Trump support for Jan. 6 rioters is bad. But another former president was worse.
Trump support for Jan. 6 rioters is bad. Mitch McConnell support for Electoral Count Reform bill is good. But another former president shows what more the GOP must do.
It’s important to keep in mind that Trump is not — yet — the worst ex-president in U.S. history. Trump has made a serious effort to dishonor his post-presidency, of course. He likely has encouraged future insurrections by vowing to pardon the rioters who sacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. And he’s stashed boxes of top secret documents at his home at Mar-a-Lago, raising serious national security concerns.
But John Tyler, a Whig who held office from 1841 to 1845, was even worse. Tyler actually tried to destroy the Union by joining the Confederacy’s war of treason in defense of slavery. Tyler’s treachery is worth remembering as a warning about the real danger a former president can pose.
Tyler’s treachery is worth remembering as a warning about the real danger a former president can pose.
But this history is also a good example of how principled political leaders can stand up to a rogue president, even at the risk of damaging their parties’ prospects. During Tyler’s presidency, the Whigs actually expelled him from the party when he violated Whig principles. After the party ultimately splintered over the issue of slavery, Abraham Lincoln and William Seward stood fast for the Union that Tyler betrayed.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., took a small step in their direction when he announced Tuesday that he would back the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, which aims to prevent future efforts to subvert elections like those at the heart of the Jan. 6 insurrection. The decision put him at odds with Trump but strengthened the chances that the bill will pass.
Rating: 5