The Last Word (Formerly On Watch

Much Ado About Nothing

One can only imagine what the Constitution, resulted in the those zany, crazy Founding Fa- impeachment of three Presidents.3 thers of ours would have made But thankfully, the U.S. has never of the country they started after had to face the indignation or emthe past three months’ shenani- barrassment of booting a President gans. After the decades of pain, as has been the case in many othsuffering, misery, treachery, sav- er countries. Elsewhere in the agery, penury, and war they en- world if you lie, cheat, assault dured, those heralded visionaries, someone, take bribes, cheat on were they alive today, would be your spouse, stage a coup, order shaking their collective heads at a “hit”, or stomp opposition into just how far off the mark the po- brutal submission, people tend to litical farce we call a country has remember that and the instigator is evolved since they all took the big shown to the door, a cell, is exiled, dirt bath. or “meets with an unfortunate ac-

A leading member of the Photos: Library of Congress cident.”4 Founding Fathers—our own Aaron Burr General James Wilkerson Our penchant for forgiveness even George Washington—had a few goes so far as to include those who choice words about political par- conspired to violently overthrow ties (see above). It is striking just the government. Aaron Burr, Vice how prescient they were, based on “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular President to Thomas Jefferson, was events from the 2020 election. The “party” is now the great, omnipo- ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become alleged to have even amassed a pri vate army to attack Mexico and an tent determinator. It “selects” the potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled nex a section of the Louisiana Purcandidates and then rallies the “par- men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to chase (AKA “Texas”) and set himty” around their chosen one. You must admit, the 2019 Trump usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterself up as “El Jefe.”5 When all the dust settled, his partner-in-crime Impeachment, the 2020 election wards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust domin- General James Wilkinson, tried to marathon, the post-election legal ion.” wiggle out of his involvement in the maneuvering, the insurrection at coup attempt by producing a letter the Capitol, and subsequent 2021 —George Washington’s Farewell Address – showing Burr’s intentions. The letTrump Impeachment (the sequel), 17 September 1796 ter in Wilkinson’s own handwriting would stagger the imagination of proved to be less-than-convincing even the most ardent political histo- to the Chief Justice of the Supreme rian. And the hits just keep coming. Court, so Burr lit out to England.

America has always had a pen- The recent Capitol attack gave me chant for forgiveness. We love fallen pause to reflect on how far (or notangels who swim in the muck and so-far) we had come as a republic mire and then, because of a “mis- and how sketchy our leadership is take,” we open the door of forgive- about “the Constitution”.6 During ness to second and sometimes even the Impeachment Trial there was third chances. We have countless much harrumphing, tons and tons examples of allowing elected offi- of Senators and members of Concials to continue to serve in office gress invoking the “Constitution” while at-the-same-time serving in many of their statements. It made time in prison.1 me wonder about just how poor an

Americans, because we have no understanding we have of the docroyal family of our own, have had ument and how frightening it is to a love affair with celebrity. We fre- see the leadership of our country quently give our celebrities wide who don’t have a clue as to its conberth, often waving off the trans- tents or what they mean. gressions of our sports, entertain- An example of just how weak ment, and underworld icons and our leaders are about the governwe are rapidly becoming the “land ment they represent was in an Alaof perpetual forgiveness.” Before bama Daily News interview after the going to federal prison for income 2020 Senate election in Alabama. tax evasion, Alfonso “Scarface” Former football coach, now Senator Capone, when asked by numerous Tommy Tuberville, stated that the newspapers about his alleged ties to three branches of government were, various murders, prostitution, and “the House, the Senate, and the exother felonies, frequently replied, ecutive.” “I’m just a businessman.” My wife used to work at George

During the impeachment of then- Washington’s Mount Vernon as a President Bill Clinton, our Ameri- historic interpreter. One evening can appetite for the ever-expanding she came home from Mount Vernon lurid details of his amorous trysts and with a classic story. That evening turns didn’t wane. Then, when cor- she led a freshman Congressman nered for lying under oath, Clinton and his family through the house apologized, we accepted his apolo- explaining the details of the life of gy, and we did the truly American the Washington family. Towards thing that has marked us for nearly the end of the tour the Congresstwo centuries — we “put it behind man asked, “How did Washington us and got back to the vital work for get to the White House every day the American people.”2 to go to work? Did he ride a horse

The intent of those great FoundPhoto: National Archives or go over the Potomac by boat?”7 ing Fathers to protect us from a tyrannical or corrupt Chief Executive by including Article II Section 4 of The conspiracy trial of Aaron Burr rocked the nation but ultimately was much ado about nothing. I guess we Americans haven’t paid enough attention to our own history to pick up the hints. I am no Constitutional scholar. I

CONTINUED ON PAGE 68