Forgone Conclusion Trump Walks

In 1868 Andrew Johnson who was absolutely an unpopular President came within a single vote of being impeached on charges of high crimes and misdemeanors that were approved by a Republican controlled House of Representatives. Historians will tell you that Andrew Johnson's impeachment was precipitated by his firing of Edwin Stanton's as Secretary of War. That Andrew Johnson had secured a commitment from Ulysses S. Grant to take over the cabinet position. The fact that Stanton had the unwavering support of both Houses of Congress was a primary reason for the impeachment actions against Andrew Johnson. In actuality many of Andrew Johnson's actions that were viewed as Anti-Reconstruction and deemed as Pro South were also factors that initiated the impeachment proceedings against him. So unpopular was Andrew Johnson it was reasonable to assume that he would indeed be impeached by a jury of Pro-Reconstruction Senators. It was rough and ready politics during that period of history and many historians claimed that bribery was the only thing that kept Andrew Johnson from being impeached. It was a time when deal making with the promise of jobs and other gratuities were being offered. Simple, it wasn't getting Andrew Johnson cleared. The three articles of impeachment that were defeated by a single vote by the US Senate will go in history as a stain on the governance of this nation. The botch of this impeachment was generated by Andrew Johnson's distaste for the recently freed slaves getting any headway in terms of citizenship of voting rights. Andrew Johnson was a racist, a bigot, and no lover of blacks gaining any economic foothold in the south. It was Andrew Johnson who declared Field Order 15 which guaranteed former slaves 40 acres and a army mule null and void. He returned the land promised to the recently freed slaves back to the Confederate Plantation owners. The reason why Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives was that he was a staunch defender of southern rights. Johnson riled up the northern legislators who wanted to see Reconstruction implemented. With 9 years after the Trial of Andrew Johnson the Compromise of 1877 effectively ended Reconstruction when the Republican Party choose the White House over black equality in the southern states. One vote kept Andrew Johnson from being impeached. One vote kept the US Senate from impeaching Andrew Johnson and reaching the 2/3 threshold needed to secure a guilty verdict.


Now we jump ahead 152 years to 2020 and another Impeachment Trial will be taking place in the United States Senate. Only this time it's not a liberal wing of the Republican Party that controls the power of the vote to convict a sitting president and remove him from office. It's not a case where 82% of the House of Representative in 1868 voted for the Articles of Impeachment. In this case only 54% of the House of Representatives voted for the Impeachment of Donald Trump. It was strictly along party lines. While in 1868, the Democratic largely southern congressmen and senators were in Andrew Johnson's corner. The current House except for two democratic congressman, Jeff Van Drew and Collin Peterson voted to impeach this sitting president. It was a partisan vote clearly along party lines. If even 1 Republican Congressperson had crossed party lines maybe the case for Trump's impeachment would be a little more favorable. The fact that not one single republican legislator in the House voted against Trump spells doom to any chance that Donald Trump will be impeached. Because in the current US Senate the Republicans are in control of the proceedings now. Even with John Roberts in charge of the actual impeachment trail. John Roberts, the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a justice appointed by the a republican president. Mitch McConnell holds the keys to the Senate Leadership. With 53 Republican Senators and 47 Democratic Senators assuming that every Democratic Senator votes for impeachment which is no sure thing. It will take 19 Republican Senators to cross the party line to successfully remove Donald Trump from office. If you look at the current electoral map from the 2016 election results by state. The red states outnumber the blue state which simply means Donald Trump will be on the ballot for President in November 2020's General Election. If the Democrats in the Senate aren't careful they may even botch up this entire trial and provide Donald Trump the momentum he needs to secure a second term. I call this Donald Trump's gambit read my blog from December 18, 2019. The reality if that based on the vote taken in the House of Representatives Donald Trump will be absolved of any criminality by a vote of at least 53 Republican Senators to 47, most likely less Democratic Senators. Anyone who thinks that Donald Trump will be removed from office by this current US Senate is on some weird psychedelic drug or some pretty strong marijuana. It just isn't happening. Yes, Donald Trump will go down as the 3rd President to be impeached (Richard Nixon resigned before he was impeached) joining Andrew Johnson, and Bill Clinton. While Andrew Johnson image was tarnished by his impeachment. Bill Clinton maintained some level of dignity after his impeachment in 1998. As matter of fact his Vice President Al Gore actually won the 2000 Presidential Election but that election was stolen by the Supreme Court then as now controlled by justices nominated by republican presidents. So, those who think that the Orange Man is leaving the scene it simply isn't happening at the hands of the Untied States Senate. That's why Trump can sling his hate and divisiveness via Twitter or via a lengthy letter to House Speaker Pelosi. Wait until he starts on the Democratic Senators. This is a plan to turn on his base, to put him in a martyr's position of being prosecuted for doing what his base wants him to do stir of the pot of hatred and divisiveness. This is the same base that treated each of his speaking engagements in 2016 as an opportunity to spread the virtues of white power and hatred of every minority group in America, especially blacks and hispanics. So get ready for a wild ride for a nation split almost in half. The only way Trump is going to leave office before November's election is if his health fails. We already know that his mind failed long ago but it didn't stop him from winning in 2016. If Americans truly want to see the Trump Train stopped in 2020. It won't be done in the US Senate that derailment can only come by changing just a few of those red states to blue in November. If the same consequences that occurred in 2016 repeat themselves, be assured Trump will be raising his right hand again on January 20, 2021. So get ready and implore everyone who really wants to change in the White House to vote. Because Trump is more than assured of getting 34 Republican Senators to put a halt to these impeachment proceeding once they reach the Senate floor.