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Yale historian Timothy Snyder, author of the 2017 short book “On Tyranny,” noted recently in his blog that “Of course it’s a coup: Miss the obvious, lose your republic.”
Benjamin Franklin, when asked after the Constitutional Convention, “What have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” replied: “A republic, if you can keep it.”
Unelected Elon Musk is gutting our republic, as he destroys programs approved by Congress. Meanwhile, our Maine Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden are not speaking out enough, or making mostly token comments.
Thank goodness for Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and many of his colleagues in like-minded states, who with joint lawsuits are attempting to put the brakes on some of President Donald Trump’s worst efforts.
Musk apparently has our Social Security information, and wants his X company to offer electronic financial services, seemingly without the oversight of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which he is gutting. Trump has paused medical research funding critical for research into cancer and chronic diseases. He has fired inspectors general that audit federal spending.
Trump nominates ridiculously unqualified cabinet officials, and Sen. Collins says, essentially, “fine with me.” The tiny minority of transgender Americans, who just want to be left alone, are victimized and villainized by Trump and Musk, in a ridiculous scapegoating that also targets our public education system.
Meanwhile, climate weirding races ahead: fires, floods, droughts, and the spread of insect-borne diseases like Lyme.
The ultimate check on this developing monarchy is us. Only we can save our republic. I urge readers, desperately, to please call Washington, to call and write our state and local leaders, to talk to your friends, family, and neighbors, and to act. There is no guarantee that our republic will survive.
William A. Wood
Bangor
