Election Corrective

The fact that 90 percent of Republicans approve of President Trump’s performance means they support: equating white supremacists with demonstrators opposing a hate rally in South Carolina; labeling the Mueller investigation a “witch hunt”; blaming the Democrats for separating and incarcerating children and infants from their parents (many seeking asylum); and abandoning the due process of law guarantees of the 5th and 14th amendments to the Constitution. This kind of tribalism is beyond frightening; it is a threat to our democracy.

Two things have become crystal clear: President Trump, a 72-year-old man, cannot (and will not) change his behavior, and his base is willing to abide lying, hate, racism, and attacks on the Constitution as a matter of course. We who oppose this must become involved in the 2018 midterm elections.

In 2018 we have the ability to create a check on this president’s dangerous, irrational, cruel, and chaotic behavior by giving control of the Congress to the Democrats. It’s obvious that a 72-year-old man will not (or cannot) change his behavior. By creating three co-equal branches of government the Constitution put a system of checks and balances in place which is now, with the Republicans in control of the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives, completely out of balance. The Republican Party has, with very few exceptions, become the Party of Trump, immune to challenging or correcting his policies.

To stop this, Central Coast voters can and should elect Democrats this fall regardless of party affiliation. They can also volunteer to help Democratic campaigns throughout the state. This can be done long distance by phone banking, assisting with mailings, on line campaigning, and for those who can afford it, making donations.

We have never seen anything like the destructive behavior of the Trump administration being enabled by the Republican Party. If “we the people” are to stop this, we must become fully engaged in the political process.