Trump's Short Game

By diderot

January 27, 2018

 
trump 2.jpg
t-01.png

he noose is getting tighter.  The lies are more obvious.  The outcome is clear: we’re going to get him!

Really?

What, exactly, does ‘get’ mean?

Impeachment?  Well, let’s look at that. The GOP contingent on the House Judiciary Committee numbers 23, including gold-plated whack jobs (chairman) Bob Goodlatte, Steve King, Darrell Issa, Louie Gohmert, and Matt Gaetz. Four Republicans would have to defect to the Democratic side to even move off square one. 

In the full House, 20 Republicans would have to switch teams.  Does that seem likely?  Everyone in that group, from the conspiracy theorists to the corporate shills, owes allegiance to Trump after the tax bill passed.

And assuming the Articles somehow made it to the Senate, would Leader McConnell (R-Treachery) even allow a vote?  And if he did, where do the 67 votes come from?

So let’s assume impeachment’s a ‘no’.

Okay, what about criminal charges?  Certainly, he obstructed justice. 

But will that even matter?  It is unclear whether a sitting President can be indicted while in office, and most legal experts seem to think not.  Any charge will immediately burst into the court system, where the Supreme Court must finally decide.  And because of the actions of leader McConnell (R-Treason) to deny Obama his rightful pick, the odds favoring Trump seem pretty good. 

So, I’m also thinking prosecution is also out as a realistic option.

I heard a panel of ‘experts’ on TV agreeing that Trump right now is scared, and thus will try to put the Mueller thing off as long as possible. 

I think that’s exactly wrong.

Because once Mueller reports—no matter what he reports--Trump is home free. Yes, the press hysteria will amp up…but action will stall. There’s nothing left to look forward to, because there’s no forward. This is the end game; they want to get this thing done.  Hence all the supposedly optimistic suggestions from his lawyers and spokespeople that this will ‘be over soon’.  And Trump, asked about testifying himself under oath, replied, “I’d like to do it as soon as possible.”  I think he means it.

After all, the grunt work has already been done by GOP flunkies--they've undermined FBI credibility, thrilling right wingers with visions of a ‘secret society’.  The stage is set.  They want this over now. Because once things move toward either the House or the courts, he’s good to go.  They can’t touch him then.

So…this is pretty depressing, isn’t it?

There may be one out.  Should the Democrats achieve the landslide they’re dreaming of in November, the numbers game in Congress could change enough in their favor to make Impeachment plausible.   There’s no double jeopardy protection for a President, so it could all be brought up again no matter what happens this year. 

But furor about Russian interference in the 2016 election is the single impediment he sees as depriving him of proper homage.  Thus, it’s the Dems who should be playing the long game.  No rush to judgement; wait for a new and hopefully improved Congress.

Yes, it’s a longshot.  And Mueller does not seem to be the kind of guy to drag his feet just because Trump wanted him fired.  But…at least it’s a shot.  Therefore, for every minute party leaders now spend salivating over the prospects of a felled President, they should be spending 30 thinking about ways to make sure this next election does not turn out like the last one.

It’s the only thing that can ‘get’ him.