larry diamond has called a democratic recession. international human rights watchdog group freedom house registered global declines in political rights and civil liberties for 13 consecutive years. this is the context in which to consider america's impeachment crisis. the facts of the case are blindingly clear. president trump pressured the new ukrainian government to investigate the bidens as has been described in sworn testimony by 17 witnesses. many of them sitting senior government officials with each person's account confirming the others and emails, texts and the rough call transcript further documenting it all. the republican's defense is that this elaborate campaign to help trump's reelection was actually a big misunderstanding. trump had never asked for it. all the officials working feverishly for months across contents for all simultaneously diluted. call it the walter mitty defense.