OPEN LETTER TO REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

Writing in the Washington Post, Richard Cohen called Donald Trump “intellectually, temperamentally, and morally unfit to be President of the United States.

Stephen Stromberg called him “dangerously incompetent.”

Anne Applebaum referred to Trump’ “willful ignorance, impulsiveness, and inexperience.”

The Washington Post editorial boards wrote that Trump “can’t be trusted with sensitive information.”

James Clapper, former Director of National Defense, stated that “our institutions are under assault internally.” [by the President]

Former CIA Director Michael Hayden said, “Trump proves that he’s Russia’s ‘useful tool.’”

It is not only liberals who are worried about Trump’s danger to the country and our system of government.

Conservative writer Ross Douthat said, “Maybe it’s time for the 25^th.” (The 25^th Amendment to the Constitution would enable the government to remove the President from office if he is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.”)

Another conservative writer, Jennifer Rubin, said that Trump is “so inept and unfit that national security is at risk.”

Rubin also wrote, “Unfortunately for all these reasons, the current crew may be the best staff Trump an ever assemble. What the country really needs is a new president, not new functionaries.”

One GOP figure wondered privately about whether Trump was “in the grip of some kind of paranoid delusion.”

Mike Gallagher, a Republican congressman, tweeted, “Our allies and partners must have the utmost confidence that sensitive information they share with us will not be disclosed.”

Barbara Comstock, another Republican member of Congress, stated, “Once again we are faced with inexplicable stories coming from the White House that are highly troubling.”

Republican Senator Bob Corker stated, “The chaos that is being created by the lack of discipline is creating an environment that I think makes—it creates a worrisome environment.”

A former aide to Presidents Nixon and Clinton, David Gergen, said, “We’re in impeachment territory.”

Senator John McCain called the situation “Watergate size and scale.”

The Republican leadership in Congress of course is aware of Trump’s unfitness to be President. Unfortunately, through cynicism or naiveté or both, they are willing to put up with the President’s shortcomings because they believe they can use him to achieve their legislative goals.

They are wrong.

Donald Trump is not only a danger to the country and to democracy; he is a danger to the Republican Party.

Throughout the Obama administration, Republicans complained about his health care act, but they never had an alternative.

And they still don’t.

Trump and the Republicans in Congress wanted to get a new health care act in place during his first 100 days in office. He sent Bannon over to try to bully Republicans in Congress into voting for the act. (You remember Bannon, don’t you? I wonder why we haven’t heard much about him lately.) As we all know, the House did not vote on the proposed act. The “Freedom Caucus” wouldn’t vote for it because it wasn’t bad enough. So much for the Donald’s great negotiating skills.

The revised bill was even worse, but it just barely passed in the house after one day’s consideration. Many, probably most, of the members of Congress who voted for it, didn’t know what was in it. Now Republican members of Congress are afraid to meet their constituents because the People keep yelling at them over their votes on healthcare. The People will remember those votes in November next year. Trump didn’t really get behind the bill. He doesn’t understand it, and the only thing he really cares about is the promotion of the Great Glory of Donald.

Every day Democrats get new ammunition for the 2018 election. Washington cannot focus on any issue until “the Russian thing” is cleared up. Trump isn’t going to help the GOP. But if it stands by him, the GOP has everything to lose, including one, possibly both houses of Congress next year.