Writer responds to Sasse statement on impeachment

“Politics isn’t about the weird worship of one dude” – Senator Ben Sasse

Senator, this is not about the “worship of one dude.” This is about the American People – that we had a president who fought for our needs and concerns, and delivered on what he promised.

Again, Senator Sasse insults the intelligence of his constituents, attempting by subterfuge to reframe the issue as being a cult of personality, when the principle at issue, and reason for this resolution of censure, is his support of and participation in an unconstitutional impeachment trial.

This is about the U.S. Constitution – and Senator Sasse ignoring the plain meaning of its language. This is about treating matters of consequence contemptuously. And, in my opinion, this is about the envy Ben Sasse harbors against the popularity of Donald Trump. It is Senator Sasse who chooses to make this a contest of personality. If Senator Ben Sasse were the “real conservative” he claims, then the Republican senator would not throw his hat in the ring with the spiteful Democrats, who are hell-bent on revenge against Donald Trump. A “real conservative” would not contradict the plain meaning of the Constitution, as to the penalty incurred by impeachment and conviction – removal from office (Article 2, Sec. 4, and Article 1, Sec. 3, Clause 7); and nor would the senator ignore the First Amendment rights of the former president, in claiming that the Trump’s speech incited “insurrection.” By the legal standard established in the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Brandenburg v. Ohio, President Trump did not incite nor intend to incite violence.

To underscore the point that Senator Sasse possesses a penchant for politically disingenuous rhetoric, here is an excerpted quote from a townhall phone conversation he held with constituents some time ago, during which, among other spurious complaints, the senator ridiculed President Trump’s response to the Covid pandemic:

“But the reality is that he careened from curb to curb. First, he ignored covid. And then he went into full economic shutdown mode. He was the one who said 10 to 14 days of shutdown would fix this.”

I listened to President Trump’s early press conferences and statements on the COVID threat – and never did the president state or imply “10 to 14 days of shutdown would fix this.” The accusation by Senator Sasse is but one example of his constant deluge of intellectual dishonesty when it comes to anything Trump. Neither did Dr. Fauci, Dr. Birx, Vice President Pence, or Sec. Azar make such claims. President Trump made himself abundantly clear, stating that the initial shutdown was occurring within a fluid situation of uncertainty. The shutdown would buy time to prepare the health care system response, and would reduce the initial surge of illnesses and fatalities to a degree that the system would not be overwhelmed. President Trump understood and stated that lockdowns were a temporary measure, that they should not be constant. He repeatedly stated that the “cure” should not be worse than the disease.

Despite the “curb-to-curb” mistakes made by advisers and agencies – such as were made by Dr. Fauci, the CDC, and the Surgeon General – the initial surge was mitigated. There is little to criticize of President Trump’s approach to the pandemic.

However, Fauci and the decision-makers within the CDC should be prosecuted for their continued incompetence, which has resulted in unnecessary fatalities and economic damage. The same must be said of State Governors; but they would blame the federal government’s “guidance.” It is revealing that Senator Sasse avoids addressing these aspects, rather choosing to lay the blame on President Trump. However, this is not surprising, as this is the way Senator Sasse “rolls” – which is why I say he is nothing but a political opportunist.

Bruce C. Desautels

Stratton, Nebraska