Make Them Think | Letters | 27east.com

Before the Supreme Court roused the president from his tariff fever dream and told him the facts of constitutional life, I was thinking about something else. I’m still thinking about it.

One of the hardest things to avoid in recent years has been the recurrent and painfully tiresome efforts of Donald Trump and his stooges to establish in some way, any way, that he, not Joe Biden, won the 2020 presidential election.

It never ends. The most recent sally is the raid on certain Georgia election records, the post-litigation outcome of which will no doubt be just one more defeat for the revisionist forces.

And still they keep trying. I promise you, despite international crises, despite self-imposed economic disaster, despite the ongoing fascistic persecution of our people, despite everything, the next four to six months will see yet another inane attempt to reverse the 2020 election result. It rivals self-enrichment as Trump’s top priority. It’s very close here between the purse and the ego.

I don’t claim to know how to end all this, but I do believe I’ve come on something to make them stop and think. (Contrary to all appearances, they are, in fact, capable of thought.)

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution begins as follows: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” It seems clear that if Donald Trump can show he was elected president in 2016 and 2020, then that’s it for him — his third election in 2024 is void, and he has to step down, get outta there now and take the orange makeup, the gold curtains and Stephen Miller with him.

I know, I know, you’re saying someone’s probably thought of this already. You’re saying they’ll argue that the amendment means one can’t serve as president more than twice, but the language is “be elected,” not “serve.” You’re saying they’ll argue that once someone’s in that office, they can’t be removed without impeachment and conviction. You’re saying that Trump ignores the Constitution anyway.

All correct, up to a limited point, but you don’t have to be a lawyer to see what a universe of legal disputation opens up once the 22nd Amendment is in the picture. Maybe it won’t stop Trump and his minions, maybe it won’t even make them think, but it sure complicates things — and it sure pleases me.

George Lynch

Quiogue

Lynch is the communications director for the Southampton Democratic Committee — Ed.