SPOILER ALERT:

Here's how the impeachment will go....

Democrats will make a devastating and airtight case for Trump's guilt, so strong and compelling that nobody with brain function will not see and understand that he should be convicted.

Republicans will still vote to acquit.

What the GOP dances around is the simple fact that there is LITERALLY NOTHING Trump could do that would cause them to impeach.

Nothing.

They won't admit it out loud but it's the case. There IS no valid impeachment of a Republican. Ever. For any reason.

The reason that Republicans always try to insist that anything that isn't bipartisan is illegitimate is because they know that they were never planning to cooperate under any circumstances, which means that NOTHING can be "bipartisan" in a meaningful way, regardless of merit.

"Sensible" Republicans will pretend that they will vote based on facts and conscience, and they will whip up attention with their performative deliberation, where they will give people hope of principled action.

Then they will go "Ah-HA!" and vote against what they know is true.

Let me make this clear.

Republicans refuse on principle to hold their leaders to account.

They have granted themselves immunity from any and all legitimate consequence in perpetuity.

Stop waiting for the GOP to take responsibility for anything

They never ever ever ever will.

There is an illusion of accountability.

That ten GOP voted to move forward is nothing but cover for the rest who will vote to nullify.

IF you notice, there's always just a few GOP votes shy of accountability.

You can vote against as long as you're sure it won't matter.

The structure of this impeachment for the GOP is fanservice for the base.

Senators in mixed districts will pretend to have values for their midterms.

Those in solid GOP districts will simply ignore that anything is happening

Privately, they will admit guilt

In public. Silence

We know that Collins and Murkowski will do their thing where they keep everyone on the edge of their seats about bucking the party to do the right thing before they fall in line like everyone else.

PLEASE don't spend energy on them.

This is the core of the GOP lie.

"If Democrats just did things the right way, we'd totally be on board"

It's not true. It's never been true. There is no "Right way" as long as GOP agenda isn't being followed.

It's an abuser's lie.

The situation we have is one party that believes in the rule of law and one party that thinks the rule of law is hilarious nonsense.

But they'll appeal to a rule of law they don't believe in order to discredit and disorient Democrats who do.

The GOP are a team of arsonists who managed to get a cushy gig lecturing firefighters about fire safety.

And they maintain credibility when they do.

Yes. It's exactly that absurd.

(Correction above: References to "Districts" should be to "States." It was early and I was groggy.)