On February 5, 2020, the US Senate passed the verdict "innocent" on both counts brought forward by the 45th president of the United States. The majority of the upper house voted in favor of the excuse (although a little more than one third of the votes were enough).
The impeachment epic is over. But this does not mean that the acute phase of the political struggle in the United States has been completed. The fact that both the House of Representatives and the Senate were divided on the issue of impeachment on a party basis means that the split in American society has reached record depth. For the first time in history, the impeachment procedure was used by the opposition as a means of political struggle. And the answer was not long in coming. The ruling party responded with a joint political decision.
One side talked about the evidence of the criminal acts of the head of state, although in reality she tried with all her might to remove him from power, because everything he did destroyed her long monopoly on power and "truth." The other side declared the president's innocence, although in reality she simply decided not to yield to the brazen pressure of her rivals. As a result, the Senate Trump trial boiled down to an inter-party debate.
The founding fathers of the United States probably turned over in their graves. The concept of impeachment was conceived by them as an extreme measure for the removal from power of an obvious criminal (traitor or corruptionist), endowed with incredibly broad powers and therefore dangerous for the nation. The drafters of the Constitution emphasized in their writings that impeachment cannot be declared on dubious occasions, especially on political grounds. Otherwise, he would have become like a vote on a vote of confidence in the government in a parliamentary republic. But it was precisely such a vote that the Democrats held in the lower house after very controversial hearings held without calling witnesses from the defense.
Republicans, with a majority in the Senate, responded symmetrically. No witnesses were heard at all in the upper house. The founding fathers believed that the trial of the president can only be entrusted to senators under the supervision of a judge of the Supreme Court, because they are able to rise above political preferences and make a legally verified decision. It is not enough that in ordinary courts there are cases “blinded on one’s knee” because of the incompetence or malicious intent of the prosecutors! The duty of the court, including the Senate court, is to consider the case thoroughly and impartially - and only then reach a verdict. Republicans neglected their duty. Their verdict was ready even before the indictment was passed to them. They rushed to defend the president, who gives their party hope of opposing a total liberal dictate.
Both houses of Congress (more precisely, both political parties) sacrificed what the American political system is so proud of - due process. They abused their power. A weak excuse for the Republicans can only be that they did not start it, but only acted in response. But they don’t talk about it with a heavy heart. They celebrate victory. Leader of the Republican majority in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, did not hide his contented smile at the press approach after the vote. How so! After all, he wiped his nose "these democrats"! Now they look pathetic and may well place both houses in the hands of the Republican Party in the 2020 elections.
Democrats made a catastrophic mistake. Their chance to remove Donald Trump from power was lost about three months after the inauguration of the 45th president, because from the very day of his election they talked only about impeachment.
It became their obsession. And so no one, except the implacable opponents of the owner of the White House, did not believe them. Voters had a strong feeling that they could not defeat Trump in the elections.
Even worse: the Democrats set a dangerous precedent. Republican Senator Joni Ernst said in an interview with Bloomberg: “I think the door to impeachment announced for anything is open. Joe Biden must be very careful with his desires, because ... if Biden ever becomes president, people immediately, right the day after his election, say: "We are going to impeach him."
Democrats opened Pandora's box, and Republicans happily tore its lid off its hinges. The separation of powers has become a solid gray zone. There are no more clear rules. Not only parties, but also branches of government are now doomed to fight according to the laws of the jungle.
The fact that the Rubicon was crossed also showed the behavior of the Democrats at the announcement of the president’s annual message to Congress, held the day before the Senate delivered the verdict. Trump already knew that the impeachment ended for him safely.
He acted as a winner. When he spoke about the successes of the United States achieved during his presidency, Republicans joyfully applauded almost every phrase of the head of state. And the Democrats deliberately sat idly by.
