Did we really think Trump's Second Impeachment would end any other way?
Nope.
Not when the modern-day GOP has proven, time and again, that their only interest is maintaining power at any cost.
Not after working so hard, for so long, to suppress voters and voters' will.
Not after spending the last four years telling blatant lies and denying the undeniable, ad nauseam.
And it is 100% undeniable: Donald J. Trump gathered, and then incited, a riotous group of insurrectionists on Jan. 6 to attack our senators and representatives in the Capitol -- to prevent them from confirming what had been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt: Joe Biden won the election, fair and square, and by more than just a little bit!
In voting to acquit Trump, the self-described "Law & Order Party" has officially embraced lawlessness and anarchy.
The "Blue Lives Matter" Party doesn't care that Trump's incitement killed three Capitol Police officers, and caused the serious injuries of scores more.
The Republican Party is now tainted forever. They are now tied to Trump for all time.
And there is no washing off that rancid stench.
While still pretending to be good folk, the Republican Party is undeniably now the official party of racism. Of sexism. Of crime and criminality. Of cheating. Of violence.
They will continue to deny it, of course. Lying is all they do now.
And with no self-awareness, the Grand Old Party appears hell-bent on self-destruction.
So what are law-abiding, peace-loving Americans to do?
We must end the Republican Party, dead as a door nail, once and for all!
"How do we do that?" you ask? Be getting involved more than ever before.
Call and email and tweet your Republican representatives every. single. day. Tell them in no uncertain terms how angry and disappointed you are. Make them feel under assault by the communications. Make them dread their jobs. Make their staffs want to quit.
Do the same with vile GOP chairwoman Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman on Facebook). Every. single. day.
Gather lists of the companies and corporations that donate to your local GOP candidates -- then organize boycotts of all donors!
Then do the same on a national level.
Volunteer to work in support of Democratic candidates in your area.
Got cash but no time? Donate!
Got time but no cash? Make phone calls!
Too shy for calls? Send texts and emails.
Hang signs.
Send letters to the editor of your local papers.
Create and organize "political action" groups on Facebook and other social media.
Show up at town halls.
Protest appearances of the repugnant Republicans as they run for re-election.
Call "bullshit" on each and every lie they spew.
Never let them forget they enabled, and then forgave, the unlawful violence that occurred that day. And don't let civilians forget either.
With the GOP hell-bent on self-destruction, let's help them on their way.
"But what about Trump?" you ask? "He got away with it again!"
Well, yes. But also, probably no.
Karma moves slowly sometimes, but she does move.
Case in point: O.J. got away with murder. But karma made damned sure he still ended up behind bars (for robbing a sports-memorabilia collector at gunpoint).
And I have to believe the same will be true of Donald O.J. Trump. There's a reason Trump was so desperate to remain President -- because it provided protection from facing criminal charges.
He doesn't have that protection anymore!
There are plenty of ways it could happen, too.
Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance is continuing to investigate Trump's corrupt business dealings in New York;
Fulton County, Georgia's new District Attorney Fani Willis has opened a criminal investigation into Trump's unbelievably stupid phone calls to Georgia officials bullying them to "find" votes in his favor. The case goes to the grand jury in March.
Washington, D.C. could still issue a warrant for Trump's arrest for inciting the violence on January 6.
Who knows what other law-enforcement agencies are investigating him?
Even if Trump scribbled some "pardon" to himself on a napkin, it wouldn't apply to the state cases in New York, Georgia or elsewhere.
And just one felony conviction would bar him from ever running for President again.
His coming troubles aren't all just criminal, either.
Survivors of the dead, or anyone injured or damaged in the Jan. 6 attack, could sue Trump for monetary damages in civil court. (And Trump no longer has the Office of President to protect him from subpoenas, or from giving depositions under oath!)
Even if he faces only some of the above legal challenges, they'll quickly eat up whatever money he has. With $400 million in additional debt also coming due within a couple of years, he's going to need all his cash -- and his freedom -- to pay off creditors.
I look forward to when he is deprived of both his money and his freedom.
But even if he succeeds in alluding a prison sentence (doubtful), the rest of his life will be filled with legal challenges, financial troubles, endless lawyer fees, and probably a lengthy and costly divorce proceeding.
None of that is good for a person's health -- especially when said person exists on a diet of McDonald's and Diet Coke.
Meanwhile, as we wait for Trump's eventual comeuppance, we have plenty of work to keep us busy
We have a corrupt political party to sweep off into the history bins.
Let's start today.