To start with let me say thank you to Ace for the title. And also to the Shangri-Las (you have to find that reference yourself).

How long ago did this quiet takeover of our democracy begin. I can’t believe that in just the last three years our elected representatives have decided that it is okay to ignore our constitution.

Many years ago, it seems, Russian influence began to infiltrate the Republican Party. Secreted away from the public the Russian propaganda has been spread and accepted by this secret society. It makes one wonder if our current President, with his love of Putin, has been the “chosen one” all along. Was he the leader of the pack? Russian influence evidently has been years in the making. Little back room meetings, strategy sessions, when to make the move, when to allow the new Beloved Leader to take his rightful place. 2016 seemed right to them. They caught us off guard. How would we know that nearly half the country had been converted under our noses? And that there was a way to influence our elections so that the electoral college would favor this despot. And now Republicans are spouting Russian propaganda in their speeches and rants. Since Vlad said, prior to our President’s inauguration, that Ukraine was behind the tinkering of the 2016 election, we have heard the stories. Of course our own experts have debunked this for what it is…Russian propaganda. House Republicans even vomited this out on the House floor during the impeachment vote debates. Vladimir Putin has been dancing in the streets.

So when did Moscow Mitch, Lindsay “The Switcher” Graham, Little Jimmy Jordan and others join in with Putin’s grand plan? Must have happened over time. Were all these seemingly honorable Americans always in favor of a monarchy? Or were they brainwashed over time? Is this what the flavor of power does? It seems that many, if not most Republicans have been swayed to notion that a king is better than a president. Or at least a dictator. As our President and his followers make a mockery of the rule of law, ignore and tear apart our constitution, we see a wave of acceptance across the country.

Racism, bigotry, misogyny, white supremacy have started to become the norm. The Republicans have embraced this. They have bowed down and kissed the feet of this President. This President that lauds the powerful dictators of the world’s most tyrannical governments. Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and more. The same president that has a person who believes in white supremacy setting policy for immigration.

How long has this been going on? We never will know for sure. But it has begun to take shape. We are teetering on the edge of democracy. How do we make sure the balance of power does not shift toward communism, oligarchy, monarchy, etc.? The ballot box. We have to VOTE.

You probably think of me as a left wing liberal. Maybe far left. I have to admit that I lean that way. I haven’t always been this liberal, in fact I still don’t consider myself much left of center. In these times though I have to side with the far left to counterbalance the insanity of the right.

As we listen and watch the impeachment hearings I am brought to the realization that the Republican Party has succumbed to some sort of mind meld. How is it that so many good men and women can support the man who is Trump. Not necessarily the politician but the man. He is vulgar, he is an embarrassment to the country, he is arrogant, he is…oh this could go on too long.

I really do understand that conservatives agree with many of his policies. I get that. What I don’t understand is how so many Senators, Representatives, Governors, unelected officials, etc. can throw away their basic human qualities to support this man. Sure, there are going to be morally bankrupt men and women who will do anything to stay in power. Who would have thought there were so many?

Back to the impeachment hearings. Once again I get that many conservatives don’t believe there was anything wrong with the President asking for help in fighting corruption. We all want corruption stopped. Others say it was wrong to ask but since Ukraine got the aid and the president didn’t get the investigation everything is hunky dory. That is not how bribery works in the constitution. Asking for something in return for some sort of payback is the bribery. The fact that it didn’t work doesn’t matter. It’s the act not the result. Then there is the obstruction. The White House has committed obstruction of Congress by ignoring subpoenas. Not letting staff testify is a definition of obstruction. The White House cannot complain about unfair testimony if they are not willing to testify.

The impeachment of Donald Trump is a foregone conclusion. The conviction is not. This is a partisan issue in a partisan time. Maybe, just maybe if the Senate would hold a secret ballot we might see a different outcome.

How will those who vote to clear the President explain to their children and grand children why they voted they way they did? Can they sleep at night knowing they kept a man in office who is such a disgrace to our country? Leaving aside his policies again, just taking into account the respect our government has lost in the world.

And again to my liberal leanings, I would love to see a real Republican run for president in 2020. I am not sure I would vote for them but it would a sign of a return to goodness that our country needs. For now I will stay a liberal and will vote for a Democrat. I feel we need to turn the country back to the world’s best republic. Let’s get back to what makes us Americans. Decent, sympathetic, helping, with strong loyalty to our allies and honor and respect to each other.