Actor Alec Baldwin, who once had designs on running for the mayoralty of New York, evidently flunked high school civics. Holly Ramer, who writes for the Associated Press, is likewise clueless since she repeats Baldwin’s latest brainstorm without comment or correction.
That master plan was rolled out Sunday night in New Hampshire, where Baldwin was keynote speaker at the state Democratic Party’s annual fall fundraising dinner.
“The way we implement change in America is through elections,” he is quoted as having lectured those in attendance. “We change governments here at home in an orderly and formal way, In that orderly and formal way and lawful way, we need to overthrow the government of the United States under Donald Trump.”
Apparently Baldwin and Ramer have never heard of sedition. The founders knew all about it as a punitive measure in British law. As they were planning American independence in Philadelphia, they understood that if their plot were discovered they would all be hanged for treason.
The penalties for sedition have changed. but the crime and its seriousness have not. From §2385 of the U.S. Code:
Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein, by force or violence, or by the assassination of any officer of any such government; or
Whoever organizes or helps or attempts to organize any society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the overthrow or destruction of any such government by force or violence; or becomes or is a member of, or affiliates with, any such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes thereof—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.
To my knowledge, Baldwin has never played a convict, but I would be mildly curious to see what he looks like in an orange jumpsuit.
Baldwin, who is both a hothead and pompous ass, said earlier this year that if he ran in 2020, he would beat Donald Trump.
Not if he’s making license plates!
