It has recently dawned on me that Senate Republicans are making a huge error in judgment related to impeachment. As is well-known, most of them seem to have made a pre-trial decision to vote against both articles of impeachment, which would mean, of course, that Trump would remain in office.
In fact, their Senate Leader Mitch McConnell has made it perfectly clear that he will work “hand-in-glove” with the White House Counsel’s office to defend the accused and indicted president. He also declared: “I’m not an impartial juror.” McConnell predicted the whole exercise will be a waste because Trump will be acquitted by the GOP-led Senate: "We will have a largely partisan outcome," he said.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski R-Alaska is has publicly stated that she is “uncomfortable” with such talk and will make her decision based on the evidence presented at trial. (Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has also expressed some misgivings). Now, that is praiseworthy, considering what some of their colleagues have said (according to a VOX.com article from November 2019).
Take Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), an outspoken Trump critic turned ally: “Impeachment over this? What a nothing (non-quid pro quo) burger. Democrats have lost their minds when it comes to President Trump,” he said in a September 2019 statement in reaction to a summary the White House released of the call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Contrast that with what he said in 1999: “You don’t even have to be convicted of a crime to lose your job in this constitutional republic if this body determines that your conduct as a public official is clearly out of bounds in your role,” he said about Bill Clinton, who faced charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. “Impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office.”
Sens. Chuck Grassley R-Iowa and Roger Wicker R- Mississippi— also advocated strongly in favor of impeaching Clinton by suggesting that he betrayed the trust of the executive office but have widely criticized House Democrats’ efforts to investigate Trump, even though he’s accused of abusing the power of the office as well.
Rob Portman – R-Ohio
Re: Clinton: “For myself, I believe the evidence of serious wrongdoing is simply too compelling to be swept aside. I am particularly troubled by the clear evidence of lying under oath in that it must be the bedrock of our judicial system.” (CSPAN)
Re: Trump: “The American people want us to get things done for them rather than focus on more and more partisan investigations. The Democrats’ impeachment inquiry will distract Congress from the bipartisan legislative work we should be doing to find solutions and deliver results for the American people.” (Portman statement)
Roy Blunt R-Missouri
Re: Clinton: “No president can be allowed to subvert the judiciary or thwart the investigative responsibility of the legislature. There is clear evidence that President Clinton committed perjury on two or more occasions and urged others to obstruct justice.” (Congressional Record)
Re: Trump: “I would still anticipate that we are largely going to see a partisan exercise in the House. I believe they have reached a conclusion that most of their members, if not all their members, are ready to move on the impeachment question. And I think they’re likely to do that no matter where the facts lead. But then we’ll see what happens after that.” (St. Louis Public Radio)
Well, OK – there are other mistakes here – like hypocrisy, double-standards and pre-judgment, but the one mistake about which I speak has more to do with power than it does with arguments about impeachment proceedings. Here’s the real deal:
1.
Trump has taken over the Republican Party – he is its undisputed
leader
2.
Trump has the Bully Pulpit on his side – his tweets, his
rallies, his press moments on the White House lawn (and elsewhere) – all
indicate that he is in charge of the Republican conservative nationalist agenda
and no one else can come close.
3.
Trump has even captured the other two branches of
government,
so that the leader of the GOP in the Senate – Mitch McConnell – won’t even
schedule bills for votes until he knows the president approves of, and will
sign, that legislation. And, working
with the administration counsel’s Office on the impeachment trial indicates
complete surrender, not only to the President’s wishes, but to the imperialism
of the person holding that office.
At the same time, some district courts still in non-GOP hands, have stood for law instead of for King Trump, the Supreme Court has yet to challenge this President on any major issue, and has essentially been rendered almost mute by the fact that Trump judges have given radical conservatives a clear majority.
4.
Trump has proven he can challenge or support officeholders in most districts and
states where he is popular, and in purple districts in some blue states. It is therefore quite evident that GOP officeholders
coming up for re-election, are thinking seriously about any criticism,
opposition or disagreement with their President.
It is obvious from all of this power in King Donald’s hands that the real reason why GOP Senators are afraid to vote Trump guilty and force him from office – they are scared of what he might do to them – to their careers – should he be found not guilty while their votes of guilty stand naked before the whole world!
So, here’s my point: the huge mistake – perhaps better phrased as a huge “lost opportunity” –is their plan NOT to rid themselves of the power that threatens their livelihoods and our entire Republic. Do they not recognize the grip that the Donald has on them?
Do they not understand that this power comes only with possession of the presidency?
It is not a power that
Trump brought to the office – it is the power that the office brought upon him. The mantle of the most powerful office in the
world was bestowed on this creature from the bowels of NY City Real Estate
development, and he has used it to intimidate whomever he chooses and to flout
every law and rule that he does not like.
