By JOHN KANELIS / johnkanelis_92@hotmail.com

The collective voices of wisdom are starting to be heard as Donald Trump continues his insane effort to cling to power.

Those voices belong to 10 former secretaries of defense who, at the urging of one of them, published a letter to the Washington Post decrying any possibility that Trump would deploy troops to become involved in a domestic election dispute.

Dick Cheney, who served as vice president under George W. Bush  and defense secretary under George H.W. Bush, reportedly instigated the letter. The document was signed by the likes of former secretaries James Mattis and Mark Esper — two men who served in the Trump administration — as well as Donald Rumsfeld, William Cohen, William Perry and Chuck Hagel. Republicans and Democrats locked arms to offer a clear warning to Donald Trump, who is now just 15 days from exiting the presidency.

They wrote, according to National Public Radio:

“Our elections have occurred. Recounts and audits have been conducted. Appropriate challenges have been addressed by the courts. Governors have certified the results. And the electoral college has voted,” the ten men from both Republican and Democratic administrations, wrote.

“The time for questioning the results has passed; the time for the formal counting of the electoral college votes, as prescribed in the Constitution and statute, has arrived,” they said.

Will this message sink into that vacuous skull perched atop Donald Trump? If not, it damn well should.

These men served our nation with honor. Their words need to be taken seriously.

“Acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller and his subordinates — political appointees, officers and civil servants — are each bound by oath, law and precedent to facilitate the entry into office of the incoming administration, and to do so wholeheartedly,” they wrote. “They must also refrain from any political actions that undermine the results of the election or hinder the success of the new team.”

Pay attention, Mr. POTUS!