Between the Republic and Chaos

Between the Republic and Chaos
Pence is Called to Defend the Republic

by Wayne D. King

Mike Pence should resign from the Trump ticket if Trump continues to risk our democracy by declaring the election is rigged despite all evidence to the contrary.

Everyone knows that I am no fan of Donald Trump but this latest gambit threatens the very fabric of our Republic. Its a lonely job but there is no one else who can do it. Mike Pence stands between the Republic and chaos.

If anyone had the right to declare that the election was rigged if was Al Gore in the 2000 election. He had received almost a million more votes than his opponent and the election had come down to a fight over the Eleectoral college votes in Florida. Plenty of American's would have done whatever Gore asked them to do. But Al Gore put the welfare of our republic over his own personal pain and outrage. History will deem him a hero of the Republic for that. 

Gore knew that we were facing an existential crisis if he continued to dispute the election - even though his supporters were not threatening violence. So he put his dream on the shelf in the best interest of the country. 

I watched all this happen from a hotel room in Lagos, Nigeria. So many people around me asked if there would be a revolution or tanks at the gates of the White House. After all, their own experience had been that even fair elections often ended in violence and the jailing of opposition leaders. Despite the pain of losing the election I was so damn proud of my country. I'll never forget being in a hotel lounge with about 100 Nigerians who actually asked me to explain to them what had happened. I gave an impromptu lecture on democracy to a facinated group of Nigerians, explaining that the peaceful transition of power was - in fact - the true test of a democracy's strength. Its easy to have an election, its hard to stand down if you feel that you should have won, evidence or not.

Election 2016 - Less than Candid

Donald Trump is not only ginning up anger - with no evidence - his supporters have been encouraged to violence. Talk of Second amendment solutions and killing of journalists could easily cause our nations fabric to tear and be damaged for generations. 

Mike Pence has been a good soldier for Trump. I'm sure that he has had to step up and do things that his conscience was shaken over but he cannot allow this to go on. He must, for his own legacy and for the best interests of the country, stand up to Trump and give him an ultimatum. Cease and desist or he will step down and leave Trump alone screaming into the storm.

The parallels between this moment and the final days of the Nixon administration are enormous. But even Richard Nixon did the right thing before permanent damage was done to the Republic. 

I for one pledge not to gloat or to blame the Americans who have supported Trump in this election when it is over. I will reach out to do my part to heal the wounds. But for now, we must continue to speak out strongly. We must call attention to the risk that Trump is taking with our Republic. Its not too late for those citizens to take a stand. 

It is within their power to say, "I was with him through thick and thin until he began to put the Republic at risk. Tens of thousands of young Americans have given their lives to defend what we have built. When his actions began to undermine their sacrifice I just had to say enough."

A Rainbow of Daisies