Our forefathers drew a line in the sand

White-haired, on opposite sides in politics, Gavin and Michael seldom see eye to eye. Often fight. But knowing one another since they were young remain friends.

Nodding to Gavin, Michael asked, Was it fear? Or lust? That made him do that? He was asking about Trump suing to block the outcome of Alaska’s Senate election if the Republican lost.

Gavin banged his pipe on the ashtray. Maybe he was afraid of losing what he’s lusting for.

Powerful, enjoying himself, Trump believes he can do whatever he wants. And a complacent Congress, nodding, purrs amen: On Venezuela, tariffs, war with Iran.

But if Democrats win next week he’s going to wake up in a different world – where a Democrat Congress can stop him. So he filed the Alaska lawsuit.

But there’s a peculiar twist.

Alaska’s Governor and Lieutenant Governor, who oversees elections, are both Republicans – so Trump’s fretting a Republican Senator may lose because the Republicans who count votes let a Democrat steal the election.

An odd tale gets odder.

Alaska uses ranked choice voting – which means the top four vote getters in the primary are on the ballot. Two of those candidates are named Dan Sullivan. One’s Dan S. The other’s Dan J.

Trump’s worried his choice – Dan S – may lose because confused people weren’t sure which Dan Sullivan to vote for. But he missed a simple fact: Republicans put a line on the ballot beside Senator Dan S. Sullivan’s name that tells people two things: That he’s the incumbent senator. And that he’s a Republican. Beside the other Dan Sullivan’s name there’s nothing but a blank space.

Frowning back at Michael, voice hardening, Gavin told him Trump might have a point about confusion.

My question isn’t about confusion, Michael said, it’s about who’s best to handle that problem. The state of Alaska or the president?

When our forefathers wrote the Constitution, sure letting a president count votes in a federal election might tempt even a good man to do something wicked, they drew a line in the sand. Put counting votes in the hands of the states.

Back in 2020, when Trump claimed the election was stolen Vice President Mike Pence – respecting that line in the sand – told him he was wrong. Pence saw that as his duty – but made a lot of Republicans mad.

Voice calm, leaning forward, Michael laid both arms on the table. Here’s my point: Whether he did it out of fear of losing power or lust to keep power, Trump shouldn’t have crossed that line in the sand – a second time.

Gavin stroked his chin – an old-fashioned American, cut from the same bolt of cloth as Pence, slowly nodded. Smiled. It’s taken you years but at last you’ve said something about politics we can agree on.