America has a new president, even if it doesn't know what that means

Hear ye! Hear ye, America! It's Inauguration Week! But please don't confuse it with infrastructure week. The swearing in of a convicted felon actually did happen on Monday. The striking components of Donald Trump's second inauguration speech weren't filled with goodness, with inspiration, or with charm. Of course they weren't. What child of our nation was expecting a highlight real like that? The sequel to his 2017 "American Carnage" inauguration address was not terribly different in its tone or in its fundamental wrongness. This speech's title will likely come from his promise of the beginning of a "Golden Age of America." Again though, the erroneous assumptions contained in it are strikingly similar to eight years ago: everything is broken and terrible and his presence in office will magically fix all of it and make it wonderful. Just like eight years ago, it was a speech grounded in civic ignorance directed only at those who share the same fantasy-laden view of the office he reclaimed on Monday. But it is that ignorance that is necessary for much of his agenda, if one can call it that, to become reality. Exhibit number one is the executive order Trump signed on Monday attempting to end birthright citizenship. No, this constitutional provision cannot be repealed by executive order. If it could, the entire document that effectively defines America, could also be ended by the same pen. This is not new posturing from him, but the certain legal response from an army of litigants will force another branch of government, the courts, to defend the jurisdiction of our founding document again. Exhibits two and three are not as clearly unconstitutional, but merely illegal.   Connect with Michael Leppert Visit michaelleppert.com to read the full post and links to any resources or articles mentioned. Twitter @michaelleppert  Facebook at Michael Leppert