In recent days we have seen the latest evidence of just how difficult it has become for President Trump to operate in this present-day hyper partisan environment. Our commander-in-chief simply cannot fulfill the duties of his job to the maximum benefit of us all when he is not able to trust the people in sensitive positions around him.
What sad days these are in America where personal hatred of this president seemingly overrides the sense of duty felt by those whose livelihood actually comes from a federal budget paid for in full by our nation’s citizens. Consider the latest headlines about a so-called “whistleblower” raising concerns about a phone conversation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The headlines are ablaze with sensational speculation surrounding what should have been a confidential conversation between two heads of government. If the president cannot speak candidly with other world leaders without being undercut by underlings who leak information to the media and file frivolous and politically motivated complaints with bloated bureaucracies then he is being restricted from doing the job that the American people have elected him to fulfill to the best of his abilities.
There was a time when commitment to God and country was more important than political preference, but it is increasingly apparent that those halcyon days have faded from view. Instead, we are muddling through a time where cutthroat political moves are the norm and not the exception.
So, what should be the punishment for this nameless, faceless, spineless individual who has needlessly sparked a furor? What kind of accountability will he or she be forced to accept as a consequence of these short-sighted and traitorous actions? That is what we will need to see moving forward.
But I suspect that the answer will be nothing. Or a mere slap on the wrist that is far less punishment than is warranted.
The Democrats were quick to seize upon this non-issue and attempt to score political points. Appearing on Sunday television talk shows, Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said that the president will be investigated “come hell or high water,” and vowed that impeachment may be the “only remedy.”
How many times has the i-word been raised by the Democratic leadership and the members of their caucus? Whether or not it is warranted appears to be wholly immaterial and utterly secondary to the primary goal of tarnishing the legitimacy of Trump. The Democrats want a lasting asterisk next to his name for generations to come as a way of undermining and calling into question the legitimacy of his presidency.
Successful leaders know that having a team comprised of competent and capable people around them is the key to success. Regardless of how intelligent or talented any single individual may be that is not enough to win the day. In fact, what any man or woman can achieve alone pales in comparison to the exponential results that come from having a group coming together, aligned behind a common vision.
The antithesis of such a scenario is one in which in-fighting and backstabbing prevent forward progress. For the sake of all Americans, we cannot abide a situation whereby people turn to political machinations to advance the agendas to which they subscribe.
I worry that the precedents that are being set by Democrats in order to assassinate the character of Trump will redefine our political landscape. Open debate is American. Having your own opinion is fine. However, debasing our system of checks and balances by pursuing any and all means to distract the public and embarrass and attack our president are patently un-American.
President Abraham Lincoln famously warned that a house divided against itself cannot stand. It’s a sentiment and concept that speaks directly to today. The job of president is hard enough on its own merits, but when political motivations spark endless cycles of accusation and acrimony the biggest loser is every one of us.
Lincoln uttered those poignant and cautionary words at a time when the fate of the union was far from certain, and America faced the very real possibility of being torn at the seams and splintered forever into two warring entities. In the end, the Union was preserved, and the country found a way forward together in a spirit of reconciliation and hope.
We are at an inflection point once again, and it is my sincere wish that the very people who are supposed to be serving the public find a way to finally set aside their blind devotion to attacking Trump and instead dedicate their energy to doing their duty.
Mr. Williams is manager/sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. Follow on Twitter @arightside.