LETTER TO THE EDITOR / THE CANCER ON THE PRESIDENCY

ROGER C. KOSTMAYER

While we’re in the midst of a news kaleidoscope – including the Attorney General’s perverted version of Mueller’s conclusions, redacted and un-redacted versions of Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference with our elections, and analysis by lawyers and politicians distinguishing between awful versus unlawful acts committed by 34 indicted individuals and the President.

While many Americans are immersed in and deeply concerned about the daily erosion of the democracy to which we all aspire, a large number of other citizens say they’re more concerned about bread and butter issues. As important and real as jobs, the economy and similar issues are, it would be tragic to ignore serious threats to our founding principles and democratic traditions.

In spite of the noise, it’s helpful to focus on several core issues. First, the Mueller (and some Congressional) investigations are about a RUSSIAN attack on our society which, I contend, is an act of war more dangerous than Pearl Harbor. It is indisputable that Russia wanted Donald Trump to win the election and to create chaos in America – and they went to great lengths to achieve their goal. The question that has not yet been fully answered is: Why would an American President lie and deny the Russian attack, and (from Helsinki) reject American intelligence while endorsing Russian President Putin’s flimsy denial?

A second question that must be resolved is about the rule of law: Is it still the American ideal that everyone should be equal under the law, and NO ONE is above the law?

The authors of the American Constitution foresaw the possibility that someday there could be a President who: commits treason; creates dangerous chaos and incompetence; accepts money, gifts or other emoluments; and they inserted remedies for these situations. This suggests a third question about whether elected representatives should do their job, apply these remedies, ensure equal branches of government, perform (rather than sabotage) oversight of the executive branch, and hold all elected officials accountable for violating their oath of office – even the President.

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