There has been serious discussion for a short while that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) might conceivably accept a motion to dismiss the articles of impeachment and have them voted on with a Republican majority to end the Senate trial before it even began. Then came a story today that reports McConnell wouldn't have enough votes to have that motion passed.
My first reaction was -- gee, what a shock. This whole "Republicans may dismiss the articles of impeachment" story has struck me as one of the most idiotic of the impeachment period. And there have been a lot of idiotic stories during the impeachment period, If Republicans actually voted to shut down the impeachment trial of Trump before it even began, I would suggest that they'd not only lose control of the Senate, but they'd lose so many seats they wouldn't have the ability to filibuster, it would empty the House of even more Republicans, and would risk destroying the Republican Party. That's the reason that McConnell wouldn't have enough votes to have that motion passed. Because all Republican senators know that, too. And so does Mitch McConnell. Why people suggesting this possible result don't know that, too, is beyond me. No, not every Republican voter would be outraged. But I'd imagine pretty much every independent voter would be. And that would leave the GOP with only about 30% support. And it's that much only if every Republican voter would be okay with the action, and given that we know that 60% of Republicans have said there should be witnesses, that means that at the very least 60% of Republicans think there should be a trial. So, maybe we'd be down to 12% GOP support. And some of those probably think there should at least be a trial, if only to exonerate their beloved Dear Leader. Honestly, I don't necessarily think that only 12% of the public would vote for Republicans this year if the GOP Senate blocked there being a trial. It certainly could be lower than 30%, but let's say even say more than that, let's say that even if as much as 35% of the country was okay with it, a number that low alone would be enough to crush the party to the breaking point in the November election. Could I be wrong about this? Absolutely. But the risk to me being wrong compared to the risk to the GOP of me being right is so heavily-weighted to me that that is why this was simply never going to happen. Mitch McConnell is not going to block there being a trial. He never was. That was a merely a lunatic wish from a lunatic fringe. But as the saying goes -- be careful what you wish for.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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