Once upon a time, if politicians were caught in a corruption probe, they would quickly resign their offices and attempt to hide from the embarrassing publicity, while praying that they would not go to jail.  In addition, when public officials were exposed as incompetent, reckless, or negligent in the performance of duty, they’d step down amid a swirling tide of public outrage.

Not anymore!  These days, it takes a lot more than bribery, mismanagement, or mendacity during congressional hearings to remove these reprobates from office.  It seems as though we’ve arrived at a time in which those in power have rigged the system to keep from being penalized for their reckless disregard for the law.

Suppose you were the first black president of the U.S. and you knew that Republicans were loath to confront you on many serious issues because they’re afraid to be branded as racists.  Suppose further that you appointed an attorney general who is black and female, hence doubly impervious to criticism from a white majority of elected representatives.  Keep in mind that the A.G. is the boss of the justice system, including the FBI director.

Now, if Hillary Clinton had been recommended for prosecution because of the FBI’s findings that she was reckless and negligent in her handling of classified national security documents, her chances to be elected president would likely have been reduced to slim to none.  That would have practically guaranteed Donald Trump a victory on November 8.

If The Donald becomes the next president and fulfills his campaign pledges, one of the first items on his agenda will be the systematic dismantling of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.  Secondly, he could begin overturning, or making ineffective, many of Obama’s executive orders.  In addition, he might hire an A.G. to investigate the Clinton Foundation and the “pay to play” bribe-taking by Ms. Clinton during her suspicious wealth-gathering career as secretary of state.  Moreover, the newly elected commander in chief could initiate a probe of the money-laundering scheme involving $400 million to Iran that Obama denied was a ransom payment for release of U.S. prisoners, in violation of the law.

And the foregoing could be just the beginning of a massive exposé of the systemic corruption in the political establishment that runs this country like an organized crime empire.

The attempt by highly placed people in the government on both sides of the aisle to scuttle Trump’s ambition is unprecedented in the history of politics in our country.  Why are so many insiders conspiring to keep an outsider from pushing the curtain aside and looking in the tent?  Is it possible that the level of corruption is so immense that if uncovered, elected officials from coast to coast could end up wearing orange jumpsuits?  Is it unfathomable that top officials in our government have created an alliance with corporate giants and underworld figures to make exposure impossible?  When I see an IRS director taking the Fifth during a congressional probe, I’m reminded of Mafia goons smirking at the law.

What other explanation can there be for the gang mentality coming from GOP leaders who have been verbally bludgeoning their own nominee, thereby virtually assisting his opponent?  Knowing full well that a Hillary Clinton presidency would mean a left-wing Supreme Court for generations to come, these deeply entrenched establishment moguls are proving that they care less about the country than they do about keeping the lid on their nefarious rise to power and wealth.  Nevertheless, Mr. Trump’s popularity with a large portion of the electorate continues, despite the knife in his back from those he vanquished in the primaries and the kick in the groin from a dishonest, biased media working indefatigably to distort every syllable he utters.

Hopefully, on November 8, the voters in this great country will prove they still have the moral certitude and political acumen to rip the blinders off and see through the charade being foisted on them by an administration that does not have their best interests in mind.

When the president, the attorney general, the director of the FBI, et al. have conspired to not merely shield a crook from prosecution, but elect her to the highest office in the land, they resemble mobsters who use bribes, threats, and murder to expand their criminal syndicate.  What the Founding Fathers put together is now on life support, and the grasping fingers of criminal collusion and left-wing dogma are about to pull the plug.