The Republican Party in recent decades has trafficked in a gaudy, but selective, patriotism; gung-ho in regard to military adventures, dissing dictators abroad and traitorous Democrats at home, defending the second amendment above all others, and sponsoring red, white and blue displays, including Fourth of July readings of the Declaration of Independence, with its bill of particulars against a safely dead 18th century tyrant.

Now, however, a 21st century domestic autocrat has arisen from their own ranks, and they have gone AWOL. Instead of drafting a bill of particulars against King Donald I, they cravenly bend a knee at best, aid and abet his transgressions at worst. They risk becoming the Benedict Arnold party. Loyal to the crown, not patriots to their country.

What particulars, you ask? It is, as the drafters said, “a long train of abuses and usurpations” tending toward despotism.

He has declared himself above the law and not subject to its requirements – including testimony on civil and criminal cases and a claim of immunity to indictment, prosecution or conviction.

He has sought to make the administration of justice subject not to the laws of the land but to his personal whims, prejudices or interests.

He has sought to use the apparatus of government to serve he and his friends and to disadvantage his personal foes.

He has sought to define what speech is permitted to whom and to muzzle or limit a free press.

He has unilaterally chosen to abrogate international agreements, treaties and trade arrangements.

He has demanded that judges rule not in a fair and impartial manner in accord with the law, but in a way obedient to his will. And has selected for the bench those willing to conform.

He has refused to assent to laws not to his liking and has insisted executive departments refuse to enforce those laws or regulations he opposes.

He has chosen not to staff government offices responsible for the protection of the environment, civil rights, consumer rights, and many other legally mandated tasks.

He has promoted in word and deed discrimination against American citizens who are African-American, Hispanic, Muslim, female and any other minority that he fails to favor.

He has selectively chosen to fund government investment and emergency recovery aid in those jurisdictions he perceives as friendly toward him and his rule and has neglected those he does not favor.

He has catered to the desires of special interests that contributed to his election, in the process using government power to pick economic winners and losers – notably the coal, nuclear power, steel and aluminum industries – through tariffs, land use policy, drilling rights, regulatory and tax policies.

He has also used tax policy to provide huge benefits to the advantage of the wealthy, including he and his family, and to the detriment of the poor and working class.

He has “reformed” entitlements to deprive millions of the poor and working class to access to affordable healthcare, to medicine, to food aid.

He and his family have used the presidency to enrich themselves in contravention of the emoluments clause, profiting from his office through payments in kind, bribes in the form of revenues for his businesses, and trademarks, sales of real estate and loans for his daughter and son-in law.

He has been prepared to befriend murderous tyrants for a photo op and to ignore threats to our physical and economic security in exchange for favorable treatment for his business dealings.

He has permitted corrupt practices to continue unchecked on the part of cabinet officers and other high officials.

He has enabled insider trading by leaking embargoed government data early and has leaked classified secrets to a hostile foreign power.

He has refused to acknowledge a years-long Russian plot to influence American elections and has failed to retaliate for this act of cyberwar or to take steps to prevent worse assaults from occurring in the future.

He has failed to cooperate in efforts to get to the bottom of this attack or to bring to justice those Americans in his campaign and ancillary to it who were involved in aiding and abetting this immense, anti-democratic plot. And in the process has undermined the arms of government on whose protection we rely, including the Justice Department, FBI, and CIA. And, in collaboration with pliant members of his party, he has rendered impotent the oversight function of Congress.

Internationally, he has alienated and scorned long-time friendships with allied democratic governments and weakened a web of protective alliances that span 70 years, instead befriending and ignoring the malign behavior of despots around the globe.

This list could be extended endlessly since every new day brings a new trespass that endangers the institutions that we rely on for our safety, prosperity and survial. Yet, few Republicans have had the courage to acknowledge, in the words of Jefferson 243 years ago, that “a Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”