The Trump mess is up to the GOP to fix themselves

Column published in all editions of the Sky Hi News, June 21, 2017

What to do about  Donald Trump is in the hands of the Republican Party. To deal with this self defeating tweet obsessed President  will be up to  Trump's own party to solve. Failure for them to do so could  contribute to the 2018 election  becoming a referendum on the President, though an  Obamacare replacement that harms so many  may still be the  more important determining factor. Health care affects the daily lives of people; the Russian connection investigations do not..   All members of the House will be up for re-election and will be put on the spot about their stand on impeachment since the House of Representatives controls the process..

Any attempt by Trump's own advisers to change his tweeting  behavior apparently failed. His admissions damaging to his own advocacy, contradicting his own lawyers  and undermining  legal cases are now  on public record in his tweets . In fact, the  judicial rulings against the " Muslim ban", show that tweets can be used as evidence of Trump's state of mind and intent. Tweets will also be used as evidence in the obstruction of justice issues.

Trump has kept his base who still applauds him for making the effort to  carry out his campaign promises and sticking a single finger  in the air at the "elites" . So  long as his polls hover around 36% approval, he believes he is on the right track.  There are signs, however, that in critical  states that swung the electoral vote to him his support is weakening.  However, his core followers are dismissive of the issues of administration collusion with the Russians or obstruction of justice as a left wing conspiracy theories  or not caring much  about the impact on democracy or interference by a foreign government. It will take findings of more  dire substance such as any evidence of  financial crimes yet to be turned up by the special prosecutor  to change this iron clad  support.

The Democrats can  only stand on the sidelines since they  have virtually no leverage to initiate impeachment  processes. They lost both houses of Congress  in 2016 and their  advantage in the popular  vote  was lost in the Electoral College and in state houses and legislative districts. The GOP controls the reins of impeachment  since the process begins in the House.

  While Republicans  have many safe districts with voters who are  true believers in Trump, there are enough districts that are not so safe that could  change the House to blue. Should that happen in 2018.
and impeachment proceedings begun  or Trump resigns as did President Nixon to avoid impeachment,  a President Pence would be able to carry out the GOP agenda. This takes much of the concern about implementing  Republican policy goals off the table.  Republicans  cannot use that as an excuse for standing by a failed president.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-apos-latest-approval-124002372.html?.tsrc=fauxdal