50 Republicans expose the privilege of aristocracy

This election, a fight between a political outsider and the established elite political class, will decide if “we the people” will bring an end to the aristocracy of the privileged few. 

Recently the New York Times published a letter signed by 50 former members of past administrations commenting on Donald Trump’s fitness for the Office of President of the United States.

{mosads}Fully six pages are filled with the names and impressive titles of the signatories; the highest level national security, foreign policy and legal advisors to presidents; all with access to the sensitive information at highest levels of classification in the U.S. Government; all understanding the sensitivity of this information and the implications for compromise of this sensitive information; most who probably had to take action or recommend action for compromises of this sensitive classified information.

We are witnessing the extent to which the aristocratic politician class will go, including eating their own, to preserve the status quo in the halls of politics. The party differences of the aristocrats, just as in the monarchies of old, become transparent as the ruling party’s band together to attack the “outsider” and protect the establishment candidate. 

You would think that 50 people of this stature who have questioned Donald Trump’s qualifications, armed with specific documented evidence, would have assailed Hillary Clinton’s negligent handing of national security documents on an unsecured e-mail server with as much vigor?

While clear evidence of this compromise exists and was presented to the public by none other than the Director of the FBI and further reported by the Department of State Inspector General, why haven’t they condemned the “extremely careless” and “negligent” handling of U.S. Government classified material with the potential to compromise U.S. Government personnel, military operations, foreign policy and international negotiations that would make for, as they collectively state in their letter, “the most reckless President in American History”? 

As far as their comments about Donald Trump’s “temperament,” the 50 Establishment Republicans failed to recall another presidential candidate, Ronald Reagan, who “lost his cool” and commented after threats to intimidate him by silencing his microphone in a rather stern manner, “I … am … paying … for … this … microphone!!” But Reagan, like Trump, was an outsider, attacked by the Political Aristocracy. 

Does this failure of the 50 Established Republicans to point out the obvious unsuitability of Hillary Clinton to serves as Commander in Chief provide further evidence that members of the aristocratic politician class and their clique presume they are above the law? Maybe the proof exists that there are two standards for justice and accountability that have developed and become entrenched in this country.

The Director of the FBI, James Comey, recently commented on the lack of prosecution of Hillary Clinton: “To be clear, this is not to suggest that in similar circumstances, a person who engaged in this activity would face no consequences.” It is clear from this statement that “…those individuals…” will be treated differently under “…similar circumstances…”

Article 1, Section 9 of the Constitution states: “No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States…” But have our political parties granted the privileges of Nobility to their chosen few; a chosen family of succession to the elected positions within our government?

To that end, political parties have morphed into religions, fed by the rhetoric of aristocrat’s promises of future dependence on the government and bolstered by the yellow journalism propaganda of a collusive media; they ignore facts, fabricate deception and regurgitate talking points so often that people believe them. Throughout history, we have seen that no amount of reality will change the faithful. 

If this is the case, why are the established aristocrats and their surrogates so intent on these diversionary attacks on the outsider? This brings up the old criminal investigator adage “Follow the Money.” We have been warned about the development, greed and corruption of the aristocracy by our founding fathers. David McCullough tells us John Adams told his son-in-law, William Smith, “How few aim at the good of the whole, without aiming too much at the prosperity of parts!”

As recorded in the Anti-Federalist Papers, Benjamin Franklin, on June 2, 1787 stated: “Place before the eyes of such men, a post of honor that shall be at the same time a place of profit, and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it.” And Melancton Smith, on June 21, 1788 stated: “The great consider themselves above the common people — entitled to more respect — do not associate with them — they fancy themselves to have a right of preeminence in everything. In short, they possess the same feelings, and are under the influence of the same motives, as hereditary nobility.”  

Can we find this profit motive where “…they fancy themselves to have a right of preeminence…” in our aristocratic politician class today? Peter Schweizer reminds us in his book “Extortion” that Mark Hanna, President William McKinley’s chief fund raiser once said: “There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money and I can’t remember what the second one is.”

Schweizer further states that today “Washington may not be working for citizens, but it’s working quite well for the members of the Permanent Political Class who profit handsomely.” Schweizer goes on to describe in detail how the aristocracy of the Permanent Political Class uses their assumed “right of preeminence” to manipulate the system for personal profit. 

Further evidence can be found and is delineated by Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner in “Reckless Endangerment” how “…the American economy was almost wrecked by a crowd of self-interested, politically influential, and arrogant people…” who were members of this Permanent Political Aristocracy, during the 2008 financial crisis.

And now we are told of another criminal investigation by the FBI into certain political favors for contributions to ostensibly charitable foundations, created and managed by the members of the permanent political aristocracy. What a wonderful country this has become. Can the aristocracy now contribute bribes or collect extortion payments and claim a tax deduction or a tax exemption if you route them through a foundation?

As we go into the voting booth this Election Day we need to be cognizant of the rhetoric, manipulation and corruption of this Permanent Political Aristocracy and their surrogates that will move “heaven and earth” to protect their ability to “profit handsomely” and their “right of preeminence” from a political outsider who just may bring reform. 

John M. DeMaggio is a retired Special Agent in Charge and retired U.S. Navy Captain in the U.S. Navy. The above is the opinion of the author and is not meant to reflect the opinion of the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Government.

The views of Contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.