The investigation of the Trump campaign ties to Russia is distracting. I’ll say it again, it takes away from the now. We are sitting at the circus but are looking at the popcorn vendor three sections over. We are missing out on the action right in front of us.  Pick a ring, any ring, and there are more than three to choose from — Supreme Court nominee, healthcare, budget, immigration, and on and on.  And just in, perched on the high-wire, that swinging international bomb, Syria.  Focus.  We need focus.

I’ve been wondering how the investigation into links between the Trump campaign and the Russian hack of the DNC would conclude. The investigations don’t seem to be going anywhere what with all the other distractions.  Although there are millionaires, billionaires, career military and career politicians involved, I cannot think of a punishment or consequence that would result in justice.  These people operate in the shadows.   My curiosity was piqued when I read about Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s erstwhile campaign manager.  His name won’t appear on a ballot, and although the Wiki states he is a lobbyist and political consultant, I would add a shady operative.  Low friends in high places.

But the election was last year.  The campaign was last year.  A businessman is visiting the White House and calls himself President.  Or is a President living in the White House and visiting his businesses?

Trump won the electoral college, he was inaugurated.  He needs to prove he belongs there because he sure doesn’t act like it. And we need to move on.

So I felt a bit of validation Wednesday when Vox summarized the case against the Trump campaign and administration.

tl;dr?  The biggest issue would be political fallout, and it’s entirely possible that “neither Trump nor anybody in his White House will end up facing any charges at all.”

So I ask, what are we looking for?  How much of our energy, time, money, distraction do we want to spend pursuing a shard of justice?

And I will cop to being incredibly naive, but if Trump releases his income tax statements, even if it is only reviewed by a select bi-partisan group of Senators who can summarize their findings, we might get a hint of the extent of The Donald’s indebtedness not just to Russia, but to other foreign interests.  How much is it costing the U.S. to have a President with business ties all over the world?  How much of the budget is profit to the Trump empire?

WE SHOULD INSIST:

  • Trump release his income tax statements; or resign.
  • Trump divest of his businesses while in office; or resign.

The current relationship between the President, his family, and his businesses is only ethical if “ethical” means “we’re above, below, and outside the law and we play by our own rules“.