Thanksgiving is the perfect time for each of us to acknowledge the preciousness of our America. Our representative democracy should be as dear and cherished to us as our own families. We must stop taking our democratic America for granted. We could lose it if we are not protective of it, especially right now as our embarrassing presidential drama plays out in front of the world.
Donald Trump lost the election by more than six million votes and Joe Biden’s electoral college victory is clear. The people have spoken freely and loudly—it is the second largest vote margin for a candidate since 1996.
Trump wants to leave America in a pile of rubble
Much more than being a sore loser, Trump’s post-election behavior is reflective of his dangerous mental processes. To be clear, his behavior now is not about politics or love of country. Rather, it is about a vacuous, bitter, and destructive man who is undermining America; first with his ill-fated quest to remain in power for corrupt and anti-democratic reasons and now with his efforts to kneecap President-elect Biden.
Let’s be clear, he wants to leave America in a pile of rubble so that his replacement—President-elect Joe Biden—will fail. Just this week, he made clear his intentions to discard the surveillance aircraft that have allowed the nuclear superpowers in this world to remain in check.
Trump is desperate to remain relevant because he is addicted to power and adulation and greed. He is also afraid of facing the federal and state criminal charges awaiting him. Trump knows the walls are closing in on him. His time to face the music is fast approaching. He is embarrassed, humiliated, and scared.
Because of his desperation, every move Trump has made since Election Day has been aimed at subverting democracy solely to soothe his fragile ego and exact some measure of revenge.
We have lost 257,000 American souls on Trump’s watch
Trump’s lies and conspiracy theories about the election were wholly false. There was no voter fraud. The election was not rigged. His frivolous and baseless lawsuits were dismissed quickly. Trump has been left standing alone with nothing except egg on his face—all the while still claiming victory in his typically delusional way. Trump’s “alternative universe” is fake. It is how he has promulgated his con. Unfortunately, his false narratives have been effective with millions of vulnerable Americans. It is because he has discouraged critical thinking and the truth as well as science.
Let us not forget we are in the middle of a deadly pandemic. Because of Trump’s disinterest and abdication of responsibility, the coronavirus is killing Americans by the thousands. We have lost 257,000 American souls on Trump’s watch. It is obvious that he does not care. He would much rather be playing golf than attending to our public health and economic crises. After all, Trump has never understood or abided by his oath of office.
Republicans could have helped to avert this current constitutional mess. But they have been spineless and cowardly for the past four years. Even while Trump tried to subvert democracy and steal this election, Republicans were, and many still are, silent and absent. They are sacrificing the well-being and safety of our country by focusing only on their own political fortunes. They are not being public servants. They are not serving and protecting the American people. They are enablers whose complicity will be their legacy. And historians will treat them harshly in years to come. Yet, Carl Bernstein has gone on record to say that as many as 21 Republican Senators have admitted in private that Trump is detestable and unfit. Unfortunately, private talk is not the same as doing your job.
Trump must be prosecuted for his atrocities as President
The Constitution and our judicial system appear to be providing the guardrails for us. President-elect Biden will become President on January 20, 2021. Trump’s voice of power will end. If need be, he will be physically escorted out of the Oval Office. Much more likely is that he will slither away behind the scenes so that his face of defeat will not be on display throughout the world.
Trump must be prosecuted for his atrocities as President. Let us not forget he was impeached in late 2019 for his corrupt acts with Ukraine.
If we do not prosecute him, he and other authoritarians around the world will interpret our good will as a tacit license to continue with their madness. And we must make amends to the millions of Americans who have been psychologically abused by the nature of this presidency.
President-elect Joe Biden will be the voice of reason, unity, and inclusiveness. He has announced that he will be the President for all Americans—even Trump supporters. Once Trump’s malicious and nefarious voice is gone, a return to compromise and mutual understanding will take place. We will not have a civil war. America is best when we are a united and cohesive people with a common set of principles and ideals.
Sixty days until our democracy is saved from the ravages of a single man who does not give a damn about us or our country.
Thanksgiving is a perfect time to renew our commitment to America.
Anthony Scaramucci, JD, is a financier and past White House Director of Communications. He lives in Washington, DC.
Alan D. Blotcky, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in Birmingham, Alabama.
Seth D. Norrholm, PhD, is an associate professor at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.
