A Secret Plot
AJ Robinson

On behalf of all liberal secret operatives, I’m breaking our unbreakable vow of silence and confessing, to America, our maniacal plan for after we win the 2020 presidential election. Here are the details. Pay close attention, there may be a test.

► What conservatives think liberal would do.

We, that is, liberals masquerading as Democrats, will confiscate all guns and bullets as well as abolish the Second Amendment. We will take over the entire healthcare industry and ration care based on Death Panels: only women and men deemed of use to the State will receive care; dependent children are safe. We will throw open the borders to allow illegal immigrants, by the hundreds of millions, to overrun the nation. We will abolish capitalism, set up the infamous FEMA Re-Education Camps and more.

I have trouble remembering all the nonsense conservatives spout, on a regular basis, regarding liberal goals. After all, I don’t watch Fox News, religiously. Once, I tried watching Fox News. After less than ten minutes, I could feel my intelligence dimming. I had to change the channel to something more intellectually stimulating; I think it was Scooby-Doo.

Now that I have that out of the way, let’s me be serious. I’ve seen many posts, on social media, where Republicans and conservatives are saying we, that is, America, simply must stick with Trump because the leading democratic candidates are a bunch of socialists that will destroy the country if we elect them. Yeah, right, oh gee, where have I heard that one before?

I seem to recall that Obama oscillated between socialist, communist and fascist on almost a daily basis, according to Republicans and conservatives. Now, let me make something clear, which might surprise some people. Republicans and conservatives are, ugh, right about some of the candidates.

I know, those words were hard to write, so glad I didn’t have to actually say them. Yes, it’s true; some of the democrat candidates for president are socialists or at least have socialistic leanings. Here’s why that doesn’t matter.

► The US Constitution protects ideas.

There’s a little thing known as the US Constitution. I know these days that old piece of paper doesn’t seem to mean much. I mean, look at Trump, he defies Congress, violates the Emoluments Clause among other statutes; openly calls for illegal acts, orders his staff to defy congressional subpoenas and so forth, but everybody lets it happen. It’s not a good way to govern.

Yet, many people remain devoted to that most sacred of documents, the US Constitution. I myself would die in defence of it. I know the spirit of my father would be at my elbow in my defence of the Constitution.

Back to the socialist takeover of America and let’s imagine a worst-case scenario: an outright socialist elected president. None of the horrible events and policies Republicans crow over will happen, even if the new president wanted to do them. The US government doesn’t work that way.

It’s why Trump hasn’t been able to stack the Supreme Court with his flunkies, declared martial law or abolished the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies. Although we love to think of our presidents as powerful, their reach is not absolute. Even Trump declaring a national emergency just to get some funds for his stupid wall hasn’t amounted to much.

To quote Shakespeare, it’s been a great deal of “sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Frankly, when the history books are writ, I’d like to think that’s what his entire presidency will amount to, nothing. After all, what has he really accomplished?

Obama desperately wanted to fund infrastructure and repeatedly called on Congress to do so. Okay, why didn’t he succeed in funding infrastructure? Because the House and Senate, both controlled by the Republicans refused to bring a bill to a vote: “We can’t afford infrastructure,” they said, repeatedly. Obama wanted to give women equal pay and raise the minimum wage. Congress refused to act on either. Obama wanted simple basic gun control, but Congress did not.

Yes, a socialist might one day sit in the White House. Unless an overwhelming majority of Congress aligns with him or her, none of these doomsday scenarios is going to happen. Overwhelming, in this case, means majorities in the House and Senate.

► I am worried.

Am I worried about an extremist as president? As it happens, I am, but it has to do with the current resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. What gives me hope for the future is that his power is not absolute, at least not for the moment.