Robert Reich: Dictator Trump

[babylonsister]

https://prospect.org/article/dictator-trump

Dictator Trump
Robert Reich
February 19, 2019
The threat to American democracy has never been more pronounced.


A president who claims he has an absolute right to declare a national emergency and spend government funds that Congress has explicitly refused to appropriate for the ends he seeks, is assuming the role of a dictator.

A president who shuts down government in order to get his way on a controversial issue, such as building a wall along the border with Mexico, and offers to reopen it as a concession when and if his opponents give in, is treating the government of the United States as a bargaining chip. This, too, is the behavior of a dictator.

As is spouting lies over what Trump terms an “undeniable crisis” at the southern U.S. border, which is in fact no crisis at all.

Donald Trump is violating the Constitution. He is negating our system of government based on the rule of law. He is violating a president’s core responsibility to protect American democracy.

snip//

We also know that since he was elected, Trump has done little or nothing to stop Putin from continuing to try to undermine our democracy. To the contrary, Trump has obstructed inquiries into Russian meddling, and gone out of his way to keep his communications with Putin secret, even from his own White House.

He has also done exactly what Putin has wanted him to do—threaten to pull out of NATO, pull out of Syria, and accept Russia’s presence in Ukraine.

Perhaps Trump’s current attack on American democracy through his assertion of a fake national emergency is intended as to distract from this larger attack on America. No matter. Both threaten the essence of the nation.

There is only one answer: Donald Trump must be removed from office. Impeachment should start immediately.

[Moral Compass]

1. Can't agree more

This is precisely what impeachment is there for. Articles of impeachment should be filed immediately and voted for on the floor of the House. Pelosi now must support this and make sure it passes. Let the Senate do their job.

We must also get over this absurd conceit that a sitting President cannot be indicted. This one should be indicted and then arrested. The notion that impeachment/indictment/arrest would prevent the President from doing his/her job is adsurd. In this case, we want this criminal to be able to do nothing while he remains in office.

Reich is right. Impeachment should proceed immediately.