A Newsmax columnist is now claiming that a military coup to handle the “Obama problem” is a realistic possibility. The wacko fringe is getting even crazier. Why does he think the military could take such a step?

Officers swear to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Unlike enlisted personnel, they do not swear to “obey the orders of the president of the United States.”

Top military officers can see the Constitution they are sworn to defend being trampled as American institutions and enterprises are nationalized.

They can see that Americans are increasingly alarmed that this nation, under President Barack Obama, may not even be recognizable as America by the 2012 election, in which he will surely seek continuation in office.

They can see the nation’s safety and their own military establishments and honor placed in jeopardy as never before.

They can see that the economy — ravaged by deficits, taxes, unemployment, and impending inflation — is financially reliant on foreign lender governments.

They can see this president waging undeclared war on the intelligence community, without whose rigorous and independent functions the armed services are rendered blind in an ever-more hostile world overseas and at home.

They can see the dismantling of defenses against missiles targeted at this nation by avowed enemies, even as America’s troop strength is allowed to sag.

They can see the horror of major warfare erupting simultaneously in two, and possibly three, far-flung theaters before America can react in time.

This type of “analysis” is dangerous and totally irresponsible. If someone believes that actions taken by the Obama administration are unconstitutional, the recourse (under the Constitution) is to the courts. It would be interesting to actually hear a cogent analysis of exactly what the President has done or proposes doing that is unconstitutional before even considering a coup.  I mean, there has to be some limitation on claims that one considers legitimate, some facially substantive explanation of what could possibly warrant this type of action.  I cannot fathom exactly what unconstitutional actions have been taken by this administration.

The drumbeat of voices attempting to de-legitimize the President is actually quite dangerous, a point highlighted today by Tom Friedman in the New York Times. He argues that the baseless claims made by the far right could provide a basis for a deranged individual or individuals to attempt to kill the President. Imagine the result if such were to happen.

Sometimes I wonder whether George H.W. Bush, president “41,” will be remembered as our last “legitimate” president. The right impeached Bill Clinton and hounded him from Day 1 with the bogus Whitewater “scandal.” George W. Bush was elected under a cloud because of the Florida voting mess, and his critics on the left never let him forget it.

And Mr. Obama is now having his legitimacy attacked by a concerted campaign from the right fringe. They are using everything from smears that he is a closet “socialist” to calling him a “liar” in the middle of a joint session of Congress to fabricating doubts about his birth in America and whether he is even a citizen. And these attacks are not just coming from the fringe. Now they come from Lou Dobbs on CNN and from members of the House of Representatives.

Again, hack away at the man’s policies and even his character all you want. I know politics is a tough business. But if we destroy the legitimacy of another president to lead or to pull the country together for what most Americans want most right now — nation-building at home — we are in serious trouble. We can’t go 24 years without a legitimate president — not without being swamped by the problems that we will end up postponing because we can’t address them rationally.

Update: Now Newsmax is desperately trying to backpedal on the column. It has been removed from their website and they claim that the author, John L. Perry, is merely an unpaid blogger. Not quite. He has been writing a column for them nearly every single week since November, 1999.   Oh, and the full text of the original column remains available here.