The maturity growth of individuals progresses to different levels. Some are stunted.

Our president never matured past the stage of disrespectful, self-centered adolescence. I won’t be needing as many of my own words to make my point. I will let others speak for themselves. In the conversation, we will recognize the sage grandfather, a framer of the constitution; the parents who are the voice of maturity trying to discipline; and the pugnacious youth and his gang.

We have adults vs. adolescents locking horns in our nation’s capital. The impeachment of the president is a constitutionally set method to hold him accountable for his actions, just as parents must be responsible for teaching their child right from wrong; how to behave and obey the rules. “It wasn’t me. He blurts out no quid pro quo,” said Adam Schiff describing Trump denying what he knows he did.

Why is he so bold about it? Because he believes he is above the law. The method the parents use came from those who went before and passed on their wisdom. The impeachment managers have been trying to do this fairly and fully, so the outcome is best for the American people and the security of our election system. Polling shows overwhelming public support, lately 75%, for witnesses and documents to get to the truth. Fair elections are at stake — the actions of the president are dangerous for democracy.

In a belligerent Twitter attack, the adolescent threatened the adult for trying to teach the lesson; “Shifty Adam Schiff is a corrupt politician, and probably a very sick man. He has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our country.”

In other words, you don’t agree with me so there’s something wrong with you. I don’t like you and you’re going to get it. Chuck Todd asked Schiff if he thought it was a threat, the reply was “I think it’s intended to be.”

U.S. Rep. Val Demmings, one of the House trial managers, said of the Tweet directed at Schiff, that it was “totally inappropriate, is totally a threat if you will, against the process of this investigation. We are defenders of the Constitution and will do our job regardless of threats that come out of the president.”

Recently NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly was subjected to abusive treatment by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Trump, during a press conference publicly praised him, saying “I think you did a good job on her,” congratulating and celebrating the bullying.

Here’s a good example of the maturity level of our president, a twitter tirade against “lyin’, cheatin’ liddle’ Adam (shifty) Schiff, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, Nervous Nancy Pelosi, their leader, dumb as a rock AOC and the entire Radical left, Do Nothing Democrat Party,” Jeff Tiedrich tweeted a retort: “Imagine being this proud of being this childish.”

Let’s contrast and compare that with the eloquence of founding father Alexander Hamilton on the subject of when impeachment is needed. “When a man unprincipled in private life, desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper … despotic in his ordinary demeanour — known to have scoffed in private at the principles of liberty. When such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity — to join the cry of danger to liberty — to take every opportunity of embarrassing the general government and bringing it under suspicion — to flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the day — it may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ‘ride the storm and direct the whirlwind.” Sound familiar? Mick Mulvaney has an answer: “Got news for you – get over it!”

According to Trump, the device the founders gave us for dealing with corrupt behavior on the part of the president is “the greatest witch hunt in American history.” “A hoax.” As of an article appearing the October 2019 THE NATION, he had tweeted “witch hunt” over 300 times since the whistleblower report became news and the House began their inquiry. With his huckster history, he is well aware of the effect this repetition has.

According to the author, “calling himself the victim of a witch hunt allows Trump to label charges against him as not just inaccurate but fundamentally impossible. Witch hunts, by definition, are illegitimate, their victims innocent, their judgements alway wrong. (He uses) witch hunt to make a statement about the unreliability or corruption of (his) accusers,” notes Alice Markham-Cantor.

Trump never admits fault. It’s someone else. It’s Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, or former administration staff. Now John Bolton is the target of his disparagement. To discredit him, Trump tweeted that Bolton “begged” him for a job and was fired “because frankly, if I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now.” We don’t know what Bolton has to say unless they let him testify — or we wait for his book. It’s interesting that John Kelley supports Bolton despite their reported disagreements.

Finally, let’s consider Richard Nixon, the president who up till now held the “bad boy” record.

Examining his resignation speech reveals a man much more mature with more concern for the country than Trump. The difference between them: Nixon did wrong and he ultimately accepted the consequences for the good of the nation. Trump continues to deny, or even acknowledge the validity of the punishment itself.

Nixon tried the “Well, when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.” tactic too, but as he resigned he recognized that he was a servant of the country.

“As long as there was such a (strong enough political) base (in Congress) I felt strongly that it was necessary to see the Constitutional process through to its conclusion, that to do otherwise would be unfaithful to the spirit of that deliberately difficult process and a dangerously destabilizing precedent for the future … but the interest of the Nation must always come before any personal considerations. … I have never been a quitter … but as President, I must put the interest of America first. … I leave with no bitterness toward those who have opposed me, because all of us, in the final analysis, have been concerned with the good of the country. So let us all now join together in affirming that common commitment.”

Alan Dershowitz argued that if Trump “did something that he believes will help him get elected … that (cannot result) in impeachment.”

So, if the juvenile believes he did nothing wrong, he can’t be disciplined. What parent would ever agree with that?

“Donald Trump must be convicted and removed from office because he will always choose his own personal interest over our national interest. .. You know you can’t count on him. … Because in America, right matters,” Schiff said. “Truth matters. If not, no constitution can protect us. If not, we are lost.”

Susan Bigler is a Sheridan resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com