Sunday
September 24, 2023 
Dear Friends,
Good morning and Happy New Year. Mighty Betsy and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
Earlier, last week, Grumbles met at the Piper Inn for its monthly session. In my informal poll about presidential politics, one of us continues to support President Trump. This Grumbler believes in the New York stock market which continues to perform magnificently.
How goes the stock market, so goes the president, he claims.
Another Grumbler’s gripe was about the size of Christmas card envelopes. “They’re too small,” he says. True.
On the subject of the Trump impeachment and the ranking of the Democratic hopefuls, Grumbles’ opinions were varied. One of our members supported my view that the Democratic Party will be forced into a “brokered” convention because it’s likely that there’ll be no candidate who has the number of delegates needed to secure nomination.
In that case, I think former New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg has the best chance to succeed. He was a three-term mayor who’s been a Democrat, an Independent, and a Republican. A contest between a real billionaire (Bloomberg) and a fake billionaire (Trump) would be fascinating.
Although former Vice President Joe Biden leads the Democratic hopefuls, his son’s involvement in the Ukraine has become a liability for his father. Although the younger Biden has not been indicted or convicted of any crime, his father will be forced to defend Hunter Biden anytime Republicans bring up the Hunter Biden name …and that will be constantly.
On the far left of the Democratic Party are Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. In my view, both are too extreme on the party’s liberal wing. Which leaves Mayor Pete Buttigiege, the darling of the young and moderate Democrats. But, is the former Rhodes scholar from Harvard and a combat warrier too young? He’s only 37. I’d vote for him in a minute.
On the other hand, if you agree with me that the convention that chooses the Democratic candidate will be “brokered,” Mike Bloomberg is the logical choice.
Last week, Will Bunch wrote an interesting op-ed column in the Inquirer (Dec. 17). The headline read “Impeach but don’t send to the Senate.”
In that op-ed piece, Bunch quoted former President Nixon’s White House counsel, John Dean: “Let’s impeach him now and not send it to the Senate, rather keep investigating in the House and add such supplemental articles as needed,” Dean stated. “Just let impeachment hang over Trump’s head. If the worst happens and he is re-elected, send it to the Senate. But keep investigating.
“By impeaching Trump and not sending the articles to the Senate for a trial … it allows Democrats to hold the trial over the head of the president for the rest of his term. That prospect addresses a question that’s on a lot of people’s minds: What if the president is cleared by the Senate and immediately commits an even worse crime?”
Meanwhile, more than 100,000 have already signed up to rally for impeachment in more than 500 cities. If there is a Senate trial, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell might be taught a lesson, that America’s representatives are elected to serve us and not Donald Trump and Fox News.”
But for that message to break through, we’re going to need to get very loud.
Sincerely, Charles Meredith
By the way, last week, Steve Biddle of Quakertown sent an invitation for a Northern Bucks Democratic Committee celebration. Held at Dominick’s in Quakertown, the theme was: “Bucks County is Blue!” The local Democrats were delighted that the row offices in Bucks County (with the exception of the District Attorney) are now run by Democrats, thanks to last month’s election.
The Dems believe that Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick will be the next Republican to fall. In the House of Representatives vote to impeach President Trump, Fitzpatrick supported the president. Will that vote doom Fitzpatrick? We’ll see.
