“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4)
There’s this….
The full-page ad in Wednesday’s Financial Times reprinted from an original round of ads that appeared in the New York Times and elsewhere last July 4 from “We Hold These Truths.org” is signed by a very impressive list of names. Any list that includes names ranging from Stacey Abrams to Martin Baron, Pete Buttigieg, Wesley Clark, Jamie Raskin, Christine Todd Whitman and others can add me, too.
Founded by University of California law dean Erwin Chermerinsky, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge J. Michael Luttig and Drexel law professor Lisa Tucker, the young organization’s ad outlines bi- and non-partisan support for personal freedoms, separation of powers, equality, democracy and election and the rule of law. In other words, basic Constitutional values.
The effort is described as ”a new nationwide effort to promote freedom, equality, and democracy through public education about the protections provided by the U.S. Constitution.”
It exemplifies the new political reality in America, the effort at uniting all those who stand for these things against those who don’t, namely, Trump and his minions.
Trumpsters (that’s “dumpster” with a “t”) do all in their power to divide us in myriad ways, to deflect and confuse, with the help of algorithms crafted to sow division and hate. The “We Hold These Truths” effort is one of a number growing now to counter this.
More specifically, in their five foci, Personal Freedoms includes upholding free speech, fair criminal justice and personal autonomy; Equality includes guaranteeing equal rights and opportunities for every American, recognizing that freedom depends on equality for all; Democracy and Elections includes supporting accessible voting, honoring election results, and protecting the peaceful transfer of power; The Rule of Law involves limiting government power through equality before the law, due process, judicial independence and accountability; and, Separation of Powers involves ensuring no branch of government exceeds its constitutional authority, and preserving checks and balances.
So, copies of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms paintings, derived from a seminal speech by FDR during World War 2, and you have the basics of what America has stood for until recently, that about 80 percent of Americans still stand for once all the clutter of hate and division is sorted through.
Take the slaughter in Northern Virginia earlier this month, where the anti-Trump Democrat won 75 percent of the vote against a prominent pro-Trump Republican. It was a pro-Democratic district, but until now not by nearly that much. The vote was 16 percentage points higher for winner James Walkinshaw than for Kamala Harris there last November. It surely bodes well for the forces of unity against Trump going forward, and few exemplify that unity better than the truly formidable candidate atop the Democratic ticket running for governor in Virginia this fall, Abigail Spanberger.
Take the fact that the Epstein matter is not over for Trump and all who are trying to defend him and say there is “nothing there,” even when a Trumper like Rep. Margarie Taylor Green comes out foursquare on the side of the brave victims who held a press conference in front of the Capital earlier this month. What other hard Trumpsters have begun to do the same?
Especially as the Epstein files come out soon, and will be explosive beyond what most have any idea of. Don’t forget that last July 18 live on C-SPAN, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, delivered portions of his committee’s report on Epstein, which found that in one bank account, 4,725 wire transfers were uncovered going into and out of Epstein’s account totalling over $1.1 billion that used Russian and Turkish banks to process the funds. And that was only one of Epstein’s accounts.
In a letter to Epstein, Trump wrote, “A pal is a wonderful thing, And may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump’s is a sinking ship. Rats will come scurrying down the mooring ropes soon.