July 4th, 2019

What should be the non-partisan celebration of the 243rd anniversary of our nation's Declaration of Independence from a distant monarchy, has been turned into a campaign rally by Donald J. Trump.

Donald Trump paints himself as a patriot.  There are two quotes that I think describe his "brand" of patriotism quite well:

Oscar Wilde:  "Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious"
Mark Twain:  "Patriot:  The person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about."

Funds from National Parks admission fees have been diverted to pay for this so-called "Salute to America".  Far too many military personnel have been diverted from their primary duties to deliver military equipment to Washington, D.C.  To put on a show to stroke the ego of the aforementioned #LiarInChief.  I'd like to reexamine a few lines from that original Declaration of Independence in light of the events of the last couple of years.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Perhaps an updated version would read:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  Without regard to their race, national origin, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or lack thereof."

"The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.  He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.  He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them."

Perhaps an updated version would read:

"The history of the present Occupant of the Oval Office is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.  He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.  He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them."

He is flouting the Emoluments Clause of our Constitution.  By forcing high ranking military personnel into taking part in today's event in D.C., he may be causing them to violate the Hatch Act and Department of Defense regulations.  The military is prohibited from taking part in partisan political activity.  He is attempting to usurp the Power of the Purse that is granted to Congress in that same Constitution, by trying to divert funds from the Defense budget to his "wall."  He claims to have the most transparent administration in history but attempts to obfuscate any attempt by the House of Representatives to exercise oversight of his actions.  

Just to clarify, I am not advocating we declare our independence from Donald Trump, nor am I advocating anything except using the laws of our nation to effect change.  We can and must win at the ballot box in November of 2020.  We just work to increase the Democratic majority in the House and seek to wrest control of the Senate.  That is of critical import because it is the only way to stop Senator Mitch McConnell from turning that august institution into a graveyard for any meaningful legislation.

Those are things we can do.  Things we must do.