The 14th Amendment Needs to Do Its Intended Job and Thus Prevent Trump From Ever Running Again

I’m publishing this series of articles to share and discuss my ruminations on coping with a troubled and messy world. You can “follow” me to never miss an article.

Given Trump’s repeated history of sanctioning Violence — indeed of outright encouraging it — an Op-Ed by Mark A. Graber makes a powerful case why Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution applies to the former President and therefore why he should be prevented from ever running for office again[i]. To be perfectly clear, Section 3 states that after taking an oath to support the Constitution, an Officer of the United States who then engages in insurrection, rebellion, or gives comfort to those who have done so should be barred from ever taking Office.

Nonetheless, there are naturally those who question keeping Trump off the ballot on grounds they regard as debatable.

But Irony of Ironies. By far the biggest worry is that by keeping Trump off the ballot, it will incite Violence by his many supporters, the very reason why the 14th Amendment is being invoked in the first place.

Further Irony in that it was Republicans who during Reconstruction who invoked the 14th Amendment against White Supremacists who threatened Violence lest their demands…