But, my thoughts are this--let us assume that the evidence
Nixon's article of impeachment #1 was obstruction of justice. For the past year, we have seen nothing but obstruction of justice and obstruction of Congress. The president has ordered his administration not to present evidence or testify. The president is taking the position that not only is he above the law, but, he cannot even be investigated while president. If that were true, how in the world could any Congress fulfill its constitutional duty to impeach when warrannted? Trump is in effect claiming that Congress has no right to do what the constitution compels it to do--even if the facts and evidence are clear and convincing against him.
For those people who claim this is all hearsay, a scam, a hoax, I ask you to demand that the president release the witnesses and the evidence, so we can make that determination. Without doing this, even should the Senate decide upon party-line not to convict, under no circumstance will the president be able to claim vindication. There will always be a deep dark cloud overhanging his administration and his party. It will also send the message to all future administrations, Democrat or Republican, that a president never has to respond to any subpoena, whether Congressional or Court-ordered.
This is a sad predictament. We are at the precipice of deciding whether our country will truly be a representative democracy or something far less, an autocracy leaning quickly towards dictatorship.
(Initial version posted on my Facebook Timeline)