It's All Greek To Me

It is a sickness which somehow comes with every tyranny: to place no trust in friends.

– Aeschylus, "Prometheus Bound"

Maybe it was a case of too much feasting during the Thanksgiving break. It could have something to do with overdosing on football. And there's the desire to find somewhere else to be rather than listen to another family argument over whether it's "stuffing" or "dressing."

Whatever the cause, I found myself searching Google for any little distraction that could help clear my mind of the holiday blahs.

How I ended up skimming through obscure ancient Greek tragedies is anybody's guess, but that's where I found the quote that begins this column. Strangely enough, it seems to fit nicely with recent headlines.

They have eyes, but ...

As the impeachment of President Trump heats up, the speculation intensifies. Will Democrats in the House be able to make a convincing argument? Is there a single Republican in congress who is willing to put country ahead of party? Could the entire process work to Trump's advantage, giving him the inside track toward a successful re-election? It's impossible to guess, so I encourage you to avoid betting on the outcome. But there are a few things we know for sure.

We know that it was a team of Russians – NOT Ukraine – who orchestrated a social media campaign designed to interfere in the 2016 election, working to mislead the American public with false propaganda. We know that Russian hackers managed to gain access to voter databases and political playbooks. And we know that all this was done with the approval of and under the watchful eye of long-time KGB agent Vladimir Putin.

We know what happened because our intelligence agencies told us what happened. Their overwhelming conclusion that Russia was responsible cannot be ignored. These are Americans who take their work – and our lives and security – seriously. You might be able to argue a point here, a point there. But when non-partisan, seasoned professionals bring the facts by the truckload, it's time for you to set aside the Facebook rumors and show them some respect.

A loss of common sense

But that's not where we are, America. We no longer can count on the average American putting trust in the facts. Instead, millions of otherwise practical adults are forfeiting their common sense, turning their minds over to whichever loud and flashy internet meme is the latest to capture their attention.

Or, whichever loud politician in an ill-fitted suit is shouting into the nearest microphone.

I find it embarrassing that so many people continue to stand behind this president. He may appeal to their deeply held prejudices and fear, or they just might be so disengaged that they just don't care if Trump is lying to them on a daily basis. But I just can't understand how they can allow some of his most egregious actions to go unchallenged.

This president not only refuses to believe evidence of Russia's malfeasance as provided by 17 intelligence agencies, he bends over backwards to give Putin special favors.

Trump works against the advice of military leaders, putting our service members and allies in grave danger and effectively handing control over to tyrants.

He publicly degrades our legal system, granting pardons to some and dangling a "Get Out of Jail Free" card in front of others.

The president can't deal with the honest testimony of Americans in congressional hearings, so instead he and his closest supporters falsely attack the integrity and loyalty of those who dare to come forward. I'm guessing that the ghost of Joe McCarthy is giving Trump a thumbs-up.

He has even used the pardon of a convicted Navy SEAL as a means of claiming his support of the armed services, even though that decision throws the entire military justice system under the bus.

And still, his followers think he can do no wrong.

Law & Order Party?

Once upon a time, the Republican Party claimed to stand for law and order and unending loyalty to our troops. If that were still the case, then our president would consider our intelligence agencies and military to be his best friends. But as Trump continues to quack like a tyrannical duck, Aeschylus' quote seems to be more accurate with each passing day.

What good will come?

It looks now that the House is just days away from voting on assorted articles of impeachment, sending the case to the Senate for a possible trial.

As I've said many times before, there is no chance that Mitch McConnell and the Republican-controlled Senate will vote to convict the president, no matter how strong the argument and evidence. But wrapping up the impeachment proceedings quickly actually works to the benefit of Democrats running for congressional seats, if not also those seeking the White House.

By forcing Republicans to go on the record and give the president a free pass, voters will be encouraged to take out their frustrations at the ballot box. Democrats will make the argument that Republicans can't be trusted to stand up for the constitution and the rule of law.

It's a risky strategy that just might work. But I'm not willing to bet the farm on it. Not yet, at least.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Herald employees or advertisers. The Herald believes in robust public debate about important issues.

Archived columns and resources can be found at Scott's blog, http://www.thenonfictionsection.com.