Now that the Robert Mueller has testified before the House of Representatives we may be closer to moving public opinion and Democrats in Congress onto the path towards an impeachment inquiry. If so, the investigation therein, which may lead to reading charges against the President into the Congressional record, will probably find sufficient evidence on one or more of the ten instances of alleged obstruction of justice. And possibly uncover more crimes. Perhaps conspiracy. Treason. Regardless, the obstruction of justice provides the very appearance of treason which we should be mentioning every day until next November. It could be that if we uncover the redacted parts of the Mueller report we may be able to nail that charge down. He may also be involved in other instances of conspiracy and perhaps cheating on his taxes, charges of violating the emoluments clause of the constitution, or involvement in other unsavory and criminal acts considering over 20 investigations against Trump.
But there are many who throw their hands up and claim that even if we were to do so it would be a largely meaningless act because, certainly, it will be impossible to get a Republican Senate to convict and remove a Republican president. Just as impossible as it was a scant two years ago, according to all the conventional wisdom of that time, for Democrats to ever win back the House of Representatives any time before 2022? Because of gerrymandering and conservative vote suppression and all that? Until it wasn’t impossible? I have made an argument that if all the charges against Trump are investigated in detail and read into the public record that we truly don’t know how toxic Trump may become to voters at large. And to Republicans and their Independent conservative base, the latter which aren’t part of that party because they don’t buy all that they are selling. That we might reach some critical mass we can’t see at this moment against Trump.
But I’m not hear to push that point. I’ve been thinking about how I could be wrong about that and that this is different and they they will certainly put party over country no matter how bad Trump looks because they like their jobs. OK, fine. But where I think we are certainly falling short in our thinking is assuming that this is unequivocally a bad thing. I’m not seeing it that way so much anymore. I see it as a rare gift dropped into our laps if we reach a point of impeachment whereupon, if they don’t convict or remove the president, we have a once in a lifetime line of attack against the Republican Senate. An opportunity which is rare, and beautiful and just.
I have been seeing this fight to be an instance on the contrary; that we have been given an awesome responsibility to stand up for the rule of law against an allegedly criminal president voted into office by the Republican party. I see a Democratic party which not only shows spine but if you can forgive me for a moment so that I can wax faux-poetic, goes after the Republicans on the attack with the hammer of justice. Against a party which has long abandoned a so-called moral high ground which they claim to hold. Who used to claim they would rather be Dead than Red, dying for America than to support Russia. A claim which perhaps we should now take as our own with the Red ironically being an elephant of a different color.
Realize that if Senate Republicans do not vote to convict against a potential slew of crimes, that they have themselves become accessories to the crimes. When it is in fact the GOP that will have aided and abetted criminal behavior to put party over country by not convicting and removing. Political expedience over the rule of law. And almost certainly, have abandoned the last shreds of their scoundrel pretend-patriotism to give comfort to a foreign power, Russia. Now they are on the brink of disposing any honor they may have had once and for all.
I will contest the viewpoint of many who hold that this would be a political roadblock and a useless exercise. Too politically risky. I suggest that you have not thought this through fully if that is your outlook. First, I see this as a way to fire up our base. To actually take the fight to the Republicans, one which may (or may not, so much) be a risky one. No one wins a difficult battle without risk. Not since Watergate have we had the rule of law so strongly on our side simply by adhering to basics in the constitution and the law in general. By making the attempt to remove a sitting president who would likely already be imprisoned for his alleged crimes at that this time had he been any other citizen? But how does this get out the vote?
This could underline the phrase ‘Fired up and ready to go!’ for our side who can take pride in doing the thing which needs to be done, not because it is easy, but because it is hard. And by the way, once it is over and we finish that we can focus on our 2020 messaging for presenting our proposed changes in governance, our policies and programs we’d like to pass to empower the American people. A second political gain. We could refocus it in new ways as well. To force wins for 2022, 2024, ‘26...
Forgive me again if you’ve read me for the boring repetition but it is true, that 1 in 3 liberal voters in this country are Independents. Many which have left the party in great numbers since 2008 or younger voters who have rejected a party from the beginning because they see both as too much the same. Or have the least faith in our leadership or our party’s ability to get anything of long lasting importance established. Yet by by doing our part on impeachment. If it comes to that, it is a rebuke against all the naysayers. It is doing the righteous thing. If they see us doing this, and they are generally as partisan in our liberal positions as we are, if we reach out to build bridges towards them I think this will help get them to the polls. And better yet to eventually to join us as Democrats. Principles move voters unlike anything else.
The GOP also has about one in every three conservative voters registered as Independent. Who are not be so wedded to the personalities running the GOP. I note that there are about 10 states with more registered Independent voters than Democrats or Republicans. That in purple or red states Independents who swing our way and show up can possibly be the key to upsets which are more unlikely than usual. About 40% to 45% of registered voters are unaffiliated with a major party. The liberal Independents may outnumber Democrats in some states we are fighting for. It’s hard to find detailed information because, i suspect, neither major party wants to make noise about ever more people leaving both parties.
And perhaps we’ll see new voters. With them even now we have more numbers to defeat the conservative right. And perhaps better numbers later. All we need to do is to show up in force every election, with a consistency liberalism has failed at in our country for many, many years. And deliver quickly on what helps the most people thrive in finances and equality. These numbers win if we keep new promises, otherwise it goes away quickly. It will take time, keep Americans willing to trust a new party.
Lastly is that we might start peeling off voters on the right.Those who still have moral standings and a real patriotism and longstanding defensive knee-jerk reactions against Russia could gain courage going against their party. With heads held high. They would have a reason to vote against that status quo or at least stay home in protest. There are these older patriots who still hold American principles in their hearts. There are some I know myself, who still have authentic moral values. Maybe it’s a small number now who would act on that if all the facts about Trump, and his campaign, and Republican accomplices were laid out in excruciating detail.
Even if a small percentage, an unusual 5%, 7% or so of conservatives now planning to vote for a Republican Senator find themselves shamed into not doing so, even if only in 2020, all that much more our potential margins of victory grow. Perhaps we’ll start seeing a rise in conservative Independents and a decline on our side of liberal Indies who might give us a second look. Perhaps the beginning of the end of our national Republican nightmare.
We will never change the Republican party without a slap to the face which gives their voters some inkling of doubt that perhaps they are on the wrong side. Regardless, I don’t see the downside of a Democratic party which holds its head high at having gone to war against the Republican party, which impeachment surely will be. It is a call to war. Staring them down. And we may lose the impeachment battle in the Senate before the elections if our orange menace is not removed from office.
But I suggest that perhaps nothing will rally us more than that assault on the Republicans Senate to take us to victory in the upcoming elections.