Donald Trump is the most corrupt president in our history, endlessly seeking to use his presidential powers for political and financial gain. His blatant disregard for the rule of law, and for values including human rights, equality, and a free, independent press, pose an existential threat to America’s 250-year experiment with democratic self-rule.

This presidency should have been ended by Congress, exercising its constitutional powers, a long time ago. Cowardly, self-interested Republican leaders — Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, Kevin McCarthy, Doug Collins, Devin Nunes, and the rest — are betraying and imperiling this country by defending and shielding Trump.

Some Democratic leaders have thus justifiably been concerned that impeaching Trump would only lead to acquittal in a Senate trial, and a political victory for this president on the eve of the 2020 election.

But the time for political calculation by Democrats must come to an end, even if Republicans do not join them. The time to be patriots, and stand up for our country is at hand.

We need to organize a massive, inclusive march on Washington, from the White House to the Capitol, to demand that Trump resign or else be impeached and removed from office. And we need to build a powerful movement to sustain momentum from that effort.  It’s less important that such work actually succeeds in driving Donald Trump from office before 2020 than that we all tried, at this critical moment, to fight for our future.