Original Editorial

By now, much of America now has the moto “Make America Great Again” ingrained in their memory, a phrase coined by President Donald Trump that has become sewn in red, white, and blue on any and every kind of merchandise imaginable. However, many have also heard of President Trump’s impeachment hearing.  As a public audience partially governed by this executive branch, we have to wonder - is President Trump or his subsequent impeachment going to truly make America great once again? In my opinion, President Trump’s impeachment will ultimately be in the best interest of the American public as we must place our trust in the people we elect and evaluate the illegal events leading up to his election. Many, such as David Brooks with the Austin-American Statesman, believe that the impeachment process “gives 100 mostly millionaire senators a voice in selecting the president.”  While this is true, we, as the public, elect our representatives for the House of Representatives that have the power to charge the president with impeachment. Just as we elect the President, we also elect the Senate, which  ultimately decides his fate. So, when we realize that the President of the United States of America may have performed illegal actions, we should trust the courts to decide his fate.

           On a 30-minute call with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Trump may have elicited illegal services to help him win the election against Hilary Clinton in 2016. This we know for certain, but is it worth impeachment? As someone who is seventeen and about to vote in the 2020 presidential election, I can say without a doubt that I want to do my research before casting my vote. So, one quality that is a dealbreaker for me in any candidate is the ability to break the law and then not confess for their crimes. If someone admits their crimes, the punishment is usually less. However, President Trump may have gotten away with something that puts the entire governmental system at stake, with the people not truly having their vote matter. In addition, President Trump recently cast blame on current Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, urging Ukraine and China to open investigations that have no basis. Is our government supposed to govern us or be a political game of Battle Royale, with the most ruthless candidate winning rather than the one most suited to lead the United States? If President Trump is willing to put our say in government at stake, what is he truly capable of doing? The Senate needs to convict President Trump once and for all, removing a corrupt leader from office.

Even though we may all enjoy the warm and fuzzy feeling and the vision that comes with making America great once again, that vision should not include a criminal as our president. No matter what our political views are, we must set these aside and realize that impeachment is the only way to learn the truth. We still have our patriotic spirit, and we must cling to the America we still have before falling into this phrase of deception once more.