by A. Joseph Lynch
THE WEEKLY BRIEF
HIGH CRIMES?
For all their talk about quid pro quos, extortion, and bribery - not to mention the obstruction of justice argument laid out by Bob Mueller last July - Democrats refused to include any of them in their two official articles of impeachment.
Instead we hear of the nebulous "obstruction of Congress" and "abuse of power." Neither are "high crimes" nor impeachable offenses. Under scrutiny, both utterly fall apart.
It its defense against the obstruction charge, the Trump administration reminds us that there are three branches of government, not two. If Congress wants documents and testimony from that which is under executive privilege, Congress will need to take it up with the courts. Trump is invoking and defending the constitutional rights of the executive branch, not committing an impeachable act of obstruction.
As Pat Buchanan recently wrote in this regard: "Can Pelosi seriously expect a Republican Senate to convict and remove a Republican president for defending what that president is claiming in open court are the constitutional rights of the Executive Branch that he, as its present occupant and leader, is obligated to defend? Trump would be derelict in his duty if he allowed a rogue House to run roughshod over the White House."
The abuse of power charge is even more laughable. It has two parts. The first part claims that Trump used his office to hurt Biden's election campaign. Yet as we've seen time and time again (see below for the most recent example), the gaffe-prone Biden is always his own worst enemy. Trump has nothing to fear from a Biden candidacy, and not once during the impeachment hearings was a witness asked whether or not Trump expressed any concern over facing Biden in the coming election. What's more, both President Trump and President Zelensky deny any pressure regarding an investigation into Biden corruption.
The other aspect of the abuse of power charge is a direct attack on Trump's plan - and right - to realign American foreign policy towards Russia. A recent article on impeachment explained that this realignment is "the core allegation against Republican Trump" and is "the sort of conduct the founders considered impeachable." It quotes a Georgetown law professor as saying: "The U.S. has a national security interest in Ukraine and it does appear that what the president was doing was putting that national security interest at risk..."
The law professor should stick to law and allow our elected officials to decide what is and is not a national security interest. Trump was elected to make foreign policy decisions and he must not be threatened with impeachment when he makes them.
At the heart of the impeachment debacle is not so much hatred for Trump or Trump derangement syndrome. The globalists see the nationalist Trump as an existential threat to liberalism's global domination. Unlike any other politician, Trump is re-framing American politics and foreign policy in terms of nationalism, populism, and religion. The globalists simply cannot abide any possible alliance with Christian Russia that may emerge from this shift.
Impeachment is their only solution. In the end, however, impeachment will not be based on quid pro quos, bribery, extortion, or obstruction of justice. It will be based on two articles that assault the executive branch's (1) right to executive privilege and (2) right to make foreign policy decisions. Impeachment on these grounds must fail.
It remains to be seen if it will even pass the House.
I. POPE FRANCIS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
PETER'S PENCE: Reports emerge that a mere 10% of donations to the Vatican's leading charity goes to charitable causes. Much of the rest goes to pay Vatican bills. We'v heard of robbing Peter to pay Paul, but now it seems the Vatican is robbing the Poor to pay Peter. It's very unlike the poverty-minded Francis to allow this. Major financial reforms at the Vatican remain necessary.
TAGLE TO THE VATICAN: The Cardinal archbishop of Manilla is moving to the Vatican as the new Evangelization head. While not AoA's pick for next pope, this move does bring Tagle one step closer to the Chair of St. Peter.
FR. MARTIN'S NEIGHBORHOOD: A look at Fr. Martin versus love and martyrdom for truth.
NEW FRONT RUNNER: In a new survey, Hillary Clinton was chosen as the new front runner for the 2020 Democrat presidential race. This comes as Biden's "no malarkey" bus tour hit a road bump after Biden called a Democrat caucus goer a liar for questioning the Biden's connection to corruption in Ukraine. Biden went on to call the man "fat" and challenged him to a push up contest. The gaffe-prone Biden is at it again.
TRUMP WINNING: Axios released an article and excellent chart tracking Trump advantage/disadvantage in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. It should be no surprise that impeachment is actually helping him pull ahead in all three swing states.
NO RECESS APPOINTMENTS: Trump has set a record for choosing to limit the exercising of his right to recess appointments. Thus far he has made zero recess appointments. With the exception of the short-lived presidency of William Henry Harrison, he is the only president to have no recess appointments.
TRADE DEAL - USMCA: The same day the House moved forward with impeachment, it secured the USMCA trade agreement between the US, Mexico, and Canada, which will update the bad deal that was NAFTA. The Senate, however, announced it must wait until the impeachment proceedings - including a Senate trial - are complete before passing USMCA, pointing out again how Democrats are holding America's economy hostage over faux allegations against the president.
TRADE DEAL - CHINA: This week it was also announced that a tentative deal has been reached with China. The deal is limited, but is aims to bring an end to the trade war.
III. THE NATIONS
BREXIT WINS: Our Lady of Guadalupe delivered Britain victory on Thursday's election. Conservatives won their biggest victory since Thatcher in the 80s. Brexit appears to be back on track. The conservatives picked up 47 seats, bringing them to a total of 365 (326 were needed to win a majority). Liberals meanwhile lost 59 and are now down to 203 seats, around half of what the conservatives now hold.
TRAINING CANCELLED: After last week's terror attack in Florida, the Pentagon was wise to cancel training for Saudi personnel - both pilots and soldiers - with the exception of classroom time. More is needed, but this is a first step towards recognizing our "ally" is not what it seems.
IV. CULTURE OF LIFE, CULTURE OF PROTECTION
MOTHERHOOD OR CAREER? Nearly 370 women lawyers who have had abortions have filed a brief with the Supreme Court ahead of an upcoming abortion case. They tell the court that the killing of their children helped their careers and that it should remain legal. In Isaiah, God asks the rhetorical question: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?" (Isaiah 49:15). According to these women, it appears the answer is: for a law career, yes.
LEWD LIGHTING: A woman in Kansas City decided to decorate her rooftop with sexually explicit Christmas lighting arrangements. Another sign the culture is losing the spirit and meaning of Christmas.
MOTHERHOOD OR CAREER? Nearly 370 women lawyers who have had abortions have filed a brief with the Supreme Court ahead of an upcoming abortion case. They tell the court that the killing of their children helped their careers and that it should remain legal. In Isaiah, God asks the rhetorical question: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?" (Isaiah 49:15). According to these women, it appears the answer is: for a law career, yes.
LEWD LIGHTING: A woman in Kansas City decided to decorate her rooftop with sexually explicit Christmas lighting arrangements. Another sign the culture is losing the spirit and meaning of Christmas.
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