Our Republic

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I've been thinking about something that I suspect many people have been thinking about. Will President Donald Trump leave the White House when his term in office expires, or will he declare himself president-for-life (or whatever new title he may choose) and remain in the office of president until he dies? Will he arrange things so that his family takes over the reins of government after he passes on? Keep in mind that Trump and his family do not need to control government directly. They need to control America's military leadership.

People may laugh, but our republic depends on having leaders who have the integrity to not do such things. Trump has repeatedly said the election was fraudulent and that he is the rightful president. He has claimed the election was stolen from him. Now he is replacing top leadership at the Pentagon with his pals—"Trump loyalists," as our news media call them. He has just two months left in his presidency. Why is he sacking Pentagon leadership now? Why is he putting his buddies into those important leadership positions? To say it looks ominous is an understatement.

The blind Bulgarian mystic Baba Vanga, also known as 'Nostradamus of the Balkans', predicted that an African-American would be the 44th and last US President. When Trump was elected 45th president of the US, people assumed she blew that prediction. But what if she didn't? If Trump was elected President but then, before his term expires, assumes a dictatorial role and stays in the White House, possibly passing his rule to his family, can we call him a legitimate president? Obama was elected, served two terms, and left office—like all his predecessors. I think it's a coin toss, a 50/50 probability, whether Trump stays or leaves.

But whatever happens, I'm not too bothered by it. I hope he honors the will of the people. I hope he rethinks what he appears ready to do and turns over the reins of government to his elected successor. But whatever happens, it's way above my pay grade. I'm a bystander in this drama. I wait and watch to see what happens. I have no control over events, the same as 99.9999% of the American people. All we can do is live our lives and watch the show unfold in Washington. While we watch and wait, I reflect on Benjamin Franklin's words in 1787 as he left Independence Hall on the final day of the Constitutional Convention. A lady asked Dr. Franklin, "Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" Franklin replied, "A republic ... if you can keep it." 

Will we keep it? We'll have our answer at noon on January 20th, 2021.