To the editor:

The “just fine” pundits and the “business as usual” Democrats need to take Trump’s third term musings far more seriously.

• He is not joking. Trump often mentions his desire to be a permanent dictator.

• Steve Bannon and other Trumpists are trying hard to make it happen.

• Even though custom and constitutional intent and current popular opinion are dead opposed to allowing a third term, that is not enough.

• The Constitution has a plain-language loophole. Amendment 12 prevents a person not eligible for president from running for vice president. Amendment 22 prohibits running for president a third time. However, 22 clearly defines “running for” differently from “eligible for,” because it allows a third term for a vice president promoted to president for less than two years. Therefore Amendment 12 does not clearly prevent a two-term President from running for VP. Therefore plain language does not prevent Trump from wining as VP in 2028 and then becoming president when the 2028-elected president dies, resigns, or is 25th “Amendmented.”

• Also, plain language does not prevent doing it again in future years.

• Many Trump-appointed judges are likely to follow a plain-language interpretation rather than intent of drafters.

Moreover, many of us don’t believe that “business as usual” politics still applies. We believe Trump’s coup is an effort to establish an authoritarian state in which constitutional rule of law no longer limits Trump’s power. We need mass action to reverse the coup now.

David Burress,

Lawrence