Sometimes you must return to basics. Today we have a Chief Executive, Joe Biden, who appears compromised in mental acuity and morally, who cannot remember core elements of his job, is failing and seems morally compromised. What would our Founders say?
Interestingly, our Founders debated vigorously how to assure a Chief Executive stayed cogent, competent, honorable, and honest. They did this in the summer of 1787, and records were kept by James Madison, later our fourth president.
Madison was smart and honest. He was the one who reduced 60 amendments to the 10 we call our Bill of Rights. Like Washington and Franklin, he had good judgment.
At the time that the Constitution was being debated, some were away, including Jefferson in France, but debates were riveting, and if you go back they are helpful. Our Founding Fathers would be inclined to act, right now, to protect the Republic.
Our Founding Fathers cared deeply about the future, and why not – they had sacrificed their lives, property, families, and friends. They were deeply concerned about presidents. Cutting to the chase, look at one debate – and ponder what conclusions flow from it now.
The day was sweltering, Philadelphia, Friday, July 20, 1787. At first, interestingly, the group debated how many electors should come from each state, principles for election. That process was later modified – by the 12th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 20th, 22nd through 26th amendments.
As an aside: Why do you think anti-Trump Democrats insisted on calling the January 6th riots an “insurrection?” Why do you think they demanded that word, tagging Trump with inciting it?
Because they did not like him? Could not think of a better word? Look no further than the 14th Amendment which says no person may run for president if involved in an “insurrection.”
But let us return to July 20, 1787. Little did the Constitutional Convention, chaired by George Washington, imagine that Americans – exactly 182 years later – would walk on the moon.
Instead, they were consumed by “executive competency” – and impeachment. Here is what they had to say, per Madison. Two – Pinkney and Morris – wondered whether the republic might be endangered by impeachment. Mr. Davies hoped good behavior might flow from elections. But Mr. Wilson insisted impeachment was vital.
To this Morris noted “bribery” could be a problem. George Mason added: “No point is of more importance than…the right of impeachment,” as a president “can commit the most extensive injustice.” He must be punishable. Franklin agreed, fearing radical acts if impeachment failed.
If Franklin favored impeachment, on what grounds? “Corruption” certainly, but what else? Morris said “a few other offenses” should trigger be impeachable.
Madison piped up. “Some provision should be made for defending the community against the incapacity, negligence of perfidy” of a president, since “the limitation of…service was not a sufficient security” and “He might lose his capacity.”
Incredible but true, Madison was way ahead. Worse, a future president “might pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation (embezzlement) or oppression…He might betray his trust to foreign powers…be bribed to betray…trust.” Madison hoped not but favored “restraints.”
If a president “should be seduced,” Madison hoped “the soundness of the remaining members” of his party or Congress “would maintain the integrity and fidelity” to forcefully put him right. But two things worried Madison: “Loss of capacity or corruption” could be “fatal to the Republic.”
Wow! Does give pause, does it not? Others urged “incapacity” as a basis for impeachment, but the moment passed. Convention attendees imagined America’s leaders would be upright, honorable.
Virtually all Founding Fathers imagined high-minded, well-educated, honorable, patriotic, and sensible leaders – especially as president, deferring to our good sense and elections.
Even so, they vaguely conceived of a Biden, and shuddered. They imagined, in Mr. Randolph’s words, a president with “great opportunities of abusing his power,” “public money…in his hands.” Franklin agreed.
Morris offered a stern warning: Some president “may be bribed by a greater interest to betray his trust” and “no one would say that we ought to expose ourselves to the danger of seeing” a president “in foreign pay” – specifically, “without being able to…displace him.”
All this worried our Founders, was part of the impeachment provision, later supplemented by the 25th Amendment, which involves removal. They wanted us to be true to founding principles, and that also meant having a highly capable, competent Chief Executive.
Bottom line: We are stuck. We have a visibly fading, fickle, left-dominated, sometimes barely cogent executive, and vice more worrisome for her clear immaturity, temperament ill-fitted to executive duties.
That said, we are forced to muddle through. Attendees at the 1787 convention did what they could, set us on course, but counted on us – all parties – to see truth as it is, and act accordingly.
Our Founders would be appalled at much of what this White House is doing, but they would also count on us to show foresight, patience, and preparation for elections. They believed things do come right. We need to prove ourselves equal to their foresight. Back to basics, faith and fortitude.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.
