Make America Sane Again: Republicans, Democrats, Independents, We Need To Talk

Although the word "divisive" has figured in our national dialogue lately, we Americans should not hate each other over political differences. We may wish certain people would support another view point or candidate. But, when it comes down to it, we should never stop loving friends and family members just because they don't agree with us politically.
I live between two avid Trump supporters. I also rent my garage apartment to a born-again Trump fan. I would dearly love to change all of their minds, but I still love them. After all, most of our interactions have to do with the weather, the repair of our city's streets, garbage collection, and a host of additional concerns that mainly effect our community.
Our only disagreements are about national policies and God, and as I've said, we don't discuss those. For the sake of neighborhood peace, we agree to disagree if those subjects come up at all.
It is the extremes of both sides that make it difficult to have a civil conversation about our government. I am as guilty as the next guy. I have written about Trump in anger, without justifying why. My reasons seem valid to me, and they still do. However, snarky headlines and insulting narrative probably aren't the best way to convince people with other views that they should consider what I want them to consider. In turn, I would like to know why my distaste for all things Trump is wrong.
In the end, Republicans, Democrats and Independents all have to live here. Life being what it is, some things will go our way, and some things won't. According to our constitution, we are all free to try to change things if we want to. If the changes result from good faith and honest public discussion, they should be respected, even if you would do anything in your future power to change them back.
We don't have to agree with each other, but a vibrant society should be exposed to as many ideas as possible to choose from. If you think yours is the best, you have a right to chime in and convince as many people as you can that you have the truth on your side. However, others have the right to present their ideas just as vigorously, no matter whether they agree or disagree.
The only ground rules for this proposed discussion is to tell the truth and stay civil. No name calling strikes me as a fair request. No swearing would, I think, also promote civility. Otherwise, what any of us say should be between God, ourselves, the Internet, law enforcement and the First Amendment. We really need to talk.

If it happens in Washington D.C. it has to do with politics. The Democrats called Trump out this time. The Republicans had a hand in impeaching Bill Clinton in the 1990s. No one doubts that the Democrats were the first to identify Nixon's national mischief in 1973. This is how good democracy works.

Both sides want power and can be trusted to keep an eye on each other to gain or retain it. This opposition is healthy for the public, even if it does lead to a lot of pointless bickering. If the parties didn't watchdog each other, it would be mighty easy for a dictatorship to take root.

It is the facts, not party affiliations, or personal values, be they conservative or liberal that should determine the outcome of Trump's impeachment trial. The sole question should be whether or not Donald J. Trump committed a "high crime or misdemeanor". The question has nothing to do with whether he is a Republican, Democrat or something else. It is even more important than whether people like him personally or are satisfied with the job he is doing as president.

The Democrats are alleging that Trump has committed two offenses that disqualify him from serving as president of the United States. The first of these is the Abuse of Power for his dealings with Ukraine. The second is Obstruction of Congress because he withheld documents and witnesses from Congress in the original investigation. The Articles of Impeachment have been approved by the house, and now the Senate has to determine whether the house's allegations have merit.

Congress had decided that protecting Ukraine from Russian aggression was in our national interest and had allocated funds for its military use. Without consulting Congress, Trump ordered that the funds be withheld for no good reason. There were no new facts that would change the desirability of getting them to the Ukraine promptly. Trump held the funds back to force Ukraine to help him embarrass Joe Biden before the 2020 election.

In investigating the allegations discussed above, Congress had the right to request any documents or subpoena any witnesses who would help it determine if Trump should be impeached. Trump refused to turn over the documents and instructed key witnesses not to testify. This is called "Contempt of Congress” and is also a "high crime or Misdemeanor".

Mitch McConnell is determined to keep Donald J. Trump in the White House. He doesn't seem to care what it will cost himself or the rest of us. He doesn't want us to know the truth about what Trump has done, and he will do everything he can to keep us from finding out the extent of Trump's crimes. Otherwise, he would not demand that the senate acquit Trump without hearing evidence.

Until recently, I would have said that no one on either side of the aisle is that despicable. If the Senate were to acquit Trump after a full, fair hearing, I won't quibble with the results. I may not like them, but we all would have had our day in court, and that is precisely what the constitution guarantees us.

