To ensure a system of checks and balances, the Constitution, in Articles 1, 2 and 3, mandates that the U.S. federal government consist of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. To ensure the government is effective and citizens’ rights are protected, each branch has its own powers and responsibilities. Congress is given the responsibility of oversight of the executive branch and exercises its power through the Congressional committee system.
When President Donald Trump obstructed Congress by refusing to provide requested documents and witnesses to Congress, he violated the Constitution he swore to uphold. This alone was justification for impeachment, not to mention his abuse of power that threatened and imperiled our national security to the ongoing benefit of Russia.
It would have been a simple, principled position to support impeachment as a means of preserving and enforcing the power of the legislative branch, but even this meager dose of civics eluded Rep. Don Young and his Republican colleagues. If Rep. Young is unwilling to uphold his oath of office to defend the Constitution and the powers of the House of which he is a member, then it is time to elect someone who will.
— Mark Wolbers
Anchorage
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