There are a lot of opinions of President Donald Trump, but there is simply no question in my mind that he should be impeached, or that he should never have been in office in the first place. But with that said, the thought of this process is horrifying. Throughout the past three years, Trump has completely disregarded the norms of the presidency and has made a laughing stock of our country. 

The Mueller investigations, the arrest of Michael Cohen and even the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court should all have been signs that this has been a long time coming.

With this pending inquiry, there is absolutely no way to predict what is going to happen because impeachment differs strongly depending on the situation. A lot is going to happen in the coming days and weeks, and the news will most likely change a number of times as new information is discovered. There are a number of possible outcomes, including the possibility of this increasing Trump’s chances at re-election, as he victimizes himself and rallies more support than ever.

New poll finds Democratic candidates leading over Trump in Wisconsin

With the country focused on evaluating and investigating its president, there is less focus on the important things that the President and the United States government are supposed to be doing. Our government should be spending its time finding solutions to our problems of healthcare, education, the environment and so much more. But this impeachment inquiry sets all of these things aside and places President Trump at the forefront, where he arguably always wanted to be. 

A recent Washington Post article explained the subject of the impeachment controversy.

“The whistleblower complaint at the heart of the burgeoning controversy over President Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president claims not only that Trump misused his office for personal gain and endangered national security but that unidentified White House officials tried to hide that conduct,” the article said.

White House call records show Trump strongly urged the Ukrainian president to find dirt on political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. 

Democrats and Republicans stand more divided than ever at this point in history, and it is incredibly transparent in the workings of our government. With a government so divided, it is difficult to cooperate as neither side agrees with the other.

Anti-Trump message appears on digital messaging system in Education Building

The impact that this impeachment process will have on our country is scary to think about, as our already polarized, partisan nation will grow more divided — each side’s feelings of Trump will deepen and their passion will intensify. At this period in time, we should be finding ways to come closer together on the political scale, and find more common ground, but instead we are spreading further and further apart.

There is a reason that George Washington warned against political parties in his farewell address — it’s because he could see that this would happen. The nation didn’t listen, and after this rollercoaster of a presidency, we will need someone to put our country back together. 

I was quick to cheer on the impeachment inquiry when I first read about it because I want Trump out of office just as much as the next sensible person, but then I realized all of the harm it would cause our nation. This is also only the first stage — after this comes the trial in the Senate, where Republicans hold the majority. It is highly unlikely they would convict Trump, given the partisan polarity, leading to the belief that his removal from office is unlikely. Then, Trump’s role as the victim will be believed and his support will skyrocket for the 2020 election, increasing his chances at re-election.

Elizabeth Ellick ([email protected]) is a sophomore intending to major in political science.