By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 8, 2018 | It’s just like the little fellow who cried “Wolf!” too often, which after a while no one paid much attention to his panicking.
That’s the way I’ve come to feel about the many Tweets that President Trump continues to send out. He had adopted this way to “reach the people” in spectacular fashion, though it may hurt him as much as he thinks it helps.
No other president has been so open about his thoughts, diplomatic, political or personal, as he has. Some may say that this form of communication is good. It certainly is an innovative way to let many know his feelings. Their ramifications must keep his staff in dithers.
But the many Tweets have less impact today, since some people have stopped paying attention to them. Now if only the media would put these Tweets into perspective more, or even stop reporting each of them.
Every now and then one Tweet looks larger. In a Tweet on Monday, the president declared that he has the “absolute right” to pardon himself for any crime.
Let’s think some about that Tweet.
First, does this mean that the president even himself recognizes that he has committed some crime? That in itself is scary.
But mainly, is there any American in the entire country, even those favoring the president, who believes our president is above all of the laws of this country? That seems a far reach.
From time to time, the Supreme Court, in creating new rulings, sometimes turns the country on its ear. Brown vs. Board of Education, for one, and Roe vs. Wade, have both led the way in changing the minds of lots of people .
But nowhere in the 200+ year history of the United States has any one president declared himself to be a person with absolute power. That’s not the American way.
And it is unthinkable in our republic.
We have three branches of government, each with their own distinct elements, to guide our nation. Each is a separate, though equal, element of our government, and each has served our nation well in guiding our country.
We hope that our country never gets to the stage where President Trump has to inveigh a pardon to himself. That would be disastrous to his presidency. It would also probably convince enough Republican senators to vote with the Democrats and impeach the president.
We certainly hope that it doesn’t come to that.
Remember President Trump by his very nature is primarily a negotiator. We suspect even he realizes he can’t pardon himself, but is full of bluster and is merely trying to reinforce his connection with followers in putting this out this Tweet. We must live with him feeling this way, at least for two years, if not six years.
Yet can someone rule absolutely? Maybe in the past, and maybe even today…..in Russia. But not in the United States of America.
Having someone think of himself as a ruler, a dictator, able to pardon his own self if he does something wrong? That, simply, is not the American way.
Our country was developed with the idea that no man is above the law. That cornerstone of our government most certainly applies to the president, too.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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