THE 25th AMENDMENT, (a.k.a. Legal Mutiny)

There’s an amendment to the United States Constitution which allows the Vice President to assume the powers of the office of President in the case wherein the latter is unable to fulfill the requirements of his position. The execution of this amendment also includes a stipulation related to the cooperation of certain members of the Cabinet and Congress.

Never in the course of the history of our nation have we encountered such a bizarre series of decisions, events and abject bloopers surrounding the prestigious office of President of the United States.

President Trump has, from my perspective, made a mockery of, and displayed such instability in the office that it is time to execute the 25th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Following are just a fraction of the myriad of examples from whence I might choose, and which reflect great discredit upon the president and the office to which he was elected:

*In pre-presidential interviews with Howard Stern, Donald Trump extolled the virtues of his extra-marital affairs, and having walked in on contestants to Teen USA and Miss USA pageants while they were in a complete state of undress; pageants which his organization sponsored.

*During an “Access Hollywood” video, prior to his campaign for president, and when he thought the microphone was turned off, Trump made an infamous remark that has circulated throughout the nation; in which, using four letters words, he claimed that he had “made a move” on a married woman, and that, given the right opportunity, he had sometimes “grabbed women by the (genitals).”

*During the election campaign, Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner met with personages from Russia to discuss the existence of “dirt on Hillary;” which might be used to cast dispersion on her. Having been elected to the presidency, and after the press learned of the meeting, President Trump offered a fabricated explanation for the convocation.

*During the election campaign, Donald Trump roundly criticized a Hillary Clinton campaign speech by a Muslim Gold Star father.

*Trump’s National Security Advisor, General Michael Flynn, lasted all of three weeks, as he, and campaign associates Paul Manafort and Rick Gates were indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for various crimes related to collusion with foreign governments, and financial improprieties. 

*It has been established that the president shared top secret intelligence with Russia’s foreign minister and ambassador when they visited the Oval Office.

*In an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, President Trump tied in his rationale for the firing of FBI Director James Comey with protecting himself from the Russia investigation.

*Mr. Trump has "gone soft" on Russia since he has been in office, as though President Putin has some inside knowledge he can use against him.

*After the contention in Charlottesville, Virginia involving the removal of a Confederate statue, the president claimed there were good people on both sides of the issue; with implied support for the Ku Klux Klan and members of the White Supremacist movement.

*In the wake of the murders of 17 high schoolers, the president claimed to support raising the age for the purchase of assault weapons from 18 to 21, but having met with representatives of the NRA the following day, he backed off his promise to do so.

*Porn star “Stormy Daniels” has accused President Trump of attempting to cover up an affair from several years ago, that his lawyer paid $130,000 in hush money, and that the president or his representative has threatened her with bodily harm; if she divulged details of the affair and settlement. The President’s lawyer has filed a $20,000,000 lawsuit against Miss Daniels as a result of her disclosures.

*During the first 14 months of his presidency, President Trump has terminated almost 50 percent of his staff, including his National Security Advisor and Secretary of State; people whom he initially claimed were “the cream of the crop,” and the best America had to offer.

*The president has spent approximately a third of his presidency at Trump owned properties, primarily golf resorts; whereas, he had previously criticized President Obama for his untold hours on the links, rather than “doing what he was elected to do.”

*President Trump has acknowledged lying to the Prime Minister of Canada; in relation to the amount of the annual American/Canadian trade deficit.

*The president has verbally denigrated various cabinet members, notably Attorney General Jeff Sessions, referring to his ineptness, and calling him, “Mr. Magoo.” 

*President Trump has regularly used vulgar language from his "bully pulpit," and recently referred to a Democratic congressman as "that S.O.B.;" (using the words, and not the abbreviation).

*He has consistently involved himself in the affairs of the Justice Department, though that agency is considered an independent arm of the government.

*President Trump has incessantly tweeted about the most inane topics, including the so-called “fake media” and has been virtually obsessed with the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and the claim that there was no collusion with Russia.

*In a speech to the United Nations, President Trump referred to the leader of North Korea as, “Little Rocket Man,” and warned that nation that America may unleash fire and fury which has never been seen in the history of mankind. 

*Just today one of the President's lawyers suggested that the Mueller investigation should end; with the implication that Assistant Attorney General Rosenstein should be fired; (which would lead to a Constitutional Crisis).

*A large number of psychiatric doctors have opined that Donald Trump exhibits Narcissistic Personality Disorder; a mental illness described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association.

Need I go on? Can I go on?

(That second question is certainly rhetorical).

It is obvious that no man has ever been more ill-prepared to be President of the United States, and that Mr. Trump is "way outta his league." He is both a moral and political failure.

Among the most avid supporters of President Trump are evangelical Christians. Without the evangelical, and ultra-conservative vote, he could not have won the election.

I can only wonder when these, the President’s most ardent supporters, will come to their senses. I can only wonder whether Vice President Pence will summon up sufficient chutzpah to take the reins of office, and set this nation back on a course to sanity.

*The foregoing blog represents my personal opinion. It is doubtful that I will change the reader's opinion, and the reader certainly won't change my persuasion; thus, I am not interested in a debate about this issue, nor was the blog posted for that purpose.

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 79. Copyright pending

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