Impeachment ruins chance for unity
The second impeachment of President Trump obliterates Joe Biden’s promises of healing and unity just as he’s days away from taking the keys to the Oval Office.
Senate Republican leaders are refusing to reconvene early for an impeachment trial, which ensures that the proceedings will now drag on through the early part of Biden’s first term.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has left open the possibility of voting to convict Trump, but without the early trial, Democrats will be unable to remove Trump from office before he leaves on Jan. 20.
The trial for “incitement of insurrection” likely will now take place in the first few weeks or months of Biden’s term, which he previously said he wants to spend confirming Cabinet members, speeding up the coronavirus vaccine program and passing a multitrillion dollar stimulus package.
With impeachment dominating the Capitol Hill landscape, possibly for several months, it’s unlikely Biden will be able to deliver on his early promises.
It’s even unclear legally whether Democrats can move ahead with convicting Trump once he’s gone from office.
But with impeachment dominating the Capitol Hill landscape, possibly for several months, it’s unlikely Biden will be able to deliver on his early promises.
The president-elect has repeatedly talked about unifying the country since winning the November election but that’s all but impossible now.
Democrats intent on destroying Trump and driving him out of office in humiliation have seen to that.
All because they want to prevent Trump from running for office again in 2024.
Democrats have also said that they needed to impeach Trump because his acts leading up to the rioting and insurrection last week were so reprehensible that they needed to take action.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday that Trump is a “clear and present danger” to the country and must go.
But since Trump is leaving anyway, is it really worth it?
Is it worth possibly triggering more violence and destruction from the right?
Is it worth enduring another four years of protests and division?
Is it worth sacrificing the Democrats’ legislative agenda and possibly leading to a Republican takeover of Congress in two years?
Is it worth possibly turning Trump into a martyr and strengthening what’s left of his political organization?
Democrats need to ask themselves these questions as they prepare to try and convict Trump on an impeachment charge — even after he’s left office.
“To my Republican colleagues who legitimize this (impeachment) process, you are doing great damage not only to the country, the future of the presidency, but also to the party,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said.
Biden, for his part, has been largely invisible during the impeachment process, preferring to let congressional Democrats do what they want.
He hasn’t shown much leadership on the impeachment issue — whether it’s to lead the charge or gently dissuade Democrats from doing it.