On Wednesday, the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald J. Trump for a second time – this time with just a few days left in his term.
It was a mostly symbolic rebuke. Financial and precious metals markets barely budged on the news.
The Senate, which alone has the power to convict and remove an impeached President, isn’t even expected to hold a trial until after Trump leaves office and Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20th.
Of much wider significance for the future of American politics – and for the free, open exchange of ideas on an array of controversial subjects – is the unprecedented mass, coordinated de-platforming of President Trump and some of his supporters by social media companies.