In a world of counter-intuitive thinking there is no such thing as failure if an unanticipated or unwanted outcome in one situation leads to a better outcome in the future. No one can deny Nancy Pelosi had her share of problems last week wading through the morass of stupidity (see “There Oughta Be a Resolution”) associated with Representative Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) less than thoughtful comments about Jewish support of Israel. You’ve got to give Republicans, the party of David Duke and Steve King, credit when they find a way to seize the moment and make a case the Democratic Party is anti-Semitic.

But as the recently rehabilitated George W. Bush reminds us:

There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.

Yesterday, Speaker Pelosi proved she is nobody’s fool when she announced she does not favor impeaching Donald Trump.

I’m not for impeachment. This is news. I’m going to give you some news right now because I haven’t said this to any press person before. But since you asked, and I’ve been thinking about this: Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don’t think we should go down that path, because it divides the country. And he’s just not worth it.

Talk about killing THREE birds with ONE stone. Just in case you missed it.

#1. If the Democratic Party is going to make a case over the next two years Trump has pandered to his base in order to divide the country, we can demonstrate Democrats avoid division, even when we have a legitimate case Trump is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors. Without 20 unlikely Republican votes following a Senate trial, Trump will remain in office and hold up the impeachment process as a “deep state” effort to de-legitimize the 2016 election. Listen to what Nancy is saying. “We could act like Trump. We could pander to our base. We could flip 70,000 votes in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. But that’s not who we are. We’re better than that. We could win an election, but we’d rather build a consensus about what America should represent, an America where national interests are more important than personal gain.”

#2. It’s not up to the Democrats to rid the country of Donald Trump. The Republicans made him. It’s their responsibility to take him down. And if there is “compelling and overwhelming” evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors and they still refuse to act, voters are smart enough to understand where their priorities are. And we’ll remind voters of that every day between now and November 2020.

#3. Finally, in six words, Pelosi emasculated the ego-in-chief. “And he’s just not worth it.” He is not worth further dividing the country. He is not worth derailing a legislative agenda which includes new and stronger anti-corruption laws (HR 1), affirmation of voting rights, universal health care, rebuilding bridges to our allies and confronting our enemies, economic and social justice, immigration reform, sensible gun legislation, decriminalization of marijuana, reinstatement of net neutrality, addressing climate change and appointing cabinet members who believe in the missions of their respective agencies. Trump’s first of several campaign managers Corey Lewandowski says, “Let Trump Be Trump.” We agree. He is his own worst enemy. He does not need the Democrats’ help.

I know there are members of the House Democratic caucus who think they were elected based on a promise to impeach Trump. Crowds demanding “IMPEACH TRUMP” are just that. No different from Trump crowds shouting “LOCK HER UP” or “BUILD THE WALL.” Based on the evidence since the mid-term elections, the battle cry should be, “LET PELOSI BE PELOSI.”

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP