“I love you. You got to get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote.” President Trump said this while campaigning in front of Christian Conservatives July 26, 2024. He refused Laura Ingraham’s opportunity to walk back his inflammatory statement just three days later (nytimes.com).

We know how Trump feels about the validity of elections thanks to his actions following his loss in 2020. The question is, how does he feel about not being able to run again? Will he willingly give up power given the unpopularity of the current term he shares with Elon Musk and the GOP-controlled Congress only worried about fealty to him?

Normally, our democracy would count on both the judicial and legislative branches exercising their co-equal powers enumerated in the Constitution to stifle any such aspirations. But, we see the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) giving Trump regal powers by making him immune to prosecution for any act taken while president (supremecourt.gov), and Congressional Republicans supporting him even as he and Musk illegally dismantle the government agencies they created.

Our economy, which was the lynchpin for Trump’s narrow victory over Vice President Harris, has not improved through Trump’s initiation of trade wars with Canada, Mexico, Europe, and China. Both retail sales and consumer confidence have fallen. J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs have each raised their recession predictions by 30%. And we don’t yet know the impact of the federal workforce reduction on the unemployment rate (bbc.com).

So how have Congressional Republicans responded to these economic warning signs? House Republicans propose a budget called “Reverse the Curse” that compares themselves favorably to the Greatest Generation whose members returned from winning WWII to serve at all levels of government, creating much of the infrastructure we rely on today. The GOP plan calls for federal spending to be cut $14 trillion over the next 10 years, relying on States to fill any voids created by dismantling social safety-net programs. The proposal also promises to root out “woke” spending (budget.house.gov).

This leads to a serious question…are they worried about re-election? Members of the U.S. House serve two-year terms, meaning they are all up for re-election during every federal election cycle. Twenty GOP senators will also be up for re-election in 2026, including many who have appeared on national television supporting Trump and the DOGE slaughter.

Normally, members of Congress up for re-election parse their words carefully to avoid making the news for sounding callous or ignorant. They often avoid the limelight, leaving the heavy lifting for unpopular legislation to those set to retire, or senators just elected. So why are so many willing to attack agencies created within their own branch of government?

Perhaps the answer is because they know the 2026 election will not happen, or will be so restricted by “voter protection” laws that it will not be a free and fair election.

Trump fired inspectors general across multiple federal agencies. These employees are tasked with finding waste, fraud, and abuse, as well as providing to the Office of Personnel Management information on any government employee not performing up to the standards of the job requirements. The public reports generated by these professionals provide news media much-needed information to keep the public informed about how our government functions (campaignlegal.com).

Next, Trump took aim at our military leadership, paying particular attention to those in advanced positions who he claims were DEI hires. This included Gen. CQ Brown (USAF), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first female Chief of Naval Operations, and Adm. Linda Fagan, Coast Guard Commandant (militarytimes.com). Control of the military would be critical to any declaration suspending the Constitution.

Trump, with support from fellow Republicans, has already begun to shred the Constitution, promising that Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian protest leader unlawfully arrested for deportation despite holding a green card, was “the first of many to come” (vanityfair.com).

And he has called for the impeachment of Judge James Boasberg for demanding an explanation for his order to halt deportation flights of Venezuelans to El Salvador without any due process (npr.com).

We will see how SCOTUS rules on these cases, which could clearly create a Constitutional crisis.

A ruling by SCOTUS that allows Trump to ignore the First Amendment, or immigration laws, regardless of the reasons, gives him license to abandon the entire Constitution and all laws, including all of the provisions for electing members of Congress, the president, and vice-president. This would effectively allow Trump and the GOP Congressional majority to serve until death, being replaced by hand-picked successors.

Once freed of any limitations on their power, Trump and Musk will undoubtedly fulfill Trump’s oft-stated goal of expanding U.S. territory, first by taking Greenland, Panama, and Canada, and then wherever else either man wants. Without meaningful checks and balances, our government will effectively become an oligarchy where a small group of powerful people run the government (dictionary.cambridge.org).

Those elected to represent us in Congress have the responsibility to act in accordance with their oath to protect the Constitution. They will act responsibly, but only if they hear from enough of us.

Jim Calvert is a retired English teacher who grew up in Emporia.