Congratulations. You signed up and were selected to be a member of the Electoral College; a group of citizens whose sole purpose is to select the President. This means that you act as a filter for the passions of the citizenry that from time to time can be aroused and exploited by a unique candidate. There is no other purpose for the Electoral College, otherwise, why have it?
Because many of you may vote for someone other than the candidate an apparent majority of citizens in your respective state supported, you must consider under what circumstances you would take such an unprecedented step. Here are two criteria that are non-negotiable and essential qualities a President must possess: Is the apparent winner trustworthy? Do they have any knowledge of the Constitution?
Please note that I have not mentioned anything about the candidate’s policies or political party. Those factors should have nothing to do with your decision. You must determine if the person is qualified based on objective criteria.
Donald Trump is not qualified to be President because he is not trustworthy. He is notoriously dishonest, most recently taking credit for a Ford auto plant not moving out of country. The plant was never slated to leave the country. Donald Trump lied about this.
He has lied so many times about a broad range of issues that Americans will never be able to trust him. Foreign leaders will never trust him. This will be disastrous. When the President cannot be trusted democracy is severely harmed.
Not only does he have little if any knowledge of the Constitution he has already violated it. As putative President-elect he has used his new position to advance his business interests. This is not only ethically wrong, it is a blatant violation of Article 1, section 9 of the Constitution. As you know, the founders were adamant that no foreign power make any payments in any form to the President. Trump has already solicited business from many foreign powers in asking them to stay in his facilities when they visit the United States.
There is one more question that you must consider. Will the President harm the body politic? This is more of a subjective assessment as opposed to the objective evidence described above of Trump’s lack of qualifications to be President. In Donald Trump’s case he has already poisoned our political process and will continue to do so. Please take a moment and reflect on the two photos below. In the top photo Trump supporters are celebrating his victory by giving the Nazi salute. The next photo shows Americans going ashore at Omaha beach to fight (and in many cases die fighting) against the Nazi’s. That Trump supporters would give the Nazi salute at a party in our nation’s capital is sickening. It mocks the ultimate sacrifice that so many American’s made in WWII. I have a few WWII veterans in my medical practice. I cannot imagine what they would think if they saw supporters of a Presidential giving the Nazi salute in our nation’s capital. Worse yet, Trump has not specifically rejected or renounced this group of his supporters. It doesn’t matter that these racist, America hating people are a minority of Trump’s base. The fact that he hasn’t rejected them loudly and clearly is the most damning evidence that Donald Trump is poison for our body politic.
Electors, it is time for you to do your job. Reject Donald Trump.