Conspiracy Theory

As the Russia connection keeps heating up, some Trump opponents seem sure the scandal will bring him down. I have a nagging fear that it won't.

Suppose he's clever. Suppose he knows what is involved and that it's messy but not strictly illegal. He plays this issue, blusters and bloviates, blames others, twists the facts, brags about his rights, stonewalls. (The Trumps are very practiced at blocking legal proceedings, and the Donald isn't likely to change his strategy now.)

Trump may be playing our fear and loathing against us. He may not master much, but he is a practiced master of deceit. What if, after Trump and associates invest in months of obstruction, the facts finally come to light—unseemly and more than a little aggravating, but no impeachable offenses.

By making this one issue the primary focus, we run the risk of losing big. The obstructionism could merely be a ploy to keep demanding our attention for months on end, only to let the less-than-criminal results finally come out. In the end, Trump's detractors could be humiliated while his supporters revel in the win. By association, his other misdeeds are proclaimed to be equally innocuous.

Meanwhile, so many colossal issues gain traction because this one seems the colossus. He refuses to release his tax returns so America has a baseline for judging whether he uses his office to enrich himself. Legislation that favors his economic class expands. Bigotry and intolerance increases. Congress joins the President in kicking at the fingers of those barely clinging to hope and healthcare. The environment groans. Dependable allies are abandoned and ridiculed out of some perceived slight of his honor. Great piles of lies accumulate so high we can no longer see the truth somewhere beyond.

The Russia connection needs to be investigated. I hope those who see it bringing an end to this presidency are correct. But it is only one small part of the picture. Let's keep applying pressure on all fronts. Let's make sure we aren't duped into expending too much energy and reputation on this one issue.