Hi RBC,
I come at your hypothetical case from a somewhat different perspective, as they weren’t the docile doormats some try to make them out to be. If they were, we would still be part of England today. They were willing to be patient and look at exhausting all options available given what was on the table. However, when it became painfully obvious and crystal clear that there was no other means forward to secure their just rights and freedoms, they took action on behalf of the People.
What would our Founders say if they came back today and saw what was going on with this administration? The first question they would ask is why do the American people allow a dementia patient to be their POTUS? Please don’t state because he was elected, because he was not. He was installed in the office by some of the most obvious means of ballot manipulation one would expect the see in third-world banana republics. Obviously Biden is completely unfit to carry out the responsibilities of the presidency in a competent manner. That was painfully obvious while he was campaigning in 2020, which is why they kept him sequestered in his basement.
Their second question would be why would the American people allow such obviously anti-American policies to be implemented, when such policies were clearly counter the well being and long-term benefit of the public as a whole? Virtually every single policy initiated by Biden has been detrimental to the well being of the country and its people. The economy has suffered. The military has been degraded. Our standing in the world community has nosedived in the last 2 years under Team Biden to the point that our nation is considered a joke and a rapidly declining country. Our borders have been essentially erased and we are importing millions upon millions of illegal aliens, most of whom will be on government assistance all their lives, to intentionally change the demographics of the country to one much more favorable to the Democrat Party. Which for all real purposes today is simply a party controlled by socialists and communists.
So our Founders would likely ask a third and final question, that would obviously be completely politically incorrect and yet state the real issue of why this country is where it is at today. That question would be “What is wrong with the people of the United States that they simply sit back and willingly allow their country to be systematically dismantled right before their eyes day after day?” We both know the answer to that one, although I’m the only one that regularly states the answer.
I agree with you that the attendees of the 1787 convention did rightly expect that the people of the United States would forever stand essentially as one to both protect and maintain the republic which they were given. Since at the end of the day, the republic is only as strong as the People. Our Founders would look around and see that the sort of people needed to preserve the republic were far from the majority needed today to preserve it and keep it strong. That society had essentially become so complacent and apathetic as to be effectively sheep being led to the slaughter. They would then realize their great experiment had failed not because the founding principles were wrong, but rather because the People weren’t up to the task of doing their part of the equation.
Put Beijing biden in a circle and tell him to find the dime in the corner and he would look for it.
But first, he would wait 2 weeks until the poll results came in.
Why are there Illegal Communist China Police Stations in the United States?
Especially, in NY where Alvin Bragg has done NOTHING about it or has Beijing biden done anything except attack Illegally and Unconstitutionally PRESIDENT TRUMP with FALSE charges.
Beijing biden’s INCOMPETENCE in National Security and VIOLATION of the U.S. Constitution and U.S. Sovereignty is APPALLING.
It is right up there with obama and Hillary clinton’s INCOMPETENCE.
It seems the leftist democrats only follow the constitution when it benefits them. Otherwise they ignore or override it. No one holds them accountable.
For those that think the actions of the Brandon Administration are ones of incompetence, you are so wrong. The actions are purely and simply evil established to damage this country in the interests of an in the works centralized world wide governing body headed by un elected corporatist elites.
The shriveled almost drooling and perpetually lost figure that is Brandon is merely a cardboard cut out sometimes pushed behind a microphone to poorly read from a script prepared by the real power behind the office title.
Yes, Biden is mentally and morally compromised. He has the morals of a herd of alley cats. The more concerning problem is that he is also an evil, Godless, Satanic Globalist like the vast majority of demo/socialists. None of them actually have any concern about environment, economy, or human beings. Their only concern is their agenda of creating a one-world government by 2030 or sooner and so far, the GOP has done nothing to stop it. The goal is to crash America and build back socialist.
Biden is and always has been an idiot, nothing about his mental condition is relevant because #1 he is not involved in any decisions, #2 none of the calamity being brought upon us is by accident.
Excellent article and analysis. I have a copy of the federalist papers and also Madison’s notes from the constitutional convention. Congress needs to start reviewing and them performing their constitutional duties before our country literally disintegrates before our eyes.
This daft old man is ruining our country
It’s high time our Congress did something about President Biden in the form of impeachment also impeached the vice president. Hold another election.