I have been agnostic on impeachment; like the Mueller report I did not want to invest the time to study all the evidence and reach an objective conclusion because I would have no influence on the outcome either way. Seemed like a waste of time. This is the classic case of The Myth of the Rational Voter.

I do have a few observations.

The impeachment seems to be getting relatively little interest from the broad public. The gallery in the Senate is empty. I think there are two reasons for this. The charge of using undue influence on the Ukrainians seems hard to grasp as a real wrongdoing; seems more like the kind of pressure anyone would use in the course of exercising government power. Lying under oath and suborning perjury are at least easy to understand as real identifiable crimes.

Secondly, the refusal of the Resistance since the inauguration to recognize the election as legitimate raises questions of their own legitimacy. After numerous leaks during the Mueller investigation that promised to bring this presidency to collapse all failed to prove collusion, the impeachment process is greeted with skepticism. The Kavanaugh hearing was another angry mob willing to blatantly lie to achieve their political goals.

The Republicans have little choice but to acquit, regardless of the merits of the case. To do otherwise would be to lose both houses of Congress and unleash the opposition party which has turned radically left even from the days of Obama. There are many conservatives who would prefer a much different candidate than Trump but fear the radicalized current Democratic Party much more.

The impeachment has made for some interesting surprises. Alan Dershowitz and Jonathan Turley oppose the articles of impeachment. Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano supports impeachment.

At this point assuming he is acquitted it seems it will have little lasting effect come election time. It may have more impact on the Senate elections in some states. It may also totally backfire on the Democrats. A moderate Democratic party could have leveraged this impeachment to certain victory in Congress and the Whitehouse. The new radicalized Democratic party will have a much tougher time.

By refusing to accept the will of the voters, the Democrats have failed to recognize their own flaws that caused so many in the Midwest that were strong Democratic voters to abandon their party. They should read The Great Revolt by Selena Zito and Brad Todd.

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