There's no doubt we live in a topsy-turvy world, a real terra incognita, where everything that was once right is wrong. We passed through the looking-glass on November 9, 2016 and have been falling up and down the rabbit hole ever since. Most Americans hope a return to normalcy is achieved by January, 2021, if not much sooner.
But what if our current wild roller-coaster ride continues? What if an anticipated Trump Impeachment never materializes? What if Trump and the GOP succeed in their plan to take control of the very investigation that is investigating them? What happens when a constitutional crisis never materializes because there are no more checks and balances?
Our country is experiencing a Low-Grade Civil War for many reasons. But it's the decades-long control of propagandized information to a devout base that has tipped the balance over the last few election cycles. A political Critical Mass has been achieved, whereby denigrated societal/cultural/governmental institutions and norms have eroded, enabling hyper-partisans to pursue their raw power objectives.
Nearly half of the country believes the Alternate Reality presented on State TV and Hate Radio. Conservative Media is supported by plutocrats like the Mercers and Koch Brothers as a cheap investment for their own towering ambitions. The "Fake News" trope that has become ubiquitous is crippling to our democracy but benefits them and their pocketed officials. The following influential article has seen wide currency within DC. It is REALLY good and explains a lot:
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/2/16588964/america-epistemic-crisis
"Say the entire right-wing media machine kicks to life and dismisses the (Trump Indictments) as a scam - and conservatives believe them. The conservative base remains committed to Trump, politicians remain scared to cross the base, and US politics remains stuck in partisan paralysis, unable to act on what Mueller discovers...we may just have to live with a president indicted for collusion with a foreign power."
Another voice that spoke about the dangers of truth-murdering and public apathy is David Frum, former Bush speechwriter. His chilling pre-Inauguration piece in The Atlantic seems horribly prescient. Here is a brief video of his talking points from the article, and it is Spot On:
https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/515082/can-it-happen-here/
It can't happen here? Which brings us to the ongoing Federal investigation and possible prosecution of Trump, his campaign and his associates. At present, we have a Special Counsel, former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who is investigating a range of activities that would be considered High Crimes and Misdemeanors for Impeachment. By the way, if you have a cranky friend or relative who keeps yelling "Witch Hunt!" or some such, refer them to this article:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/03/07/what-we-believe-mueller-is-investigating/?utm_term=.d5cdb68ca926
The GOP understands the existential threat that Mueller represents to the Trump Presidency and to their party. There is a concerted effort underway to smear him and all other investigators as corrupt Deep State actors - including former FBI Director James Comey, former Interim FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the FBI and the Department of Justice. They seek to poison the well of public opinion. To a large degree, it appears to be working.
Political opponents are characterized as treasonous criminals and national security threats. Trump routinely calls for the prosecution and imprisonment of those who stand in his way:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/james-comey-welcome-to-the-long-list-of-people-trump-wants-to-jail
But it will take every bit of enormously focused propagandized influence to blemish the integrity of Robert Mueller. He prosecuted the former Panamanian strongman, Manuel Noriega. He was in charge of the Lockerbie bombing investigation. He took down the "untouchable" John Gotti and the Gambino Crime Family. Check out his modus operandi from one who interacted with him daily:
https://www.lawfareblog.com/what-i-learned-briefing-robert-mueller
Trump and GOP-ers like Devin Nunes and other tools will try their utmost to manipulate public perception against Mueller & Co. They've already forced Rod Rosenstein to release documents from an ongoing criminal investigation - unprecedented! The alternative would have been Rosenstein receiving a Contempt of Congress citation and a movement to impeach him; this would give Trump cover to fire Rosenstein and install someone who would, in turn, fire Mueller. In any other Congress, this would have been unthinkable for its partisan, unethical and possible illegal play.
So what happens when Congress refuses to check the possible treasonous actions of a Chief Executive? And, in fact, is complicit? It becomes a "full-steam-ahead" towards solidifying a permanent One Party Rule and Autocracy while ignoring the Constitutional Rule of Law.
Here is what could happen: Rosenstein and Mueller are fired and the scope of the investigation becomes severely constricted if not terminated, as well as the public release of any findings. Or, if Rosenstein and Mueller remain, the investigation brings forth a slew of charges against Trump & Co. But the GOP House of Representatives does not vote to impeach on the indictments.
Either way, Trump does not get impeached. But the story won't end there. In fact, the story may not even play out in DC at all.
One way that Mueller can protect his investigation is naming Trump as a co-conspirator in a sealed indictment. Trump can fire Mueller, but the sealed indictment will protect the scope of the investigation because it removes its supervision from the Executive Branch to the Judicial Branch, specifically to a Federal Judge:
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/04/21/robert-mueller-russia-probe-protection-218065
Mueller has also been working with New York State's Attorney Eric Schneiderman, among other state AGs. There has been much speculation that Mueller has been providing Schneiderman with the means to pursue prosecution on a state level if the federal investigation is curtailed. In fact, one source - the much abused but strangely accurate Patribotics site - claims that Schneiderman had already been investigating Trump and provided Mueller with enough early evidence that a sealed indictment has been placed in the Eastern District Court of Virginia. And yes, there is a sealed indictment sitting there, waiting, from when Paul Manafort and Robert Gates were indicted last year. Hmmmmmm.
Therefore, it appears that Mueller is protecting his investigation. It will carry on, either at the federal or state prosecutorial level. Also, too, if it proceeds on the state level, Trump cannot pardon any indictees. In fact, if he really is named as a co-conspirator, unindicted or not, he cannot pardon any "co-conspirators".
Trump and the GOP are devious. But they are sloppy. Robert Mueller is extremely demanding in fine details. In the end, Trump won't get impeached despite overwhelming evidence. But he, and others, will get prosecuted and convicted - in a New York State courthouse. He, his family and GOP associates are going to crash down in the most spectacular pile we've ever witnessed.
Now to carry us forward on this crest of Resistance fervor, let's listen to the great under-rated rabble-rousers from the 1980's, The Call. Their lyrics are truly prescient for our time. Sharpen the pitchforks and grab your torches!! "The Walls Came Down":
Well they blew the horns
And the walls came down
They'd all been warned
And the walls came down
They stood there laughing
They're not laughing anymore
The walls came down
Sanctuary fades
Congregation splits
Nightly military raids
The congregation splits
It's a song of assassins
Ringin' in your ears
We got terrorist thinking
Playing on fears
Well they blew the horns
And the walls came down
They'd all been warned
But the walls came down
I don't think there are any Russians
And there ain't no Yanks
Just corporate criminals
Playin' with tanks
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