The Wild Reed: Quote of the Day

Friday, June 09, 2017

Quote of the Day

Whether or not the president’s actions ultimately rise to “obstruction,” . . . it’s clear these are serious allegations that suggest a kind of lawlessness in the White House, from a president with little regard for the norms that govern conduct in the Oval Office. Trump’s alleged demand for [then-FBI Director] James Comey’s personal loyalty – in a government where officials pledge allegiance to the Constitution, not the president – would itself be a profound attack on the rule of law. In an ideal world, or at least a more functional one, lawmakers on both sides would see and treat this as a crisis that demands resolution, lest it corrode American democracy.

But that’s not what we have. Just one of our two parties is interested in checking this president’s abuse. The other, the Republican Party, is indifferent, content to tolerate Trump’s misconduct as long as it doesn’t interrupt or interfere with its political agenda. What defined [yesterday's] hearing, in fact, was the degree to which Republicans downplayed obvious examples of bad – potentially illegal – behavior and sought to exonerate Trump rather than grapple with Comey’s damning allegations about the president.

. . . James Comey’s sworn Senate testimony, both written and spoken, is evidence of one political crisis: A president with little regard for rule of law who sees no problem in bringing his influence and authority to bear on federal investigations. The Republican reaction – the effort to protect Trump and discredit Comey – is evidence of another: a crisis of ultra-partisanship, where the nation’s governing party has opted against oversight and accountability, abdicating its role in our system of checks and balances and allowing that president free rein, as long as he signs its legislation and nominates its judges.

Americans face two major crises, each feeding into the other. Republicans aren’t bound to partisan loyalty. They can choose country over party, rule of law over ideology. But they won’t, and the rest of us will pay for it.