President Trump is impeached.
Whatever else happens, that stain will stick with him forever. It will always be in the first line of any historical bio written about him. And deservedly so.
Every significant moment in history brings us instances of great courage, and, unfortunately, glimpses of incredible cowardice.
Profiles of Courage:
Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin of Michigan
Elissa is one of those freshman Democrats who were elected in congressional districts that in the past had gone for Republicans, and had voted by significant margins for Donald Trump in 2016. Voting for impeachment would be a tremendous risk, possibly costing them a second term.
Elissa has a background in the Defense Department and was also a CIA analyst. She researched carefully and was quite aware of the magnitude of the malfeasance of Donald Trump. Her decision was not reached lightly, and she realized that it could end her political career.
Nevertheless, she realized she had no choice but to vote for the articles of impeachment. She made her announcement at a town hall of her constituents. There was some applause, but there were many boos.
Many of her Freshman Democratic colleagues were in the same boat. But all but two made the decision to vote for articles of impeachment.
Congressman Justin Amash of Michigan
Congressman Justin Amash was a Republican. Justin is a very, very conservative libertarian, and he is quite a bit distant from my political ideology. But he does believe in our constitution, and to call out abuse and wrongdoing when it happens. He spoke out against Trump and was for an impeachment inquiry. He was on board for this long before even many of the Freshman Democrats mentioned above.
Of course, Republicans could not abide this. He was made to be a pariah and an outsider. Rather than cower, he declared himself an independent. Many who backed his campaign earlier, including members of the wealthy DeVos (Amway) family, have disavowed him.
He will have a tough row winning his district again as an Independent if he chooses to try to stay in Congress. But his integrity was too high to make any other choice.
Glimpses of Cowardice
Congressman Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey
This coward caved rather than standing for what is right. He caved so hard that he appears to be preparing to announce his switch to the Republican Party.
He knows better. He is valuing his re-election more than his principles. Or maybe he just doesn't have any principles.
Most of his staff have already quit rather than participate in his switch.
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii
I used to like Tulsi a lot. Not enough to make her my choice for President, but enough to want her voice to be heard.
I am done with that now.
She decided to vote PRESENT on the articles of impeachment.
WTH???????
She had some convoluted reason for doing so. She thought Trump was guilty, but because not a single Republican voted for them, that she thought Trump should be censured rather than impeached.
WTH????
It's not an act of principle. It's an act of cowardice. The most important decision of her political career and she decides to punt.
Oh, well. She had a good career in politics. I guess soon it will back to surfboarding on Oahu.
Every single Republican Congressperson
Wow. What incredible diversity in that party.
The Democratic Party looked like America. The Republican Party looked like a Klan Rally where they decided it wasn't necessary to wear robes anymore.
And that lack of diversity extended to their lockstep defense of Trump.
Well, it wasn't so much of a defense as a long and ugly whine, filled with yelling and fury signifying nothing.
Oh, you just hate Trump!
Well, I mean, the Ukrainians eventually got their money, didn't they?
The Democrats were mean in the process they used.
Why couldn't we expose the whistleblower and make his/her life a living hell?
You know, Trump has it worse than the Salem Witch Trials. It's like Pearl Harbor. It's like McCarthyism. Trump has it worse than Jesus Christ!
They could not defend Trump's character.
They could not refute the basis of the charges. He did it. TRUMP SAID HE DID IT.
Not one of them stood up for their country and constitution.
They all cowered to Trump.
Every single one of them.
They may think they saved their jobs. They all think they avoided the terrorism of Trump's mean tweets.
Maybe they have. Maybe they maintained their good graces with the most extreme of their constituents, and the foul beast tweeting madly from his 15-time flushed toilet.
Maybe they did escape all that. But what they will not escape?
The judgment of History. And it will not be kind.
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