By D.C. Representative Oye Owolewa
President Donald Trump carried out an unconstitutional act of war on June 21 without Congressional approval. For this reason, Congress must launch an impeachment inquiry.
We Americans have been lied to for the past couple of decades. We have been told that the United States couldn’t afford free college education or student loan forgiveness. We’ve been told that we cannot afford a federal living wage so Americans can live with dignity. Our leaders scoff at the price tag of Medicare for All and other methods to make healthcare more affordable. Yet somehow, we are able to afford a war that would cost more than these initiatives combined. Instead of positively impacting American lives with popular investments, President Trump has served the military industrial complex and special interests by pushing the United States to the brink of a World War.
D.C. must stand up against this. Lacking statehood, Washingtonians are forced to fund wars without having the ability to vote for it. Lacking statehood, Washingtonians are forced to fight in wars without having a say. Taxation without Representation is no longer just a slogan, but forced complicity. DC Statehood is only our path forward to true independence and full self governance.
All in all, we must all stand up against Trump’s recent illegal and provocative bombings. Trump 2.0 lacks the support from American people to engage in war, the funds to carry out a war and the constitutional legality to attack Iran without congressional approval. For all reasons stated, Congress should ultimately draft articles of impeachment against President Trump.
“They got money for wars, but can’t feed the poor…”
- 2Pac Shakur, Keep Ya Head Up (1993)
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.