Letter to Editor: To Move Forward, Impeach Trump

One of the best reasons for impeachment is expressed in this recent question Tweeted by Thea Riofrancos, a political science professor: “Need to feel wiser, & more committed to the world-making task of battling climate change & capitalist domination, & building democracy, w deep respect for our ancestors’ struggles & the generations to come?”

Riofrancos was not talking about impeachment. But she was recommending a magazine excerpt of Astra Taylor’s new book on democracy (Democracy may not Exist. But we’ll miss it when it’s Gone). Impeaching Donald Trump is the step-by-step roadmap to real democracy, the aerobics-and-yoga plan for getting our self-governing muscles moving again, synchronized with each other.

In order to move forward on health care, voting rights, restorative justice, education equity, immigrant rights, housing for all, as well as food, water, and air for the future, we Americans need to take control of the country’s constitutional consciousness. Individually, we need to embody that consciousness and constitutional authority as our birthright. Then, as impeachment proceedings unfold, we need to learn how to work collectively to frame and name the real democracy that we want—but never actually had under the U.S. Constitution (but did actually exist on this land under the Great Law of Peace).

The core technical reasons for an impeachment process are to:
–signal to the world that we are questioning Trump’s authority;
–unite the country’s attention during Congressional hearings;
–methodically unpack facts in real time, not only the Mueller report but all the other reasons for impeachment;
–distract the President and cohorts from further unconstitutional acts and atrocities;
–confirm to each other that We the People are the sovereign authority in the U.S.

The constitutional authority to start the impeachment inquiry rests with the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. As most Roundtable readers know, Evanston resident Jan Schakowsky is our Congresswoman, representing the Ninth Illinois District (which includes other suburbs and parts of Chicago). She is the one who is accountable directly to us—the voters of the Ninth District—as to whether Donald Trump is impeached or not.

To move impeachment forward as quickly as possible, Evanston residents and voters can:
–sign the national petition (10,000,000 and counting);
–call Cong. Schakowsky’s office to ask her to co-sponsor House Resolution 257 (“Inquiring whether the House of Representatives should impeach Donald John Trump, President of the United States of America”);
–request an alderperson to champion a City of Evanston resolution to support impeachment;
–request other elected officials in other jurisdictions (Cook County, MWRD, State of Illinois) to do the same.

Andrea Chalupa, a journalist (Gaslit Nation podcast) says, “Democracy is a lifestyle.” I would add that real democracy is adults experiencing the joy of working together for the benefit of all, according to rules to which we all agree. Even in a time of existential crisis such as now, I can confirm that there is indeed joy in that experience. Let’s impeach, re-examine the rules, and then move forward.