Friday, May 24, 2019

To "I" Or Not To "I." That IS The Question


My next newspaper column:
Impeachment. There’s a political argument, to the “no” side of which Nancy Pelosi seems committed; and there’s a constitutional argument, for which the rational position is “yes.” It’s a monumental call.  
Were the House of Representatives to embark upon preparing a case, there’d be one of those storms the prefix of which was shared by Trump in his characterization of certain African countries. His tweet-thumbs would burst into arthritic flame, Fox “news” anchors’ rage would deoxygenate the entire troposphere, and melting TV screens in Trump-country would leak pixels like lava. 
If inquiries revealed murdered prostitutes and rubles by the millions in a Lincoln bedroom closet, the Senate would still acquit, McConnell’s grin would reflect eating the afore-hinted substance, and Fox’s Three Dolts on a Divan would praise Trump’s housekeeping skills. 
But there are times that demand principled bravery. Hills on which to die. If they don’t include trying to save our Constitutional Republic, nothing does. That impeachment of Donald J. Trump, serial liar, perjurer (in writing!), ongoing obstructer of justice, who comforts our enemies and threatens our friends, who calls treasonous (which requires putting to death) the constitutionally-empowered investigators of possible crimes by him, his campaign, and his administration; demands his underlings ignore legal subpoenas from a co-equal branch of government; calls for jailing political opponents; hires a sycophantic, dishonest Attorney General; undermines the mainstays of our democracy – voting, press freedom, and education; sabotages separation of powers the way any tin-pot dictator would; is prone to petulant rages leading to hair-trigger “policy” given less than a millisecond’s thought, likely to be reversed hours later; that these offenses cry out for impeachment is understood by all who consider the Constitution a still-relevant document, intended to protect us all. 
Do I write run-on sentences? Very well, then, I write run-on sentences.  
Impeachment would be a political risk for Democrats. A huge one. The aftermath could see Republicans regain both chambers and reelect Trump, which would be the final nail in the climate-coffin, seal the permanent loss of women’s rights, LGBT rights, minority civil and voting rights, equal rights of non-Christians. Minority views on nearly all issues, confirmed by ideological judges, would become entrenched, and those of us sharing ideals held by a majority of Americans could do nothing about it. A high price, indeed. And yet...  
As strep requires penicillin, so does Trump require impeachment. Congressional Democrats arguing for it, trying to convince Speaker Pelosi, are, in effect, announcing they care less about their careers than about upholding the fundamental principles of the United States of America, constituted as and which must remain a country where autocracy is held in check by respect for our laws; where “the people’s house” is able to restrain a lawless, power-hungry, mendacious leader; where those conditions that have led to dictatorships elsewhere are not allowed to take hold here. We are, they’re saying, willing to die on that hill. That’s actual, definitional patriotism. As opposed to the manipulated, phony sideshow of Trump’s rallies.  
During impeachment proceedings, Americans would hear witnesses to Trump’s unconstitutional actions, backed by layers of evidence. They wouldn’t need to read the Mueller report or seek out partisan punditry. Unfiltered by right-wing media, William Barr’s deceptions, or a Trumpic torrent of tweets, facts would be laid bare. There’d be more than enough to result in a House vote for impeachment; but, inevitable as Trump’s next lie, Mitch McConnell’s Senate would roll over, leaving him in office.  
And then, having seen with their own eyes, voters would face an existentially consequential choice: return to office those courageous enough to have impeached, while voting out those cowardly or avaricious enough to have refused removal; or the other way around. If the latter, then what many us have been warning about will have been realized. 
In failure, impeachment will have forced the sad truth upon us sooner, hastening recognition that America has come to prefer dictatorship. Decades of unrelenting focus by the “modern” Republican Party on intentional, multi-focal deluding of the public will have achieved its goal. Constitutional democracy will have become, in our century, nothing more than illusion. Its inevitable, intentional demise will only have been hastened, not caused.  
Notwithstanding rightwing claims, impeaching Trump would be about neither policy disagreements nor undoing “election” results, but, rather, about discovering whether or not the American experiment has failed. 
Perhaps it’s best if we don’t find out.   
  
