Anyone who thinks that Donald Trump doesn’t care about the fact that he has been impeached should take a look at the unhinged letter he wrote to Speaker Pelosi on the eve of the vote or review the obsessions in his Twitter feed. But it was at a rally Wednesday night in Michigan where he struck out with one of the ugliest notes of his presidency. Because Representative Debbie Dingell voted in favor of impeachment, the president suggested that her late husband had gone to hell.
Wherever did we get the idea that he always ALWAYS looks for a quid pro quo? https://t.co/3e5rLXaXMU
— Evan Shapiro (@eshap) December 19, 2019
What we know about Trump is that, under pressure he lashes out in increasingly disturbing ways. So as we prepare to face a new year, the one thing we can predict is that we will see an increasingly erratic president.
Given that it is very unlikely that the Senate will vote to remove Trump from office, the most significant date in 2020 will be November 3rd, when Americans go to the polls. It is hard to imagine how our democracy can survive another four years of this president and his congressional enablers. So what voters decide on election day will be a turning point for our country.
But given what we’ve seen from Trump over the last few months, the days after the election will be equally important. In a presidency that has been defined by one constitutional crisis after another, the ultimate test will come if he refuses to accept the results of the election. Will Republicans continue to put loyalty to party over country?
At this point, that is how I see 2020 shaping up. It will be one of the most consequential years in our country’s history. While politics in the Trump era have been exhausting at times, this is not a moment for apathy or cynicism. There’s too much at stake.
Those of us who do news analysis here at the Washington Monthly will be writing about these major events as they unfold. Our goals in 2020 will be the same as they have always been: to be informative and to put things into perspective. With so much on the line, that kind of analysis will be more important than ever.
But we can’t do this on our own. As an independent non-profit publication, our work depends on the financial support of readers like you. We are in the final stages of our annual fundraising drive here at the Washington Monthly. If you haven’t done so yet, please consider making a contribution to our efforts today. Due to a generous challenge grant from NewsMatch, every donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, which means that you can double your impact. Thank you!