And, the foolish GOP Senators have bought into the cult of personality
surrounding this man, so that they are afraid to present any behavior or word
that can be seen as disloyal. They have been subdued and captured.
Do they not understand that this trial is their way out of this imprisonment?
This is their legitimate coup d’état moment! All they need to do is reverse course and put
the rule of law above their devotion to a Fuhrer! Do they have the guts? I truly doubt it.
Here are the probable consequences of their actions spelled out in simple terms:
If the final Vote rendered is “NOT GUILTY”:
· Trump claims
“exoneration” and attempts to legislate impeachment articles as null and void
· Trump excoriates
Democrats especially those who voted “Yea” on the Articles and “Guilty” at
trial in Senate – vows to defeat them in all “Trump” districts and states –
dedicates GOP to raise and spend enormous amounts in that effort
· Enlists the aid of
several forces to sabotage the 2020 elections, not only Russia and China, but
every foreign power willing to answer the call for “a favor,” and every state
controlled by Republicans to purge (Democratic) voters from voter rolls
· Wreaks havoc upon any
Republican Senator who voted for a “guilty” verdict in the Senate and makes
sure they face opposition in their next campaign
· Tightens control over
the Senate and GOP Senators;
· Perhaps, even enlists aid
of Attorney General Barr to “investigate” disloyal senators
· Makes detailed plans to
steal or to declare a "national emergency" to allow him to claim re-election or
continued occupancy of presidency in Nov. 2020.
· Speeds up appointment
(and Senate approval) of judicial appointments in lower courts and prepares for
naming of an additional Trump loyalist to the SCOTUS
However, if the final vote is rendered as GUILTY, and includes removal from his office, everything changes:
· Trump is ordered out of
the White House and VP Pence becomes President, but he and Congress, especially
GOP Senators must be prepared ahead of time to resist any attempt by Trump to
remain in power
· Trump’s influence wanes
quickly; his power fades; he can no longer call all the shots because the power
of the Office will have shifted to the one who wears the mantle and that will
be President Pence.
· Trump may be able to
influence some of his old loyal white nationalists, but they will find that the might of the
U.S. government overpowers any loyalist militia or movement
· Trump will find his
influence over elections has disappeared
· His tweets will have
little or no effect, even if waning numbers still read them
· He will no longer have
the backing of the Republican Party apparatus and treasury, and will be barred
from public office for the rest of his life
· Members of Congress
will be free from the pressure of coerced loyalty to a corrupt president who
acted like a despotic King
But, here’s the kicker to it all: if the Senators by their votes decide to find Trump “Not Guilty,” they will have become the fomenters of the negatives that will follow. They themselves will be complicit in the chaos and illicit behaviors that ensue for they will have approved and enshrined the concept that it is perfectly acceptable for presidents to overrule the Constitution, to ask a foreign government to interfere in our elections or institutions and/or to perform a personal favor to that president’s personal advantage, without fear of retaliation or censure of any kind. Having opened the gate of placing an individual president above the Law, the office of President will be forever altered into an imperial presidency whose occupant can freely ignore, upset or alter laws and rules that do not fit his or her agenda.
Thereby, the concept of checks and balances and independent branches of government will be forever altered and made dependent on the will and willingness of whoever is the current president. By the way, that includes Mr. Pence should he ascend to the “throne” made vacant after a “Guilty” decision is reached. This means that, not only must Republican Senators find Trump “Guilty” to destroy his accumulated power over them. They must then join in putting forth bi-partisan resolutions, laws and rules that will prevent future holders of the presidency from ever again putting them and us under the powerful grip of a Trumpian-like despotism.
Because a verdict of “Guilty” is highly unlikely (given the duplicity and cowardice of a vast majority of Republican Senators and House members), this is not just the beginning of a New Year. This can be the beginning of a new Decade of Democratic Reform. But, for that to happen, not only must Trump be soundly defeated in November 2020, but ‘Trumper’ Republicans must be sent packing in every area of this country and at every level of government. Nearly 400 pieces of legislation, passed by the Democratic House of Representatives since Jan. 2017 (including HR 1 – a huge reform bill), now sit on the desk of Sen. Mitch McConnell, unacknowledged and thus blocked from consideration by the Senate. Meanwhile, Republican-controlled states continue to ‘purge’ people without good reason (other than a likeliness to cast votes for Democrats) from voter rolls. He who would be King Donald continues to attack all those who have some power to check his behavior, including his own investigative departments. It is time for the People to act:
RESOLVE NOW TO VOTE AGAINST
TRUMP!
RESOLVE NOW TO CAST OUT
TRUMP REPUBLICANS AT EVERY LEVEL!
RESOLVE NOW TO ELECT
REFORMERS and PROGRESSIVES TO EVERY OFFICE!
OUR COUNTRY’S REVITALIZATION
RESTS ON OUR SHOULDERS!
