A Very Good Read on the Emoluments Clause
A few days ago, MarketWatch posted an historical perspective of the Emoluments Clause in the Constitution. Article 1, Section 9. Specifically,
“No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”
The Founders knew that corrupting the President would corrupt the entire US government, and gave Congress the power to remove that corruption. Over 230 years ago, they envisioned a Donald Trump. What they didn’t envision, though, was Congress being just as corrupt and complicit. The result is that Trump, a living, breathing, walking, and screaming violation of the Emoluments Clause is ripping the country apart while running the US government like it’s some gigantic reality television show. He’s illegally sitting in the Oval Office, working full-time to honor himself, destroy Barack Obama’s legacy, appoint dozens of unqualified partisans to the federal bench, wage trade wars based on lies, collude with enemies, jail innocent children and undo regulations that protect health and the environment.
None of this should be happening, but it is. And it will continue to happen until we change the Congress by getting people in there who will do their goddam jobs. And THAT can’t happen too soon.
There is a place for anger, and THIS is it.
When Devin Nunes was caught speaking thus: “all this goes away.” He was speaking not “only” of protecting Dotard45 and his maladministration, but of himself, Dana Rohrabacher and too many corrupt snacilbupeR to list inside and outside of Congress.
1Damn! I wish I had the ability to express myself as succinctly as you! Other than vote, what can we do? Phone banks? I’ve never had my position altered by a phone call, a yard sign or or person at my door. So, I’m ready to get out a pitchfork and walk the streets. Let me know when you are ready to organize!
2dbtexad, there are a lot of resistance efforts, of course, I don’t know how effective they are. Personally, I do Postcardstovoters.com I’m hoping upbeat messages on the importance of voting might move someone to get out of the house. There’s a group (sorry I can’t remember the name) that is promoting local protests every day across the country. (In my community it’s weekly on Friday afternoons.) Again, is it helping? I don’t know. My son has committed to get non-voting millennial friends to vote, that might be a good place to start. Offer to drive them to the polls and go out for coffee afterward. Local democratic headquarters may be doing some kind of drive to the polls effort. I agree, it’s exhausting and frustrating.
3There are Indivisible chapters all over the country. Many have organized regular protests over various issues. One of the best ways to check them out is looking for a local group on FaceBook.
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