It’s a kindness to Donald Trump to view his extortion of Ukraine as a quid pro quo.Too much of Trump’s thuglike behavior, not to mention Ukraine’s existential angst, is omitted with that descriptor. 

Quid pro quo ordinarily implies both parties enjoy a parity of gain, while the deal being offered by Trump and Trumper—Donny and Rudy—was Ukraine’s very survival. A survival only put in jeopardy to make the country’s leaders more malleable to digging up dirt on the Bidens.

This is where things get funny. Donny and Rudy split up. Rudy to Europe where amongst other places, he ended up visiting Kiev in Ukraine. 

Meanwhile back in Washington, Donny was playing a chess game of sorts, directing a rumor campaign against the ambassador to Ukraine, who apparently was too straitlaced to countenance the strong-arm tactics Trump and Trumper were planning to deploy.

Cut back to Rudy. As part of his plan against the ambassador, he arranged for two associates (natives of Eastern Europe) to donate Russian oligarch money to a Republican Congressman from Texas, who coincidentally soon complained to the State Department about the straitlaced ambassador.

Only a clown could laugh his way through the mess created by Trump and Trumper. Two-handed, they virtually helped destroy America’s reputation as an honest broker and loyal friend on the world stage. Ukraine is our friend and strategic ally; why else would we give them $ 391 million?

What have we just said to Ukraine and the rest of the world with the President’s self-serving behavior?

“This is how America honors our agreements with friends.”

It goes beyond sanity to weigh the potential gains against potential losses Trump and Trumper risked with their stupid, conspiracy-addled games.

One has to ask, “What did they think they had to gain?” And then the most important question of all, “At what price?”

Yeah, sure, they might have dug up valuable dirt to use against Joe Biden. Valuable only should he manage to outrun his age, his son’s ugly business dealings, his foot-in-the-mouth tendency or the dozen other candidates running against him.

And at what price, Mr. President?

Impeachment is the fog horn that alerts the nation to one of its most perilous dangers. It’s not only America’s stature and reputation they imperiled with their selfish, childish behavior, but the integrity of the Office of the Presidency will forever be damaged in some ineffable way.

All to help Trump and Trumper hold onto the White House so they can continue to spread their lovable antics and zaniness around the world for four more years? God help us, no!

But back to my question.

Quid pro quo? Does that convey the fear felt by an entire population living under the threat and shadow of the Soviet Army? I think not.

Mario Puzo would know it for what it was. In the Mafia jungle he wrote about, the fear of death or destruction was the ultimate weapon. The ultimate bargaining chip. 

“Make him an offer he can’t refuse,” was the refrain and it was totally undeniable. 

Nobody wants to die. 

Nobody wants their loved ones to die.

Not even Trump and Trumper.