Kelly Lisa Andress’ Post

Missed this prescient and soberingly realistic but perhaps overly fatalistic essay from Robert Kagan back in November last year. A few issues with it: (1) He uses the words "illegitimate" and "extralegal" to describe violent political action in response to the coalescence of a Trump dictatorship. "Extralegal", yes; "illegitimate", no. (We might recall that the American Revolution was also extralegal.) If one side tosses the Constitution, the other side is no longer bound by it either--that would be just silly--making violent action to overthrow his regime perfectly legitimate; the only question is what would be the most strategic course of action. Arguably that would be to strike him immediately and give him no chance to organize his regime, though of course that would require leadership, planning, and organization. Care should be taken to minimize harm to innocent civilians--the key word there being 'innocent'--but Trump, his loyalists, and anyone who stood in the way of the American people laying down the law on them the good old-fashioned way would absolutely be fair game. (2) He writes, "Those who hope to be saved by a U.S. military devoted to the protection of the Constitution are living in a fantasyland." This is baffling. If the US military is genuinely devoted to the protection of the Constitution, it will support the American people or remain in barracks and let us have it out properly. If it backs a Trump dictatorship, it will obviously no longer be devoted to the protection of the Constitution and a vital part of our work would be to disintegrate the bonds of loyalty between senior military officers and enlisted troops through low-tech information warfare. (3) "....we continue to drift toward dictatorship, still hoping for some intervention that will allow us to escape the consequences of our collective cowardice, our complacent, willful ignorance and, above all, our lack of any deep commitment to liberal democracy. As the man said, we are going out not with a bang but a whimper." Let us hope for the best but if the worst comes, may we relish the confrontation and may it end with him gunned down by a firing squad, hung from a noose on the National Mall, or whatever would be the best way of putting an end to him without being overly gratuitous about it. #Trump #2024election #FirstAmendment #freespeech #SecondAmendment #democracy #authoritarianism #fascism

In a socio-political terrain, where the mechanism of impeachment is to be actualized as a sacred public interest utility—to wield political actors to accountability—has been debased and diseased into an apparatus of politicization, promiscuity, and frivolousness. Modernity’s hyper-partisan political climate has made the impeachment instrument a waning, menacing utility of checks and balances, broaching a semblance of political actors to be in a state of clover. Richard Nixon, the deceased former president, is proverbially rolling in his grave, for the chagrin he postured, an impeachment saga’s blemishing would have yielded on his legacy. (Howbeit, Nixon was merited of an impeachment had he not resigned.) Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution blatantly defines impeachment as a utility for “treason, bribery, high crimes or other misdemeanors.” Alejandro Mayorkas’ execution of an administration’s policy, to the detest of an antagonistic caucus, cannot suffice for impeachment in a solemn democratic union. Mere dissension in a polity is not a potent rationale for the impeachment of a political officer; polity inroads and panaceas in a democracy, get chiseled from the mountains of strife. The unprecedented impeachment trial—if it had ensued into a conviction—would have impaired a concrete political thespian, in their realm of governance. Genuine political thespians, must be accorded the insulation from non-frivolous impeachment articles, to concoct brazen policies of goodwill, sans the apprehension of unjust power winnowing. @twumasiinstituteofjustice #blacklawyers #Mayorkas #Congress #Impeachment #Politics

The latest piece on my Substack, provoked by a typically insightful but infuriating article by Simon Jenkins, challenges liberals to get real about the reasons for the rise of populist politicians and the very real possibility of a second term for Donald Trump. https://lnkd.in/e_QPcqex

The New York Times editorial on the assassination attempt against Donald Trump. "Saturday’s events cannot be written off as an aberration. Violence is infecting and inflecting American political life. Acts of violence have long shadowed American democracy, but they have loomed larger and darker of late. Cultural and political polarization, the ubiquity of guns and the radicalizing power of the internet have all been contributing factors, as this board laid out in its editorial series The Danger Within in 2022. This high-stakes presidential election is further straining the nation’s commitment to the peaceful resolution of political differences. Mr. Trump’s political agenda cannot and must not be opposed by violence. It cannot and must not be pursued through violence. The attack on Saturday was a tragedy. The challenge now confronting Americans is to prevent this moment from becoming the beginning of a greater tragedy. https://lnkd.in/eSAKGxRR

