Hot Water
“George Washington is said to have told Jefferson that the framers had created the Senate to "cool" House legislation just as a saucer was used to cool hot tea. “
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Senate_Created.htm
Many of us are happy, because daylight will begin to be longer now. However, for Donald Trump, the concept of the beginning of “longer days” has a very different meaning. His presidency has been stained in 2019 by impeachment, thus insuring that he belongs to an exclusive club in our nation's history.
Before we consider what 2020 holds for Trump, it may be useful to put this into context. The 2008 presidential election was fast approaching. Since 1988, when he wrote to Bush the Elder saying he would be willing to serve as his vice president, Trump was intent upon entering national politics. In 1998, he responded to an interviewer on national television, saying John McCain was “no hero,” because “he got caught.” In 2000, he filed to be considered as a candidate in the Reform Party. By 2008, as a member of the republican party, he resented McCain being the nomine
Now, let's take a brief look back at a conversation Donald had with CNN's Wolf Blitzer in October of 2008. Speaking of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, he said, “I was surprised that she didn't do more in terms of Bush and going after Bush. Which personally I( think would have been a wonderful thing.”
“To impeach him?” asked Wolf.
“”For the war,” Trump responded. “For the war! Well, he lied. He got us into the war with lies!”
Perhaps Trump should have listened to his mother when she said, “Be careful what you wish for.” Maybe he assumed she was speaking about her marriage. But now, as forum member dlk noted, he has the entire holiday season to stew over the situation he is currently in.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=12806049
Trump's future depends upon Mitch McConnell and Senate republicans. Many people are worried that Mitch's public statements about aborting the impeachment trial as quickly as possible are an accurate preview of process. And they may be right.
In a discussion here yesterday, regarding why – if Senator Schumer expects at least four republicans to join Democrats in calling for witnesses to testify – things are not moving ahead quickly? That's a good question, a valid question, one that admittedly calls for speculation no matter how one answers it. Thus, my opinion is exactly that – mere speculation – and thus of no more value than anyone else's.
The House impeachment hearings were the hot cup of tea that Washington spoke of. From my admittedly non-objective point of view, the republicans put on an emotional shit-show, and avoided dealing with facts. For rage is their language, and hostility drips from every republican's tongue. No one in the Senate wants a repeat of that in the trial. A quick move to end the trial would avoid that, at least in theory, and is surely one thing McConnell is considering.
But it isn't the only thing. For doing that would create an environment where the Democratic Party would be energized in the 2020 elections, and no intelligent politician purposely motivates the opposition before elections. Especially not one concerned about elections that could remove him from his comfortable and coveted leadership position. More, those republican Senators at risk in November of 2020 – likely among those that Schumer is in communications with – most likely want to have more discussions with the other republicans about how to proceed.
Despite the nonsense we hear publicly from McConnell, which is clearly directed to an audience of one enraged fellow, it is safe to assume that some degree of negotiating is going on in DC. The noise we hear on the surface hides what is going on outside of public view. And that includes between both parties in the Senate, within each party, and definitely between our House and Senate leadership, and their legal team.
While McConnell certainly prefers a shorter trial for obvious reasons, and may actually bring it to a premature end, it is also possible that he will negotiate with his party members and Democrats, and that we will hear from at least John Bolton in the trial. The best thing we can do at this point is to exercise our Amendment 1 rights, by contacting Senators from both parties, and insisting upon a fair trial.
Peace,
H2O Man
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