Profiles In Cowardice

It used to be that we would look to people and history for those courageous moments, those courageous people who we sometimes call heroes. Men and women of conscience standing up in difficult times. Perhaps we still will at some time in the future but not today. Today we have cowardice staring us in the face.

Lamar Alexander, the Senator from Tennessee, helped show the way last night as he put his imprint on the fake trial being held in the US Senate. He is ending his career in what will be identified in history as disgrace. His legacy will be that he concluded that the President of the United States is guilty of soliciting aid from a foreign country to smear a political opponent and to thereby interfere in an American election. Yes, guilty as sin, but not impeachable. Ponder that for a minute or two.

Then we have John Bolton, another profile in cowardice. First he refuses to take part in the House of Representatives' proceedings, playing games with the courts, while others of his colleagues testify. He then announces to his Republican friends in Congress that he's very willing to testify in the Senate trial as part of a promo for his upcoming book. He implies he has lots to tell but also knows that there is little chance that he will be called as a witness. He's off speaking to private groups continuing to float his conservative views on war and international issues. His story is that he has lots of information about what the President said and when he said it. He implies that the President and his top ranking aides may have committed illegal acts. He does all of this knowing that the odds of him being called to testify are slim to none. He does this while promoting his tell some book hoping to add to his millions. Courage or cowardice, you be the judge.

In the meantime other GOP Senators tow their Mitch McConnell line. They will reap what they sow in one way or the other. They will have to live with the consequences of Donald Trump unleashed in the coming days and months. They gamble with thinking that he can be controlled if need be. They are sorely mistaken I believe. He will lash out unencumbered. There will be no policy debates or compromise. The cult of racism and authoritarianism is almost complete. Our only hope is that the anger of the electorate is not something to be fiddled with come November. The sound bites from the fake trial will be played over and over.

The damage that has been done though is much greater. It is something that we can't yet measure completely. The fact is that our Constitution has been proven to be vulnerable to selfish and unethical men and women. Profiles in cowardice rule the day.