To my cat (my faithful reader). Sorry about this, I meant to upload this last month…I tend to procrastinate. With no further ado…
Recently the senate neglected to have the 2/3rds majority required to convict President Trump on either of the charges brough forward from the House of Representatives: Abuse of Power and Obstruction [of Congress].
Both of these charges fell under the category of “High Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
What do I think you ask? We’ll I’m glad you asked. At work, this has been a hot topic, with the fellows who fall in line with Republicans cheering, while those who fall in line with the Democrats fear of the precedence set by this president. I, as usual, am a middle of the road kinda guy.
The other day, Mr. Trump touted his accomplishments in his annual State of the Union address. I will comment on the State of the Union address in a couple of days, but for now, I want to focus on the fallout from the recent Impeachment Trial.
Mitt Romney (R): He was the ONE Republican Senator to vote for conviction. View his full speech on why he voted the way he did. I hear people complain about Mr. Romney, but the fact is, he voted with Mr. Trump 80% of the time. See this article by his videographer Greg Whitley regarding the authenticity of his floor speech.
Doug Jones (D): He is a democrat in a red district. In his speech defending his vote, he was concerned about the precedent being set by the Senate not calling witnesses, stating that there was sufficient evidence, in his mind to convict. He has voted with Mr. Trump 37% of the time.
Kyrsten Sinema (D): She is also a democrat in a red state, up for re-election.
Joe Manchin (D): He voted to convict, but took no pleasure in voting as such, and stated “I take no pleasure in these votes, and am saddened this is the legacy we leave our children and grandchildren.” He also suggested since there were insufficient votes for conviction, the president be censured.
There are other Senators who may receive the wrath of the constituents (think Gary Peters (D), of Michigan) during their next election, but these are the ones who stood out, the three democrats as being from red states, and Mitt Romney for going against his party and voting to convict on the charge of Abuse of Power. In addition to these, there were two folks who were dismissed by President Trump after he was acquitted.
Lt. Col. Vindman: A Ukraine expert on the National Security Council. Called upon by the House of Representatives to testify by subpoena. Trump stated he was fired for insubordination, because he complied with the subpoena.
Ambassador Gordon Sondland: US ambassador to the European Union. Also called upon by the House of Representatives to testify by subpoena. He was of the opinions that a “quid pro quo” did in fact happen, and he testified as such.
Now, from where I sit, having these two thrown out with the dishwater is…unsettling. The last thing I want in our government is a bunch of kiss-ass “Yes” men and women. Name calling and impugning the integrity of these members is very disturbing to me. Our government, which should be “For the People, By the People” is disintegrating into an authoritarian state, where the only opinion that matters is the leaders – and that is profoundly; un-American. We are a country where the “loyal opposition” is entrusted as the sounding board of our government. They may not get their way; but they will put pause into the speed of events, and “help” the party in control ensure their decision is the best decision for the country, not their party. I fear our government is turning into the land of kiss-asses.
There is a fantastic article, titled “The Loyal Opposition,” written by Richard Epstein, three years ago, on the eve of the election that brought Trump to power. It is an interesting read, and he ended up being right on several points.
I applaud Mr. Romney and all those who followed through with their duty to testify when subpoenaed. Mr. President, we are a government for and by the people of this great land. I advise you to work for the betterment of all peoples, not just yourself. I will also take this opportunity to invite all Americans to vote this November. Whoever you vote for, make sure they are the person you want to run the country; you don’t have to agree with everything they do, but you should be comfortable with them. DO NOT vote the party line, research your candidates, and then pull the lever.
Take the time to vote – it is your duty as an American citizen.
What say you?
References I used in drafting this post:
Details of the charges against our President: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment-charges-factbox/factbox-abuse-of-power-obstruction-the-charges-against-trump-explained-idUSKBN1YM1O8
The Loyal Opposition: https://www.hoover.org/research/loyal-opposition
Mitt Romney’s Senate Floor Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5oPNG6HLgM
How senators voted on Trump’s impeachment: https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/trump-impeachment-vote-count-senate-results/
Democrats from Trump Friendly states: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/30/us/politics/trump-impeachment-democrats.html
Red State Democrats: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/05/doug-jones-impeachment-vote-110818
Trump’s ‘Firday night massacre” is just the beginning: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/08/trumps-friday-night-massacre-is-just-beginning-i-fear-whats-come/
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