Incitement. Insurrection. Inauguration. What we need now, on the part of Republicans in the United States Senate, is intrepidity. They would, no doubt, need to look it up. But then they’d probably have to reference the dictionary definition of the word “courage”–a synonym for intrepidity–because at least four out of five Senate Republicans have shown less political courage in the face of fact-free president 45 than a wet dish rag. At least a dish rag is handy in cleaning up a mess.
As the Senate sits in judgment of ex-president Trump in his second impeachment trial–a world record as only two other presidents have been impeached, once each, in the 244 years of our democracy–odds are that Republicans will again give the wayward president a pass. Never mind that the final verdict will most likely be a majority in favor of conviction. Without a two-thirds vote to acquit, Donald will declare the whole thing a total vindication of a partisan hoax. For once, when he proclaims his latest impeachment “the greatest injustice in the history of the universe,” he may be close to the truth if famously feckless Republicans let him off the hook. That would be the injustice.
I get it that there’s a plausible logic in arguing that a vote to convict and remove Trump from office when he’s already been succeeded by President Joe Biden is superfluous. But to call it unconstitutional is an exercise in conveniently, deliberately missing the point. Trump could have tried to dodge conviction by resigning one minute before noon, Jan. 20. But a similar gambit was tried before by a post-Civil War cabinet member. It failed. He was tried. That’s called a constitutional precedent. Someone must have clued Trump before they were fired, because he has no clue. Ever.
Chuck Schumer, now Senate majority leader, proposed an immediate trial. Mitch McConnell, now minority leader, suggested that in fairness the president should have time to prepare his defense. Yet after Trump self-exiled to Mar-a-Lago during the inauguration of Joe Biden, McConnell voted with the majority of Republican senators to argue that a post-presidency trial is unconstitutional. What do you expect from have-it-both-ways Mitch? He can argue with a straight face that with 11 months remaining in his second term, President Barack Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court vacancy created by Antonin Scalia’s death should not receive even a hearing. A bit more than four years later, just weeks before Trump’s failed re-election bid, McConnell rammed through the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
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Kenneth Hornstein says
This article is not even worthy of answering but I will. Steve Parks is obviously a die-hard liberal left winger who hates Trump! What about the 75,000,000+ of us that voted for Trump? Look at the positives he has accomplished in 4 years of constant attacks and harassment by the left mob and their mouthpiece CNN,MSNBC,NBC,CBS,and ABC! I say the Republicans are right on target by not voting to convict. You all that voted for Biden will now suffer the consequences of a radical left agenda and he will govern by excecutive order not by bi-partisan discussion in Congress. Good Luck America your going to needit!
Deirdre LaMotte says
You say there are “positives” from the T years. You must be kidding. There is not one aspect of life that was not touched
by that Administration’s cruelty. Every thing they did was regressive and sub human.
This says volumes about his supporters.
Patty Muller-Thym says
Please detail the regressive and sub-human acts of cruelty by the former administration? Was it when he created a climate that brought black unemployment to its lowest level ever? Was it when he worked to make insulin and epidural-pens affordable again (something your hero Biden has done away with in his effort to make America great)? Was it when he tried to place controls at our borders – another action Biden has done away with in the middle of a pandemic . I’m not supposed to cross two state lines without “self-quarantining” or may be denied a seat on an airplane if I don’t show proof of a vaccine but we’ll open our doors to thousands of unvetted illegal aliens? Was it the Opportunity Zones he created by working with Senator Tim Scott or his take on prison reform. In 4 years this man has had unimagined results that would be hailed and lauded if done by someone else.
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Kenneth, I admire your passion. Please do not fall for the ruse of Mr. Parks in blaming Donald Trump, Rep. Harris and everything Republican. He cannot tolerate our form of government. I have never heard him make a positive remark about our country. What a shame. I cannot claim to know what he really wants, other to hate. Some people simply hate for no reason.
Deirdre LaMotte says
What is “our form of government”? You do not believe in our Constitution or States rights, correct? Otherwise
you would condemn the Capitol Hill riot and attempted overturning of our democracy. You are not
Conservatives but anarchist. When sixty courts threw out Trump’s attempted coup, when every state verified
the election and most in the GOP succumbed to Trump’s big lie, the form of their preferred government is Authoritarian.
And quite telling is the billon dollar defamation lawsuit brought by the makers of voting machines: Fox and all the
other Trump loving fake news organizations are now quickly changing the subject and keeping quiet. LOL
Pamela says
Spot on, Mr. Parks. My stomach is churning. What can we possibly do as mere citizens who are the true victims of this crime/shame-fest?
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Pamela, What can you do? Vote in a new President, oh wait, you did that. Enjoy the wondrous new country Joe will bring.
Holden Rogers says
No less could be expected of Steve. Here’s how it goes: Steve describes the situation the way he sees it. It’s the truth — Steve’s truth — but not necessarily fact, or reality.
Then the next-guy-in-line offers his description. His only requirement is that it outdo Steve’s.
And so on. After a while you got a cluster of Steve’s cohorts shrieking truths. Their truths. And to the extent that others decline to accept them, they get all riled up.
‘Been this way since pre-history. Steve can’t change it. I can’t change it. You can’t change it. All any of us can do is check out the degree to which we might expand our tolerance
T Mitchell Griggs says
Anyone on this thread that supports 45 is misguided and has divorced themselves from conservative values, the constitution, morals and basic decency. This isn’t a left vs right discussion. Forty five tried to shake down a Georgian Republican election official like a Jersey mobster. He lost the house, senate and executive. I was raised in a conservative Republican household lest you believe my statement is made in support of the Democratic Party. Civil courts will take care of the former impeached twice president. We are well rid of his ilk.
Michael Johnson says
Sad truth is far too high a percentage of America’s electorate has a penchant for fascism, brutality and the “Strong Man”. This love affair with evil brought democracy in America within a whisker of it’s death on January 6th. It would be bad enough if Republicans responded with woeful inadequacy, but they are literally censuring the few members of their party that had the courage to stand up for democracy and our Constitution. Please stop placating those that would worship a Mango Mussolini at the expense of the weak and the voiceless. Please speak truth to power and work to make the promises of The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution a reality for all Americans. It is the surest way to preserve a free and open democratic republic for ourselves and those we love.