In the “Impeach the Motherfucker” thread downstairs, there’s a debate as to whether or not we (Democrats) actually should impeach the motherfucker or not. It’s an issue on which reasonable people can disagree, IMO. No one with any sense expects the Republicans to put country over party and convict Trump in the Senate.
Impeachment could backfire politically on the Democrats, resulting in failure to hold the House, take the Senate or, dog forbid, eject Trump from the White House. That would truly be disastrous. The “don’t impeach the motherfucker” people weigh those risks against the possibility of a conviction (basically, nil) and conclude that impeachment isn’t worth it.
I understand that argument. But if the Democrats don’t impeach Trump, they’re affirming that 1) presidents are above the law, and 2) Congress can’t check the president’s power unless both chambers are held by the opposite party.
Perhaps that’s always been the case. I had assumed affirming the rule of law was more important than the pursuit of power, but maybe that’s my own naivety. But if this is the reality before we must all now bow, here’s what I don’t want to hear from fellow Democrats: bullshit rationalizations like “House hearings can be just as effective” or “wait until Trump is out of office, then go after him.”
Nope. This isn’t about a blow job or some rogue advisers freelancing foreign policy under a dementia-addled president. Our democracy was attacked by a hostile foreign power, and Trump and his highest level campaign advisers eagerly accepted that foreign power’s help. Once elected, Trump openly and publicly obstructed the investigation into the attack on our democracy.
If the Democrats respond to all that with “welp, shruggies!” because holding Trump accountable would be risky politically, we are admitting that the pursuit of power is more important than the rule of law. Period. Full stop. The end.
Maybe it always has been thus, and in that case, feel free to sing “good morning, star-shine, the earth says hello” to me in a jeering fashion. But let’s hear no more cant about being a country of laws that are enshrined in our constitution. If we punt on impeachment in this case, we don’t get to say that anymore.