Saturday, January 18, 2020

Saturday before the Senate Trial



This three-day holiday weekend is the calm before the constitutional storm. 

Next week the third impeachment trial in the history of these United States will convene. 

What I observe:

1. I am tired of people using the phrase that something related to the impeachment has never happened before in the history of the U.S. The fact is that an impeachment trial has only happened twice in our history; hence, there really is no historical precedent upon which to base what is normal. The entire proceeding is not normal. 

2. What the founding fathers thought, said, or meant as they wrote the Constitution is difficult to interpret and apparently there are few immutable truths. I have heard opinions on issues being interpreted to support whatever partisan politics demands.

3. While designed to get to the bedrock truths, I doubt that such a truth is available. We will all be left with a bad taste in our mouths when everything is concluded, although the subject is not nearly so distasteful as the Clinton impeachment. Bottom line is that there are no winners and we are all losers in some manner. 

4. The impeachment is an historic event. Every American should watch the proceedings and resolve to determine for themselves, based upon an examination of the evidence and the explanations of the constitution, their opinion about the impeachment. 

Finally, I implore everyone to remain calm and somewhat detached and unemotional. We need to be civilized and able to discuss what we see and believe without feeling the necessity to forcibly change another person's opinion. Apparently, there is no right or wrong answer because there is no absolute truth. Everything is relative.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

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