Step Up
Or Stand Back
Donald John Trump is an unlovely man.
He also is the 45th and 47th president of these barely United States of America.
He displays only the very loosest of understanding of macroeconomics. His distain for fact is legendary and on-going. History and truth are captive to his self-serving whims and schemes. He is a rolling disaster on every scale of measure.
His first 88 days back in high office are a testament to mendacity and malice.
Anatomy of a Jerk
Control is the goal of tyrants, gangsters, and playground bullies. Ding Dong Donnie is all three vile creatures in one distasteful and unattractive package.
His super power is candor.
He lets his inside voice speak publicly. On the campaign trail he promised to rape, pillage, and burn the rule of law and any other obstruction to his whims, will, and self-serving schemes.
His Achilles heel is consequence.
He cannot forgo an addiction to risk. He overplays his hand. His wealth is a highly-leveraged mirage. What he does own of real monetary value is harvested from welching on deals.
His secret sauce is a refusal to admit defeat.
His greatest talent is shielding himself from the consequences of his criminal acts and misdemeanor conduct. He employs patsies to execute illegal actions. Justice cannot reach him directly.
Situation Report
Double Down Donny has enjoyed every one of 88 days of an unfettered reign of terror, revenge, and retribution aimed at rectifying and erasing damage done to his brand by a healthy justice system during his interregnum.
He is forcing a constitutional crisis.
His is using reference to various laws of dubious relevance to declare emergencies requiring him to act immediately, unilaterally, and without oversight or constraint. His actions cause great harm while his captive Department of Trump Justice fights every lower court stay on his illegal actions. The justice system slowly and deliberately advances his ingenuous administrative appeals into the beckoning arms of a partisan high court.
This week his intent and efforts hit a couple of speed bumps.
· Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied. On 17 Apr 25, a panel of three judges sitting the bench of the Fourth Circuit of Appeals rebuked the bad-faith effort of Trump 2.0 to avoid responsibility for returning Kilmar Abrego Garacia to America for due process proceedings. The panel’s eloquent decision was a thorough and well-balanced defense of the rule of law and a plea for all the King’s men to recall and reaffirm their oath of office.
· Resistance Is Expected and Required. On 15 Apr 25, Cuban American healthcare billionaire Mike Fernandez sent a written letter personally addressed and delivered to:
· Secretary of State Marco Rubio
· Miami U.S. Representatives
o Mario-Diaz-Balart
o Maria Elvira Salazar
o Carlos Gimenez
It said, in part: “Silence is not neutrality, nor ignorance…it is complicity and cowardice…. Your silence has caused fear and real harm to so many.
“If you cannot find your voice at this moment, or tell the difference between one dictator and another, then perhaps it is time to make room for others who can and have a vision you may lack…”
· Courage Is Needed. On 16 Apr 25, Senator Lisa Murkowski said the quiet part out loud—Trump 2.0 is threatening the safety of congressional representatives, as well as their families and associates, for resistance to his tumultuous and willfully illegal conduct. She said on public record: “We are all afraid…. I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And that’s not right…..right now we are not balancing as the Congress….things are happening so fast through the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE…none of us understand the half of it.”
Anthem
It is getting serious, folks.
“Someday” arrived on 14 Apr 25 when Mad King defied such mealy-mouthed constraints as a corrupt Supreme Court placed on his unlawful actions regarding habeas corpus and related constitutional constraints.
On 15, 16, and 17 Apr 25, the effect of spontaneous peaceful resistance at the grassroots level found public voice and affirmation among those persons with a hand on the wheel of power. Yes, those voices calling for resistance to Trump 2.0 were reasoned and accommodating. They gave to the office of the president the “due deference” requested by the feckless Supreme Court. Still, and blessedly, they stepped out of the safe shadows of complicit silence to criticize Trump’s Reign of Terror and Tour of Revenge as unusual and unacceptable.
I say—this is welcome progress. “Step up or stand back” is a dandy motto. Tee-shirt and placard worthy and available for easy deployment. Oath-breakers, beware.
Be not cocky about such weak and sputtering success as Resistance 2.0 is receiving. Stay committed, active, and alert.
Let us continue to hope for the best and plan for the worst.
Notice, take heart and direction from, and support, every public person rising to be the voice of Resistance 2.0.
Continue to exercise every freedom and liberty, every right still ours to own and deploy.
Be not weary, paralyzed, or faithless.
Rise from shock and despair. Cease the wringing of hands, the holding of heads, and/or the clutching of pearls. Action is the antidote. Resistance is required. Be thoughtful. Be strategic.
Encourage and support inquiries by state attorneys general into fraudulent and criminal conduct of Trump 2.0 within their jurisdictions. This is a more promising platform for and mode of institutional opposition than is presently available at the federal level.
Let us pull up our socks and step into the breach now, every Power of One person dissatisfied with the results and consequences of Election 2024.
Let us put into play our persons and our purses to demand:
A return to positions of principle those persons, institutions, and organizations betraying a public trust in their integrity when bending a knee, kissing the ring, funding the personal wealth, or furthering the ambitions of Donald John Trump.
The bringing of criminal charges against Musk and articles of impeachment against Trump.
The bringing of articles of impeachment against corrupt justices now contaminating the opinions of the high court.
Referendum and recall of congressional representatives not faithful to their oath of office and/or unresponsive to the concerns and wishes of their constituents.
Creation of a Shadow Cabinet charged with daily briefings of administrative assaults upon the rule of law, the health, safety, and welfare of We the People, and simple decency.
Course correction on the conduct of matters related to national security.
I truly believe that right is might.
In a world where “only the weak will fail,” let us be strong.
We cannot, we will not, fail.
Thank you for your deep thought and precise words. This gave me an idea for my next article about professions and the clear and present danger of extinction. 1.3 million lawyers in America may think this domino effect won't touch them. Trump's forcing the hand for a Constitutional crisis just put all lawyers on the endangered species list. Trish is correct. Trump needs only to corner each lawyer into lying to the courts or refusing to implement court orders, and they are on the streets looking for work in any profession other than law.
I understand that ANY lawyer who has been complicit in lying to the courts or in refusing to implement court orders can have their law license revoked. That's a LOT of lawyers that can go down. Who do we need to talk to to get this movement up and running? The Bar association in each state? Maybe there is a national Bar association? Let's BAR the treasonous traitors!