So, let me get this right; Rep. Tom Cole (R-Ok) thinks the House should ignore impeachment because he does not think the Senate will remove the president from office. He cited that the election was over, that Biden would become president, and this process merely served to divide the nation.

Let’s go back to last Wednesday. What did we, what did Rep. Cole know then? The election was over, Biden would become president, and it was clear that there were not enough votes to sustain an objection to the electoral votes. Yet what did he and these so-called Republicans do? They objected to the certification of electoral votes. Furthermore, several of them objected without the support of a Senator knowing full-well that their objection was not in proper form and would not even come to a vote. Yet, they objected supposedly out of principle.

That’s what this impeachment is about—principle. The principle of the legislature having checks on the executive; the principle of not allowing a president to think he is king, the principle of standing up to lies, or as this presidents sycophants call them, “alternative facts”. There was a time when principle mattered to Republicans. There was a time when Republicans believed in law and order. There was a time when the Republicans believed in the Constitution. There was a time when Republicans would put the country before the party. I long for those times.

And the Republicans can drop the First Amendment arguments. You only need read the Constitution. The Constitution prohibits the GOVERNMENT, specifically Congress, from interfering with speech. Let me quote it: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press, or the right of people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievance.” So, everyone, please forget the gobbledygook you may have learned in school about “free speech”. The first amendment says CONGRESS may not abridge the freedom of speech. Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, what have you, is not Congress. Private companies and individuals can freely chose what they allow and do not allow. Furthermore, Trump has an entire press office; he can release a statement, and likely get on television any time he wishes. Having Twitter, Facebook, and others decide that they do not to contribute to further unrest is a decision they rightfully made.

Just a few days ago President Trump wanted to repeal section 230 of the FCC Act. In fact Senator McConnell incited on making that part of any COVID relief package and that is why you got $600 instead of $2,000. If you have forgotten, this is the section of the FCC code that protects companies such as Twitter and Facebook from liability of what is posted on their sites. If that section is repealed, then those companies could have liability for people who spread lies and encourage treason; they would have no choice but to take the postings down. Had that section been repealed, then Twitter would have had to shut down Trumps account immediately. It is this is the lack if intellectual honesty, this practice of selective memory, this concept of distorting and ignoring facts for political gain that so many Republicans have adopted of late, that is why I cannot be a Republican.

When the Republicans wanted to win, there was no concern for unity. Now that they have clearly lost, they are all about unity. Or, do they just want to avoid accountabiltiy for the role they played in an insurrection–either through what they did, or what they failed to do.