Convict… don’t Convict…
The Second Impeachment trial to establish Trump’s role in the 6th January riot is nearly over.
It seems to be a bit of a show trial doesn’t it… it doesn’t really matter how factual or convincing the case for prosecuting Trump is; because since Republicans face some sort of political fall out… some kind of personal disadvantage if they actually vote with their consciences, they are currently expected therefore to toe the party line when it comes to indicting their former boss when it comes to the crunch. 17 Republicans need to change tack in order to carry the two thirds majority over the line. This is widely expected not to happen as of 12th Feb 2021.
Despite overwhelming evidence that Trump was to blame and that the need to convict him is actually crucial, they are instead preparing themselves for a mass display of open incongruence. To know what’s best, but to publicly vote for the opposite. Republican senators whose sworn duty it is to represent the people of the country, are about to perform yet another act of self serving spinelessness so as not to rock the boat of their personal careers. And this is despite the fact that indicting Trump would really help the party out on a number of levels ultimately. It’s kind of a ‘foot shooting’ exercise it seems.
I openly wonder if the system is set up right… that it can be ok for the leaders who serve us… who are paid by us… who are elected by us… to actually be so ineffective when we need them, and when it matters the most.
They are acting to protect the Republican Party and what it stands for — you might say. But wait, what exactly DOES it stand for these days? — I’m reminded of the Ghost from Twitter Past… the tweet from May 3rd 2016 that came back to haunt Lindsey Graham.
“If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed…. and we will deserve it”. He was of course right. Shame that, by the time the destruction was coming to pass, Graham’s prophecy had fallen on his own deaf ears and today he stands counted amongst the many in the rubble of his own making.
I once read an offhand comment on a thread somewhere that summed up the Trump presidency; ‘if you elect a clown, expect a circus’. Oh so true… but now that the show is over, shouldn’t those who are left to (in some cases literally) sweep up the broken glass actually call it for what it really was and start to rebuild a party that means something?
Amazing that this madness happens right in front of our faces and that jobbing Republicans stand counted afterwards and continue to support their epically failed past leader in this way… by casting a vote on the side of the Trump defence case. One of the worst we’ve witnessed! — Anyone siding with this is obviously lying at point don’t you agree? Is lying in the senate ok when casting faux-votes on crucial issues just to protect yourself?
I know how I’d feel if everyone in my village knew that I’d just done something wrong that adversely affected everyone else in the town — but that I did it solely out of self interest. When busted, I would feel like a bit of a scumbag and so would you… that’s because you and I both know right from wrong and have a conscience. If we were traitors — and were openly exposed, we would find it hard to walk down our high street afterwards. But, these principles, sentiments and emotions don’t seem to matter in the Capitol do they. If they did… now would be a good time to show it… I should note that we already know that a couple of Republicans will indeed turn down the lonely and dark ‘Mitt Romney route’ shortly. My hat goes off to these honourable few.
And you know what else? — We as a collective people seem to only shrug and allow it to pass too. Perhaps we don’t have a choice… Any of us got the keys to NewsMax, Fox or OAN programming? Not sure we can touch that machine!
Trump’s trial is kind of the reverse of a kangaroo court don’t you think? It is where instead of a foregone conclusion to convict we await the opposite. It sort of makes you wonder why the democrats have even bothered up to now.
Of course I understand that it’s political… of course it’s point scoring… I know it really shouldn’t be…. but despite the fact that the Democrats are running this particular show, isn’t there still substance underneath for any conscious Republican? This trial isn’t a divisive act designed to sew more polarisation, — it might have this affect at some points — but overall it’s bigger than that. Americans absolutely need accountability for what happened. It might be Democrats that are driving this bus — but really, it’s because they HAVE to. It’s their job, and no one else was going to do it. At the end there is still a vote…. and an opportunity for justice to rise above the partisan to bring home the truth. What a great opportunity for righteousness this could yet turn out to be!
Let’s also talk about Trump’s base a second… these people are disillusioned en mass, misinformed, indoctrinated. Pride leads the way and their motivation is binary, obstinate, angry, without objective rational reasoning. They badly need help.
I’m not sure that Trump’s conviction would really go on to solve this actually. It might even make things worse for a while. But, in closing I just wanted to bring this part of it up.
It is said that in the world of Ted Cruz et al, they are aware of the power of the millions of people…. 70 odd million people… who just voted for Trump and lost. They need a new hero. This base of people are good at voting. They need a new home. A new ballot box to occupy. Don’t let these people go to waste! — Let’s re-orientate them with continuing hard right rhetoric and keep them angry for another four years — and then… ca ching! — Into the Whitehouse goes the next self serving, lying biggot.
Is this merely a hyper-real, Orwellian prospect from a dystopian fantasist… alarmist? — You might have thought so back in 2015 — but now we know and can see with our own eyes what Rupert Murdoch and his friends have done. Right wing might indeed mean capitalist… but it doesn’t need to mean fascist too. This huge populace of 70 odd million people… all hating on Biden right now…. they need calmed, not stoked.
The Republicans need a new front man / woman… and it’s time to re-define the party. The circus is indeed over. We shouldn’t really call it that to be honest… since circuses are in the name of fun. Trump’s presidency wasn’t fun. It wasn’t entertaining… it wasn’t a game show. It was a horror story and everyone needs to call it.
It never should have happened, and the single man who was responsible needs to be openly identified by the party he pretended to represent and those who voted for him need to know that those left in the Republican world are sorry for their part in all this too…
Imagine that! Don’t worry America, after the calamities of the last four years the Republicans have realised what they created, have owned up and have rebooted their party with an alternative leader with a newly aligned remit to a new and fair policy! One which actually represents the populace of the country and with the true meaning of liberty at its heart — a backbone of honesty and honour. Could such a thing every happen?
If they actually don’t do this though — at least to some extent…. then they are effectively saying that nothing went wrong with Trump — impunity reigns once again! The Republicans clearly aim to provide more of the same going forward. Why would the party be to blame? Why is accountability really important?
Those that vote to not convict Trump will surely only do so to protect themselves from hard right fall out and to re-enforce their positions on this basis. But I can’t help but wonder how strong their careers will look once the so called ‘Trump Party’ launches off the back of this.
Perhaps, we will see these people walk down their high streets in their constituent towns in the aftermath. Will they assume an air of dignity do you think? — Will the town’s people let them get away with it?
Now is their time to shine…. and the time to do so is short.
This article will be old in almost minutes from now it seems. But the results of what happens in the Capitol will remain for a lifetime and longer.
