History Repeating Itself?
By: Tom Dabney, Garrett County
Published in The Garrett County Republican
The Declaration of Independence was a statement of grievances by the 13 colonies separating them from the British Crown for reasons set forth in the document. Here are selected sections demonstrating how Donald Trump has again trampled upon our precious freedoms:
“The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.””
To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
— “He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.”
— “He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose, obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.”
— “He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.”
— “He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation.”
George Santayana warned us over 100 years ago: “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.”
History repeats itself under Donald Trump. 254 years after this noble statement of freedom from oppression was approved, we find ourselves with the same grievances.
— Signing executive orders, bypassing Congress, to change immigration, separate children into cages from their parents and restricting immigration to primarily white applicants.
— Avoiding congressional and constitutionally required oversight of department heads using temporary appointments of unqualified persons.
— Ignoring expert evidence on the severity of the COVID pandemic threat and restricting testing to keep unemployment down through the election to help his election.
— Forcing parents, children and teachers to make frightening personal health choices to satisfy his desire to have schools reopened and people back to work before the election.
— Repeatedly lying to the public on the efficacy and safety of some COVID treatments.
— Ordering armed military forces on our border, in Oregon, Minnesota and Washington, D.C., during Black Lives Matter protests.
— Taking $2 billion of defense funds without congressional authorization for his wall, which could have been used to create a stockpile of personal protection equipment such as masks and gowns, helped with unemployment benefits and provided assistance to revenue strapped state and local governments.
— Signing fake executive orders reducing drug prices to extract larger campaign donations from drug manufacturers.
— Promising to veto laws which do not contain funding for Trump’s personal projects.
— Allowing appointment of the postmaster general using illegal tactics and allowing dismantling of the postal system before the election to improve his vote totals.
Can we afford four more years of this abuse of power? Vote your answer on Election Day!