Testing Rule of Law in American Democracy, Given the Coming “Fire and Fury”
Per yesterday’s Writer’s Almanac:
On this day in 1974, Richard Nixon officially resigned from the presidency. At 11:35 a.m., his resignation letter was delivered to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Gerald Ford took the oath of office. Then, at 12:05 p.m., Gerald Ford gave his first speech as president of the United States. He was the only president in U.S. history who was never elected president or vice president. In his inaugural address, Gerald Ford said: “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great republic is a government of laws and not of men.”
I hope that most of you old enough to remember were proud that day; I certainly was. Our expelling Nixon made us the envy of the world; most people around the globe stood in awe of the fact that we really were a nation of laws, that this commitment was more than mere words that had no weight when put to the test.
If it weren’t for the present-day condition of our tottering democracy, this anniversary could be easily overlooked. Given our current circumstances, however, we are starting to ask ourselves: What will happen if the investigation into Trump’s finances, collusion, conflicts of interest, obstruction of justice, etc., results in his impeachment? How well will rule of law hold up this time?
In truth, no one can possibly know, but there are two important differences between then and now:
• There are at least a few hundred thousand Trump supporters who believe that their leader has been installed by Jesus and/or God to restore the World’s Greatest Country back onto the footing that it has lost over the last eight years, when its leadership was usurped by a Kenyan-born Muslim socialist who ignored the Constitution and behaved as if he were king. There is no conceivable evidence of criminality, nor any other power on Earth that will convince them that the removal of Trump is any less than the work of the devil—something over which they will feel compelled to fight to the death. And “death” is no exaggeration, given that most of these folks have considerable arsenals of firearms in their homes.
Such people may have existed 43 years ago, but they were hardly “a thing” at the time; they were very few in number and had no public platform on which to speak.
In addition to those who could be called fanatics, there are probably at least a couple of million who, regardless of the evidence in front of them, will regard Trump’s ousting as the workings of the liberal elite and the illegal removal of a duly elected president.
• It’s also important to note that Trump is a much different, and in my opinion, far more mentally unstable and therefore dangerous person than Nixon. The idea that he’s going to get quietly on a helicopter and disappear from view forever is fanciful in the extreme. Again, no one knows exactly what will happen, but somehow the words “fire and fury” come to mind.
Craig,
Like most Americans, you seems to have a wildly exaggerated delusion of how other nations view the antics of US politics !
The “expelling Nixon” did not make the US “the envy of the world”.
The rest of the world, simply shrugged and thought “only in America” (a term of derision, not respect).
No “people around the globe stood in awe of the fact that the US really was a nation of laws,” Most other nations have had many such incidents in their histories. ( Many other nations have more flexible political systems, so such traumas are more easily handled).
The impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton appeared bizarre and in the eyes of the rest of the world, the behaviour of all the parties, reduced US prestige.
It’s the level of fanatical hatred and outrage to accept the legitimacy of the election of President Trump that’s damaging US prestige.
The illegal and even treasonous acts by Trump opponents who believe that they’re justified to take such action because they don’t like the President is far more damaging to international relations.
It’s also damaging to US democracy. If large groups of citizens, including Federal employees grant themselves permission to break the law, and the Constitution to bring down a President they don’t like, rather than rely on the electoral process, that’s an attack on the fundamentals of the rule of law.
When the media endorses such behaviour and actively participates, it’s time for US citizens to step back from the precipice.