Party over country

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has learned something valuable over the past five years. That is, he can do anything and not pay a political price. Some examples:

After 20 first graders were slaughtered in Newtown, Conn., in a horrific fashion, the best Congress could respond with was a tepid background check bill supported by some 90% of Americans. Mr. McConnell led a filibuster to defeat it. Party first, country second.

Not only did he pay no political price, he was awarded with control of the Senate. In 2016, Mr. McConnell used shifting and disingenuous justifications to refuse to give Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland so much as a hearing, much less a vote, leaving the seat open for over a year. It was a vote Mr. McConnell easily could have controlled, but had the country seen Judge Merrick Garland’s hearing, Republicans would have been hard-pressed to vote against him. Party first, country second. Again Mr. McConnell paid no political price for abusing the Constitution.

Armed with this knowledge,

Mr. McConnell did not hesitate to once again set a new and dangerous precedent by refusing to allow witness testimony in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. Party first, country second.

Just as a child who goes undisciplined becomes only more defiant, Mr. McConnell is confident that he is insulated from reprisal. Let’s hope this time he is wrong. Unfortunately, I won’t be holding my breath.

ERIC SCHIER Glenmoore, Pa.