I think most Americans can agree that the Trump impeachment trial is rigged.  I expect that conservatives are thrilled about that and liberals are outraged.  Before anyone gets too 'holier than thou', we should remember that the parties were making their opposite arguments when Clinton was impeached.  The biggest problem with both impeachments is that they have destroyed Americans' faith in the criminal justice system.  Because if the people who make the laws for as important a country as the United States are not willing to judge a plaintiff based on facts, documents, and witnesses, why should the public trust any court?

As many Supreme Court justices do, Chief Justice John Roberts has been a surprise.  When he was appointed by President Bush it was widely expected that he would lean the court toward conservative rulings, but he has actually garnered a reputation for keeping the Supreme Court non-partisan.  Presiding over the impeachment trial, he is swept in the tide of partisan maneuvering and rules that, at best, give the trial the appearance of a 'not guilty' verdict being preordained.  Will he be able to preside over a fair trial when there are so many powerful forces trying to make it not be fair, one way or the other?