Letter to the editor: Trump tramples Constitution

Letter-writer Kathleen Bollinger says President Trump should be reelected for the judges he appoints who will “uphold the Constitution” (“Supreme Court in peril,” Feb. 1, TribLIVE). Well, to begin with, Justice Neil Gorsuch holds a stolen seat because of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s abuse of constitutional responsibilities, refusing to recognize President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016.

Googling “Ways Trump has violated the Constitution” brings up many lists, including foreign and domestic emoluments (personal profit from the office), undermining of freedom of the press (anything he doesn’t agree with is fake news), the Establishment Clause (discriminating against non-Christians, such as Muslims) and power of the purse (withholding funds Congress authorized for Ukraine and U.S. sanctuary cities). Laurence Tribe, constitutional scholar and professor of law at Harvard University, says Trump has “trampled through” the Constitution.

This is the most lawless and corrupt president we’ve ever had, and if he gets another term, unaccountable to voters, he’ll be a dictator, if he isn’t already. He claims Article II of the Constitution grants him the right to do “whatever I want” (that’s dictator talk). He fires any advisers he doesn’t agree with and replaces them with often incompetent sycophants. He undermines legitimate news sources by calling verifiable facts fake news. He lies continuously — 16,000 and counting. He obstructed the investigation into him in every way he could. He has intimidated nearly the entire Republican Party into voting party instead of conscience. These are things dictators do.

Is this the kind of government we were taught we had in civics classes? What happened to “checks and balances”?

At the polls this year, be careful what you wish for.

Al Duerig

Salem