The law vs. the lawless: A showdown at the MAGA corral

It’s not hard to remember what happens in Marty Robbins’ Western ballad, “Big Iron,” when Texas Red, “the bad outlaw” wreaks havoc on the good citizens of town. 

“The Law,” in the persona of an Arizona Ranger, rides in with “the big iron on his hip.”  Come high noon, the showdown takes place and Texas Red winds up face down in the dust of Main Street, having “never cleared leather” as justice triumphs over lawlessness.

The days of the Western shootout in the street between the law and the outlaw are gone. But, it’s safe to say a lot of the “good citizens” are feeling more than a little threatened by what’s now emanating from the MAGA Corral, where another bad outlaw, “Florida Orange,” is on a tear without precedent in the Oval Office, ignoring the law, the Constitution, and of course, his Oath of Office to defend both.

It won’t be the Arizona Ranger, but the law is coming for Florida Orange … and rest assured, good citizens, the law will prevail for the simple and basic reason that society, much less civilization, cannot exist without some form of law other than “the guy with the biggest club wins.”  

As the illegal executive orders roll out, the countermanding lawsuits roll in. Every day more judges side with the citizens all across the nation and there’s no end in sight since “the showdown” is now whether or not the highest office in the nation is subject to the Constitution and laws which the rest of us must both respect and abide.

The blowback shows no signs of slowing and is now coming from a host of those impacted by Florida Orange’s illegalities.  No, you cannot fire public employees without cause despite the attempt to insert your own minions in their stead.  No, you cannot usurp the Constitutional duty of Congress to appropriate the funds and write the laws by issuing executive mandates. And no, you cannot simply decide to break existing contracts with businesses, individuals, state and local governments, and educational institutions.  

Likewise, it’s a lot easier to blather about all the perceived problems with long-standing commitments to allies and neighbors than it is to callously upend those legal commitments without regard to the severe and increasingly widespread consequences.  

Indeed, the consequences are now “trickling down” to the populace as the phony promises to bring inflation under control on “Day One” fall by the wayside as foolish, self-inflicted measures load ever-rising financial burdens on huge portions of the population.

It’s gotten so bad that even the Pope has waded into the fray, giving Florida Orange a warning from the Vatican that “this will end badly” — a move that has upended the faux Christianity charade so fervently espoused by MAGA’s minions. 

Closer to home, the Montana Legislature and governor are unfortunately trying their own version of MAGA madness.  Here, it’s about gutting the bedrock laws that protect the environment “for present and future generations of Montanans” as mandated by the state’s Constitution. And again, they can try to pry open the door to the ever-greedy robber barons, but we in the West have plenty of experience fighting those, too — as well as the long-lasting and extremely expensive consequences of deregulation. 

So take heart, fellow citizens — the blitzkrieg from Florida Orange may seem overwhelming right now, but this nation hasn’t existed for 250 years based on any cult of personality or twisted desire for absolute power.  We are, and we will remain, a nation of laws — or we will not remain a nation.