Positioned between the president who chooses not to recognize that asking foreign powers to investigate a private U.S. citizen is abuse of his office and the House of Representatives that is moving forward with impeachment, the Senate finds itself in the perfect position to assert leadership and make a deal with President Trump.
That deal could take several forms. One practical structure for a deal is to let the president know he will be acquitted in the Senate if he commits to then immediately resign. This series of events allows the president to preserve some measure of control to act in his best interest and not be the first president to be legally removed from office; and, by the time impeachment proceedings are over, most of his term in office will be already be completed. Moreover, while impeachment proceedings would not have been taken to the their legal limit, the end purpose of impeachment would have been fulfilled. The House of Representatives could withhold an article of impeachment based on obstruction of justice that could be introduced in case the president does not follow through on his commitment, and the Senate could make clear to the president that acquittal is a one-time offer.
Another option for a deal is for the Republican leadership in the Senate to make clear that the party is not supporting President Trump in his re-election, and to provide a list of things the president cannot do between now and the end of his term, lest he be convicted on a “for-now” withheld article of impeachment on obstruction of justice.
While at times such as this we cannot, and should not, avoid the necessary examination of issues of right and wrong, we as a people should be open to the most practical solutions that add a real check and balance on the president, or remove him from office. At present, while our country is torn with division, our enemies celebrate the lessened power and ability of the United States to be a light to the world. Even though a deal, such as the ones outlined above, are not the fulfillment of the letter of the law as to impeachment, a deal that reduces chaos and gets the country moving forward again is the best thing for our country, and for the world.
Benton Bramwell
Orem