Here’s what I was thinking a few weeks ago: If the president and his allies are putting out a fire hose stream of lies, acting illegally, and violating the Constitution, don’t those actions properly result in disqualification from the office? Hasn’t he delegitimized himself?

Since then I’ve discovered that I’m not the first to entertain such thoughts.

The following is from historian Heather Cox Richardson’s “Letters from an American” daily series. She reports that:

Johann Neem, a specialist in the American Revolution, turned to political theorist John Locke (1632-1704) to explore the larger meaning of Trump’s destructive course. The Founders who threw off monarchy and constructed our constitutional government looked to Locke for their guiding principles. In his 1690 “Second Treatise on Government,” Locke noted that when a leader disregards constitutional order, he gives up legitimacy and the people are justified in treating him as a “thief and a robber.” “Whosoever in authority exceeds the power given him by the law and makes use of the force he has under his command … ceases in that to be a magistrate; and, acting without authority, may be opposed, as any other man, who by force invades the right of another,” Locke wrote.

And lies? How do we know which end is up if we don’t have the truth, the straight story? Don’t we need accurate information to have success in anything? Patrick Henry (1736-1799) had this to say: “For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the worst and provide for it.” Give it to me straight, he says, then I can figure out what to do.

What does it mean if we allow the avalanche of deception we’re seeing? Doesn’t it lead to confusion and apathy? To tune out and give up? Is this Trump company’s intention?

I wish to say here, too, that Trump II voters had, and have, legitimate gripes about how things work — and don’t work. What are the chances that they, like all of us, are going to find satisfaction in Trump’s rush to establish total ruthless control and suppression of other voices and needs?

So, here we are. How do we bring the Trump cohort to account? They, including the Project 2025 crew, are not stupid people. On the contrary, they are intelligent characters, but they are intent on imposing a dramatically different political and social order than the one our Founders created, which we have tweaked and adjusted in the time since. The “we the people” order is as yet an incomplete, unfulfilled promise of liberty and justice for all.

The constitutional remedy for gross leadership mismanagement is impeachment, but we’ve seen recent examples of failure of this mechanism due to bitter partisan divides. This prescription may be of little practical use. Also, genuinely free and fair elections, if the 47 cohort succeeds in consolidating crushing power, may become a thing of the past.

Time is short and pressured. How shall we proceed?

John H. Thompson lives in Greenfield.