Publisher's journal: Trump should stay on primary ballots

More than a dozen states now, including New Mexico, have pending legal challenges that could remove Donald Trump from their presidential primary ballots.

I am no fan of the reality TV star with the big-government leanings, but voters should decide whether he’s president again, not a few politically motivated judges.

The courts are trying to decide whether Trump violated the anti-insurrection clause in the 14th Amendment. If his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, incident at the U.S. Capitol was an attempt to overthrow the government, the Constitution says he can’t be president.

I don’t doubt the man was hoping the violence of that day would allow him to remain in office for as long as it suited his ego. I doubt there is any evidence that proves he coordinated the attack or ordered anyone to carry it out.

It’s important to remember he hasn’t been convicted of anything close to a crime that disqualifies him from holding public office. And given the tortoise-pace of our nation’s court system, it’s unlikely charges against Trump will get to a jury before November.

Until then, the presumption of innocence is the foundation of our legal system, isn’t it?

More important, our divided nation will never heal itself if Trump doesn’t have a chance to lose another election. Crazies remain, but most of us by now can see the repeated recounts of the 2020 presidential election as proof that Joe Biden didn’t steal it.

Another election that Trump doesn’t win is the best chance for the truly conservative among us to realize a kinder, gentler, less-bullying approach is necessary to restore smaller government.

I will never understand how Trump gained support in the political party that once championed fiscal responsibility. Under his leadership, it cut taxes while increasing spending exponentially.

Even GOP hopeful Nikki Haley, still reluctant to criticize her former boss, has repeatedly pointed out that Trump “put us $8 trillion in debt that our kids are never going to forgive us for.”

He won the 2016 election on promises to put Hillary Clinton in jail, build a wall and get rid of Obamacare – none of which he accomplished. Why would anyone who wanted those things to happen still have confidence in Trump’s ability to accomplish his stated goals?

His Christmas Day rant calling for his political opponents to “rot in hell” is also worth mentioning. Ronald Reagan remains the standard-bearer for Republicans because of his ability to work with adversaries so he could accomplish his objectives. One of these political leaders is not like the other.

I tend to believe Donald Trump when he says he hopes to be elected again so he can become “dictator for a day” since that’s the only way he can achieve some of his objectives that won’t pass Congress’ approval.

I tend to also believe the majority of our nation’s freedom lovers will not re-elect Donald Trump because we realize he’s unhinged.

So there’s no reason to compromise our Democracy by keeping Trump off the ballot. If voters do want unhinged, liberty is lost anyway.

David Stevens is editor and publisher of Clovis Media Inc. Email him at:

[email protected]

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