The end of the impeachment procedure against US President Donald Trump is nearing after the Senate, by voting 51-49, denied subpoena of witnesses. Soon, maybe very soon, Trump would be acquitted by the Senate and this would mean this game will be over for the Democrats. Trump will present himself as the victor and certainly take as much advantage as possible from it in his re-election campaign. The third impeachment in the US history will end like the previous two: No president was impeached.
Obviously, the Democrats have lost this game, maybe not totally but very severely. They now can only hope that American voters, especially those in the so-called "swing states", would decide to deselect Trump in the upcoming presidential election. In this aspect, this game might still not be over yet for both the Democrats and Trump.
But another game is beginning for America. It will be a game of other kind with the political and social consequences and changes caused by this impeachment result. The Republican Party has proven itself as having already become truly a party of Trump. The Senate has moved – thanks to the Republicans – from its innate "Check and Balance" mission to the function of serving the president only. The US executive is now stronger than before the impeachment trial.
This impeachment has made America even more polarized, politically, socially and morally. Trump used the apparent polarization in the US in 2016 to ascend to the top office and now the Republicans help deepen it, even radicalize it. This country becomes politically and socially more explosive. Therefore, this year's election campaigns will surely be as fierce and dirty as never seen before for all presidential candidates from all political parties in the US.
Whoever will become the next president of the United States this fall, this country could not help but face severe challenges that directly affect the national political climate, the balance of power between the legislative and executive power, as well as the byplay between the two main political parties and broaden the social dissension.
America can't ignore them and will have to deal with them, without being sure whether it would finally overcome them and this game would really be over.
