screengrab from https://youtu.be/XD7QUPK0yNk

The U.S. House of Representatives has impeached President Donald J. Trump. Aside from the loony leftists at the extreme edge of the Democrat party, they really didn’t want to do this, or at least do it the way they did. By any reasonable political metric, this dog and pony show by the Democrats has been a huge benefit to President Trump. Donations are through the roof, his poll numbers are rising and his base is angrier than ever about how their Paladin is being treated.

How did this happen? Perhaps management consultant and author Jerry B Harvey has a part of the answer.

**********The Abilene Paradox*********

On a hot afternoon in Coleman, Texas, the family is comfortably playing dominoes on a porch, until the father-in-law suggests that they take a trip to Abilene [53 miles north] for dinner. The wife says, “Sounds like a great idea.” The husband, despite having reservations because the drive is long and hot, thinks that his preferences must be out-of-step with the group and says, “Sounds good to me. I just hope your mother wants to go.” The mother-in-law then says, “Of course I want to go. I haven’t been to Abilene in a long time.”

The drive is hot, dusty, and long. When they arrive at the cafeteria, the food is as bad as the drive. They arrive back home four hours later, exhausted.

One of them dishonestly says, “It was a great trip, wasn’t it?” The mother-in-law says that, actually, she would rather have stayed home, but went along since the other three were so enthusiastic. The husband says, “I wasn’t delighted to be doing what we were doing. I only went to satisfy the rest of you.” The wife says, “I just went along to keep you happy. I would have had to be crazy to want to go out in the heat like that.” The father-in-law then says that he only suggested it because he thought the others might be bored.

The group sits back, perplexed that they together decided to take a trip which none of them wanted. They each would have preferred to sit comfortably, but did not admit to it when they still had time to enjoy the afternoon.

—Jerry B. Harvey, 1974

As I noted above, except for the psychos on the far left of the party, the Democrats really didn’t want this. Their more sober members undoubtably realized that once this goat rodeo reaches the Senate, all the leverage goes the other way. Not only can Mitch McConnell as Majority Leader get other witnesses called, he can prevent Schumer, et al from doing so.

Then there is President Trump, who would be permitted as the “defendant,” to call just about any witness he deems necessary to defend himself. I don’t believe President Trump will hesitate to put witnesses on the stand who will do the maximum damage to Democrats. These witnesses will be pointing out the actual corruption Democrats have been deflecting from by accusing Trump.

Why would they do this? The Abilene Paradox is the only reason that makes sense to me.

Hat Tip: DM

Mike Ford, a retired Infantry Officer, writes on Military, Foreign Affairs and occasionally dabbles in Political and Economic matters.

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