Our politics today is surreal. As the investigation of President Donald Trump unfolded, my perception was he wanted impeachment. Meanwhile, Republicans have made clear they will defend Trump even if he’s shown to be an ax murderer. Some Republican senators have already declared their vote for acquittal, and they haven’t even heard the case yet. Fox News openly mocks the congressional investigation of Trump. Americans are deeply divided by this shameless behavior. This division does not serve the public interest but an outside agenda.

My personal impression is Trump’s corruption exceeds anything President Bill Clinton was charged with during his impeachment. If nothing else, the Republican position defending Trump reveals their cynical duplicity compared to their previous support for impeachment of Clinton over behavior that is less significant when evaluated by the Constitutional statute.

Sen. Mitch McConnell has stated the impeachment trial will be conducted in a partisan manner, will not be fairly evaluated, and will be coordinated directly with President Trump. I think it’s only appropriate that Republicans — whose prosecution and impeachment of Clinton was a complete sham, can now preside over an equally corrupt defense of President Trump. As they say, a tiger cannot change its stripes.

Constituents of the pro-Trump lobby have demonstrated partisan lack of respect for law, for our constitution, for due process, and even for basic civil discourse. Therefore we can’t expect facts, reason, and rational argument to win the case.

I believe impeachment of Trump might be related to his so-called “Deal Of The Century,” which is widely purported to ride roughshod over international law, Geneva Conventions, the United Nations, and the Palestinians to give Israel everything it demands. What I don’t know is whether impeachment is supposed to stop Trump before he destroys the two-state solution — or coerce him into giving Israel everything it demands by executive fiat. We should remember Israel previously used President George W. Bush in a similar manner to excuse and legitimize its creation of  illegal settlements in occupied territory which it called “facts on the ground.” To his credit, Bush also supported the 2003 Road Map Peace Agreement, which Israel ignores and violates every day.

I recall a famous photo of President Clinton looking on as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands to publicly complete the Oslo Peace Agreement. Of those three, Rabin was assassinated by a Zionist fanatic, Clinton was impeached, and Arafat most likely poisoned. The stakes are high.

My hope is Americans will receive an impartial evaluation of the evidence in a fair trial that accommodates all witnesses. Only that can preserve the dignity and credibility of our system of government. A vote for conviction would make Mike Pence the president. Nothing would change. Failure to convict means democratic losses come next election. The only way to win is to secure the just and credible peace deal Israeli PM Rabin was assassinated to stop. It’s time to renew and enforce Oslo and the Road Map.

Bruce Vandiver

Lula