“I bet it all!” You’ve seen it in the movies, as a player pushes all their chips to the center of the poker table. Then with a smile, one player follows suit saying, “I match your bet and call. It’s show and tell time.”
Nancy Pelosi called for Articles of Impeachment, announcing her big bet before the House Judiciary Committee had even finished its investigation. It’s as if President Trump pushed a matching pile of political chips into the center of the table, “Bring it on. In the Senate, I’ll get to show you my hand!”
You think you know what both have in their hands, but do they have a joker, a wild card we don’t know about? Just what is the evidence of a crime calling for Trump’s impeachment? After months of searching, investigations, and testimony, their articles of impeachment don’t even mention a high crime and misdemeanor, just the ambiguous charges of “abuse of power” and “obstruction of Congress.” Will the Senate trial give an opportunity for Trump to call his witnesses in his defense? Will they dismiss the weak charges without a trial?
It’s clear even the Democrats now know their impeachment efforts won’t result in Trump’s removal from office. A successful impeachment vote in the House with such a weak hand won’t tarnish the President’s image enough to give them the edge they need in November. So why would Pelosi take such a risk with the possibility of losing the House to Republicans? After all, Republicans are united and angry that this was done so close to an election on such weak grounds. This may please the Democrats’ base who have wanted Trump’s impeached since his inauguration, but it’s clear that it’s not impressing the independents they need.
It's also clear that Nancy and her Democratic colleagues are desperate. They don’t feel that they can defeat President Trump in November with the candidates they have positioned to run against his record of accomplishments and the strong US economy. To them, impeachment is one of their only options left.
From the moment Donald Trump beat the odds and defeated Hillary Clinton, they have sought to nullify the 2016 election results. Speaking before the House Judicial Committee, Stephen Castor, House Judiciary Committee counsel for the Republicans, stated in his opening comments, “Just 27 minutes after the President’s inauguration…the Washington Post ran a story that the campaign to impeach the president has already begun. The article reported democrats and liberal activists were mounting broad opposition to stymie Trump’s agenda. It noted that impeachment strategists believe that the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause would be the vehicle. In the first two years of the administration, the Democrats in the House introduced articles of impeachment to remove President Trump from office on a number of very different factual bases.”
Stating subsequent comments by Representatives Brad Sherman, Rashida Tlaib, and Al Green about their impeachment strategy shed light on the seriousness of the Democrats’ commitment to Trump’s impeachment. Castor continued, "This unfair process reflects the degree to which Democrats are obsessed with impeaching President Trump by any means necessary. The Democrats went searching for a set of facts on which to impeach the President — the Emoluments Clause, the President's business and financial records, the Mueller report and allegations of obstruction there — before settling on the Ukraine phone call."
It’s clear that the Democrats’ all-out push does not appear to be working. Polls and fundraising remain strong for President Trump. Lines to attend his rallies remain strong and faithful. Ratings for the televised hearings were abysmal. Not a single Republican Representative has committed to join their partisan call for Trump’s impeachment.
In spite of the unfair, one-sided process in the Democrat-controlled House, Democrats have not been able to sell impeachment. It’s clear that a fairer hearing in a Senate Impeachment trial will only improve his poll numbers and support in November.
Yes, the Democrats are betting it all on impeachment! President Trump and his Republican supporters have called their bet. Let the House vote. If the articles of impeachment are passed, the good money is on Trump winning it all in the US Senate and taking that victory to seal his re-election in November. His supporters are fighting mad at the Democrats and can’t wait to do what they must to reelect their man. That means four more years of frustrated Democrats and befuddled media pundits as President Trump actively moves forward his can-do agenda in an effort to truly keep America great!
Terry Paulson is PhD psychologist, author, and professional speaker on Earned Optimism, Making Change Work, Claiming Your American Dream,andBecoming a Conservative Values Voter. Contacthimatterry@terrypaulson.com.