{"id":8497,"date":"2019-07-19T14:40:01","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T14:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=8497"},"modified":"2019-08-03T00:07:48","modified_gmt":"2019-08-03T00:07:48","slug":"a-belated-4th-of-july-meditation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=8497","title":{"rendered":"A belated 4th of July meditation…"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u201cAmerican children of many ethnic backgrounds” celebrate July 4th.\u00a0 (No “send her back” here…)<\/em><\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

\"UnitedWe celebrated July 4th over two weeks ago.<\/p>\n

But any<\/em><\/strong> time is a good time to recall the reason why we celebrate that day.\u00a0 (When the Second Continental Congress<\/a> adopted the Declaration of Independence<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n

And to recall the Declaration’s “self-evident” truths:\u00a0 1)\u00a0 that all men (and women)<\/em> are created equal,\u00a0 2) that all Americans have a God-given right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,\u00a0 3) that governments – especially American governments – get their power from and by “the consent of the governed,*” and 4)\u00a0 that when any American administration tries to destroy those ends, the Sovereign People have the right – if not the duty – to alter or abolish that administration.<\/p>\n

And “institute new Government,” in the form of a new administration.<\/p>\n

Which brings up the 22d Amendment to the U.S. Constitution<\/a>.\u00a0 And with it the subject of term limits for the president – the chief executive<\/a> – of these ostensibly-united states:<\/p>\n

Prior to the ratification of the amendment, the president had not been subject to term limits<\/a>, but George Washington<\/a> had established a two-term tradition that many other presidents had followed.\u00a0 [However, in] the 1940 presidential election<\/a>, Franklin D. Roosevelt<\/a> became the first president to win a third (and later fourth) term, giving rise to concerns about the potential issues<\/em><\/strong> involved with a president serving an unlimited number of terms.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And what are those “potential issues?”\u00a0 As\u00a0Thomas Jefferson<\/a>\u00a0said over 200 years ago:\u00a0 “If some termination to the services of the chief magistrate [the president] be not fixed by the Constitution, or supplied by practice, his office, nominally for years, will in fact, become for life; and history shows how easily that degenerates into an inheritance.”<\/p>\n

\"JamesWhich is another way of saying that limiting the number of presidential terms is a “vital check against any one person, or the presidency as a whole, accumulating too much powe<\/em><\/strong>r.”\u00a0 Or as James Madison<\/a>\u00a0(at left)<\/em> added, \u201cThe accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judicial in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self\u2013appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Which brings up a 2009 attempt to repeal the 22d Amendment.\u00a0 The effect was – according to conservatives – to allow “Barack Obama to serve as ‘President for life.'”\u00a0 See FACT CHECK: Bill to Repeal the 22nd Amendment<\/a>.\u00a0 It was introduced by New York representative Jose Serrano, and was the same bill he’d introduced nine times since 1997.\u00a0 The response from conservatives?<\/p>\n

Is THIS really what America wants or needs?\u00a0 If the just introduced H.J. Res 15 passes, Barack Obama will LEGALLY be able to be our dictator for the remainder of his life.\u00a0 I surely hope that all liberty loving patriots speak up to their Congressmen and women that 4 years of Barack Obama has been bad enough, we surely don\u2019t need him around running America into the ground for another 40 years.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another comment compared the Democratic Party with “the Nazis, the Communists, and the Fascists,” because they were ostensibly “moving to posture the U.S. Presidency for succession by one President.”\u00a0 (But see Trump hints U.S. should nix term limits<\/a>.)\u00a0<\/em> The writer added, “That\u2019s how Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini became ‘Leaders for Life.’\u201d\u00a0 Then another voice added:<\/p>\n

\u201cWill George W. Bush end up being the last true U.S. President?\u201d asked Sher Zieve\u2026\u00a0 \u201dAs I warned you on multiple times prior to the 2008 General Election, \u2018Once Obama is elected, we won\u2019t be able to get rid of him<\/strong>.\u2019\u00a0 Tragically, this warning is now being realized.\u00a0 Not only has Obama established his election-fraud organization ACORN nationwide*, his adherents have now begun the process to repeal the U.S. Constitution\u2019s 22nd Amendment.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Which brings up the irony of the same lawmakers [being] slow to reintroduce presidential term limit repeal under Trump<\/a>.\u00a0 (“Trump has joked about repealing the 22nd Amendment, including while humorously suggesting that he likes the idea of being ‘president for life,’ a term used to describe Chinese President Xi Jinping, who recently consolidated power in the authoritarian country.”)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

See also Do you think Trump will try to repeal the 22nd Amendment<\/a><\/span><\/u>?\u00a0 (The answer?\u00a0 No, not effectively anyway.)<\/i>\u00a0 My point?\u00a0 The shoe is on the other foot<\/a>, metaphorically speaking.<\/p>\n

\"Trump\"Conservatives wish – and liberals dread – that without the 22d Amendment Donald Trump might well end up “our dictator for the remainder of his life.”\u00a0 (As he himself has “joked.”\u00a0 See Trump Jokes About Being President for 16 Years<\/a>. Or Google<\/em> “trump joke president for life.”)<\/i><\/p>\n

Which isn’t going to happen.\u00a0 Whether by vote in 2020 or operation of law in 2024, Trump will<\/em> <\/strong>end up leaving the White House.\u00a0 What happens then?\u00a0 Aside from the cheering, the dancing in\u00a0 the streets, the fireworks and parades, a new nightmare will begin – for Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

