So, the Supreme Court is going to make it likely Donald Trump won’t be tried and convicted of anything prior to Nov. 5. Seriously, Democrats, what did you expect?

It should be clear by now that no one is going to save U.S. democracy, and by extension freedom around the world, from Donald Trump and autocracy but the voters. Democrats need to quit whining and bickering and special interest blocs need to take the blinders off. This is not a time for political instant gratification. It’s time to unite for the sake of democracy.

            COME ON, DEMOCRATS. Quite whining about a corrupt Supreme Court.

            Didn’t we know this was coming, if not over immunity something else? 

            It looks like Donald Trump may well not face the music from multiple court orchestras before the election. 

            So, what to do? Well, vote.

            Most of us had been hoping, hadn’t we, that the courts would save us from Trump? He’d be convicted as least once before the election and the count-on-one-hand sane Republicans would walk away from him and independent voters would come to Biden. Democracy would be saved and we could go back to whatever it is we do when not obsessing about the orange menace.

            When the news broke my first thought was “we all better get our shit together.” I was comforted to hear first one commentator, then more, say the same thing. Vote, dammit, vote!

            While I wanted to see, and still do, Trump face the law like any other citizen, in the back of my mind I wondered if a speedy trial(s) might backfire. What if he were convicted prior to the Republican Convention and the party turned to Nikki Haley? Haley represents youth, she is not Trump and at the last, I would not fear for democracy if she beat President Joe Biden. But, given I disagree with her on every single policy position she’s taken, or is likely to take, that’s not a lot of comfort.

            No, the only we will save democracy is to vote, but not just for Joe Biden but up and down the races from local through state houses to Congress to the White House. Vote Democrat. 

         But first, there has to be a “come to Jesus” moment for Dems, and independents. Everyone needs to put the country first and their own causes second.

            For weeks and months we’ve been seeing polls and analysis people that say:

• Biden is too old;
• The Jewish vote is abandoning him because he’s not standing strongly enough on Israel’s side in the current Gaza horror show;
• The Arab American vote won’t go to Biden because he is standing too strongly on Israel’s side;
• The Black vote won’t go for him because he has not delivered enough on what they feel were promises made;
• The Latino vote is leaving Biden because he and Democrats have taken them for granted;
• Environmentalist support for Biden is waning because he has not moved fast enough on climate issues;
• The young vote is leaving him because of a combination of all of the above and they want to see younger candidates.

            PLEASE. STOP. Let’s take a deep breath and look at all those “reasons” why Biden’s support is waning.

            How many of you who may fall into one of those categories really think the causes you care about will be advanced or served in any way under Donald Trump? How much progress do you think will be made on any issues you care about under an autocracy?

            What if Donald Trump not only wins but gains control over all of Congress? 

            I was young once. I can dimly recall it. I do recall marching, protesting, working for candidates like Gene McCarthy and George McGovern. I was right; but, at some point I realized I was not effective. I realized, as I aged, that there was a big and complicated world out there and that accomplishments came by somehow moving ideas from the edges to the middle.

            I did not give up my values or beliefs. What changed was my understanding of how to better advance them. That’s never been truer than today.

            A recent poll in Pennsylvania showed that more people care about the economy than saving democracy. Scary, that. The economy is good, even though individuals within it may be having hard times. The same question applies here as above – if Trump wins, if an autocracy driven by the wealthy takes control, do you really think you – average man or woman -are really going to see your situation improve? Pause. Think about it. Do you really? That has not been the historic reality of autocracies.

            We know how Trump plans to do away with democracy. He has told us. He tells us every day. He’s not telling us how he will create a better economy, make life better for all Americans of all ages. He’s not telling us how he will stand up to Russia and support freedom-seeking nations around the world. No, he’s telling us about revenge, retribution. Believe him.

            So, given all that, accept the Supreme Court is not going to bail us out. It is not going to save us from Trump. Even if it rules he does not have immunity that ruling will likely come too late in terms of conviction prior to election. 

            Trump has won this round. The challenge is for those of us who believe in freedom to win the rest of the rounds. We will have to do it the old-fashioned way – throw away the crutches, get off our butts and get out the vote.

            If we do that and Trump is stopped cold come November, that may well be the best response we can give to a Supreme Court that no longer is an independent arbiter of the law. 

Rich Heiland, has been a reporter, editor, publisher/general manager at daily papers in Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio and New Hampshire. He was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team at the Xenia Daily (OH) Daily Gazette, a National Newspaper Association Columnist of the Year, and a recipient of the Molly Ivins First Amendment Award from the Walker County (TX) Democrat Club. He taught journalism at Western Illinois University and leadership and community development at Woodbury College in Vermont.  Since 1995 he has operated an international consulting, public speaking and training business specializing in customer service, general management, leadership and staff development with major corporations, organizations, and government. Semi-retired, he and his wife live in West Chester, PA. He can be reached at heilandrich1@gmail.com.