Friday, March 1, 2019

History Doesn't Repeat, But It Often Rhymes

https://newrepublic.com/article/143014/trump-new-nixon-historians-cant-agree
In 1973, Richard Nixon resigned the presidency on the Watergate scandal. Members of Nixon's campaign hired CIA operatives to break into the Democratic offices in the Watergate Hotel to steal campaign information and improve his chances of re-election. The burglars were paid by the Committee to Re-Elect the President. The investigation revealed the conduct of the President's aides and friends - partially by the testimony of one of the members involved. The President was not connected to the original crime but participated in an extensive cover-up that involved abusing the power of his office for the corrupt purpose of obstructing an investigation into his associates (also tax fraud).

Remember the truism, "History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes". Special Counsel Robert Mueller (and the press) have already uncovered multiple instances of members of the Trump Campaign meeting and coordinating with members of the Russian Government and Russian Intelligence. Those campaign members repeated lied about those interactions until the truth came out. Three high-level campaign staff met with Russian operatives in Trump Tower, close associate Roger Stone communicated with Russian Intelligence and Wikileaks to disseminate stole campaign information, and the candidate himself asked for Russian help on national TV while campaigning (Russia if you are listening...). This is the original crime greater than or equal to the break-in at the Watergate Hotel.

Next comes the cover-up. As the investigations gained steam, the President asked the FBI director to lay-off of his friend and Director of National Intelligence who blatantly and willfully lied about his contacts with Russia. Then the President fired that FBI director admitting on national TV and to the Russian Ambassadors in the Oval Office that he did so because of the Russian Investigation. The President would proceed to berate his Attorney General for nothing other than recusing himself on matters related to Russia and later firing him to install an acting Attorney General with no qualifications other than his TV appearances attacking the Russian Investigation. On multiple occasions, the President has attempted to fire the Special Counsel only to be saved from himself by his staff. He has however, fired the investigators including the FBI director, the entire top level administration of the FBI and the attorney general. And finally, he routinely attempts to intimidate the witnesses against him.

The President has openly and brazenly attempted to obstruct the investigation into his campaign's numerous connections to the Russian government and into his own actions. This is the story that will be told in the history books next to the story of Watergate. Even in 1973, Richard Nixon enjoyed popular support throughout the investigation until his voice was discovered on tape participating in the cover-up. Now, the President abuses his power in plain site. His voice is on video tape participating in the cover-up and even the original crime.

This is a long and complex story, difficult to follow even if you are paying attention even worse if you only watch Fox News. But what side of history do you wish to be on? The side that protects the Rule of Law and believes that no-one is above the law, including the President? Do you believe the President has unlimited power, like a modern American King, or did we design a Constitution to prevent these abuses of power that no-one should be trusted to maintain? For one final thought, imagine the shoe on the other foot. 

It's not a hard choice. Trust me, I don't want Mike Pence to become President either, but to protect the Rule of Law and our American Institutions, he should be President as soon as possible. He will do similar damage to consumer protects, civil rights and continue to actively strip Americans of access to health care. But he will be less embarrassing on the world stage. He won't bow to the Russian President, cozy up with the murderous Saudi Prince, or make the same mistakes the a North Korean dictator. He's a bland Gerald Ford, but he is what America needs to break this fever. Sooner rather than later.

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