At the Constitutional Convention (May - September 1787), Benjamin Franklin made the following comment: “The first man we put at the helm, will be a good one. Nobody knows what sort may come after.” I seriously doubt that the founding fathers could have envisioned someone as pathetic and despicable as Donald J. Trump becoming president (twice).

Here is the resume that Trump ran on and a majority of Americans embraced; Insurrectionist, convicted felon, sexual abuser, serial groper, misogynist, tax cheat, classified documents thief, 2016 election cheat, Trump University fraudster, Trump Foundation fraudster, pathological liar, racist, bigot, covid-19 minimizer, draft dodger, veteran hater, nation divider. Any other candidate saddled with these negatives would have been finished.

For those who have forgotten their history, lets revisit January 6th, 2021. Donald Trump incited an insurrection against his own country, unwilling to accept that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election. Thousands of MAGA hooligans descended on the capital and beat 140 Capital Police Officers to a bloody pulp. People died, the capital was desecrated and Congress members were forced to flee for their lives. Trump watched the assault unfold on TV for over three hours and failed to call out the Washington D.C. National Guard to suppress the revolt. Trump’s dereliction of duty as commander-in-chief should have disqualified him from running for president ever again.

These treasonist acts should have ended Trump’s political career but they didn’t. The reason they didn’t was because Republicans put their own selfish interests before the nation. The failed impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump for insurrection reminds me of what Lord Elrond (The Fellowship of the Ring) told the Wizard Gandalf when men failed to destroy the ring of power; “Men are weak ... it’s pride and dignity forgotten ... I was there the day the strength of men failed ... it should have ended that day but evil was allowed to endure.”

So what did Trump offer the American people for their vote? Tax cuts for the rich, a sales tax (tariffs) for the working class, a wall at the southern boarder, deporting millions of migrants, laying off thousands of Civil Service workers, cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, a national abortion ban, repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and more national and international chaos.

A new twist to the Trump saga was recently revealed by writer Michael Wolff, author of “Fire and Fury.” According to Wolff, he interviewed Jeffrey Epstein (convicted child molester) in August 2017 for approximately 100 hours (recorded). Epstein told Wolff that “he was Trump’s closest friend for 10 years.” They socialized together in New York’s party scene. Epstein said, Trump had affairs with his “best friends’ wives” and was a “horrible human being.” Nobody knows a sinner better than a sinner!

In 2002, Trump told New York Magazine that Epstein is a “terrific guy” who was interested in women “on the young side.” Trump played down his friendship with Epstein and acknowledged that Epstein liked underage girls.

Epstein’s comments about Trump ring true. Consider Trump’s first divorce. On Dec. 11, 1990, Ivana Trump was granted an uncontested divorce in New York State Court – Manhatten for “Cruel and inhumane treatment.” Donald Trump plead the Fifth Amendment 100 times when questioned by Ivana’s lawyers about his adulterous affairs. Trump had affairs with Marla Maples and 19-year-old tennis star, Gabriela Sabatini.

During the Constitutional Convention a rumor spread that delegates would install a king. Convention representatives quickly responded to the rumor saying; “We never once thought of a king.” Our forefathers never considered a king but John Roberts’ Supreme Court sure did. They ruled that Donald Trump has substantial immunity from all federal prosecutions and criminal investigations no matter how heinous the crimes. In an unprecedented ruling, the Robert’s Court effectively made the president, a king.

Benjamin Franklin was asked after the Constitutional Convention adjourned what kind of government do we have, a republic or monarchy? Franklin responded; “a republic if you can keep it.” Thanks to the infusion of dark money into the political process, a corrupt Supreme Court, and media companies spreading disinformation not news, the republic fell. For the next four years Democrats, Republicans and Independents will experience the same sensation — pain!