Some Thoughts about Impeachment
Peggy Noonan’s column in the Weekend Wall Street Journal of January 18-19 is one of the very best summaries of the Impeachment of Donald Trump I’ve seen. Her take, in few words is this:
- The president knew everything about efforts to lean on Ukraine. This was clear in previous testimony all through the process; his ambassador to the European Union stated it publically! The US ambassador to Ukraine was aware that she was being schemed against and she lost her job because of the president’s pressure play. She lost her job and was slimed publically. She described all this under oath. Others did as well.
- All this is “icing on the cake,” as Noonan writes, since Trump will be acquitted since there is extreme partisanship (on both sides). Many simply think the president’s actions, accepted as true, simply do not warrant removal from office when the next election is only ten months away; let the voters decide.
- Nancy Pelosi made the process of Impeachment in the House an unnecessarily theatrical event. Her “signing process with a pile of pens” was an unwise move, a shallow performance that underlined the Republican claims of partisan moves by Democrats who hate Trump and have never accepted his election.
- Has Impeachment now been normalized by a party which dislikes the President while they control the House? Will this process stand the test of time?
The policy-based argument for and against Trump is simple yet complex.
- He has followed his campaign promises. These include never giving up on “Building the Wall,” a largely symbolic action against the “rapist and criminal immigrants” who wish to come to the US from the south. It’s easy to marginalize these people, largely brown-skinned, from three poor and violent Central American countries.
- He has been a bulwark of support for conservative Christians, especially those who want more federal protection and approval for the ability to express and practice their beliefs in public areas such as prayer in schoolrooms, and who abhor movements for recognition by LGBQT movements. Trump has put Islam at the forefront of threats, a broad generalization of Muslim extremists who no doubt are threats. Of course religious extremists, from The Irish Republican bombers to White Supremacists who flaunt Christianity as the basis for their justification that Blacks are inferior, come in all shapes and sizes and colors and beliefs.
- On the matter of unfair trade, the President has stood up to China in several ways, including their pressure on US and other foreign companies to gain access to their intellectual property, or IP. The usual way this is done is to require non-Chinese firms who want access to the huge Chinese market, or to achieve lower-costs of production, to form a Joint Venture (JV) with a “Chinese partner company.” This works well to start, and the Chinese partner helps open doors and smooths the way into the large market. Part of the JV often (usually) is a manufacturing agreement to “add local value” as well as to lower the costs of production. Along that road the proprietary production processes and specialized equipment all become known to the local partner. Somewhere in the second half of the decade, the JV partner often begins manufacturing a similar product on their own. Over time, the local partner becomes a competitor. So far, President Trump’s ability to use economic leverage, tariffs, and sanctions has had an impact, but the end results are far from sure. Does anyone really believe that POTUS and Kim of North Korea are such close friends? Trump has criticized NATO in such a way that our traditional alliances and broad leadership in the U.N. are stressed.
- Tax cuts have been a huge boon to companies as well as very high-worth individuals. However the promised additional revenues have not materialized and the national debt has skyrocketed to over $1 Trillion a year, completely unprecedented in a robust economy.
- The President continues to be a climate change denier, although the data over several decades, admittedly a short time in geological terms, show increasing temperatures, with especially devastating warming in Arctic and Antarctic regions. These changes along with the resulting rainfall patterns are driving significant population movements which in term contribute to wars and provoke resistance to immigration in several parts of the world.
Mr. Trump exhibits near genius in his ability to use the medium of television and to recognize and exploit weakness in others. He appears to have endless energy, is a canny public speaker, with tried and true punch lines and ability to connect with audiences. He is strongest when portions of the population feel pressured, feel that they are not doing all that well, and fear that “their way of life” is under attack. Simply stated, many of his supporters feel things are changing too fast.
Nationalist agendas (Make Us Great Again) have appealed to many countries over the years, sometimes with disastrous results. History is replete with such examples. Some readers might criticize me for this, but as a student of European history between WW-I and WW-II, the example of Germany is hard to ignore.
The president is not a student of history; he does not appear to know the subject well at all. He simplifies and distorts things to his advantage. He uses fear as a weapon, both to the population in general, and to members of his political party. He is a master of cutting, cruel (and effective) nicknames: Lying Ted, Little Marco, Low Energy Jeb, etc. In private, he generally is not liked personally by many Congressional members of his own party, and his administration has had unprecedented turn-over and scandals in the first three years of his term. Nevertheless, the bulk of Republican voters like his pugilistic style (never admit you’re wrong and always hit back twice as hard) and continue so support him. To criticize the President as a Republican office holder means you will be attacked and “primaried,” probably defeated in the Republican primary election when you next stand for office.
The current Impeachment trial in the US Senate is an example of this overall scenario. At the very start of this blog, the very first paragraph summarized the case in Ms. Noonan’s words. Basically, the defense by the Republicans will follow one of two potential strategies:
- He did not do it. There is no evidence of wrongdoing, and there are reasons for not admitting additional documents and/or witnesses.
- He did it, but what he did is not a crime, and not worthy of removal from office.
It does not help the President that his personal style is so unusual and chaotic. Many key government offices are vacant or being held by “acting” heads not confirmed by the Senate. Likewise, a large number of US Ambassadorships are open. International alliances are called into question. This administration does not hold press briefings often - in fact almost never. Mr. Trump often opts to talk to reporters when he is going and coming, usually near the helicopter or on the lawn of the White House. The President tweets out not only comments and criticisms but new policies at all times of the day and night. His comments are analyzed and over fifteen-thousand incorrect statements have been verified. Some of these are minor gaffs, but many are simply not true or black-and-white falsehoods.
https://www.politifact.com/personalities/donald-trump/statements/byruling/false/
There is a case that Trump is a danger to the Republic. This is the essence of the Impeachment process. The guardrails set down in the Constitution are wise, but not insurmountable. We are witnessing unparalleled times in the last hundred years. History will unfold, with all the facts; it always does. Donald Trump will be judged. The Congress on both sides of the spectrum will be judged as well.
Comments are welcome and will be published, pro and con without the writer's identity. Make your comments below, or send to me via email at n3bb@mindspring.com
Enjoy life; it's the only one we will get.
J.K. (Jim) George
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