Trial, Process, Justice

Both pro and anti-trump fans decry injustice, fairness, process, and transparency. They are both wrong.


Mr. trump came into the White House by unconventional means. He brow beat, insulted, sneered and mimicked disagreeable persons. Tthroughout his campaign. At times it seemed he was goading the public into not voting for him. His run was for the fun of it and TV ratings. He refused to bow to norms and politeness. No tax filings aired for public view. No background data shared with analysts for full disclosure on anything. He thumbed his nose at convention.  He gathered fans along the way, enough to make a win possible. So, he continued campaigning in an unorthodox manner. He won, partly because many voters were sick and tired of the dysfunction of Congress and the disingenuousness of pundits, elected officials, and questionable news coverage.


Most of that dysfunction and dishonesty remains. And the American public is disaffected. Hell, we are downright angry and frustrated. Trump supporters are not the only ones angry; most of us are.  However, non-trumpers are as angry with trump and the news industry covering him. He talks nonsense and reporters treat his words as news. It isn’t; it is proof of a parallel universe bedeviling the global village today.


Here is evidence of that:

a.      The House of Representatives has the responsibility of considering whether impeachable offenses are present. It is their duty to perform this function under the constitution. Republicans took their usual side in the matter and refused to support this check and balance. Democrats had no choice but to pursue a bill of particulars, an investigation that might lead to an indictment against the accused. In constitutional parlance that is ‘impeachment.’ At the end of a process similar to a grand jury in the court system, the House Committee voted to impeach. The matter went to the full house for consideration. It performed the process. None of this is a trial. 

b.      Section a, above, is being labeled by republicans as a faulty trial. We know it isn’t a trial, rather an indictment. That’s the first misstatement of fact by republicans.

c.      The next misstatement is Mitch McConnell’s assertion that the impeachment articles are so weak that the Speaker of the House is reluctant to present the articles to the Senate. Not true. The Speaker is timing submission of the Articles of Impeachment following an agreement by the Senate on the rules of the trial that will handle the impeachment. Mitch has indicated the possibility of no trial process whatsoever and replacing that with an up or down vote on the matter of impeachment. That vote would be a win for republicans because they have a supermajority in the Senate. Pure politics by the republicans again. No truth or facts discussed. Just empty, unsubstantiated opinion. The trial would not happen under this scenario.

d.      Recent republican presidencies have administered deficit spending sprees. Lower taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals reduces government revenues. Coupled with major new spending plans for defense systems, wars, and border walls and patrols, the deficit mounts annually. The national debt balloons. In between the republican regimes, Democrat presidencies reduced annual deficits and actually began paying off portions of the national debt.  At the time republicans demanded no new expenses without cutting other expenses or raising taxes to pay for them. When they are in the White House, just the opposite is the policy.

There are other examples as well. Under presidencies of both parties, campaign finance reforms have been scuttled. Lobbying and campaign connections have grown, not diminished. National Rifle Association has gained influence in Congress, not lessened. Unilateral tariff changes have turned many markets upsidedown, most damaging American farmers heavily.


Of course immigration reform has been discussed for generations with little done to solve problems.  This issue belongs squarely with the Congress. Both parties have kicked the can down the road for years. When pressed for solutions, they swoon toward inaction yet again. But beefed up border patrols and wall building? Somehow those get short term attention.


It appears dysfunction is rampant within the Executive and Legislative branches of government. The Judiciary is currently being packed with conservative ideologues and inexperienced judges; soon the Judicial branch will be as dysfunctional as the other two branches.


Fairness. Honesty. Transparent process and governance. All fail the American People. The government has failed on many fronts. Mainly, it has failed the American People.


Isn’t it time we the people did something about this? Where are the leaders who will help with this?


December 23, 2019