[Image source]

3 comments:

  1. Great insight as always brother.

    If the alt right wins the WH again we are screwed. More alt right SCOTUS's is what we'll get and 2 generations minimum. If we don't fix gerrymandering and stop campaign corruption we are done. Finished as America. America isn't about rigged ideology like white supremacy. Like Christianity. Did I mention white supremacy supremacists enthusiasts???

    Just wait till Tubman's come into circulation coast to coast. The racist backlash??? It's already started. I also think it's funny that Andrew Johnson got the boot. Gettin' me some Tubman's on payday. I want it all in Tubman's.

    The facts are these...

    Alt right voters know Drumpf is full of shit. But, they are one issue voters. Abortion, war and religion. It's about the SCOTUS. Period. They know that having the WH and senate isn't enough. Untouchable SCOTUS judges guarantee a further slide towards the dark side. From there it'a on a 40 year timer. Own all 3 branches. 80 years to get their crap straight. I think they will screw it up before they succeed. Why???

    Because nobody is above the law. Nobody. The POTUS has a get out of jail free card for that reason. They are convicted first and pardoned before the cuffs are on. Then continue saying he's great, no collusion, no obstruction, blah blah blah.

    Here's the deal though. What if the majority of the alt right party is in on it? A hostile takeover of America. Drain it of it's capitol and stash it over seas in bit coin or whatever. Then it's the liberal conspiracy to attack political opposition is the narrative and that's started as well, etc. Drumpf did the same during the campaign. "If we lose it's because of a liberal conspiracy...Voter fraud.

    Drumpf said "Nobody cares about my taxes, the voters have spoken and they don't care about my taxes, believe me. I'm under audit, we can't even show them until the audit is finished."

    Turns out a dozen judges care to the extreme so far and 100's of house and senate reps and the majority of America wants the information. We have some questions. They want unredacted report and tax returns. The alt right can't run the clock out. Judges are doing their own orders to shorten time. Neither side filed for a motion for one...Like I said, attorneys are not all that bright sometimes. I'd have served them with the original paperwork to get a ruling on it first hearing. Even if you don't get the win(but you'd get your order to shorten time 100% guaranteed.) It's that kind of case. But say you didn't win. You put a bug in everyone's ear. I'd file an order at every hearing. Did it for over two decades a few times. It's a good tool if you are truthful about it. If the case merits such actions...and it does easily meet the burden.

    This is gonna get worse before it gets better. Nixon lasted 4 more months when this very process was used to get the Nixon tapes. I suspect were are currently on the same glide path.

    The state of New York has tax returns and they are elated to hand those to the committee. That will be interesting. Drumpf violated the emoluments clause and has vaporized it. That's a slam dunk. That's game set match right there on the RICO act.

    OK...Check this out...

    Drumpf HAS TO LEAVE OFFICE BEFORE HIS PRESIDENCY IS OVER! LMAO! Why? Because a democrat won't pardon Drumpf. So like Ford did to Nixon. Pence will pardon "the greatest POTUS in history." Anyway Drumpf goes is death. He takes the walk of shame or risk prison for life, and takes the walk of shame.

    There's two, and only two roads. There's always suicide and exile I guess. So 4 ways. None of them ideal.

    So I leave you all with great news...It'll get worse before it's better. But it will be almost over very soon.










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  2. I guess you're right: one way or the other, it'll be over soon. You're more optimistic than I am.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The facts support some optimism. I think pretty deep sometimes and more deeply at others times w/occasional momentary lapse of reason.

    I've read the report, they got the goods and then some. The Democrats are going to drain the swamp. Drumpf just helped along with the Russians and a few Saudi's and few few idiots at large.

    My only hope for my dreams is McConnell is in on the Russian take over/attacks.

    ReplyDelete

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