This whole situation with Trump being the new sheriff riding in to clean up corrupt D.C. has seemed disturbingly familiar. I couldn't put my finger on it until today.
A friend and I were discussing how the Obama administration and all their ilk (Clinton, Lynch, Comey, etc.) truly need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. He argued it will never happen, that too many in the country would erupt in riot were it even suggested that any of them face prosecution for their treasonous crimes. I have argued repeatedly that if we fail to hold those in high office accountable for criminal actions, we are finished as a nation. The long slide to a banana republic is done.
But then I corrected myself. Unlike a banana republic, where the dictator is viciously attacking the underlying government structure, we are seeing the corrupt government structure attacking the executive – the top sheriff of the land.
That's when it hit me. We are seeing Clint Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter" acted out in unashamed liberal treasonous technicolor.
Remember the basic plot? The honest sheriff is ambushed by criminals hired by the towns corrupt leaders to protect their lust for gold. They cut him to pieces with bullwhips in the dark street while the criminal townspeople watch. Anyone trying to come to his aid is viciously attacked. He's left for dead. The three thugs who did the dirty work are betrayed by their employers and sent to prison.
Fast forward years later, and an unknown gunfighter rides into town and starts taking over, killing criminals and ordering corrupt officials around. He capitalizes on their fears of the soon to be released criminals they betrayed. He shows them how unprepared they are for their attackers, makes their town a laughing stock, paints it red, sets them up like a sacrificial cow and leaves them to their doom. He paints "Hell" on the town sign as he leaves the residents helpless to their enemies seeking vengeance.
The difference is that President Trump isn't anywhere as vindictive as Clint's character, and there are a lot more townspeople on his side. But if we don't do what needs to be done and bring the criminals of the Obama administration to complete justice, our fate is sealed.
The president stated it rather well in his SOTU address: "Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation."
Many will argue that it can't be done. It will cause riots, civil war and destroy our "democracy." They said the same thing about the Civil War we fought to correct the crimes of slavery. But should we have not ended slavery to keep criminals peaceful? The rule of law must be applied equally, or the republic perishes.
Mark Jordan