The bought and sold Retrumplicans

[Nikki28]

I think I see what is going on here with their vote to not impeach Trump. They made a deal with Trump through Lindsey and Paul that Trump will help them gain power back in four years with the help of Russia. The reason I think this is because if they do not convict,He gets to run and rule and this time for eternity. This is the country's worst fear.Any other thoughts.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I think it's pretty much the opposite.

They don't like Trump, and this vote by all but five of them is just more performative bullpucky. Of course the trial isn't unconstitutional and they know it, but they have to do their little dance for the MAGAts back home. They are trying to use procedural gambits to avoid having to cast a vote against convicting him, because that would require them to defend the indefensible.

But they have one more way to avoid having to choose between excusing insurrection and pissing off the lunatic MAGAt base. What I am hoping for is that at least 20 of them or so continue the charade by denouncing the trial as a sham and refusing to participate in it at all. Since conviction requires the votes of two-thirds of the members present, this would guarantee that Trump is convicted. And this would be a good thing for Senators like Cruz and Hawley who want to run for president in 2024 because it would get Trump out of the way. It would also be a good thing for Senators who are up for re-election in 2022 because they can try to wash off the Trump stank without alienating the MAGAts in their states.

[Irish_Dem]

3. Yes no showing would be a win win for them. Get rid of Trump and save face.

[Turin_C3PO]

5. Secret ballot would be good too.

I'm not sure if it's allowed though.

[Nikki28]

2. I guess

time will tell. I just do not see how anything good can come of this because Trump still have them in his reach.I see he has an open with most of them.even Lady G getting him a lawyer.I hope your right and this plan works.

[world wide wally]

4. Maybe Trump promised to not campaign for them if the vote to acquit

[brush]

6. Wishful thinking by trump and par for the course, spinelessness by republicans.

trump spokesperson just this morning announced trump is going to take a few months off to deal with his financial and legal matters—huge uncertainties there.

So for him to think all the wingers are going to sit back and wait for his return to the political fray, he's kidding himself. Cruz and Hawley already showed they're looking past him in their transparent, ambitious but bumbled attempts to grab some of his maga base. And Haley just made her bid today by asking the press to give trump a break.

Time moves on. In six months his luster will be so barely discernible it'll take industrial strength elbow grease to bring back a hint of it through the corrosion of legal and financial dings and the difficulty of covid and economic recovery it is going to be covered with.

[AntiFascist]

7. I do believe that Putin is behind much of the support for Trump and the Republicans...

As for Russia at large, if the Russian people could bring down Putin it could help bring an end to the worldwide nightmare.