Revised November 12, 2017
Version of this published as a column in the Sky Hi News, November 15, 2015 p 7 www.skyhidailynews.com
These Freedom Caucus members are divorced from reality for even suggesting a coup could happen. A coup by whom? Some volunteer militia out there? Alt right activists waiving torches? By the generals in the administration like White House Chief of Staff, John F Kelly, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, and National Security Adviser H.R.McMaster, men well educated in political science whose oath of office includes a duty to democracy and the Constitution?
Version of this published as a column in the Sky Hi News, November 15, 2015 p 7 www.skyhidailynews.com
"Keeping up with the Mueller investigation will risk a coup d'etat" could be taken as an implied threat by hard core members of the Congressional Freedom Caucus even though it is couched in terms of an outcome if Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller continues his investigation into Donald Trump's administration. http://www.newsweek.com/us-risks-coup-if-mueller-investigation-continues-say-republicans-706421
The Freedom Caucus' reasoning is they believe Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller is getting revenge against Pres. Trump for the firing of Mueller's friend, fired FBI director James Comey. Per chief advocate Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida that Mueller as former FBI director failed to prosecute Hillary Clinton on the Uranium One deal where the right wing alleged there was bribery that involved Russian investments. Therefore, there is an appearance of a conflict of interest, they say. There is no evidence that Mueller is investigating Clinton as part of the Russian probe. It remains a conspiracy theory since even the accusers have presented no evidence Clinton intervened on behalf of the State Department in the issue to pressure the other eight agencies who also reviewed and approved the deal. That these theories and suspicions are a cause for dismissal will not fly, given the overwhelming accolades of his competence and independence that followed Mueller's appointment. Firing for cause means that there is incompetence or abuse of power that is provable. Suspecting political motivations do not count as a cause. The problem for the Freedom Caucus is that Mueller's competence has been so credibly demonstrated in his meticulous and detailed indictments, he has now become a serious threat to their hero, Donald Trump.
Have they lost their minds? What they are saying is frightening. Within our democratic form a government, impeachment is the method of regime change. By definition, a coup d'etat is" the sudden attempt by a small group of people to take over the government usually through violence." (Merriam-Webster) .A coup , a non democratic power takeover, destroys any pretext of freedom and begins a chain of counter coups, economy killing instability, and civil war. Including the word "freedom" in their caucus name itself is an oxymoron, the opposite of what they say they stand for.
The Freedom Caucus' reasoning is they believe Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller is getting revenge against Pres. Trump for the firing of Mueller's friend, fired FBI director James Comey. Per chief advocate Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida that Mueller as former FBI director failed to prosecute Hillary Clinton on the Uranium One deal where the right wing alleged there was bribery that involved Russian investments. Therefore, there is an appearance of a conflict of interest, they say. There is no evidence that Mueller is investigating Clinton as part of the Russian probe. It remains a conspiracy theory since even the accusers have presented no evidence Clinton intervened on behalf of the State Department in the issue to pressure the other eight agencies who also reviewed and approved the deal. That these theories and suspicions are a cause for dismissal will not fly, given the overwhelming accolades of his competence and independence that followed Mueller's appointment. Firing for cause means that there is incompetence or abuse of power that is provable. Suspecting political motivations do not count as a cause. The problem for the Freedom Caucus is that Mueller's competence has been so credibly demonstrated in his meticulous and detailed indictments, he has now become a serious threat to their hero, Donald Trump.
The founders of our country and the Constitution warned us about such kinds of threats to democracy. .That is why they provided the impeachment process in the Constitution, the alternative to coups, armed insurrections, and revolution to determine the legitimate ruler. Impeachment is the more likely outcome of the Russian connection investigation if Trump were to fire Mueller, his ultimate act of obstruction of justice. The GOP dominated House of Representatives would never begin the impeachment process. Flipping it blue to impeach Trump would at minimum become the dominating 2018 campaign issue.
These members of the Freedom Caucus must have slept through history classes, much less civics. History of the past hundred years is littered with failed states with countries who trashed their democratic institutions. A lesson from history: a warning that without citizen support, democracy is damned. Most dictators and autocrats from banana republics to large industrialized countries gained power by popular vote, flaunting laws established in their governing documents, including Hitler, who was elected to office. Once gaining power in the voting booth, they set about ignoring or eating alive any constraints on their power. It is happening now in Russia, Turkey, elsewhere. Those who care about our Constitution and rule of law need to start speaking out loudly.
These members of the Freedom Caucus must have slept through history classes, much less civics. History of the past hundred years is littered with failed states with countries who trashed their democratic institutions. A lesson from history: a warning that without citizen support, democracy is damned. Most dictators and autocrats from banana republics to large industrialized countries gained power by popular vote, flaunting laws established in their governing documents, including Hitler, who was elected to office. Once gaining power in the voting booth, they set about ignoring or eating alive any constraints on their power. It is happening now in Russia, Turkey, elsewhere. Those who care about our Constitution and rule of law need to start speaking out loudly.
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From history and current events, we can see what we could repeat. As the French Revolution unfolded, even the inventor of the guillotine eventually fell to its blade as the revolution got out of control. Coups blow back even on their instigators. What goes around has a way of coming around. The next half century of the 1800's resulted in Napoleon's reign and restoration of monarchy. Because of our newly minted Constitution, America did not fall into that trap.
Fareed Zakaria outlines how that is happening within our memories and now. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/the-saudi-crown-princes-power-grab-follows-a-strongmans-playbook/2017/11/09/167d35fe-c593-11e7-84bc-5e285c7f4512_story.html
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So what is wrong with a military coup and rule by the military that motivated our founders to set up safeguards against military coups? Military rule is hard on both sides of a conflict and destabilizing. Our founders realized that and put civilians with power over the military.
Janet Schaw, a Scot visiting her brother , likely an English loyalist in Wilmington North Carolina, in 1775, wrote of her time in the colonies:"At present the martial law stands thus: An officer or committeeman enters a plantation with his posse. The alternative is proposed. Agree to join us [Whigs] and your persons and properties are safe . . . if you refuse, we are directly to cut up your corn, shoot your pigs, burn your houses, … and perhaps tar and feather yourself. Not to choose the first requires more courage than they are possessed" http://mentalfloss.com/article/60917/8-complaints-real-colonists-had-about-british-rule
Janet Schaw, a Scot visiting her brother , likely an English loyalist in Wilmington North Carolina, in 1775, wrote of her time in the colonies:"At present the martial law stands thus: An officer or committeeman enters a plantation with his posse. The alternative is proposed. Agree to join us [Whigs] and your persons and properties are safe . . . if you refuse, we are directly to cut up your corn, shoot your pigs, burn your houses, … and perhaps tar and feather yourself. Not to choose the first requires more courage than they are possessed" http://mentalfloss.com/article/60917/8-complaints-real-colonists-had-about-british-rule
https://www.salon.com/2017/11/09/a-republican-congressman-is-calling-for-robert-mueller-to-be-fired/
http://www.newsweek.com/us-risks-coup-if-mueller-investigation-continues-say-republicans-706421
http://www.newsweek.com/us-risks-coup-if-mueller-investigation-continues-say-republicans-706421
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