Letters to the Editor: How we the people are letting Trump destroy our democracy
President Donald Trump has made the American people’s safety, in the words of Lt. Col. Allen West, a “major issue.” In so doing, he has trampled on our rights as citizens and usurped the power of Congress to declare war.
West pointed to North Korea’s launch of an apparent long-range ballistic missile over Japan as an example. It was a launch designed for maximum destruction and maximum political gain and it was a clear violation of international law. If there was any question about the culpability (or lack thereof) of Kim Jong Un, this launch was that.
While a decision on whether or not to attack North Korea was to be made by Trump, the president was not the commander in chief in the case of Japan, the closest ally. In the event of a conflict, Congress would have the power to decide how and where to allocate our military resources, including to protect our democratic allies from a direct threat.
We the people need to stop looking on and watching helplessly as President Trump and his minions have turned our Constitution on its head, and turned our nation into an authoritarian “satellite state.” That’s a frightening thought.
How can we stop it?
We need to take up the call to stop Trump by using two critical techniques. The first is to show up to the polls in record numbers and vote on Nov. 8. The second is by taking action through the legislative process.
I have long believed that a voter turnout of 67 percent or more for either the presidential election or the midterm election would send a clear message that we the people want our elected officials to be responsive to our will and to our needs.
We must not take our elections for granted. They’re not a right; they’re a privilege. We must do everything in our power to protect the one right we have and that is the right to vote in a free election we have every right to watch for ourselves.
We can have our vote counted at the polls on the day of the election. And in the event of a close election, we can have our vote counted on a second day with the option to vote