Leo Argent: Republicans leaving a sinking ship aren't allowed back in the granary

President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in the Santa Ana Star Center, New Mexico. AP Photo / Evan Vucci

COMMENT

Lately, with the Democrats finally making the decision to initiate impeachment
proceedings against Donald Trump, it seems everyone is asking the same question;
when will Republican senators and congressmen finally break under the pressure, desert Trump and unite with the Democrats to impeach and remove him from office in a powerful display of law and order's inevitable triumph over cronyism, corruption and demagoguery?

The quick answer is they won't. The more in-depth answer is that they can't.

It is no secret that for a long time being the party of morals and integrity, the Republican Party has consistently shown itself to hold no accountability of a dangerously unstable and woefully underqualified man. It defends his every legally, morally and professionally dubious action without pushback while joining an increasingly vindictive and dehumanising campaign against his enemies – real and perceived – in the media, politics and his own close-knit group of associates.

To start off with, back when Trump was running for president but before he attained the office, the scandals were – although still troublesome – less in number and intensity. Some thought that if he obtained office the realities of the job would bring him into line and, if not, then he would still have a team of experts to rein him in and advise against his rasher actions. Later, in the first year of his presidency, as the reality that Trump was only getting worse sank in, and his scandals grew ever more numerous and troublesome; it became more and more unbelievable that nobody was taking a stand and the moral high ground. The career-torpedoing, but necessary, deed of holding him to account for the sake of the country.

Today, though, the decision of Republicans to continue to put fingers in their ears, close their eyes and loudly shout "la-la-la-la-la" is still cowardly, unethical and nakedly partisan. However, it is understandable when you consider that even if they turn back now no one will forgive them for aiding and abetting this nonsense for so long. If Lindsay Graham or Mitch McConnell about face and join the impeachment party and successfully remove Trump from office, the American people will not see brave men standing up for what is right. They will see rats deserting the sinking ship asking if they can come live in the granary. They will scorn and ostracise them for sacrificing their nation's security and integrity for power, hounding them until the day they die.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after a Senate Policy Luncheon in Capitol Hill in Washington on October 16. AP Photo / Jose Luis Magana

Conversely, if they stand by Trump at the helm that increasingly looks ready to crash and burn, say by some miracle if disaster is avoided and his fortunes turn around (like Biden being found guilty of corruption, avoids impeachment and wins a second term) then they will get to keep their power, their prestige, their honour and integrity and – most importantly – their legacies.

If they dump Trump, the red-state voters will put them out of office. Fox News will cry out for their heads. The Democrats and independents will kick them to the kerb, leaving them hung out to dry.

The Republican Party went all in with Donald Trump. It is increasingly unlikely that the hand they have chosen will play out in a beneficial manner – or even a neutral manner. But they've put so much on this one hand, with no backup, that they cannot turn back now without losing everything they have, gaining nothing, and being kicked out of the game permanently.

Leo Argent. Photo / Supplied

I'm reminded of a character from the novel Catch-22; an Italian pimp who freely admits that he has no true loyalties in the war. He only sides with whoever is currently winning so that he can reap the benefits of being on the winning side. The difference is he was a free agent, not affiliated with a specific group with allies, interests and constituents.

In a way, we should feel sorry for the Republicans. Many of them probably already know for sure that they should abandon Trump and join the Democrats in holding him to account for his incompetence, corruption and degradation of American values. The thing they're not sure of, though, is what will happen to them.

• Leo Argent works in a human resources company in Timaru.