Concerned over peaceful transfer of powerM
President Trump, when asked last week if he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power, said, “Well, we’re going to have to see…” Meaning, quite possibly not, and, really, meaning, no, I will only accept the result if I win. He continued, “I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots and the ballots are a disaster.” This has been repeated at several recent rallies, followed by claims he will only lose if the election has been rigged – by the Democrats.
Please note Trump has not offered the any evidence whatsoever for these claims. But he has the bully pulpit and will repeat the lie because, as Joseph Goebbels famously said, “If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes accepted as truth.” Trump also said last week, if we can just “get rid of the ballots, there will be no transition” with all the undemocratic implications the statement entails.
The peaceful transfer of power has been a hallmark of our government since George Washington, most notably when second President, John Adams, stepped aside in 1801 after becoming the first incumbent President to lose a re-election bid. Yet this transition is guaranteed nowhere in the Constitution. The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 was passed to provide “some” clarity – but also muddies. It is not clear what would happen if Trump refused to leave.
I am not the only one concerned about Trump’s comments. According to Dr. Brendan Nyhan, Professor of Government, constitution and government experts around the world are on “high alert” – that this is a “5-alarm fire.”
I call on Senate Republicans to follow the lead of Senator Romney (R-UT) and denounce the President’s suggestion that he will not go peacefully should Biden win – particularly those up for re-election in November.
By that I mean, you:
Thom Tillis, (R-NC);
Corey Gardner, (R-CO);
Susan Collins, (R-ME);
Martha McSally, (R-AZ);
Lindsey Graham, (R-SC);
Kelly Loeffler, (R-GA);
Steve Daines, (R-MT);
Cindy Hyde-Smith, (R-MS).
So far none have.
I worry that a losing Trump will wait to take advantage of post-Election Day chaos driven by armed groups in the streets with long guns. Far-fetched? I don’t think so. Armed groups on both sides such as NFAC and III’ers have made their presence known already, in Michigan, Louisville, and Portland.
Citizens, it is rapidly becoming clear that we are at a significant crossroads for our nation. Will we still be the nation we have been for over 250 years once 2024 rolls around? I am not at all sure.
Paul Mack
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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