Aside from likely fraud prosecutions in states like New York and California, he will no longer automatically<\/em><\/strong> be the center of attention.\u00a0 He will no longer be able to have his face on the “front pages” of American media.\u00a0 Eventually he’ll simply be ignored, a harsh punishment – for him – in and of itself.\u00a0 Then there is Trump’s desire to be a part of the “elite<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

Trump doesn’t just<\/strong> have a problem with those in the exclusive club of elites.\u00a0 It sounds as if he’s expressing frustration that he is not\u00a0a part<\/strong> of that select group.\u00a0 His\u00a0boasts about\u00a0his residence, bank account and intelligence sound like someone who wants membership in a club that has repeatedly rejected him.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So by either 2021 or 2025, Donald Trump will no longer have the protection of the White House.\u00a0 He will no longer be part of the “ruling elite.”\u00a0 He will be – simply – just one more ex-president.\u00a0 And<\/em> <\/strong>he’ll then have to face the reality that a great many Americans loathe him.\u00a0 More to the point, a great many Americans will no longer see him as “a winner.”<\/p>\n

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Trump and many of his supporters believe that winning isn’t all that matters.\u00a0 It matters that you be viewed<\/strong> as a winner.\u00a0 And for a president who has been quick to lob the\u00a0label \u201closer\u201d at those with whom he didn’t find favor, knowing that there are many Americans who don’t want him in their club is a great source of anger.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And that anger may well be returned by the very “deplorables” who ardently support him now.\u00a0 Like, when they finally realize how little he has actually done for them.\u00a0 “Trump and his family may be mining this anti-elite anger, but they \u2026 also aren\u2019t proposing anything that could make life better for the people who actually live in small towns or in ‘flyover’ states.”<\/p>\n

People might even say, “and great was the fall thereof<\/em><\/strong>.”\u00a0 (But the Republic will live on…)<\/em><\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

The upper image is courtesy\u00a0of\u00a0Independence Day (United States) \u2013 Wikipedia<\/a>. \u00a0I borrowed it from the 2017 post\u00a0July 4th: \u201cGod save the Queen<\/a>?”\u00a0 It noted that\u00a0Puck<\/a>\u00a0magazine was noted for its satire, “which is another way of saying that any\u00a0real<\/strong>\u00a0American will always retain his or her sense of humor, up to and including the ability to laugh at himself. \u00a0(Or herself.)\u00a0\u00a0And that\u2019s another way of saying that\u00a0no<\/strong>\u00a0real American will ever be too\u00a0thin-skinned<\/a>\u00a0to do his job. \u00a0(Or hers.)<\/em><\/p>\n

“Not that that observation applies to current events or anything\u2026”\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The full text of the Preamble to the United States Declaration of Independence (Wikipedia<\/a><\/em>):<\/p>\n

\n

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men [and women] are created equal<\/em><\/strong>, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.\u00a0 That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed<\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0 That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends<\/em><\/strong>, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation upon such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. \u00a0Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.\u00a0 But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism<\/a><\/strong>, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government<\/a>, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”\u00a0 (E.A.)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Re:\u00a0 “Consent of the governed.”\u00a0 See also\u00a0Popular sovereignty – Wikipedia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 “Chief executive.”\u00a0 See\u00a0SparkNotes: The Presidency: The President\u2019s Roles<\/a>: \u00a0The president is “head of the executive branch and is responsible for running the federal bureaucracy and enforcing the laws passed by Congress.”\u00a0 He – or she, eventually – has the appointment power to nominate members of the cabinet, along with “heads of agencies, federal judges, and about 2,000 lesser jobs.\u00a0 The Senate must approve these nominations.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 Accumulation of power quote.\u00a0 See<\/i> <\/b>Separation of Powers: A System of Checks and Balances<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0 See also, TOP 25 TYRANNY FOUNDING FATHERS QUOTES<\/a>.\u00a0 Another relevant quote from Madison:\u00a0 “If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 “Acorn nationwide.”\u00a0 See\u00a0ACORN 2009 undercover videos controversy – Wikipedia<\/a>.\u00a0 In 2009, conservative activists Hannah Giles<\/a> and James O’Keefe<\/a> secretly recorded activities at the offices of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now<\/a> (ACORN), a non-profit<\/a> which – for nearly 40 years – had been involved in “voter registration, community organizing and advocacy for low- and moderate-income people.”\u00a0 After much media ballyhoo one federal investigation found ACORN hadn’t violated “any federal regulations in the past five years,” but that O’Keefe and Giles “may have violated Maryland and California laws banning the recording of face-to-face conversations without consent of both parties.”\u00a0 In 2010 the Brooklyn <\/em>District Attorney<\/a>‘s office found the videos were “‘heavily edited’ to give a misleading impression,” and that there was no criminal wrongdoing by the ACORN Brooklyn staff.\u00a0 A law enforcement source added, “They edited the tape to meet their agenda.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 “And great was the fall thereof.”\u00a0 See\u00a0Matthew 7:27<\/a>, according to the\u00a0Douay-Rheims<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0English Revised Version<\/a>\u00a0of the Bible.\u00a0 Which leads to t<\/em>he lower image, courtesy of\u00a0House Built On Sand\u00a0– Image Results<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0See also\u00a0Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Builders – Wikipedia<\/a>, which “illustrates the importance of building one’s life on obedience to the teachings and example of\u00a0Jesus<\/a>.”<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cAmerican children of many ethnic backgrounds” celebrate July 4th.\u00a0 (No “send her back” here…) * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * We celebrated July 4th over two weeks ago. But any time is a good time to recall the reason why we celebrate that day.\u00a0 (When the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10,5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8497"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8497"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8497\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8642,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8497\/revisions\/8642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}