I was actually called for Jury duty today. They play a short video explaining the system. It emphasizes the importance of the rights afforded to all of us under the constitution. A system that has been used for over 200 years. The video refers to fairness. Fairness is repeated many times. It provoked me to think about what is going on in our country right now. Our rights, our liberties, those of the constitution, are being assaulted and threatened on a daily basis.
Beto O’Rourke is talking about having law enforcement come to law abiding citizens homes and confiscating their property. Elizabeth Warren talking about taxing the wealthy at a ridiculous rate, based on the value of their assets as well as their income. We watched as the basic right to due process was denied to Brett Kavanaugh. Kamala Harris calling for the 1st Amendment rights of the president of the United States to be removed from a social media platform. Hillary Clinton has accused a veteran and also Jill Stein of being a Russian asset with absolutely no facts to back it up. Many candidates are calling for the electoral college to be abandoned. A system that insures the rights of all states, not just a few. These are people who, if elected would have to swear to uphold the constitution, and yet, they feel they have the authority to decide who gets to benefit from the full constitution and who does not. The criteria is that you must agree with them politically, if not, your rights are limited.
We are watching the attempt to remove the votes of 63 million people play out in front of us, but through a secret process in a secret secluded bunker, conducted by a handful of House representatives that feel they have no obligation to give any facts not just to the American people, but also the person they want to charge. They feel they get to determine what they want us to hear. They want to control what the American people get to hear, and that in essence removes their choice. And the man they are trying to convict has absolutely NO rights what so ever. There is no due process, no attorney to represent him, he cannot see any evidence, he cannot face his accuser, he can offer no defense. There is no sense of fairness at all. How can the American people have any trust if they are not able to hear both sides? This fly’s in the face of fairness and our judicial system and basic rights. An attempt to censor Adam Schiff for blatantly lying on the floor and to the American public was just blocked. Blocked by the very people who are attempting to control what the American people get to see and hear. The clear message sent there is, we can lie to you with impunity. The message I get from that is, since we can lie with impunity, you will never know what the truth is. We will tell you what the truth is.
I have heard people say when talking about this impeachment inquiry, that it is not a criminal inquiry, but rather a political inquiry that the House of Representatives does. But that begs the question, then why does it feel criminal and why, does every democrat including those running for office as well as those conducting the inquiry keep asserting that the president has committed criminal acts? They are attempting to remove our President, one that was duly elected through our system. They aren’t talking about removing a stop sign from an intersection, they are talking about removing our President. And they don’t feel that the American people should be involved in that process? That we don’t have the right to see and hear everything that might lead to that? They feel justified doing all this in a basement somewhere and feel completely justified in their secret squirrel meetings. Seriously? How disrespectful can you be to the average American? The House of Representatives is exactly that, it is suppose to “represent” the people, and yet, Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff feel the people have no right to know what they are doing in “the peoples house”. The arrogance of that is so incredibly offensive, it assaults the senses.
The message that seems to be conveyed to the American people is, if you do not agree with us, then we will remove your vote, we will sully your name and reputation, we will infringe and remove your rights and liberties. And we will do it all in the name of justice. Because we get to determine what justice is. We are so superior to you. We will railroad the American people and they will just have to accept it.
It is astounding to me that those who are charged with protecting our liberties are in fact the very ones attempting to remove them and substitute their own rules and force us to abide by them. I believe we fought a war about this once upon a time.
Our country was founded on religious freedom, laws fair to everyone, and the guaranteed protections to enjoy those liberties. It is a new day, a new society, a new government, larger and with a new set of rules. Those in power think they get to determine those liberties and who gets to enjoy them. I was reminded of that today as I sat listening to the judge on the bench instructing all of us that the defendant is entitled to due process, and legal representation. He/she is innocent until proven guilty and above all we are to be fair minded, listen to the facts as they are presented, and apply the law. I would make the suggestion that our government officials sit in on jury instructions, but I don’t really think it would matter. To them this is not about justice, the law or fairness. This is basic raw power. Those who have it, trample on anything to keep it. Those who want it, will follow the trample example. Those being trampled, rely on a few fair minded Americans who still believe our liberties are to be protected, insured and passed on.
What is going on in our government right now is not limited to President Trump. This will not only effect all presidents in the future, more importantly, it will affect every American in this country. If basic rights can be denied to the most powerful man in world, I shudder to think what can be the fate of the average American who wants to believe in the Jurisprudence of America and those entrusted with insuring them.