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Trump's Historical Ignorance
In just one week's time, in three separate press engagements, Trump reminded Americans how little he knows (or regards) our founding documents.
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This week served Americans and the world another bleak reminder of just how ignorant and disrespectful the President is to our country and her founding documents. In three separate press engagements, he made a mockery of all three of our most important founding documents—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
First, during an Oval Office interview with ABC News’ Terry Moran on Sunday, April 29th, Moran took note of the copy of the Declaration of Independence currently hanging in the President’s office. Naturally, Moran asked Trump what the document meant to him. His response? "Well, it means exactly what it says, it's a declaration. A declaration of unity and love and respect, and it means a lot. And it's something very special to our country."
All obvious jokes aside, one must ask: Is he really that ignorant of the historical significance and meaning of the Declaration of Independence? This venerated American document is, in fact, quite the opposite of a “unifying document”. But anyone who’s completed an 8th grade level American History or Civics class knows that.
Second, Trump joined Meet the Press with moderator Kristen Welker this past Sunday, May 4th) to discuss his first 100 days in office.
Welker reminded President Trump that even his own Secretary of State Marco Rubio decisively stated that “everyone who is here, citizens and non-citizens” deserve due process. When she asked him if he agreed, his brazen response was: “I don’t know. It seems — it might say that, but if you’re talking about that, then we’d have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials…I was elected to get [illegal immigrants] the hell out of here, and the courts are holding me from doing it.”
NBC reporter Kristen Welker responded with: “But even given those numbers that you’re talking about, don’t you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?”
His response, for the second time? “I don’t know.” (Watch here).
Trump took the oath of office, found in Article II of the Constitution, less than four months ago, in which he swore to "faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," but he has already forgotten the oath he took.
To set the record straight, Secretary Rubio was correct. The 5th Amendment to the Constitution does, in fact, guarantee due process:
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury…nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.
Third, Trump also demonstrated ignorance of another civil liberty found in the Bill of Rights — the right to trial, found in the 7th and 8th amendments. Responding to judicial branch rulings on his deportation efforts, Trump said, “The courts have all of the sudden, out of nowhere, they said, 'maybe you have to have trials.' Trials.”
The right to trial isn’t some fanciful new legal theory. Unlike Trump, these judges know what the Bill of Rights says, and in ruling against an executive that violates those liberties, they are upholding the Constitution and rule of law.
As our President continues to be a national embarrassment (let us count the ways)—but specifically this week—through his ignorance and disrespect of American history and our founding documents, we must use these moments to teach the truth about what our Founding Fathers fought for. In their wisdom, they did everything in their power to establish a system that would prevent tyranny in America through these documents. Simply put: It’s why Trump detests them.
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What We’re Reading:
Democracy Docket: “My Time on 60 Minutes and Why I Refuse To Stay Silent”
From the opening words of Judge Beryl Howell’s opinion — “No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue in this lawsuit” — to the 60 Minutes closing credits, this has been an emotional weekend for me personally.
I have no doubt that Trump’s hateful words are not behind me. I am certain he will escalate his campaign of political retribution. But, for my part, I will not stop fighting. I will never back down. And I will always speak out.
The Dispatch: “Dollars and Zero Sense”
Trump has said numerous times that he sees a trade deficit as a loss. But who is losing? What is lost? No one is forced to buy things they don’t want or need to buy. Voluntary exchange is just that: voluntary.
CNN: “A Militarized Conspiracy Theorist Group Believes Radars Are ‘Weather Weapons’ and Is Trying to Destroy Them”
National Weather Service offices around the country are on guard after recent threats to agency infrastructure — specifically Doppler weather radars — from a violent militia-style group, emails from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s security office show.
New York Times: “Proud Boys’ Ex-Leader Thanks Trump for Pardon at Mar-a-Lago Encounter”
According to a senior administration official who was not authorized to discuss the episode publicly, the club member introduced Mr. Tarrio and his mother to Mr. Trump.
We wrote about Tarrio’s targeting of a pro-democracy conference in Washington, D.C. in February.
The Dispatch: “Trump Is a Socialist”
Trump’s view of a man at a desk moving pieces of the economy around like rooks and pawns on a chessboard is what socialism is all about—though the old tyrants in Moscow at least had the humility to assume that a committee of experts would be necessary.
New York Times: “Trump Sons’ Deals on Three Continents Directly Benefit the President”
President Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, have been traveling the world, rolling out new billion dollar ventures.
Religion News: “Prominent pastor notified books loaned to African American museum may be returned amid review”
A veteran activist of the Civil Rights Movement said he was notified by the Smithsonian Institution that items he loaned to the National Museum of African American History and Culture may be returned, amid a potential review of the museum’s collections ordered by President Donald Trump.
Adam Kinzinger Substack: “The Trump Crime Family Business: Selling America from the Inside”
Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger discusses the corrupt nature of President Trump’s sons using their positions to enrich themselves financially with foreign deals.
What We’re Watching:
60 Minutes: “How Law Firms Targeted By Trump Are Responding to White House Pressure”
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