Bluster's Last Stand

“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.”
Clive Staples Lewis



I found myself thinking of the above C. S. Lewis quote while watching today's House committee hearing. I find it beneficial to have some saying to repeat like a mantra while listening to republicans spouting utter nonsense and outright lies. Earlier in the week, I thought of Michelle Obama's saying that “when they go low, we go high.” Yesterday, I began thinking about why the Trump base has been so hostile to the best First Lady of my lifetime, and something clicked in relating to the hearings.

There are good Democrats who ask, in all sincerity, what good it does to impeach Trump, since the Senate is most likely going to find him guilty? And might that not harm the chances of some of the Democratic House members to win re-election? Those are valid questions that I think are worthy of serious discussion among Democrats.

In the context of impeachments, it would be silly to think that elected officials do not think of personal position, party, and country. Indeed, the republicans clearly see this in that exact order. But patriotic people view it in the opposite order: nation, party, and then personal position. We are seeing that daily with the Democratic members of Congress, and if their presentations are not making you mighty proud to be a Democrat, I don't know what could.

Being impeached will place a stain on Trump's presidency. That is a good thing. While the odds are against the Senate republicans putting our country first, I still think it is a possibility. Yet even if not, it stains Trump's place in history. And I respect that House Democrats are doing the honorable thing.

Now, back to Michelle Obama, long one of my favorite human beings to think and talk about. Why do those of the Trump base despise her? Because she is a woman? Black? Much more intelligent and successful than them? Because she was married to a man they still believe was born in a foreign nation? The first three are obvious, but the last one is worthy of consideration.

To understand this more fully, I attempted to identify the thinking of those who are watching the House hearings, and think the republicans are winning the debate. I keep in mind that these same people approve of Trump's asinine tweet about a 16-year old female today, completely unaware that this served to expose his anger that she was named Time's “Person of the Year.”

The Democrats on the House committees that have held public impeachment hearings represent Americans, I think more than at any previous time in our history, because they reflect what Americans are today. Many of them are women. They are not all white. They are intelligent, and know the Constitution. And a number of them were born in other countries, coming to America at a young age with their families. In other words, they are everything the alt-right fears and hates.

I've been alive for a long time. I've seen a heck of a lot of members come and go in the House of Representatives. And I've read a good many books on the House from before I was born. There have been numerous Representatives that I have a high regard for. And some terrible human beings, as well, such as Newt Gingrich. But I have never been as impressed with the Democrats as I currently am. I'm thankful that I've lived long enough to see this day.

I should add that I have the utmost respect for the witnesses to Trump's corruption that came forward to testify. That took courage.

I'm going to be contacting the offices of the House Democrats, and thanking them. And I will let them know that – no matter what happens in the Senate – I will be working to elect Democrats in 2020.

We often hear people talk about the risks of America turning into a dictatorship under Trump. I take that very seriously. I view it largely in the context of “systems.” What type of people enable a cruel dictator to rise? I'd say we are seeing the answer when the republican representatives aggressively and indignantly attempt to justify Trump's behaviors. Let's remove as many as possible in 2020.

Peace,
H2O Man