So the Mueller saga was, in retrospect, pro forma. It made for bad optics, nearly zero drama, and served to disappoint those expecting more. Maybe Nancy Pelosi already knew that.
As clumsy as Mueller's testimony appeared to be, he was there to repeat what his Gang of Fourteen concluded: That, though they certainly could have continued, they stopped their investigation because, even though 45 tried his best to say exactly nothing to more than 30 questions, that he somehow forgot about that much though he forgets nothing when people cross him. The reason? The special counsel's investigators basically had enough on him to move on indictment had they been given that opportunity. Translation: If we could get him, we'd have him.
Those were the magic words. A beachhead in the invasion of the legitimacy of 45's presidency has been declared. An impeachment "investigation" is now underway by the House of Representatives.
It is tempting to say merely "House Democrats," but remember: Justin Amash has ruined that for 45 already by declaring himself to be pro-impeachment before all this happened. He stopped being a Republican, choosing logic over stonewalling. Of course, the remaining Republicans will scream even louder. But the number of those favoring impeachment has reached triple figures. And Eric Swallwell is right: once someone goes there, they don't go back. The door on tolerance closes. The number will now only grow.
Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler seems to be leaning toward impeachment. Special Select Committee on Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff would rather withhold judgment at this point. Let's see what Oversight Committee Chair Elijah Cummings says. In an earlier blog, I predicted that if all three of these key committee chairs committed toward impeachment proceedings, Pelosi would be sufficiently pushed toward doing it. In approving the very idea of an investigation, though, Pelosi is allowing the conversations to go public and spread.
Thus the summer recess. Pelosi wants everyone to go home and ask the constituents, and be thorough and open: Forward, or forget it? We are going to compile much more stuff now. Incredibly, it hasn't all come out yet. But now it will.
Would you impeach now? If not, we'll get back to you. You might change your mind.
She's doing that for the House members who are twitching, who are elected from districts 45 carried in 2016. They can say only that if public sentiment fades, the investigation will, too. And it can; she can still pull the plug. But it won't be abandoned any longer. It isn't the same thing as impeachment, because the House must take a vote on it. It failed not long ago, but the ducks weren't all in order. If it is brought back, that's because they will be. There will be no water-testing any longer. The next vote, if it happens, will be the real deal. If Pelosi wants it, she won't block it.
45's racist invectives against The Squad may indeed have been the push that Pelosi needed to take the deep breath and dive in: We will learn that by-the-by. In the meantime, expect some serious smearing by 45's band of hooligans, now increasingly desperate to rally the blindly faithful. There will be actions and inactions taken and allowed that will further erode the rule of law.
That those backing 45 would begin to fall away after things get even more tense is unlikely. It may still come to the 2020 elections to come to a definitive conclusion about the true state of things here. The tweeting would become more vicious, if that's possible.
But many are also inured to his insane hyperbolizing and lies by now (Note that media stopped the 'official' count when it got to 10,000. We're now at 11. Or 12. Or something.). It's getting more than a little tired. He will try his best to deflect by causing worry about foreign affairs (read North Korea and Iran, both of which are very, very upset) and even more border abuse, if that could be possible. But now, he's digging a hole and only Pelosi or skittish Democrats will allow him to crawl out, corpulent and ugly as a World War I corpse rat.
Accountability may not actually be achieved. But it could be with at least a public hearing of an impeachment trial. Now, Pelosi has 45 twisting in the wind, waiting and wondering.
With it all, a message to those interested in and those who actually participate in law enforcement: We have not given up on the rule of law. The Constitution still matters. Stay at your posts. If you give up, there will be no bottom to any of this.
To which I would respond: Will you give up, Madame Speaker? Will political expediency give way to the actual seeking of justice? Or will you become the Speaker of Nothing?
That is still the risk whether Pelosi goes forward or not. It is enormous and potentially jeopardizing to our very democracy itself. With due respect to him, Seth Moulton might be in over his head had he become the Speaker instead.
So can understand being a bit careful. Can't you? We'll see how it goes by Labor Day. But for now, the first toe's in the water.
Be well. I'll see you down the road.
Mister Mark
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Are You ready for six more years of Trumpian Rule?
ReplyDeleteThe Mueller testimony was just as it should have been, a legal inquiry into the deliberations that produced the 400plus page report. The questions were concise, the answers were succinct, the opposition's speechifying was grandiose. Only those who expected a dog and pony show were disappointed. Mueller seemed to be exasperated, his patience worn thin, he bore up against insults to his integrity and intelligence. His face told it all, "I gave you all this information months ago, what have you done with it?". Yes, I know the Democrats wanted to get the information out in a form most people could digest, I mean why read 'War and Peace', when you can watch the movie? But if the Trumpflakes didn't read the report, what made the Dems think they would tune into the inquisition? Their minds are mired in concrete.
Mueller didn't have the evidence to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt for a criminal case much less the preponderance of evidence for a civil case. He left it to the Congress to bring impeachment forward, as impeachment is neither criminal nor civil but political, as is the phrase 'Rule of Law". Rule of Law is a concept that no one is above the law that goes back to Aristotle, and is vexillum procedure in most of the civilized world, it overrode the belief in the Divine Right of Kings. There is only one problem with that. The Donald, like Nixon before him, believes if the President does it, it must be legal. Ergo Lex Rex becomes Rex Lex.
The aspersions cast against 'The Squad' are the tip of the iceberg. I don't believe Trump is a racist, he thinks NO ONE is his equal. But he does know that his base is primarily racist. They are still seething over the temerity of a Black Dude in their 'Big House'. Trump does know how to feed them the red meat that keeps them coming back for more. He is going to execute five people just to satisfy their blood lust, and that is just for starters. What human being can conceive of sacrificing human lives to secure an election? That to me is the depth of depravity. And that his Party could live with this, is beyond my comprehension. But they support him still, after all, as long as they get theirs, they don't care who gets what. And the same goes for the Religious Right. They could not abide by a little consensual hanky-panky in the Oval Office, but 'forgive' overt sexual attacks by the pervert in the Presidency to get what they want.
So, the clarion call is growing for impeachment, but cooler heads must prevail. Begin an impeachment 'inquiry', catalogue all the offences if you must. Off hand I don't know of anyone who already hasn't. We are becoming so accustomed to Trump's outrageous behavior; I think very little can shock any more. But do not waste too much time and energy. Impeachment now would be a pyrrhic victory at best and a total disaster leading to another four years for Trump, at worst. We must marshal our forces to remove Trump using the ballot box. This is where our power lies, the power of the people.
The Rule of Law will not be diminished by forgoing impeachment. Impeachment would fail miserably in the Senate. Any law enforcement official will tell you, if you can't make the case, you must let it go. Those are the cases that eat at you, if you let them, even into retirement. Justice may be blind, but law enforcement personnel understand that as Justice must be tempered with mercy, so also must it be tempered with reason.
Dip your toe in the water, wade up to your knees, just remember: There be Dragons There! As for me, I can take the despair, it's the hope I can't stand.