The Left is no longer the loyal opposition

America tends center-right on the political spectrum. Our form of government, rule of law, and constitution all provide a conservative platform on which we built and run our society. When issues arise, the party in power looks to its counterpart as loyal opposition, expecting they’ll bring points of view and honest debate to the table in the framework of the system. As power shifts left to right and back again, the opposition can be either side, but both sides love our country and abide by the rules...right?

Consider: When Obama was elected, the loyal opposition, myself included, were sorely disappointed and worried sick about the changes he’d try to make. His speeches were full of promises to make things fairer, level the playing field, right old wrongs, and transform America. We thought, What’s he talking about and why such disdain? Nevertheless, we respected the process that elected him and accepted our fate. As feared, his first term saw many things we didn’t like or flat out opposed, but we hung in there. He managed to get Obamacare passed with no republican support, but we hung in there. Later, some of its highly contested provisions were challenged but upheld by the court; we hung in there. We gritted our teeth, hoping it would soon be over with the coming election, but no such luck! Even with a terrible economy, numerous scandals, controversies, and Benghazi, he prevailed. We were aghast. How could our people do this? Choose this inexperienced quasi-socialist who hadn’t lived up to many of his promises, botched our foreign relations, coarsened race relations, exuding shame if not hate for America? And still, we hung in there! Finally, Trump appears, and what happens? We know with certainty that high-ranking officials at the FBI and Justice used their offices to derail his nomination, destroy his candidacy, and prevent his inaugural. We know they made false allegations and openly lied to achieve their ends; conspired with politicians, party officials, and news media; ill used and defrauded the courts to facilitate their scheme. It didn’t stop there, nor after his swearing in. They wanted impeachment! The hatred was palpable with libels and slanders. There was character assassination, false accusations, incitements to riot, urgings to harass supporters, anything that would undermine and basically sabotage his presidency. I say sabotage, and they say no, it’s simply healthy, patriotic dissent. Is it? Could the framers imagine this kind of synchronized belligerence? Can it be held as measured or reasonable within the dictates of our system? Would Dems have tolerated equal treatment of their man? Can partisan conspiracies, collusions, bickerings, and falsehoods be used to achieve such an outright rejection of a duly elected president? I say no, this isn’t dissent! It's more akin to rebellion and insurrection! It’s a subversive usurpation of authority leading toward sedition or the overthrow of government. Majoritarianism is not an excuse, since the majority here is not right or reasonable and is not representative of our polity as a whole. Besides, rule of majority is empowered in the voting booth and the halls of Congress, not the streets of D.C., Baltimore, or Philly! The loyal opposition keeps our country recognizable as a constitutional, democratic republic. Lawlessness leading to revolt doesn’t do this. Majority usurpation in the public and private sectors spoils the broth. Plainly, if enough lefty beets and tomatoes are added to our melting-pot, it will morph to French bouillabaisse socialiste or, even worse, transform into a Russian kommunistichyeski borscht! If allowed to continue, I fear that America will spoil. Such a disaster for us and for the freedom of peoples around the world will not escape notice or be taken lightly. It will shake the foundations of Western civilization.