The Nonfiction Section: To the Best of My Ability

It happens once every four years. The newly elected (or re-elected) president of the United States of America, with right hand raised, recites the oath of office using the specific language written into the U.S. Constitution by the framers of our government: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

While each president is able to make personal decisions around the event – such as choosing to place his left hand on a Bible or another book of special significance – there is no wavering over the oath itself. The president must vow to “preserve, protect and defend”.

Since the day in 1789 when George Washington spoke those words, we’ve never had to question the willingness or determination of our leaders to abide by that promise. Until now.

How times have changed

Throughout the 2016 campaign, I was bombarded by commentaries and Facebook memes and hastily tapped tweets telling me that Donald Trump was a different kind of candidate. Rather than the career politicians who were also seeking the White House, I was told that Trump was an outsider. Unlike the Beltway Elites, this real estate developer and product pitchman who had embarked on a show business career which then evolved into a gig as a cable television phone-in guest was – I was to believe – the one and only person America could count on.

In fact, it was Trump himself who orchestrated the cheerleading. Proclaiming himself as the only person who could fix any and all problems the nation faced, Trump told everyone who would listen that he was more knowledgeable on topics such as the economy, fighting terrorists, race relations … you name it, he crowned himself as the one person able to deal with every challenge.

While most voters disagreed, there were just enough out there in just the right number of states to tip the election in his favor. And so, we found ourselves staring directly into the abyss, not knowing what to expect over President Trump’s four-year term that began on Jan. 20, 2017 … when he repeated the same oath that had been recited by each of the previous leaders over the past two and one-third centuries.

But did he mean what he said?

I’m not so sure

Each president recites that oath not just as a rite of passage, but as a fulfillment of a command placed in our country’s DNA. The president of the United States is under orders from our forefathers to put the security and interests of this nation and its citizens ahead of all others. He must do so “solemnly” – with dignity and sincerity – and do everything in his power to see that all of his actions are within the guidelines of the Constitution, essentially the instruction manual carefully crafted all those years ago to assure that future generations of leaders would keep on the right path that was established at our country’s birth.

Sure, the constitution has seen changes over the years. Amendments have been proposed, and several but not all of them adopted, which have refined the original language as needed. Even Thomas Jefferson stated that “... laws and institutions must go hand-in-hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times.”

But while we may argue over nuances and interpretations and context, every thinking American must agree that the U.S. Constitution is the one and only framework of this nation and it has value only as long as our leaders are willing to honor its words. As proved by his actions, however, President Trump is clearly of a different mindset.

Who’s the puppet master?

If President Trump believed in that oath, if he truly intended to abide by the laws and guidelines established by the constitution, then how does he explain his activities since taking office?

His acceptance of foreign money at his resort properties is a clear violation of the Emoluments Clause, so he’s certainly not concerned about preserving the Constitution’s instructions against corruption from foreign influences.

He’s suggested ending our membership in NATO and withdrawing our support of nations which have been our trusted allies for decades, which shows his disregard for the protection that such agreements provide.

And he constantly demeans the top law enforcement organization of the United States rather than defend the laws that its personnel have sworn to uphold.

To even a casual observer, it seems that President Trump is doing the opposite of the very thing that sacred oath demands. Is he doing so just for his own benefit? Is he incapable of performing his duties? Or is someone else pulling the strings?

Editor’s Note: Responsible responses to this column are welcome and should be sent to news@mcheraldonline.com.

Archived columns and resources can be found at Dave Scott’s blog, thenonfictionsection.com.