When will Republicans who put their fear of Trump and his behavior ahead of our country stand up to him?

Time is running out. Will Republicans find the courage to put our country ahead of their fear of President Trump?

We are long past the point where individuals can escape being permanently stained by Donald Trump, but the country needs them to save us from him.

It’s been more than a decade since his first campaign started with a speech highlighted by lies about immigrants. Every day since, more lies — progressively bigger and more detached from reality.

Even so, he’s prevailed, and Republican sheeplike complicity is the reason. 

As his actions become increasingly damaging and his daily comments become more childish, abusive and downright loony, it’s apparent the USA can’t stay on this path for another three years. The devastation of our constitutional system would be complete. 

The question before us now is this: What will it take to get enough Republicans to say, “That’s just too much” and stop making excuses for self-evident lies, ignorance, and incompetence?

Is anything going to be enough?

Posting a “will be wild” tweet that drew rioters who invaded and vandalized the Capitol wasn’t enough.

Pardoning rioters who assaulted police there wasn’t enough.

Being a lapdog for Vladimir Putin wasn’t enough.

Sabotaging the Ukrainian patriots wasn’t enough.

Demolishing one-third of the White House wasn’t enough.

Terrorizing families with masked, unidentifiable and armed law enforcement officers wasn’t enough.

Denying due process to thousands of residents wasn’t enough.

Wrecking agricultural markets with halfwitted tariffs wasn’t enough.

Paying a woman to keep quiet about a one night stand wasn’t enough.

Being found liable of sexual abuse wasn’t enough.

Stacking classified documents next to his toilet wasn't enough.

Calling Georgia, trying to convince election officials to find 11,780 votes, wasn’t enough.

Trying to coax Ukrainian President Zelensky into hurting Joe Biden wasn’t enough.

Executing suspected drug couriers with no trial wasn’t enough.

Installing a historically inept cabinet wasn’t enough.

Pardoning drug dealers and other convicted felons wasn’t enough.

Corrupting the Department of Justice wasn’t enough.

Blundering the response to COVID wasn’t enough. 

Labeling some Black human beings as”garbage” wasn’t enough.

Blatantly and repeatedly lying hasn’t been enough.

Dusty Johnson, John Thune, Mike Rounds and their Republican colleagues have enabled it all. Sure, they have danced around things and sometimes lightly disagreed, but never to the point of actually doing anything.  They are afraid. The atrocities are ramping up. It’s worsening every day. More horrible things will come out of his mouth and onto his social media, more laws will be ignored, more people will be hurt.

Is there any point where our three guys will revert to what most of us thought they were? Is any future Trump atrocity going to be enough to get them and their Republican Party to finally stop being intimidated and act as patriots?

Senator Joseph McCarthy’s communist witch hunt in the 1950s was enthusiastically supported by Republicans until he went too far. They did their duty and stopped him.

Who among them will do their duty now?

Former Aberdeen mayor Mike Levsen is a regular contributor to The South Dakota Standard.

Photo: public domain, wikimedia commons

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