Monumental and earthshaking moments occurred in our country’s history. The assassination of JFK, Clinton’s impeachment and 9/11 are just a few.

The current crisis is a crisis of America’s survival. It is disappointing that many people do not see America’s heartbeat weaken.

The very basis of American jurisprudence relies on three things: The Constitution, the rule of law and the cornerstone premise “innocent until proven guilty.” When any of those three concepts are weakened or destroyed, America’s heart attack worsens. America is being transformed by events that when woven together form a mosaic that points to the destruction of the Constitution and the rule of law.

Are people so politically blinded they cannot see the tapestry being woven showing America in decline? Are Democrats and Republicans so party loyal that they condemn America’s rich history and traditions?

I point to the impeachment of President Trump. What happened to him can happen to us. Trump literally had no voice in the impeachment proceedings (I know many disagree with that).

During the impeachment the rule of law was repeatedly violated. House of Representatives rules of law were changed, manipulated or ignored.

The impeachment proceedings were based on unproven accusations by an anonymous source that morphed into abuse of power and obstruction of congress. An amorphous charge by an anonymous source lands you in jail? In the case of the president it ended in impeachment? But yes, it could happen to you. The NDAA gives government authority to arrest you, throw you in jail indefinitely and deny you Constitutional rights or legal representation.

How you feel about Trump is a lesser issue than the survival of the Constitution and the rule of law. In the case of Trump “innocent until proven guilty” was changed to “guilty until proven innocent.”

To the monumental events in our history we can now add the impeachment of Donald Trump. The impeachment when “guilty until proven innocent” became one more symptom of America’s heart attack. As an American, heads I lose, tails I lose.

Terrence Watto

Independent

Lehighton