Events

We now have a madman as president. He has nine more days to serve out his term. But a madman with control of the nuclear codes can do a lot of damage. He could conceivably end human habitation on this planet. Oh, it’ll never happen, you might say and go on sipping your morning coffee. But only 85 or so years ago, many didn’t think Hitler would amount to much. He would certainly fade away and life would continue as usual. Millions of those people were soon exterminated in Nazi concentration camps. Today, the stakes are even higher. The fascist Trump is in charge for nine more days after a bloody coop attempt on our Congress, a coup he instigated. No sense sugar-coating it as he and his supporters are trying to do. He incited his rabid followers to violence and they responded with mayhem including the murder of two Capitol police officers.

So what now to do with this deranged meglomaniac, this fascist ogre? Impeachment? 25th amendment? Resignation? None look particularly promising in the short view. None look like they will solve the immediate national emergency of an extremely unstable man controlling the nuclear codes and the ability to easily launch nuclear missiles at the touch of a button. A coup has been attempted and it looked like it may well have been a conspiracy involving those in the present government. Trump may well have had knowledge of this planned coup and made sure his Pentagon chief delayed in sending any auxiliary troops to quell it. After all, he reveled in the sight of the violent mob tearing the Capitol apart and made no attempt to call the appropriate heads of the national guard to send troops immediately. That tells me he was complicit via omission. Trump has a knack for sequestering himself against responsibility, chronically casting the blame onto others. Well, this time, his circled wagons have run out of cover.

That makes me think of another option that has always been anathema to the American ways of solving political problems: the use of the military. With other options too weak, impractical, or untimely, military intervention may be the only way to resolve this national emergency and pave the way for a smooth transition to Joe Biden’s ascendancy to the presidency. The military could immediately enter the White House and do one of two things: arrest Donald Trump for suspicion of treason or simply take away the nuclear box and codes under his control. Whichever the generals felt most comfortable with would be fine with me.

Once Trump and/or the nuke codes were secured, I would guess Pence would then invoke the 25th amendment and take power until Biden was inaugurated. The military has never been inclined to get involved in politics so would not, as they did in Brazil in 1964, be tempted to remain in power. Biden would transition to his duly elected position as President.

Do I want this to happen? No. I don’t think the Constitution provides for this, although I am not an expert on what this complicated document says. But I think it very well must happen to solve this current urgent national emergency.

The only other solution is prayer, but the angels are already quite overwhelmed with other matters.

May peace and healing arise from the ashes of 6 January.