General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRepublicans must decide.
It may seem like an easy decision for many of them, but the long-range consequences could be very severe for their political futures.
Do they want a fair trial in the Senate or will they agree to let Trump and McConnell fix the process? They are taking a huge gamble.
What happens if they acquit and more damning evidence comes out? What if more emails come out? What if Bolton and McGahn are forced to testify by the Courts? Is it really something they want to rush and sweep under the rug?
No doubt they are looking at this from their own self-interest perspective. They know there is much more devastating news coming down the road. How will it affect their political careers?
This is the decision they have to make. Do they really want to put all their chips on Donald Trump? Don't bet on it.
cutroot
(869 posts)OnDoutside
(19,908 posts)the uppers in the GOP, they're in too deep to back out now. In reality the die was cast after pussygate in October 2016, and now there's no other way except dig even deeper.
pwb
(11,205 posts)The blue wave will reach tidal size next election.
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)That's why this whole pause of two weeks is driving Trump even battier than usual. The longer things are drawn out, the more comfortable the public gets with the notion of removing Trump from office. Time is not on the Republicans' side, and they know it. There have already been new revelations of wrongdoing that have seeped out since the articles of impeachment were approved by the House.
Why don't they concern themselves with long range consequences? Because those consequences might never come back on them, and the actions of today are all they know for sure. Looking at the record, who can blame Republicans? They don't get called to account, except for the most unpopular office-holders for the narrowest of crimes. That means that almost all of them get off scot-free, and the statistical likelihood of punishment for any one of them is very small, diminished even further if someone else takes the hit.
duforsure
(11,882 posts)Corrupt criminals like trump ,or believe in the rule of law and the truth. Their freedom from legal issues may also depend on their future if they've taken russian money funneled from putin, and election fraud and corruption.
Martin Eden
(12,803 posts)In the short-range, Republicans who seek re-election dare not oppose Trump because that would very likely spell defeat in the next Republican primary.
But in the long-range -- IF truth and sanity gains the upper hand in America -- Donald Trump will be a putrid orange shit stain not easily wiped off for many years to come.
Mister Ed
(5,896 posts)Very glad you raised that question. It gives my spirits a lift, because I have to think that is exactly what will happen.
Pelosi, Schiff, Nadler, et al probably already know of much more damning information than is contained in the Articles of Impeachment. Madame Speaker is probably holding quite a few more aces than she has already laid on the table.