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| The End of American Democracy? |
With the barrage of witnesses whose testimony corroborated each other, at this point in the impeachment of Donald J. Trump, honest Americans can see that he is guilty.
Nearly every witness so far has testified that Trump directed a group of people to work with Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to help Trump abuse his power by recruiting Ukraine for interference in the 2020 US election.
Trump ordered actions taken that would delay Ukraine from receiving Congressionally approved military aid unless Ukraine President Zelensky made a public announcement that he was investigating Hunter and Joe Biden.
Additionally, Trump wanted President Zelensky to announce an investigation into Ukraine's part in the 2016 election interference, a false narrative that is being pushed by Russian president Vladimir Putin. Every intelligence agency of the American government has identified Russia as the 2016 election intruder. They have also indicated that the conspiracy Trump is pushing about Ukraine being the culprit in election interference is a Russian conspiracy propaganda attack.
The Republicans on the committee could have accepted the witnesses evidence. But they didn't. Instead, they defended Trump's conspiracy theories, blamed Democrats for an impeachment scam, lied and yelled at witnesses. They have lost their self-respect and prostrated themselves in loyalty to the worst President in US history. And for what? Are they complicit? Do they know the "fix is in" and they can't lose in 2020? What could make a whole party go mad? Does Donald Trump have a spell cast over them?
Maybe it doesn't matter to understand Republican thinking. Maybe the important things to know are that they do not govern with all Americans in mind. They will not defend American democracy. They do not respect the law. They do not care about Presidential accountability. They do not recognize their Constitutional duty in the balance of powers. They do not care about America's national security.
Even worse, hope that the impeachment inquiry will help more Americans come to the realization that Republicanism is a betrayal of democracy, is being lost. Recent polls are showing that there are now more Independents that are against impeachment than for it. This is a bad sign for Democrats. Independents are the game changers for political elections. If this signals that Independents are becoming more Republican leaning, it could usher in another Trump term.
It is the Senate that determines if Trump is removed from office. Trump has already met with his jury of Republican Senators who might be on the fence about removing him from office. The transcripts of that meeting are not published, but Senator Susan Collins, one of those at the meeting, announced that she will not vote to remove Trump from office. Making this decision before the Senate trials even start, begs the question; what empty promises did Trump make to those Senators?
If Susan Collins and the House Republicans are any indicator, the Senate will never remove Trump from office unless their constituents (the ultra-rich and lobbyists) call for it. Since the ultra-rich and lobbyists are reaping the lion's share of benefits from having a Republican like Trump in office, there is no reason for them to insist that Trump be removed.
The Senate will not save America. In fact, Republicans who support Trump despite the damaging evidence against him, have set up the failure of American democracy. Republicans have forsaken the balance of powers by defending Trump. They are denying Article I of the US Constitution and are thereby making Trump more of a dictator than a President.
Trump's administration started out by admitting they were out to "deconstruct the administrative state." Trump appointed administrative officials who opposed the agencies they lead. Trump has decimated the State Department. Regulations that protected Americans' health and welfare have been perverted or overturned to make America less safe for Americans and more profitable for the rich. Science has been denied and puts human existence in jeopardy. If Trump is re-elected, there is no telling what other deleterious changes to US democracy and national security he may make.
It has been reported that Trump has seriously asked if he could just get rid of judges. Without a Judicial branch, all power would lie with the President. That is a dictatorship. His praise for and friendships with global dictators is already in public view and gives a plausible assessment of his desire to become one himself.
Ultimately, it is the American voter who has the last chance to save our Republic. This will not be an easy fight. Russia will be out in force, attempting to interfere in our elections and power grid. Trump will be spending millions of dollars on propaganda campaigns to denigrate Democrats and praise himself. Trump loyalists will be repeating the ramblings of the Trump administration and those in Senate committees will advance Trump's conspiracy theories. Right wing media will be continuing to lie to their viewers to make Trump appear the right choice for President. Trump's mysterious and almost supernatural spell over MAGAts and Republican political figures will be strong.
America faces the possibilities of two futures. One being the shining star of freedom and hope for the world, the other being the frightening world of a self-serving dictator. We will only get one chance to get it right. After that, we will have the country we deserve, be it good or bad.
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