The investigation into Russian interference and America’s 2016 election is now complete. The full report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller has yet to be released to the public, but we do have a summary of its principled conclusions by Attorney General William Barr. His letter stated there was no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to influence the outcome of the presidential election. However, Barr’s letter also says the president’s actions and intentions leave unresolved questions about whether he obstructed justice during the 2-year-long investigation. Knowing this information from the attorney general’s letter, what is the best course of action for Democrats moving forward?
Move on to other issues
Brandon Keller, Fourth View
Prominent Democrats such as Congressman Adam Schiff are doubling down on their belief that President Trump colluded with the Russian government. Others such as Speaker Nancy Pelosi believe that moving on to issues such as healthcare would be more politically beneficial for the Democratic party. In this case, Speaker Pelosi is correct. Despite open questions about obstruction, about half of Americans now believe Trump is a victim of a ‘witch hunt.’ Continuing investigations into this matter will only embolden the president and expand his base. If the democrats want a reasonable chance at taking back the White House in 2020, healthcare could definitely be a winning issue for them. In 2018, Democrats took back control of the House by advocating for more healthcare for Americans. Furthermore, President Trump has been unsuccessful at repealing and replacing Obamacare despite recent litigation striking down the ACA as unconstitutional. Instead of commencing more investigations which would cause more political damage if no criminal wrongdoing is found, Democrats should unite to fight for healthcare which has become the number one political issue in America. Only then will their favorability rise as we saw in the 2018 midterm elections.
Minimize infighting
Spencer Weaver, Fourth View
While the country may not be appreciative of the divisive and snarky response to the Mueller report from both sides of the aisle, from a political standpoint, Democrats have no option but to continue their battle against President Trump. With only one branch of government under their control, they are naturally an opposition party with little chance of pursuing their own policy goals; drawing attention to anything else runs the risk of highlighting the divide between progressive and more moderate Democrats. Take the Green New Deal – instead of being received as a policy roadmap for the party over the next decade, it served as a lightening rod between Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nancy Pelosi that was swiftly (and understandably) glossed over. If any other issue is going to become a personality clash within the ranks, why wouldn’t an individual member choose to position themselves as a mouthpiece for a seemingly uncontroversial position instead of risking alienation from leadership? For Representatives like Adam Schiff or Jerry Nadler, an anti-Trump talking point guarantees them a slot on any Sunday or primetime news show they want, and nobody in the party is going to complain about that.