The House of Representatives rested their case for conviction of Donald Trump yesterday.
Last night, three senators - Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Lindsey Graham - met with the President's defense team to discuss their strategy.
Note: those three are 'jurors' in this case. Although this isn't a criminal proceeding - it's completely political - the expectation is that the 'jurors' will go into the process with an open mind. It's commonly reported that the result of this Impeachment is a foregone conclusion. Most Republicans will not vote to Impeach the Trump.
The benefit of proceeding with the trial even though the result is already known:
- Get all the information into the official record.
- An impeached person is barred from ever holding office again
- To support the institutions of government over the political ambitions of one party or one person.
It's an American Tradition that we often like to put 'ugly' things behind us and just move forward. We've lost accountability. There were some who said we shouldn't bother with this because it's just wasting time and we already know the end result; it's best to just move on with Biden's administration.
I disagree. I think Trump did extensive damage to our country. He can't be allowed to run for office again (which he threatens to do in 2024).
I will thank Trump for showing us all how delicate a democracy is, and how many people there are in our country that believe in the status quo where White people, and white men in particular, are the dominant force.
Its truly unconscionable how bad a President Donald Trump was and would like to be again.
He didn't even try to use the collective power of the government to give all people in the United States a safe, secure, and free place to live. He only cared about making his base happy and the rest of us are not the 'real' Americans he is working for.
Donald Trump is the antithesis of everything I understood about what the United States aspires to be...with liberty and justice for all.
Donald Trump embodies the Spirit of America that I grew up believing in if you tack onto the end of every sentence that it only applies to white heterosexual males whose families own property.
America is the land of freedom
America is the land of freedom for white heterosexual males whose families own property.
America is the land of the brave.
America is the home of the brave white heterosexual males whose families own property.
In America there is liberty and justice for all.
In America there is liberty and justice for all white heterosexual males whose families own property.
(I am not confident I have the proper grammar and spelling on that 'whose families' part)
Here's the problem.
I believe all this is true. Donald Trump was a terrible president and I think he should be punished for inciting the January 6th Capitol Riot (among a lot of other things he hasn't been charged with). I don't understand why anyone would support his behavior and his desire to be the king so much that he will destroy democracy to make it happen. People may support his policies. I have to accept that in a democratic United States. But, his behavior - it's unacceptable to me.
I have no power. I don't know how to stop this descent into authoritarianism.
The only way to 'win' is to get in the mud with those people. I think that's a bridge too far for most of us. We learned the lesson 'two wrongs don't make a right'. And 'the ends don't justify the means'.
My hope is that this is the last gasp of a dying idea.
My hope is that Biden will show that a good government has value.
My hope is that through our actions people will come to realize that sharing rights and responsibilities doesn't take away from anyone's rights and responsibilities.
(The white male power structure is afraid they'll lose something if they allow everyone to have what they take for granted - what they expect from the world).
These are my thoughts before the Senators hear the President's defense and take the vote to convict or not convict President Trump for inciting violence on January 6, 2021.
Maybe I'll be surprised. I hope I'm surprised.
