What does Mitch McConnell think he’s doing?
Over the weekend, Republicans aghast at having been called out for the violence and democratic backsliding that their own insane rhetoric has fostered for the last decade are now urging the nation to “move on” and show “unity.” That last one tends to be a code word for siding with them and giving them whatever they want regardless of how much leverage they have in Congress – even if the idea is destructive and unpopular. A few Senate Republicans have called on Trump to resign after the Capitol siege that could have killed them – but probably not enough votes to convict, even if there’s enough time for a Senate trial anyway.
It turns out that Nancy Pelosi had more on her mind when she let the article of impeachment be drawn up. Aside from Donald Trump clearly deserving it, it turns out that Mitch McConnell has been planning to delay Trump’s trial in the Senate – to begin on the day after Biden is sworn in. McConnell’s real plan here, of course, was to tie up Biden’s legislative agenda and cabinet appointments in an effort to rapidly deflate Biden’s popularity. Instead, Pelosi and Rep. Jim Clyburn decided to wait until at least after Biden’s first 100 days in office have ended before sending everything over to the Senate.
The fact that McConnell wrote a memo on it is just the latest exhibit of evidence that the GOP has no plans of reaching out. Despite losing the White House and Congress just before a coup attempt took place on the country, McConnell is concerned with keeping his role as the “Grim Reaper.” It could also look worse for Trump if this is pushed so far back, as we’re sure to get more details of how hideous the crimes of his administration were by the time the Senate votes.
James Sullivan is the assistant editor of Brain World Magazine and an advocate of science-based policy making