In some important ways, the Democrats are approaching this upcoming impeachment process properly. Because not enough of the American people can yet see the necessity of it, the determination to move toward impeachment best awaits a learning process for the American people. So the Democrats are smart to declare — as they mostly do — that we must find out more about what’s true and then make a decision on what that requires of us.
(Even though anyone who’s really following what’s been exposed knows that it’s already clear that if ever in American history there’s been a need for impeachment, it is in the case of Trump. Even Nixon pales in comparison.)
So that “truth now, decide later” approach is smart.
But there are still some troubling signs as well– signs that the Democrats are still caught in habits that have made them weak as this destructive force has taken over the Republican Party and gained in power over America.
Take for example the idea — which I’ve heard twice from Democrats of some stature — that “Impeachment would have to be bipartisan.”
No it doesn’t. Sometimes it’s necessary to confront the other side with their evil. And it’s foolish to publicize the idea that the Republicans should have veto power over impeachment.
Much better to put out the idea: “It would be much better for America if both parties worked together to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities. Everyone should know that this is not partisanship but fidelity to our oath of office.
“But if the Republicans remain unwilling to do their duty, we Democrats surely will nonetheless do ours.”
And as the ugly picture gets ever more visible, it the Republicans fail to join in legitimate efforts to protect the nation, the Democrats should use the confrontation to hammer them.
Another sign of old habits that undergird weakness has been displayed by some of the otherwise fine legal minds that regularly discuss the Trump crisis on MSNBC.
In so many ways, they do a great job. But why do they keep on being so “fair-minded” as to act like there’s some question of whether Trump has committed the crime of “obstruction of justice,” and whether he has done so with “corrupt intent”?
We’ve all been witness to the crime– seen it not once, but repeatedly. Obstruction of justice, and witness tampering, and an almost daily Assault on the Mueller investigation and everything else that threatens him in this nest of scandals.
Rare is the jury that has been shown so rich and vast a picture of a crime being committed. It could hardly be clearer.
On MSNBC, there are some — especially Jill Wine Banks — who get it right, and say explicitly that we’ve witnessed Trump’s crime of obstruction of justice quite sufficiently to convict.
But the idea that the jury is still out comes up again and again.
Enough of that kind of fairness, which is unfair to everyone except those whose evils get ignored.
It obscures an important reality to pretend we don’t know if Trump has obstructed justice. How can one not be weak if one refuses to see what’s right in front of one’s eyes?
There’s a connection between that kind of muffling of our response — the lack of clarity of vision, and the lack of outrage against the visible evil — and Liberal America’s failure, over the past quarter century, to protect the nation against the destructive force that has been taking over the Republican Party, and gaining great power over America.
It is time to scream “Bloody Murder” at the Republicans who continue in this way. The only kind of fairness these Republicans should get is truthfulness.
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