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One of the most interesting and troubling things that the indictment of Donald Trump has revealed is that it is as much about the future of the United States as it is about the past actions of the person indicted. According to the Constitution, the only requirements to be eligible for the highest political position in our country are age (over 35), being a natural born citizen of the U.S., and the minimum number of years lived in this country (14). A criminal conviction has no bearing on one’s eligibility. I’m in my seventh decade, and this was news to me. Either it wasn’t mentioned in my high school civics classes, or I was asleep on the days it was.
I have no idea what was on the Founder’s minds with regard to this. Maybe they just assumed that it was absurd to think that anyone would vote for a convicted criminal. What a ridiculous thing that would be! And yet, here we are. An (alleged) criminal is not only running for office, but he also may become the nation’s leader, given the fantasies that his supporters entertain. There is something profoundly wrong about this. What must the world around us think when they see what our leadership can look like?
I am a believer in the premise that a person in this country is innocent until proven guilty. Until they are exonerated of their crimes, though, they should not be allowed to run for or serve in any political office. This has to do with both the integrity of the office of the president and the integrity of the nation as a whole. It’s time for us to establish standards for the eligibility of our politicians that reflect the kind of nation we want to be.
Dana Williams
Belfast
