Paul Berman

Dear Anderson, This heartfelt message is posted for all of your viewers and for all members of Congress to read before they go to sleep tonight. At the start of each new Congress, in January of every odd-numbered year, the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate performs a solemn and festive constitutional rite that is as old as the Republic. Each member participating in the ceremony raises his or her right hand and affirms an oath to the American people. "I 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. As I watch the events unfolding, and hear the proffered arguments both for and against the actions of the President, I am disheartened that the Constitution appears to get curt treatment. These men and women of this Congress made us a promise with that oath, and many seem hell bent on conveniently forgetting that solemn promise. I can't accuse them of lying or being untruthful, because I do not believe in my heart that any made an intentionally false statement when they took the oath before their God and country. However, I can accuse them of reneging by going back on or failing to keep a promise. In so doing, they are denying all of us, the American people, that which they promised us. I must ask myself, as they must ask themselves, why would they break this vow, this oath, this promise to us. For what purpose would they dishonor themselves and forever negate the value of any commitment, personal or professional, they would wish to make in the future? Would they do this for Donald J. Trump, a man whose persona and actions many of them secretly abhor? Would they do this because they are afraid of what this President from the bully pulpit, "aptly named," could do to their chances of reelection? If so, then they are guilty of the same crime for which they are investigating and accusing the President of the United States; Subverting the Constitution for personal gain. I swore an oath to the same Constitution when I entered military service on behalf of our citizens and our leaders. I thank God I did not dishonor my promise, for I consider my word to be the only true thing of value I can share with my fellow citizens, and did share with my fellow comrades, and taught my children and grandchildren the same. I believe that the only path out of this morass we find ourselves in today, is for men and women of principle to find, or re-discover the courage of their convictions and the strength to provide the American people that which they promised them. I pray for this re-awakening in the halls of Congress so that the Constitution I cherish will not be hijacked for the suspect purposes of politics. Permission to reprint and use is given. Paul Berman