(DON THOMPSON / iNFOnews.ca)

OPINION

How did America’s Republican Party get to this point?

You know, the point where President Trump’s spokesperson, part-time television lawyer and full-time laughingstock, Rudy Giuliani, can say with a straight face to millions of people, “Truth isn’t truth.”

Sadly, most Republicans in Congress - and I don’t mean just a few of them - accept every lie, every lame excuse, every deflection of fact and truth from Donald Trump and his minions. Indeed, most of the nearly sixty-three million people who voted for Trump simply disregard facts and truths.

When Trump’s long-time personal lawyer and “fixer” Michael Cohen pleaded guilty last week to eight felonies, including two campaign finance violations, he - under oath - implicated the president. Specifically, Cohen said that "in coordination and at the direction of a candidate for federal office," he kept information that would have harmed Trump from becoming public during the 2016 campaign.

Trump loyalists, of course, who once sang the praises of Michael Cohen, now accuse him of doing whatever’s necessary to save himself. They seem to shout in unison: “You can’t trust Cohen, he’s a known liar.”  Hmmmm. That, of course, is funny in that Cohen worked for more than 10 years for a truly world-class pathological liar…Donald Trump.

It’s funny, too, because the U.S. Justice Department really frowns on perjury…to the tune of five years for every lie they can prove. In other words, Michael Cohen’s in enough trouble…he is not looking for ways to extend his upcoming prison sentence.

Of course, Trump has flip-flopped more than a Rainbow Trout on dry land about the hundreds of thousands of dollars in hush money paid to women he’s had affairs with since marrying wife, Melania. First, he said there were no affairs, then no payments, then none he was aware of, and then nothing about the payments was illegal, and then, yes, he paid them out off his own money not campaign funds. Really, how can you not believe such a stand-up guy?

Only a handful of Republican Senators or Representatives have even hinted at the fact that President Donald Trump - the titular head of the Republican Party - has created an unprecedented culture of corruption in the White House.

Oklahoma Representative Tom Cole, a former House Republican Campaign Chairman, went as far out on a limb as any Republican last week when he said, “Where there’s smoke, and there’s a lot of smoke, there may well be fire.”  Now, just for the record, the saying - based on thousands of years of fact…truth - is: “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”

C’mon, it’s not a case of there “may well be fire.” What will it take for Republicans to muster an ounce of integrity…a smidgen of character? Will more than a few recognize truth and fact…can they possibly put country ahead of Party?  As yet, it is not so.

The Republicans and lying spokespersons and party-loyalist talking heads on Fox are quick to point out the Special Counsel Robert Mueller III has reached beyond the Russian collusion question. Hmmmm, again. Monica Lewinsky had nothing to do with Whitewater during Clinton’s presidency…and yet, Republicans in the House voted to impeach…even though he was found not guilty by the Senate. By the way, there are 16 Republicans still in Congress who voted for Clinton’s impeachment. Thus far, they’re not at all troubled by Trump’s shenanigans…their silence is deafening.

At some point - and that point is coming at the White House roughly at the speed of light - all Republicans will sit on the razor’s edge. Strictly from a self-serving perspective, they have to make a choice that might seem easy…do I choose to look incredibly stupid or should I do the right thing.

I’d like to think Republicans are up to the challenge…but I sincerely doubt it. Even when Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace in 1974…about one-fourth of Republican Senators and Representative supported him as he left the White House Ellipse in a helicopter.

Nixon, of course, is no longer the worst president of modern times…that mantle has been passed to - or more appropriately - snatched by Donald Trump. He is a crook, a bigot, a womanizer, a pathological liar and more…he is the same sorry excuse for a human being that I saw first hand in New York City 38 years ago.

Meanwhile, the record of Republicans being more Republican than American speaks for itself. Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, Orrin Hatch, Lindsey Graham, Kevin McCarthy…the Republican leadership…are failing America. Voters - Republicans and otherwise - should be sickened…outraged…and those who aren’t leaving out of fear should lose in November.

Last week, like it or not Republicans, President Donald Trump became an unindicted co-conspirator. That’s a big deal. It happened to Richard Nixon in February 1974…and by Aug. 9, he resigned.

It won’t take Trump that long. Two people really know how bad things are going to get…Donald Trump and Bob Mueller. Both know - even as you read this - that Trump’s days are numbered. Trump’s lies get more outrageous each day. How stupid do Republicans want to look? Mueller has more evidence of wrongdoing - much more - than what we already know about Trump and his Administration. A lot of people are going to prison.

As for the president? Donald J. Trump will resign the presidency…hopelessly trapped in his own web of deceit. Some will support him to the very end. Good for them, I guess. After all, we all knew those in school who sat in the back of the class…ignorant of facts and truth and right from wrong.

Vice-President Pence - once he becomes president - will pardon Trump…just as Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. It doesn’t matter really. Pence’s political career is virtually over. The Republican Party as we knew it…on life support for a decade...will die quietly. 

And those Republicans who remain Trump loyalists to the end? They will disappear…except in the pages of history…and in the memories of their children and grandchildren and acquaintances who won’t be able to look them in the eye.

— Don Thompson, an American awaiting Canadian citizenship, lives in Vernon and in Florida. In a career that spans more than 40 years, Don has been a working journalist, a speechwriter and the CEO of an advertising and public relations firm. A passionate and compassionate man, he loves the written word as much as fine dinners with great wines. His essays are a blend of news reporting and opinion.

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