I was a junior in high school when Peter Rodino made this speech to the House as Chair of the Judiciary Committee. He came by his place in history because the previous chair had been defeated in the congressional mid-terms. Many in his own party doubted if he was ready for an assignment of this historical magnitude. He bristled at the doubters within his party and proved equal to the task while cementing his place in history.
The Dems were in control of both the House and the Senate. Any yet one thing which bears noting is the vote in the House to conduct the impeachment hearings of Nixon was almost unanimous.
Partisanship was blunted by patriotism for the constitution. It was a process which took time…almost two years. But in the end …. FINALLY the GOP members took stock of their responsibility to the constitution.
Now…45 years later-I’m not sure I see this from the House and the Senate. The vote in the House to impeach Trump purely followed party lines. I will be shocked if regardless of the evidence the Senate vote isn’t purely partisan as well.
Out constitution and democracy stands at a crossroads beginning on Tuesday. I don’t think this has escaped John Roberts whereas Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham don’t seem to grasp the gravity of this juncture in American history.
There isn’t just one American Dream for older white men. That isn’t the American Dream. The American Dream consists of 330 million unique individual dream for those who in their own right hope and pray the dream is there to pursue. But not just to sons of rich white men. But to women, to people of all color and religions to individuals who in their hearts aspire the privilege to pursue the American Dream.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s why we fought WWII and won the Cold War. That’s why America has been looked upon as the leader of the free world still eighty-five years later.
Politics and the cash, power, and ego which comes with power can corrupt. It can in places like Ukraine as well as in the United States Senate. I laughed when Lev Parnas was trying to make Rachael Maddow understand about corruption in his homeland.
Dude—where do you think your people learned of such corruption and money grubbing?
Just observe the United States Senate and there you have the template for unfettered greed and corruption which should make every Ukrainian aspire to become a United States Senator.
So we now will set out on this trial of sorts where the people who own Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham lock, stock, and barrel already know how they want it to end.
But for the rest of us…I hope we understand where we are right now. I truly hope all Americans are paying attention to what’s at stake.