On President’s Day

This feels like a Presidents’ Day like no other.

Today should have been a day where we celebrate the Presidency and what it has meant to democracy throughout the world. The office of President of the United States was established when kings and queens were the status quo, and throughout this country’s history, our institutions and our people have seen the bounds of presidential authority tested. 

The power of checks, balances, and elections has always prevailed.

When George Washington became the leader of the new United States, there was a decision to be made about what he would be called and what his power would look like. Believe it or not, some wanted to name him King. But the framers of our Constitution decided on a term humble in its origins: President. The word comes from the Latin prae sedere, meaning “to sit before” and it was chosen very deliberately. One person would be chosen by the people to sit before them not only in service but also in judgment. This person would not be above them, and they certainly wouldn’t reign over them.

Let me be very clear: Donald Trump believes he is above us. Trump wants to reign over the United States of America; not as a President, but as a King.

I look at Trump’s recent tweet where he stated “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law” and shudder. Some will liken it to the famous Nixon quote of “When the President does it, that means that it is not illegal”, but Trump’s version is infinitely more sinister. Trump portrays himself as a savior, not subject to the laws of our nation. That, my friends, is what European monarchies called Divine Right, and it allowed for absolute power. Unchecked and unbalanced power. Congress and the Courts have been stacked to allow for this power, and voters provided the public mandate to pursue it even further.

I stated earlier that Trump views himself as above us, the people. The problem therein is how someone as objectively horrible as Donald Trump could be above anyone. Nobody can dispute that he is a bad person. Unfortunately, the only way Trump could be “above” anyone is to diminish, demean, and denigrate the people. He wants to lower the bar so far that he can finally conjure up the personal acclaim any self-aggrandizing narcissist craves. And this diminishment of the people is already happening at a rapid pace.

We’ve seen ICE raids in schools, churches, and homes. We’ve seen diversity, equity, and inclusion under constant attack to allow for “merit-based hiring” like Pete Hegseth, Robert F Kennedy Jr, Kristi Noem, and all the Elon Musk minions at DOGE. We’ve seen profiles of prominent African-American leaders in government agencies wiped away, proving once and for all that the argument of “you can’t erase history” in defense of Confederate statues was nothing more than racist dogwhistling. It's truly one travesty after another, and that’s by design.

Bend it and break it, then build it “dominate” it, if I could quote Trump one more time.

I know it’s difficult for all of us right now as we try to forge a path to the restoration of Democracy in the face of extraordinary and monarchical executive power, but there is a path. It’s not going to be easy. Nothing worth fighting for ever is.

• Help us flip three seats in Congress to win back the majority. See here, here, and here

• Help us organize our precincts and canvass our neighborhoods. Sign up here

• Take on a leadership position in your local party or Democratic club.

  Find the time to make that extra effort to put America back on a better course.

Let’s make sure we never have a Kings Day.

Happy Presidents’ Day to all.

Logan Gatti
Chair, Louisville Democratic Party