Art of the Deal

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The results are in: The Electoral College has met to confirm the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. What an example for mankind--the world's most innovative culture, its most vibrant democracy, the steward of the most terrifying military arsenal chooses a loud-mouth semi-literate braggart to lead them.

In the mysterious world of international poetry, Russia and the United States are referring to each, other as "frenemies." Now that the FBI, CIA and the office of National Security has verified that Russian hackers broke into secure American computer networks to tilt the presidential election in behalf of Donald Trump, it would appear that the president-elect has a serious problem to explain to the American people.  This happened at the highest levels of the Russian government according to President Obama.

Just what is behind this odd non-rapprochement between the U.S. and the former Soviet state? It is no secret that Russian leader Vladamir Putin has a certain dangerous appeal for Donald Trump, perhaps best demonstrated by the president-elect's appointment of Exon-Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary-of - state. As has been said so many times in the strange dance of global politics--it's all about the oil.The prospect that Trump could stumble into the area of impeachable offenses by giving a nod to Putin to tamper with U.S. elections is a sobering thought indeed.

I reflected on this intriguing possibility for little more than a moment. An impeachment of the president would have to pass the House of Representatives and getting by a GOP controlled House would be difficult, if not impossible. Then it struck me: perhaps it's time for an "artful" deal,  a power sharing arrangement whereby President  Trump agrees to step down or face prosecution for treason; presidential duties are shared by Republican and Democratic stand-ins for two succeeding two year terms. Both GOP and Dems are required to commit themselves to the principle of compromise in legislating, reject deliberate government shut-down, budget sequesters and other anti-constitutional tactics that subvert our democracy....just a thought.

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