officials again have remained cravenly quiet.
And with the exception of CNN, most of the media have given it only faint coverage.
That's a huge mistake.
When democracy is under all-out threat, minimizing the risk is a dangerous course of action.
Trump probably won't be able to pull it off. His chief of staff reportedly argued strenuously against it, and military leaders have shown no inclination to go along--quite the contrary.
But the very idea that he is considering doing this should put all of us on our guard.
And even if he fails, he is setting the table for the next narcissist or fascist who would ride into the Oval Office.
Trump has exposed the weaknesses of our much-ballyhooed system of checks and balances.
Assuming that Trump does leave office on January 20, Congress will need to pass laws, on the double, that would prevent a future President from even considering martial law.
One would be to require approval of Congress before the President could issue such a declaration. But there are others. Chief among these are repealing the Insurrection Act, which lets the President put federal troops in our streets; repealing the National Emergencies Act, which gives the President enormous powers when he or she unilaterally declares an emergency; and overturning National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 51, which gives the President even more powers after he or she unilaterally declares a "catastrophic emergency."
In all likelihood (but not 100 percent guaranteed), Trump will be gone on January 20.
But the risk of a future tyrant will remain.
This article first appeared in the Wisconsin Examiner.