For the past three-and-a-half years, one topic has dominated UK politics, nearly to the exclusion of all else: Brexit. That the “out” side was successful shocked the UK political establishment, as well as the nearly 50% of people who voted “in.” So disturbed were they by the result and its possible (one might even say probable) negative repercussions, that a movement for a “People’s Vote” developed, calling for a second referendum on the issue.
As I listened to BBC coverage, week in, week out, year in, year out, I began to wonder: As divided and conflicted as the country is, what would happen if the result were overturned? That is what Remainers believed would happen. In retrospect, with Boris Johnson’s overwhelming recent parliamentary victory based on a platform of “Get Brexit Done,” it’s clear that Remainers wouldn’t have been successful.
My thoughts turn to this in connection with the current Senate trial of President Donald Trump. As much as many would like to see Trump removed from office, and believe that he has committed offenses worthy of removal, how deeply have they considered the aftermath?
Donald Trump won in 2016. According to the statistics site FiveThirtyEight, his approval rating — while at 42% not exactly high — has not budged in nearly a year. (An aside: the average that FiveThirtyEight arrives at is from polls with results ranging from 39% to 49% — which is instructive when it comes to how seriously we should take polling.)
Should Trump be removed from office — even if all the evidence supports a conviction — what will the country be plunged into? Impeachment has been a highly partisan affair. If we think the country is polarized now, what will happen when the 46.1% of Americans who voted for Trump believe their vote was overturned? I fear the anger and discord this would foment.
A classic middle school read is the WW Jacobs’ short story, “The Monkey’s Paw.” The lesson of the supernatural tale is be careful what you wish for. Sometimes, what appears to be a wish fulfilled is a nightmare.
Shana Goldberg may be reached at [email protected]
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