I am NOT a sore loser. Though deeply disappointed when George W. Bush was elected, I took a deep breath and told myself, “This isn’t the end of the world.” 

The day after the 2016 election I was despondent. I feared (and still fear) that Trump’s election may well mean—maybe not the end of the world but the end of American democracy. My fears arose from paying close attention to what he said and tweeted during the campaign. 

Now as then his own words have made it increasingly clear that he has neither knowledge of nor respect for the Constitution. His own words have demonstrated that if facts don’t suit his purposes he’ll lie. That his brand of Christianity holds no resemblance to one that emphasizes compassion, hospitality, and justice. That he has no respect for naval officers who were prisoners of war or for parents of fallen soldiers, no respect for people with disabilities. His own words of belittlement have demonstrates his disregard for the most basic rules of civility. We can tell from what he says and tweets daily that he is not a “stable genius” but a man with a limited vocabulary who is mentally unstable. His insecurities and narcissism put our democracy and our national security at risk.

Unlike Trump I hold in high regard educated and experienced journalists, particularly those at The New York Times and The Washington Post. They are carrying out their responsibility to inform the American public, to bring to light what some leaders would like to keep in the dark. 

Through the work of professional journalists we learn that the Trump administration is forbidding public servants whose salaries we pay to speak to Congressional committees. Thanks to professional journalists we learn that Trump’s efforts to prove that Russia did not interfere in our 2016 election lead him to pressure small countries for his personal benefit. We hear him speak of a witch hunt and fake news and how Mitt Romney, who spoke critically about him, should be impeached. I for one trust professional journalists more than I trust him.

A talking point used by Republicans trying to discredit the impeachment inquiry is that Democrats won’t accept that they lost. I can’t speak for all Democrats but I’m convinced that the inquiry has nothing to do with sportsmanship and everything to do with protecting our democracy.

Thank you, Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff.