GOP should wake up

Benjamin Franklin, one of the fathers of American democracy, once wrote, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." This wisdom is eminently applicable to what is happening in America today.

Congress is doing its Constitutionally required duty to oversee the conduct of the President, and he and his entire staff is defying it claiming, "Congress is politically motivated." When President Trump asked the Treasury Secretary not to release his tax returns as required by the law, he was, in effect, telling him to break the law. President Trump has refused to turn over any and all documents he was required by law to submit to Congress.

Obviously, "the unindicted co-conspirator No. 1" in Michael Cohen case, has a lot to hide from the public, and "politically motivated" is a red herring. Republicans never get tired of saying, "Look at the economy!" Yes, economy is doing well. But then, what about the exploding deficit? Republicans, who tirelessly criticized Obama for "ballooning deficit," are tightlipped about the alarming deficit. Rich are getting richer, thanks to generous tax cuts, and more people are homeless today than ever before.

The damage Trump and his spineless Republican minions are doing to American democracy is akin to a man building a three-story mansion while undermining its foundation. Democracy is America's foundation. If we damage it, sooner or later, the building would collapse, and Uncle Ben's warning would be prophetic. Wake up, Republicans! Develop some backbones.

K.P.S. KAMATH, Cape Girardeau