Monday, Jan. 8, 2024 | 2 a.m.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie say former President Donald Trump must not be kicked off the presidential ballot because, apparently, voting is the only way to prevent someone from holding office in America. This betrays an extreme ignorance of law and history.
The Constitution specifies office-holding requirements related to maturity and familiarity with the American way of life, for starters. We also have a system of civil and criminal justice whereby offenders lose the right to move about freely and keep pursuing predatory behavior. This is another large hint that bad actors are not welcome at polling places in a democracy.
In the 3,500-year recorded history of democracy, there has always been disqualification of candidates who have been involved in civil misbehavior or criminal conduct.
If we allow a known political rogue a clear path to power, we erode everybody else’s right to run for and hold a decent republican office, because all government offices will be beholden to America’s first tyrant ruler.
