[ I never intended to, or thought I would, publish something that is ‘political’ here, but this is too important to not throw out into the world as a form of an Open Letter to the American People – first, and most probably last and only time ]
I suggest there is an implied and implicit Morals Contract between the American people and the Presidency of the United States, and that this contract extends to those who are running for that office.
In this case, the morals clause would and should give The People (or someone able to act on their behalf) the ability to suspend or terminate the ‘agreement’ in the event that the candidate commits an act that falls within the purview of the clause, which is usually defined as behavior that is criminal, scandalous, or otherwise publicly reprehensible. (somewhat boilerplate Morals Clause wording)
Historically, this has always been a large part of the job of the American Press, to shed light on these problems, and help to stop them, to call people on their behavior and words. However, the so-called Mainstream News Media failed in their jobs in an epic manner, most probably for ratings, and therefore money, by encouraging and condoning Donald Trump and not nipping him in the bud early on. The Fourth Estate took itself out back and shot itself in the head, and is now officially DEAD. (#RIP – but you deserve what you got and brought it on yourself – more’s the pity)
By any shape or description, Donald Trump’s behavior and speech fall well-within breach of the Morals Clause definition. It is not even a matter of a slight malefaction, or few in number, that might be described as “untoward behavior” – it is extreme in quantity, severity, and nature, across the board. And it is blatant, intentional, and unapologetic. One could even make a good case for Treason that is not hyperbole — is not Donald Trump, in his own way, the New Benedict Arnold?
Whether any criminal aspects will be adjudicated in a court of law or not remains to be seen. But there is smoke, and although everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law (even Donald Trump), where there is smoke, one should not be surprised to find fire. But beyond that, the “scandalous” and “reprehensible” nature of Donald Trump’s actions over the last year-plus easily breach that Contract With America.
Do these scandalous and reprehensible actions and speech need to be itemized? They should be so obvious as to be self-evident to anyone who has been paying attention. His self-styled mockery of the Presidency, the Office of the President, the Electoral System, and America and Americans (intended or otherwise), and his aggressive hate speech are more than enough in and of themselves.
Donald Trump is a low-life, low-class, very-low-energy (he is, after all, 70 years old), low-intellect BULLY. Haven’t we finally decided that bullies and bullying are not going to be condoned in America by Americans anymore? Bullying is anti-American.
And, “Make America Great Again?” Really?? Are you effing kidding me??? If anyone else had used those words, apparently other than Donald Trump, but especially a Democrat, or ‘Liberal,’ or Progressive, they would have been tarred and feathered, drawn and quartered, hoisted on their own petard, and run out of town on a rail, at the very least, if not worse, and not necessarily metaphorically. (and, truthfully, they should be)
America is already great, always has been, and always will be. That is what a true American thinks and believes. Those Trumpish words are treasonous, or at the very least unpatriotic in the extreme. No politician in their right mind would even consider using them, because they would be political suicide. Except for Trump, and his Trumpish supporters, who are all, obviously, anti-American and unpatriotic. (if anyone should be ‘put on a list’, as potential (or actual) threats to America, they should)
And those are all really just the tip of the iceberg. A very, very large (and dangerous) iceberg. An iceberg with which America is on a collision course.
And this is true even if there are those ‘few’ who choose to look the other way, or simply do not care. (and/or do not understand) The fact that Donald Trump has any supporters at this point not only boggles the mind of right-thinking, truly decent people, those who might rightfully (and historically) be described as “True Americans,” it is beside the point. (and that is an apolitical stance if there ever was one – some things are greater than and more important than party politics)
A basic tenet that should be self-evident is that if some number of Americans have been affected, then all Americans have been affected, and any truly Patriotic American should support that stance. (as we have elsewhere at other times in our history, especially when the affect is egregious, as now and herein described)
It matters not that the morals clause in question is implied. It has long been a part of the American electoral system, for literally centuries (200+ years). Therefore, it is a form of de facto precedent, and should be binding and persuasive. And, since morals clauses have long been held valid and enforceable (in courts of law), this one, too, must be enforced. (one wonders why there is not a built-in, enforceable morals clause in every party’s platform and committee rules – that would solve some problems, although it has literally never been a problem until now – most people never would have envisioned that it would ever be a problem, and, perhaps, thereby its absence)
The Contract With America has been breached and broken, and Donald Trump must be held responsible and accountable for his speech and actions. This is particularly true before he causes any more harm. (one can easily argue that he has caused great harm to date, in many ways, to America, Americans, and the world, and America’s stance in the world) And not just by being allowed to continue with his campaign to “let the American people decide.”
There are principles involved that are greater than “majority rules.” Obviously, if the majority rules concept was all-powerful, we would not have laws and the legal system and the Supreme Court. (that arguably have protected many from the ‘majority’ over the years, and have protected us from ourselves from time-to-time, as well) The concepts suggested above trump the majority rules concept, and make it invalid in this case and scenario. [pun partially intended]
Gen. Colin Powell said, “We have lost our sense of shame.” That was never more evident or true than in this unfortunate morass of indecency perpetrated on the American people by Donald Trump. A situation too many have stood by and effectively allowed to occur by not speaking out against it in a timely manner, vociferously, and with the intense disdain, indignation, if not wrath, it deserves.
Therefore, because Donald Trump is in Breach of Contract, the only valid remedy must be that he immediately cease and desist all political activity as it pertains to running for the Presidency of the United States of America. Plain, simple, period.
If he had any real morality and ethics, decency, self-respect, couth, and respect for others, America and the American people, then he would immediately voluntarily step down from his high horse and walk away in shame. Shame on you Donald Trump. And, in a way, perhaps, shame on us all.
Addendum: And don’t get me started on Hillary Clinton. She is almost as bad in her own way, and in some ways worse than Trump. It is unfortunate that Bernie Sanders is so old. All three candidates are way too old. What we do not need in America is another elderly President.
Copyright (c) 2016 by William Donnelly