Basic grade-school level knowledge tells us that we have three branches to our government operative system: executive, judicial, and legislative. Among other things, they serve as checks and balances to each other.
The U. S. Constitution gives shape to our government’s organization. It defines its operative system and establishes its philosophical foundation. And it builds upon that foundation by providing form and structure. Hence, it is a legal document, an operative document, and a philosophical document.
But the Constitution is only as good as the people that choose to own it and abide by it. For example, a people may choose to revolt and disown a constitution—we call such action a “Revolution.”
But a constitution may also break down when certain entities within its framed government choose to ignore its laws or refuse to apply its operative mechanisms or question the trustworthiness of its longstanding legitimacy. If such action results in a breakdown of normal government operations, there is a Constitutional Crisis.
What lies underneath such a Constitutional Crisis is a power struggle between factions within the government system; a power struggle that apparently cannot be resolved by the normal application of constitutional operative mechanisms.
For example, should the President of the United States willfully violate a constitutional law or one of its conventional rules and at the same time refuse to be held accountable or culpable for such refusal, a Constitutional Crisis may ensue. Such a crisis can lead to governmental paralysis or the collapse of government altogether; or it may even lead to a civil war. Our own Civil War between the North and the South was a constitutional crisis, caused by the decision of Southern States to secede from the Union.
As a native born citizen with legal voting rights, as well as a contemporary observer of present day political action (or lack thereof), I have been hearing a few political pundits warning us that President Trump is effectively taking us down the pathway toward a Constitutional Crisis. It sounds over the top, as in hyperbolic exaggeration.
But I understand their reasoning. And, given recent developments at the White House, I must say that I wouldn’t be surprised if we do eventually get there. That is, it now seems realistic to think that, with Trump in office, an actual Constitution Crisis may be in our horizon.
Yet, Trump still has a core following of dazzled-eyed supporters that refuse to acknowledge that Trump has done anything or is doing anything wrong, let alone anything that calls for impeachment or threatens to lead us into a real Constitutional Crisis. For now, they all seem to believe that it is all made up stuff by his political enemies and the so-called false-news press. Talk about self-imposed blindness.
Of course it’s easy for Democrats to call for the impeachment of Trump. But, if and when Republicans should ever do so, that’s when all hell will break lose and a real Constitutional Crisis may begin to play itself out. For, Trump is not the type to go down without a fight.
So it does seem like only a matter of time, especially in light of recent developments.
Time will tell.
Until then, I do have to wonder; what will it take, for a Republican controlled House and Senate to finally say, “Enough is enough!” This hasn’t happened yet because Trump’s party continues to see Trump as a political asset. So they tolerate him, knowing that his core supporters continue to love him.
We’ve never had a president quite like Trump. (And I hope that we never have one like him again.)
So, the only thing that can be done is to carefully monitor Trump’s every move. Yes, Trump is being watched very carefully by the Media. And that is a good thing, and quite a necessary thing, if our democracy is going to stay strong and healthy.
It takes time, but eventually all the facts will be laid out—precisely, concisely, and decisively. And then these facts will be interpreted in light of our democratic principles. And, if a solid case is built against Trump, so be it.
All that is at stake here is the vitality, vibrancy, and relevancy of our Constitution.
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