The Donald Trump acquittal by the US Senate regarding Articles of Impeachment for abuse of power and obstruction of justice occurred just as expected on Wednesday. However, after the sham of a trial and blatant partisanship from the GOP “jurors” who made a mockery of their oath to sit and judge in fairness, it’s almost certain that history will regard the Trump years with an asterisk.
Politics
Imagine, if you will, a runner participating in a race where the judges personally drive him across the finish line. Now, imagine the other runners filing a formal complaint that the judges not only refuse to hear or even acknowledge, but brazenly collude with their chosen runner to cheat and still declare him the rightful winner.
Crazy, right? Well, sadly, that’s where we are as a nation today.
Despite crystal clear evidence, admission of guilt from Donald Trump himself, and the suppression of witnesses who begged to allow their testimony to be heard but were hastily dismissed as “unnecessary,” the Trump acquittal is now set for the history books to regard ‘The Donald’s’ presidency with an asterisk of illegitimacy for perpetuity.
Or, in other words, there’s a price to be paid.
“I believe that the President has learned from this case and will be much more cautious in the future.” – Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine
How can Trump govern or ever get anything passed or done from this day forward with this asterisk attached to his presidency? How can the Trump legacy after leaving office ever be intact with this asterisk next to his name? How can Trump offer the Presidential Medal of Freedom to a right-wing racist bag of hot air like Rush Limbaugh and have it mean anything to anyone outside of his own Trumpworld of fanatics without there also being a valid discussion of this asterisk?
The moment House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up the Trump State of the Union Address and tossed it aside like an old shopping list is the moment ramifications of the sham of an impeachment trial and the Trump acquittal went on national display. Or, to put it bluntly, for as long as Donald Trump remains in the Oval Office, the hope of even the hint of bipartisanship between Democrats and Republicans is a pipe dream. An asterisk has been attached.
The Mueller Investigation is over. The Trump impeachment is over. However, the 2020 election is just around the corner. The impeachment asterisk will only be put to rest once the ultimate jury — AKA 150 million American voters — deliver their own final verdict in November.
Despite popular belief today, democracy is not dead — but the Republican Party is, or soon will be. Their complete and utter disregard for democracy and the constitution via their Donald Trump acquittal likely has the founding fathers turning over in their graves today.
So, remember, all hope is not lost to salvage our 3 branches of government and the longstanding system of checks and balances our forefathers envisioned. We still hold the right to vote the bastards out who showed us they value party over country. And that we will!
