USA TODAY International Edition
Opposing View: Effort to block Trump is anti- democratic
On Sept. 9, 2016, Hillary Clinton said of then- candidate Donald Trump that “you can put half of ( his) supporters into what I call a basket of deplorables.” On Jan. 20, 2017, Inauguration Day, The Washington Post ran an article about a campaign to impeach President Trump that began on the day he was sworn in. After five years of vilification and dishonest smears about unproven TrumpRussia collusion in the 2016 election, more than 74 million Americans voted for President Trump.
This means that despite efforts by the news media, the internet giants and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — and the ravages of COVID- 19 — more Americans voted for President Trump than voted for Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton or even Ronald Reagan.
Now, the over 74 million Americans who supported President Trump, despite everything, are watching their Twitter and Facebook accounts being censored and Google algorithms being manipulated to suppress their views. Their beliefs and character are being smeared on most news outlets. More than 74 million Americans are hearing media pundits talk about “deprogramming” them — as though they are ensnared by a cult.
And now, the next step in shrinking freedom, we are witnessing a weird maneuver to impeach someone who is already leaving office.
The rationale that impeaching Trump will block him from running again — even if there are Americans who want to elect him — is on its face anti- popular, anti- free speech, antidemocratic and insulting to Americans.
Over 74 million Americans who voted to clean up the Washington establishment are being told by that same establishment for whom they will be allowed to vote. The current Joe Biden supporters who, in 2024, might react to a failing economy, a bloated incompetent bureaucracy, and a series of disasters in foreign and national security policy by wanting to support the former president are being told that this option will be denied them by some members of Congress.
This is a violation of free speech and an abrogation of the very concept of government of, for and by the people.
Even if they could block Donald Trump from running again ( and some lawyers believe that the U. S. Supreme Court would refuse to enforce such a rule on the grounds of free speech), they cannot block him from being politically active.
Any Senate action on impeachment will embitter millions of people, shatter the Republican Party and potentially set the stage for a third party. It would be an act of self- destruction by the Washington establishment.