With Trump Now Under Fire Even From His Own Party, Americans For Trump Need to Remember This
President Trump's under fire from his own party after the resignation of National Security head Flynn. (Republicans, unlike Democrats, turn on their own in a heartbeat - at least when it comes to Donald Trump.) Americans who basically and generally support Trump appear to be circling the wagons around their man. There they'll cling to President Trump's initial efforts to pursue his campaign promise to control illegal immigration and protect the homeland from terrorism, as well as his promise to help the "forgotten" working man. Good for them! But perhaps, as they defend their guy, they should remember something that emerged from our colonial forefathers during the formation of our Republic: question authority.
But lest the implication that Trump's sometimes authoritarian mannerisms mark him as unique among recent Presidents, let's remember that Obama exercised his authority liberally when it came to items he wanted to push. If nothing else, he was a leader who followed a rigid, doctrinaire progressive agenda. He could talk up "democracy" when convenient, but when it came to certain progressive initiatives, democracy was pushed aside. But, of course, Obama's gone. The question now, however: Will Trump's admirers and followers do the same?
Time will tell, but perhaps a reminder is in order. Just because you think this President's got some good ideas, it shouldn't cause you to hope he becomes like the guy you rejected. Just because you voted against an elite that you believe aggrandized wealth and power at your expense doesn't mean you encourage the new guy to become like the old.
Our forefathers questioned authority in all its forms. It was one of the themes that led, over time, enabled them ability to reject the British Crown in favor of - well, something else. They rejected the Crown because it abused its power. But their ability to do so with persistence and force sprang from this ingrained habit of questioning authority. They weren't the first to recognize abuse of power and privilege. And the fact is, they really didn't have a clear, fixed idea of what sort of government they would install to replace the Crown. The specific system of government that eventually would take shape had to await the resolution of the war and, ultimately, the convention in Philadelphia that finally fashioned our Constitution. But they didn't back off or shy away from the ultimate choice to separate from the mother country when push came to shove. And that was because they had developed the practice of questioning authority during the decades preceding the Revolution, when they were colonists, indeed loyal British subjects.
To be sure, questioning authority can itself be abused. There's such a thing as "legitimate" authority. Questioning such authority can devolve into a kind immature, juvenile, petulant rebellion associated with teenagers as they struggle to become full-fledged adults. Or it can result in the generally dangerous and destructive behavior of full-fledged anarchists. Such individuals create the kind of unstable conditions that undermine the peace and prosperity that has marked the progression of American society from its frontier roots to the legendary land of opportunity. But on balance, questioning authority has served us well for the simple reason that so many who claim authority in some form use or abuse that authority to advance their personal gain at the expense of others.
The test now will be whether Trump's supporters, in rejecting what they considered unfair and oppressive elements of our society, keep their edge and question the authority claimed by Trump's administration. If legitimate, then support it. If not, oppose it. That's the American way.
But lest the implication that Trump's sometimes authoritarian mannerisms mark him as unique among recent Presidents, let's remember that Obama exercised his authority liberally when it came to items he wanted to push. If nothing else, he was a leader who followed a rigid, doctrinaire progressive agenda. He could talk up "democracy" when convenient, but when it came to certain progressive initiatives, democracy was pushed aside. But, of course, Obama's gone. The question now, however: Will Trump's admirers and followers do the same?
Time will tell, but perhaps a reminder is in order. Just because you think this President's got some good ideas, it shouldn't cause you to hope he becomes like the guy you rejected. Just because you voted against an elite that you believe aggrandized wealth and power at your expense doesn't mean you encourage the new guy to become like the old.
Our forefathers questioned authority in all its forms. It was one of the themes that led, over time, enabled them ability to reject the British Crown in favor of - well, something else. They rejected the Crown because it abused its power. But their ability to do so with persistence and force sprang from this ingrained habit of questioning authority. They weren't the first to recognize abuse of power and privilege. And the fact is, they really didn't have a clear, fixed idea of what sort of government they would install to replace the Crown. The specific system of government that eventually would take shape had to await the resolution of the war and, ultimately, the convention in Philadelphia that finally fashioned our Constitution. But they didn't back off or shy away from the ultimate choice to separate from the mother country when push came to shove. And that was because they had developed the practice of questioning authority during the decades preceding the Revolution, when they were colonists, indeed loyal British subjects.
To be sure, questioning authority can itself be abused. There's such a thing as "legitimate" authority. Questioning such authority can devolve into a kind immature, juvenile, petulant rebellion associated with teenagers as they struggle to become full-fledged adults. Or it can result in the generally dangerous and destructive behavior of full-fledged anarchists. Such individuals create the kind of unstable conditions that undermine the peace and prosperity that has marked the progression of American society from its frontier roots to the legendary land of opportunity. But on balance, questioning authority has served us well for the simple reason that so many who claim authority in some form use or abuse that authority to advance their personal gain at the expense of others.
The test now will be whether Trump's supporters, in rejecting what they considered unfair and oppressive elements of our society, keep their edge and question the authority claimed by Trump's administration. If legitimate, then support it. If not, oppose it. That's the American way.
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