But the most amazing thing happened after the end of the speech of Trump. The president was still standing on the podium, and applause was still heard in the hall when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi began to tear openly in front of everyone demonstratively tearing out the sheets with the text of the White House owner’s speech (the text was transmitted to her in accordance with the protocol). At first, she casually threw the scraps onto her table, and then, unable to control her emotions, she lifted them above her head, demonstrating to journalists, congressmen and guests of the event.
This has not happened in American history. Disrespect was expressed for the presidency, for colleagues in the ward, and for the whole nation. But Pelosi did not think to be ashamed of her act. At a private meeting with party members, she said that the text was a "pack of lies." She added: "We saw the president tear the truth before our eyes."
What specifically the president lied about was not specified. And this has already become a “good” tradition. The most ridiculous and monstrous accusations now do not need to be supported by facts. For them it is not necessary to bear any responsibility. No one, of course, would ever think of apologizing to Trump and his voters for all the unpleasant words spoken about them over the past three years.
However, no one bears responsibility not only for words, but also for actions. Lost impeachment always negatively affects the party that started it. In 1998-1999 Bill Clinton was impeached. The case ended with an acquittal of the Senate. And then the speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Newt Gingrich, resigned, feeling guilty before the party and voters.
But now is a completely different time. Nancy Pelosi - the man who led the Democrats on their crusade against Trump and made sure that no one deviated from the party line - is not going to end his political career at all.
Moreover, she does not repent of anything. Pelosi believes that she did everything right. If anyone is to blame, it is the Republicans who "participated in the concealment of the crime."
Her point of view is shared by thousands of left-wing activists who took to the streets of two hundred US settlements on the evening of February 5. They chanted: “Reject concealment!”, “Mitch - a Muscovite!”, “Shame!” And other slogans. Six women protesters made their way into the congress building. They clasped their hands and sat on the floor in the rotunda of the building on Capitol Hill. On their T-shirts and hoodies it was written: “Trump is guilty”, “Trump is garbage”, “Trump leads a gang of thieves” and “Arrest Trump!”. Of course, all this creative was prepared in advance. The left-liberal headquarters knew how the Senate would vote.
Who has a relatively calm conscience is Donald Trump himself. He is the legitimately elected president, who did what he was entitled to under the Constitution and what he promised during the election campaign. He put sticks in the wheels. Conspiracy threads laced against him throughout his presidency. He was finally impeached - and acquitted. Everyone was responsible for following the procedures, but not he. It is important that the Senate vote put an end to the next round of his confrontation with the opposition, from which he again emerged victorious. He has the full moral and legal right to speak of his innocence and bias against the prosecution.
On the eve of the announcement of the message to Congress, the Gallup agency published the results of a sociological study, which indicates that the popularity of Donald Trump has risen to a historic personal maximum. His job as president is approved by 49% of Americans. Among Republicans, approval ratings reached 94%. Among non-aligned voters - 42%. This is a very good result.
For Democrats, meanwhile, the election campaign began with scandal. The results of the caucus (party meetings in the districts) in Iowa could not count two days. And when they sorted out 90% of the protocols, it turned out that “the unconditional favorite of the race” Joe Biden showed only the fourth result. A meme immediately appeared in social networks: "How can you trust the Democrats to rule the country when they are not even able to hold focuses in one state?"
Trump is undoubtedly on the rise. The Washington establishment was never able to dump it or “tame” it. And then the Democratic Party immediately gave him three gifts: the failed impeachment, the embarrassment in Iowa and the completely unpatriotic behavior of the Democratic congressmen during the message. The second term of Donald John Trump is becoming more real.
For the past three years, the world has dealt with Trump, handcuffed by Congress, the opposition and the bureaucracy. The owner of the White House dodged all the time and bent his line, but he always had to be careful. Each wrong move threatened with new investigations and unexpected turns during impeachment.
And the impeachment is over, and the investigations against the president are discredited. Now we will almost certainly see Trump liberated. Time will tell how he will manage his freedom. But do not forget that the liberal opposition has finally lost its shores.
The author’s point of view may not coincide with the position of the publisher.