The Mad King
This July 4th marks the 246th year since our declaration of independence from the authoritarian madness of King George III. A lifetime citizen, I am proud to be a part of our great American experiment in political freedom. Often a few have sacrificed so much that so many can live freely.
Jefferson and Washington are often cited on July 4th holidays; I’d also like to mention Abraham Lincoln, who fought to save our Union. Washington and Jefferson faced death repeatedly and courageously for independence. Patriots fought a war that left some 70,000-plus Americans dead.
Abraham Lincoln, first Republican president, paid the ultimate price with his life. Lincoln described the goal of democracy eloquently in his Gettysburg Address at the Gettysburg’s battlefield, a battle fought, July 1- 3, 1863.
“May our nation experience a new birth of freedom and may government of the People, by the People and for the People not perish from this earth.”
Today, to paraphrase Lincoln, we are engaged in a great culture war testing whether this nation, or any democratic nation, can long endure. History has cast three individuals into the long shadows of Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln: Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
Pence, McConnell, and Meadows knew early on that the 2020 Presidential election was not stolen, thanks Jan. 6 Committee. Prominent Trump Republican officials have testified that months prior to the January 6 coup attempt, the multiple, baseless Trump “Stop the Steal” schemes at the federal, state, and individual level were unconstitutional, likely criminal.
Since the failed Trump coup, Pence, McConnell, and Meadows, have been virtually silent, MIA! That silence perpetuates the toxic Trump deceit. Your forthright voices, Pence, McConnell, Meadows, this July 4th can change the course of our present political upheaval.
Do you, Pence, McConnell, Meadows, stand with the mad king or with our American experiment in democracy this July 4th? Inform the American People of the whole truth. You can undermine Stop the Steal bullsh**, to quote your Republican Attorney General William Barr’s view of Trump.