I, like most Americans, would be suspicious of a Senate trial that does not give both sides a chance to present evidence. If the Democrats are right, and Trump is guilty of soliciting foreign interference in American elections, he has betrayed all of us. Voters should not be forced to decide who should be our president based on foreign propaganda.

Congress has a job to do if our chief executive is engaging in behavior detrimental to the United States. When it asks for information and subpoenas witnesses, the subject of the request is legally bound to cooperate. Trump does not have the legal authority to keep others from telling Congress what they know. Yet, the White House refused to provide the documents the House of Representatives requested. In addition, he instructed those who worked for him to ignore the subpoenas issued to them. In short, he has obstructed Congress' investigation into matters of national import, and of consequence to all of us.

Mitch McConnell is doing everything he can to protect Donald Trump from public scrutiny. He has threatened not to allow witnesses at Trump's trial. He has refused to allow documents from the White House to be subpoenaed so that whatever they show might be taken into consideration.

Now Mitch McConnell is planning to acquit Trump out of hand, no matter what evidence is against it. He took an oath to be fair and impartial, but he is even making it almost impossible for the press to cover this monumental national event. It is perjury to lie under oath, and we can only hope the next United States Attorney General will remember McConnell's crime and will prosecute him accordingly.

If there was no reason to think that Trump had broken our trust, he wouldn't have a trial to worry about. Now, he is facing accusations that, if true, do bring his qualifications to lead our nation into question. The simple fact is that if he gets away with not even having to answer for his actions, he will only make it that much easier for future presidents to follow in his footsteps.

None of us wants to risk having the United States and its elections held hostage by outside interests because of personal favors done for one of our politicians. If Trump risked our national interests for his own political gain, then he is not fit to lead us. Mitch McConnell is just as unfit for helping trump cover up his misdeeds.

When Donald Trump assumed the presidency, he took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. When Mitch McConnell and his fellow senators started the impeachment trial, they also took an oath to give the matters under consideration their full and honest consideration. Now, as a country, we will have to wait and see if either of them will uphold the American Constitution by honoring their words. I'm not holding my breath.

America's founders were concerned that our government have a system of checks and balances. Each branch of government has distinct duties and powers. None can intrude on the prerogative of the other. This independence keeps our government's power in balance, protecting us from the excesses which too often accompany unchecked authority.

Right now, our constitution is facing a new and dangerous challenge. It has protected us so far, but Kentucky's Mitch McConnell and other Republican government officials are helping Donald Trump put it to a test that it better not fail. If it does, the executive branch will eventually become a dictatorship and the other two branches will have no choice but to go along and support its whims.

It is easy to assign Ukraine a minor place in our national dialogue. It is a small country and doesn't pose a military threat to us. We don't depend on its natural resources. In fact, its main function for the United States is to serve as a buffer against Russian aggression in the region.

Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress supported giving Ukraine military aid. Donald Trump signed the appropriation into law. If there had been a valid reason to withhold the funds, Congress should have been called on to frame a response.

Instead, Trump unilaterally ordered the aid to be withheld until Ukraine's President Zalinski announced an investigation by Ukraine into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Getting dirt on Joe Biden had no security value to the United States. It would, however, help Trump squelch any competition Biden posed for the 2020 presidential nomination.

Trump's evil is not a policy issue. It has nothing to do with the rightness or wrongness of conservatism or liberalism. It has to do with the sanctity of our government and its functions. No matter if you sit on the far right or extreme left, you want the government to operate in all of our interests. A traitor is a traitor no matter what his political associations. If he will cheat for you, he will cheat against you.

Mitch McConnell is letting you down by standing in the way of the truth being fully and fairly litigated. He has made it clear that he will see to Trump's acquittal no matter what duties his oath of office impose on him. You deserve better than that.

Win, lose or draw, we deserve the truth, and anyone who stands in the way of it is turning our great country into an international laughing stock. No matter whether you think Trump should be impeached and / or be removed from office, hiding the things he did does not serve America's best interests.

Remember, if McConnell and Trump are allowed to hide the truth now, there won't be any incentive for politicians on either side of the aisle to be honest with us in the future. If Trump gets away with deceiving us, the next president won't have to work as hard to do the same thing.

This is why I urge you to give Mitch McConnell his walking papers. While you're at it, please help us send Indiana's ex-governor to the unemployment line as well. We'll all be better off if you do, no matter what your political leanings.