Republicans stand there again and again to be sworn into Office. Raise their right hand, and oh soooooo piously put their hands on a bible. And swear an Oath to the Constitution. AND lie their asses off while doing so. So much for these super preachy ‘Christians’ and their precious Commandments. Especially that one about not bearing false witness – in modern terms that means not lying. For that matter the very first one on the list about ‘Im am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before me’ seems to no longer matter to them but that’s a separate subject. I want to talk about an Oath I’ve taken, as have so many millions of Americans during our history. About swearing support not for the flag, or the President but rather the Constitution. For some decades now an increasing number of conservatives haven’t meant it when they swore their oath. Now they’ve turned the very notion into a sick, twisted joke.
Support and defend the Constitution? Give me a freaking break. As I said over time the Constitution has been an impediment to conservative goals. Hence the four decade organized effort to remake SCOTUS to invent ‘Constitutional Precedent’ out of nothing. History itself and Constitutional text taken out of context. Then Trump came along and pretty much all pretense has gone by the wayside. Loyalty is NOT to the Constitution but to Trump. Few Republicans in office or with influence still believe in the prescribed Oath of Office which is simple and straightforward. It has gone quite minor changes over time but the gist of it has always been there. Currently, according to 5 U.S. Code § 3331 it’s as follows:
“I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
FYI that last phrase isn’t required by law for a person’s Oath to be valid. Some, like me haven’t or (in my case if I were to be sworn again) won’t say it. There’s also no legal requirement to have one’s left hand on a Bible or some other religions Holy Book. Everyone takes that same Oath. Military Officers and all civilian federal employees. Enlisted troops take that first part with additions about following the orders of superiors. The President has what is intended to be an even higher, more binding Oath. I’ll give you a minute to stop laughing over Trump thinking HE is bound by anything other than his own desires.
It’s bad that we’ve so often seen (almost always) conservatives ignore their Oath. But now? Some are in thrall of what they can get for themselves with another Trump administration. Some are still appalled by him but are gutless. Cowards. Afraid to stand up to him and actually support the Constitution. Against all enemies foreign and domestic and make no mistake: Trump and many of his people are domestic threats to both the Constitution and not just our freedom but the entire free world’s.
So every member of Congress in both the House and the Senate raised their hands. Republicans made sure to have their hands on their bibles too of course. If there were to be a change in the law I say it since the Constitution makes clear in more than one place there shall be no religious test for Office or Public Trust in the United States NO religious texts should be allowed. Period. Be sworn in on a copy of the Constitution! Alas, the the GOP is loyal to Trump and only Trump. The reason doesn’t matter. What does is that what he wants matters regardless of what the Constitution says.
So I say to Republicans stop with all the pretense. You hold all three branches of government. You never meant it when you swore to support and defend the Constitution so just change the law and do away with the old oath. Rewrite it to say what you REALLY feel. I’ve even got a draft for you.
I do solemnly sweat that I will support and defend Donald Trump no matter what. That I will carry out his every wish. That any Oath I’ve taken to the Constitution is null and void and that ONLY what Trump says is the law is what I will support and defend. Against all enemies and critics of Trump foreign and domestic. Real or on his part perceived. That I will bear true faith and allegiance to Donald J. Trump and ONLY Donald J. Trump. So help me Trump.
Feel free to edit or create your own version. I’ll wait to see what improvements others can make on that before forwarding it my P.O.S. North Carolina Senators. And others too including a Congress Critter from my small hometown back in southern Illinois. It’s not like I’d get a wide and warm welcome if I were ever to set foot there again. Even though his older sister I went to school with recently told me otherwise. (She’s now my own sister’s financial advisor)
I’m not sure what Democrats would have to do if the GOP changed the Oath. On thing at a time. But for chrissakes Republicans just admit it! The Constitution doesn’t mean jack-sh*t to you anymore. Only proving your loyalty to Trump.
********** And now, a message from Ursula I hope you take to heart **********
Friends, I am forced to self-promote and ask you for money. We had a bad year compared with 2023 and the end of the year has been catastrophic. Traffic died on November 5. We are a small blog and completely self-supporting by ad revenue, donations, and subscriptions. If you can afford a monthly subscription that would help us out. If you can make a small donation, likewise. Our only goal is to stay in business and give you the best content we can generate. You are the wind beneath our wings. Thank you. Ursula
Hearing them repeat an oath of loyalty to the constitution is as valid, I imagine, as a lady of the night swearing she’s a virgin. Traitors. Cigarettes and blindfolds all around. I can’t stomach them so I refuse to watch or listen. Yeah marine, our very own stalwart of cowardice, senator Tillis caved on the drunk rapist. Big surprise. I don’t bother with Budd…he’s so far around the Maga bend, he must get trump’s permission to take a piss.
I like your rewritten oath but would add, as the 2nd sentence: “That I will kiss his ass and lick his boots.” I’d make the second part more explicitly male anatomical but there’s a limit to what imagery I can actually imagine without vomiting.