Trump's Impeachment Trot

As the Thanksgiving weekend approaches and people are dreading the inevitable political conversations with long-lost relatives, President Donald Trump is celebrating the holiday by pardoning a turkey and signing a law that makes animal cruelty a federal crime.

That's interesting because (A) the Trumps haven't adopted a pet like most other Presidents, (B) it reminds us that in this country animals are treated much better than the migrants who are sitting in cages along the U.S.-Mexican border, because Trump considers them lowlifes first and people second, and (C) outside of the Republican Party and his beloved base, most of America thinks the President already is a turkey.

Trump needs these holiday distractions to steer folks away from the real story, which is his impending impeachment.  The House Intelligence Committee, chaired by Democrat Adam Schiff of California, concluded its public hearings last week.  It made for interesting television if you didn't already know which side you're on.

The former diplomats and military personnel who testified to the committee did a great job of throwing the President and White House counsel Rudy Giuliani under the bus, describing in great detail how they overheard a phone conversation between Trump and the president of Ukraine.  It was allegedly about Trump asking a little favor in seeking a little intel on former Vice President Joe Biden and his son's business dealings in that country.

Dramatic, yes.  Complete, no.  Because of the President's refusal to allow any of the main players to testify. all we got was hearsay evidence from second-tier officials who were being pushed aside by the White House.  Nor did we hear from The Whistleblower, whose anonymity was jeopardized when Trump started sniffing around that person's identity.  Nevertheless, Schiff and the other Democrats seem to think they have enough evidence to warrant an impeachment.

As the torch passes to the House Judiciary Committee next week, there will probably be more revealing testimony about misdeeds in Ukraine.  Maybe this time bigger names like John Bolton, Dan McGahn, or even Giuliani will put in appearances, should the courts decide that way.  After that, we should have some kind of impeachment vote.

But back to the turkey Trump pardoned.  If the President is willing to do that for a creature that might have ended up on somebody's dinner table--even if it's just for ceremonial purposes, then he can hope his successor can do the same thing for him should he ever get kicked out of the White House.  By Congress or the voters.

In One Year

Twelve months from now, barring unforeseen circumstances, Americans will go to the polls to choose whether they want to keep the President they have or trade him in for a different one.

We are usually told that the next election will be the most important in the history of the United States of America.  Due to the events of the past four years, that statement is more important than ever.

President Donald Trump, who will likely be the first impeached (and acquitted) leader ever to run for re-election, will depend on the goodwill of his loyal base and the fealty of the Republican party to help him win a second term.  Not to mention the short memories of voters who ignored the Mueller report and don't know what in heck "quid pro quo" means, while changing the channel during the televised impeachment hearings with House Democrats questioning anyone they can convince to testify without incurring Trump's wrath.  Other than that, Trump's in big trouble.

With a couple of months left before the primaries and caucuses begin, there are still at least ten Democrats who want to take on Trump.  Of those, there are only four candidates who have enough staying power in the polls to be considered for nomination:  Former Vice President Joe Biden, Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana.  For what it's worth, all four of them would beat Trump if the election were held right now, not a year from now.

And because the election is a year from now, we can expect plenty of mudslinging from both sides on the campaign circuit, and through social media and TV.  But there is an outside possibility that the GOP-dominated Senate might actually grow a spine and kick Trump out of the White House.  Then the Democrats have a new problem--how to run against Mike Pence.

That's why the next twelve months are so important.  Impeachment or no, it is still up to the voters to decide.  Unless, of course, Russia decides to put its thumb on the scale again.