Taking a Moment to Reflect: The State of Our Country and the World Let's take a pause from the everyday hustle and bustle of our jobs and conversations to reflect on the state of our country and the world. Recent events have shaken us to our core, and it's essential to address them with the seriousness they deserve. I am a Republican. Yet, I must clarify that I do not support Donald Trump. His potential re-election poses a significant danger to our country and the world. Despite my strong opposition to his policies and leadership, I firmly believe in the principles that our nation was built upon. One of those principles is the right to free speech and the right to run for office. The recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump is a stark reminder of the fragility of our democracy. An attempt on the life of a former President and current presidential candidate is not just an attack on an individual but an assault on our democratic values and the Constitution that protects them. There is no situation in 2024 where political assassination is acceptable in this country or abroad. This tragic event also claimed the life of an innocent bystander, whose family is now forever impacted by this terrorist's actions. We must take a moment to pray for the family of this innocent victim, offering our deepest condolences and support as they navigate through this unimaginable pain. This heinous act should be universally denounced. It's a wake-up call for all of us to come together, stop the hate messaging, and commit to running clean, respectful campaigns. We must engage in civil discourse, no matter how passionately we disagree with each other. A United States ex-president and current presidential nominee was one inch away from being murdered. Let that sink in, America. It’s time to reflect on the nation we are becoming and take action to stop this dangerous trajectory. We are at a critical juncture in our history. It is up to each of us to ensure that our country remains a beacon of democracy, where ideas and leadership are contested through votes and voices, not violence. Let’s stand together, uphold our Constitution, and preserve the integrity of our nation for future generations.

How about we show once again that Trump is more mentally unstable than Bilden. https://lnkd.in/gMzRT3K4 So much good is coming out of the Biden administration, not 91 indictments and (the worst of all - the January 6th insurrection). The Supreme Court is reviewing the idiotic claim that the Founding Fathers wanted a president with immunity to any actions taken - even though illegal. If you have any knowledge of the Revolution and kicking out the king of England, as a powerful head of state that COULD do anything (fairly much) that he wanted to do. The Founders made the executive branch powerful, but created checks and balances for the three areas of government. They did not want to have a dictator. Even George Washington was selected as the first president. He was chosen because of his leadership skills for the fledgling United States; however, he was also selected because he had no offspring to worry about having a monarchy. Validating the election of the next president was always on the Founders minds (read what Thomas Jefferson's people thought of John Adams and Alexander Hamilton). They established the election process for that specific reason. If a president could do anything he wished to do, than he/she would be above the law. The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution also would indicate that the president can be checked and 14th Amendment checks the president's power as well. The Supreme Court will come to the correct interpretation of the Constitution. America is a country founded on laws, not religion. And the statement often mentioned is that NO PERSON is above the law.

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽’𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱-𝗕𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻’𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Excerpts: "The man who intended to murder former President Donald Trump on Sept. 18 has explained in his own words why he wanted to do it. The words aren’t only his, though—they’re also the slogans and cliches of Trump’s Democratic opponents, virtually verbatim." "Months ago, Ryan Routh left a letter with a friend in case his assassination attempt failed. That letter is now in prosecutors’ hands, and court filings have made some of its contents public." "What’s been released so far makes Routh’s political motives clear—he saw Trump as dangerously unfit for the presidency and a threat to peace. Routh was especially incensed Trump terminated former President Barack Obama’s deal with Iran." * * * * * "President Trump was not a tyrant and isn’t poised to become one if reelected and slaying him is nothing like justifiable tyrannicide or striking a blow for democracy. If Democrats could bring themselves to say this, they would do wonders for the emotional health of some of their own supporters—and might save lives, including but not only Trump’s." "Routh was not simply a maniac: His planning was meticulous, calculated. The chilling thing about his letter is that it’s not a mindless, stream-of-consciousness rant: It’s an assassin’s manifesto written in the bland language of ordinary anti-Trump discourse." * * * * * "Yet Routh wasn’t just soaking up the syllables of anti-Trump rhetoric—he was internalizing a mindset that presents Trump as an enemy of humanity itself, not only immature but malevolent."            "𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽, 𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝘀—𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵." by Daniel McCarthy Full article: https://lnkd.in/ecEciihT Court filing: https://lnkd.in/ePGXvnVP Chronicles Magazine

