Make no mistake about it the farce and the fraud the Republicans are perpetrating against the American People in what they, the Republicans, are trying to pass off as the impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump is a threat to our democracy and the rule of law. I know that may sound alarmist or too strong, but it is true. Donald Trump's stonewalling of congress, his defiance of subpoenas, and his violation of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 pose a direct and dire threat to the separation of powers our founding fathers provided as a safeguard against would be despots. Indeed, the Government Accountability Office even said that Trump broke the law when he withheld from the Ukraine the aid Congress provided to help the Ukraine defend itself from Russian aggression. Furthermore Trump's efforts to elicit the help of foreign governments in his effort to win elections threatens the very legitimacy of our elections and flies in the face of our founding fathers worst fears.
We as a people have to stand up to would be despots if our democracy is to survive. No tyrant usurps power on his own. He or she always has collaborators. In this regard it is all too easy to look at Moscow Mitch McConnell, who broke the senate, delegitimized the courts and has become the face of a virulent and very destructive partisanship that flies in the face of the role the loyal opposition has to play in any democracy. Indeed it would not be unfair to say that McConnell and his ilk prepared the way for trump and therefore have a strong interest in perpetuating the rule of Trump. But even collaborators such as Moscow Mitch are not enough to destroy democracy, more is needed to enable the tyrant's usurpation of power. And that takes us to the role of people who ignore the danger posed by aspiring despots and negligently and/or naively seed power to so called strong men. By failing to protect its role as a check and balance to the executive branch Congress is seeding power to Trump.
For years now I have been saying that the Republican senators are living down to my lowest expectations. They have now hit a new low. I watched with some dismay as they marched in lock step with Moscow Mitch. They, those outrageously partisan senators, were trampling on the rules and procedures long used to provide fair trials as they raced to reach predetermined conclusions that will serve as their justifications for dismissing the Articles of impeachment brought against Donald Trump. “But this is not a court trial,” they belch as if a real trial of one of their own gives them indigestion. What they fail to address is the fact that trial rules providing for the introduction of evidence through witnesses who are questioned and examined is the best way of determining the truth. Indeed the jury is called the trier of facts. They, the jurors, are tasked with weighing the evidence to determine the facts. That is rather hard to do when you refuse to allow the presentation of all of the relevant evidence. And believe me the unanimous vote by Republicans to table all of Senator Schumer's Amendments that would result in the testimony of witnesses Trump has prevented from testifying thus far and the production of documents Trump has withheld thus far really means burying those amendments and the evidence those proposed amendments call for under the table where they will remain out of sight if not out of mind. So close your eyes, cover your ears, and repeat after me: “Na! Na! Na! Na! Na! Na!”
It is up to you to do something about this dangerous and willful ignorance. Let your senator know that being complicit in this unconscionable cover up is dangerous to his or her career. You might add here that it is better to be primaried by angry dumb asses than it is to lose the general election because you violated the oath you took by refusing to stand up for a fair and impartial trial! You might also remind those senators of what Adam Schiff said about the courage and patriotism of the wonderful civil servants who risked their careers by obeying subpoena's and telling the truth to congress. Adam Schiff then implored all senators to show the same courage and patriotism. We should expect no less from the people we choose to represent us!
Kudos to Adam Schiff and the other House Impeachment Managers! They are all doing a terrific job. I was delighted to see on the internet the praise for Adam Schiff and his masterful opening statement. And yes, I agree with the people who are saying: “Adam Schiff Rocks!”
