Impeachment as Therapy

The night before he was inaugurated, President-Elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris held a beautiful, touching memorial service for those lost to COVID. That's something Trump never did because he didn't want to recognize the national trauma the pandemic caused. If he did, he would have to admit it was a trauma which occurred on his watch and that his inaction contributed to it. Similarly, the events on Jan. 6, 2021 were a national trauma provoked by Trump's failure as a president and national healer. The insurrection was an assault on all of America by a crazed, bloodthirsty mob. I remember feeling as if I had been attacked and brutalized, even though I wasn't there. (I remember thinking, "I am living in a third-world country or a nation about to be taken over by the Nazis?") My congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke of surviving a sexual assault and how the events of that day triggered her feelings of danger and violation. That's what Trump's mob did to us and the impeachment trial in the Senate, even though it resulted in a second acquittal of the Orange Menace, was important so we can acknowledge that trauma and deal with it. Just like Biden's COVID memorial was a step towards healing, the House Managers' presentation were a vital move towards coming together.

Prediction for 2020 and Beyond

The impeachment hearings wind down

Prediction as the impeachment hearings end: I have a bad feeling the Supreme Court is going to let Trump end DACA and keep his tax returns. The House will impeach, but the Senate will not remove the slime from office. Moscow Mitch will pitch it that yes Trump did attempt a quid pro quo with Ukraine, but that's not a high crime and misdemeanor. Then the Dems will nominate someone like Warren or Buttigieg who is too scary for old white people in the swing states like Penn., Wisconsin etc. Mayor Pete is moderate, but he's gay. The thought of a gay president, no matter what his politics, will be enough to frighten off voters in the middle, plus he doesn't have the black vote. Younger black voters are angry with him because of his record on race relations and policing as Mayor of South Bend and older black voters are additionally turned off by his openness about his sexuality. Not all, but enough to make a difference.

Even if it's Biden, he won't be "flashy" and "energetic" enough for Trump's moronic diehard supporters. Trump will be re-elected. Maybe the Senate will flip and both houses of Congress will be Dem. Trump will get crazier, confident that he can get away with anything even if the Senate is Dem. He'll do something else impeachable and we'll go through all of this again.

I pray that I'm wrong.