More facts to ponder…..

When thinking about the state of our democracy since 2020, we often have been confronted by the response attributed to Benjamin Franklin, who, when asked on the last day of the Constitutional Convention on September 18, 1787 whether the United States was emerging as a republic or a monarch, responded, “a republic, if you can keep it.”  President Biden referred to Franklin’s response in his speech last week announcing he would pass the torch to a new generation.  We have managed to keep that republic for 237 years since Franklin voiced his concern, but judging by Donald Trump’s past deeds and his explicit statements, we stand on the cusp of losing the republic were he to win in November.  That then brings to mind another statement attributed (rightly or wrongly) to Franklin, namely, “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”      With preparation in mind, to explore what might happen were Trump to win the election and attempt to carry out the authoritarian acts he has promised, and pro-democracy actors were to seek to restrain those acts, the Brennan Center for Justice organized five nonpartisan tabletop exercises premised on a Trump victory. These exercises, which were held in May and June, tested scenarios that were based on express statements of intent made by Trump and his close allies. Various summaries of observations and lessons learned from these simulations were published today. The clearest takeaway from these exercises is that pro-democracy actors must prepare for a day only months away when these scenarios may come to fruition, and must do so as a matter of urgency. Pro-democracy forces would include lawmakers, governors, attorneys general, mayors, business leaders, the legal community and civil society (including unions, faith leaders, grassroots activists). In the crucible of resisting authoritarian rule, pro-democracy forces, and countless other citizens, would be forced to take sides.  Non-aligned elements, such as the media and the military chain of command, similarly would be faced with difficult choices. We fail to take the threats seriously, and we fail to prepare should that threats become a reality, at our peril. And obviously the greatest bulwark against authoritarian rule is in our hands – voting in November.    My summary of the lessons learned and observations from these simulations is available here: https://bit.ly/3WuMsie  

In my book Honest-To-Goodness, I label adverse truths unspoken the "irony of the obvious." In other words, if you blithely celebrate a genuinely bad thing as something good, then cover it with some sort of #apologetics, the people who want to believe what you're saying will embrace it as the absolute #truth. Today in the Chicago Tribune, a letter from Nikki Haley titled "We have a country to save" was published. This is what I wrote about it: "There could be several reasons to publish the Nikki Haley campaign letter. The first could be the Tribune's long (or prior) history as a devout Republican supporting newspaper. The second could be genuine fear of what Trump would bring upon America if he were elected again. The third could an ostensibly objective airing of the disingenuous accusations Haley makes about Biden "running the country into the ground" when we all know what how the House Republicans are currently behaving, turning down legitimate border action, resisting aid to a desperate and deserving Ukraine, and trying to impeach Biden by way of torturous, dishonest hearings and dispositions with his son Hunter. Haley makes no mention of fixing her own party's recent history of denying legitimate impeachments of Trump, whose multiple high crimes and misdemeanors were blithely excused by a Republican Senate owned and run by the specious Mitch McConnell, now stepping down in hopes of handing an obviously despotic Trump a full hand of cards to turn democracy and the republic into dust. Perhaps you should have thought about some of these things before giving Haley free reign to rant, not unlike Trump, about Republican victimhood, its hypocritical religious underpinnings, and an overall fascist agenda." https://lnkd.in/gKDaBWN6