Whatever happens in this trial, I am glad that some Republicans are finally beginning to stand up to Trump. It seems that ever since he took over as their nominee, Trump has bullied all Republican opposition (and attempted to intimidate all the Democrats as well) by pressuring them with his base. This had only limited success with Democrats, who are, after all, not relying on Trump’s base for support, by and large. There may be some exceptions, but most Democrats are not courting passionate Trump supporters.
Republicans, on the other hand, have been forced to walk a fine line. With Trump’s very loyal base proving to be a strong political force, most Republicans – and I am talking the vast majority here – have been very reluctant to criticize Trump at all, knowing that mean spirited tweets that will effectively get that Trump base against them might prove critical, even lethal, to their future political aspirations.
Finally, however, some Republicans are beginning to show some spine towards Trump. Obviously, there was Liz Cheney, who I normally would not compliment. Frankly, it feels bizarre to agree and even find some hope in a Republican politician from Wyoming with the last name of Cheney. Yet, give her credit, because she stood up when the vast majority of her fellow GOP members of Congress refused to be even remotely critical of Trump, even after his role in the Capitol building insurrection.
Of course, some Republicans distinguish themselves with their cowardliness, and their general slimy politicians rationale of the moment, even if it contradicts some things that they have stated in the past. After all, Ted Cruz was one of the Republicans most seemingly willing to fight Trump in 2016. Since then, however, Cruz has turned into a bootlicker, often astonishing people with the new depths to which he lowers himself, and towards a man who has never shown him, or anyone else, for that matter, even a fraction of the loyalty that he himself demands from seemingly everyone.
Then of course, there are other pathetic, weak, self-serving Republicans like Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell, who claimed that this trial has no Constitutional basis, because Trump is already out of office. Democrats, to their credit, had the perfect counterargument for this, saying that by that logic, a new precedent has been created by Republicans, where a president is bound by law for the entirety of the first three years and most of he fourth year in a term, but is given a green pass in the final weeks, because a president cannot be impeached once out of office. Indeed, when you think about what the Republicans are saying, that seems indeed to be their argument. After all, McConnell claimed that there was not enough time for impeachment in those final weeks of the Trump presidency, but now, when time is no longer an issue, he claims that it is unconstitutional because Trump is already out of office.
Such shameless arguments have been the norm, frankly, with the current crop of what passes for GOP leadership.
But six Republican Senators decided to buck this trend, and to vote against their party, voting with Democrats in recognizi9ng that these proceedings are indeed constitutional.
So here we go.
To open, the Democrats showed a video of Trump giving his speech, declaring that strong action was needed to take back the country, as he claimed was needed. And the video showed that as he was talking, his loyal followers present that day made their way to the Capitol building, and that they grew in numbers, at Trump’s urging.
Representative Jamie Raskin gave an emotional appeal yesterday, even growing tearful at one point. He generally is regarded as having been very effective. Trump, meanwhile, is said to have been livid with his own lawyers. But it is the early stages, and Trump lawyers will surely have a chance to try and make their own appeals. Unfortunately, it seems that most members of the Senate have largely made up their minds already, and that this feels like political theater. While I feel that Trump should have been impeached already over this, and over that ridiculous Georgia phone call, and all of the lies that he spread, frankly, it seems to me very unlikely that he will indeed be found guilty by the Senate this time. Republicans just lack the courage to stand up to this man. It seems that he was right about being able to shoot one in a busy city downtown in broad daylight and get away with it.
Hopefully I am wrong. Let's see what happens in the coming days.
Very good.
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