Yes, I firmly believe President Trump is abusing his authority. Please don't misunderstand me. I am not a Trump hater. I admire and respect him for his accomplishments as President--and there are many. I discuss some of them later in this article.
However, my emphasis in this blog post is on Trump's flagrant abuses of his power as President.
Greenland Is a Key Example
Trump's determination to acquire Greenland even if it takes military force is outrageous.
I concede that Greenland would be a nice addition to the United States. Greenland has much to offer.
But when and if Greenland ever becomes part of the U.S., it needs to happen only if the people of Greenland want it. If the people of Denmark also want Greenland to join the U.S., that's even better. Currently, neither Greenland nor Denmark seem to like the idea of Greenland joining the U.S.
The U.S. cannot buy Greenland if it is not for sale. And the U.S. has no legal right to attack Greenland militarily to take it by force. Such an attack would violate international law, the United States Constitution, and common sense moral values.
An NBC News article and a Guardian article are two of the numerous ones online discussing Trump considering using military force to take Greenland.
Any effort by Trump to take Greenland by force constitutes grounds for President Trump's impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives, then Trump's conviction by the Senate and his removal from office.
A Few More Cases of Trump Abusing His Authority: What To Do
Trump's abuse of power in enacting tariffs, stopping Venezuelan oil tankers, and using his power to get even with enemies are a few other examples of his numerous abuses. The list is long.
Trump needs to be controlled by his staff, Congress, and the Court system. Since he seems to emphasize hiring and retaining staff that will do as he desires, Congress and the Courts seem left primarily to take action.
Congressional Action
Democrats have taken less action than one would expect. Furthermore, some (many?) of their actions can be considered to be politically motivated. They are the opposition party.
Most Republicans in Congress seem unwilling to challenge Trump. The few that do often incur his wrath.
I'm proud to write that my home state of Kentucky's two Republican U.S. Senators are among those most willing to oppose Trump. Rand Paul has a well-deserved reputation for being a maverick Republican willing to vote his personal views. Kentucky's Mitch McConnell also has prominently opposed Trump multiple times.
I urge readers to contact their U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives urging them to stand firm against Trump's excesses.
For Congress to pass laws against Trump's wishes requires a veto proof 2/3 majority in both chambers of Congress. Surely, we can get 2/3 of our Congressional members to pass legislation overturning some of Trump's ridiculous executive orders and reigning in his powers
Furthermore, though the House can impeach Trump with just a majority vote, it requires a 2/3 majority in the Senate to convict him and remove him from office.
Still, I would hope that any effort by Trump to take Greenland involuntarily would constitute grounds for that removal.
Court Action
The Court system has taken action against Trump in some ways. But Trump seems to prevail surprisingly often in the United States Supreme Court.
Furthermore, a court typically only acts after a suit is filed. Then there is often a lengthy appeals process before a case gets to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Some of Trump's Accomplishments
I support many of Trump's actions during his two terms as President, though I sometimes disliked his method even in those cases.
Trump appointed pro-life Supreme Court justices that led to the overturning of Roe versus Wade. I'm pro-life.
During Trump's first term, the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products went up to age 21 from age 18. Many consider tobacco to be the #1 preventable cause of death. Raising the minimum age may help stop young people from adopting the tobacco habit.
Trump has sought to cut government spending and government waste, though the results are mixed.
He's tried to reduce healthcare costs by cutting abuses by large pharmaceutical companies and health insurance companies. I'd like it if he also stopped cutting taxes for the rich to help reduce the federal debt, but at least he's doing something.
Trump's sought to end wars and conflicts in many places. Additionally, so far his military initiatives have not mired large quantities of U.S. soldiers in wars on foreign soil.
Even the removal of Venezuela's Maduro was a quick action that apparently cost no U.S. lives. Though most probably disapprove of Trump's actions against Maduro, Maduro was widely viewed as an illegitimate leader.
I remain hopeful Trump will help Venezuela transition to a legitimate government that is good for Venezuela and the whole situation. And it would be great for Congress and the President to approve making payments to innocent civilian Venezuelans who suffered losses in the capture of Maduro.
Below is a photo of Trump on the White House lawn that I obtained from the White House website. The date of the photo is unknown.
Final Thoughts
Trump cannot be called a do-nothing President. He has accomplished much. But he has also done much harm.
We the people, the Congress, the Court system, and his staff share a responsibility to correct Trump's excesses and errors, holding him accountable when necessary.
Trump enjoys many nice visions, dreams, and plans. But he is not God. He is not perfect. He is not a dictator.
His executive power needs to be properly controlled. Under God, let's all seek to control Trump.
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