President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania were greeted like royalty at the LSU vs Clemson college football championship game Monday night. A standing ovation and wild cheering welcomed the first couple as they walked out onto the field for the presentation of the national anthem. The enthusiastic crowd chanted "USA, USA" as Trump emerged from the tunnel to a hero's welcome.

College Football Playoff National Championship - Clemson v LSU
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Today the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to proceed with articles of impeachment against the president. It's such a contradiction in reality that plays out daily inside the beltway where partisan politics rules and hatred of Trump reigns supreme. The cost of all of this comes at the expense of the American people in that their faith in their government and the media has been shattered.

Most people have lost interest in the goings-on in Washington, D.C. They are too busy working and saving, coaching Little League and getting little Susie to dance class to pay attention to the constant bickering in the nation's capital. That's the reality for most.

For the powerbrokers in D.C., the reality is something altogether different. It's no longer about policy as we've seen the Democrat leadership very visibly flip-flop on almost every major policy position since 2016. For the elite class, it's about power. The Trump Administration is attempting to shift control of that power back to the people and away from powerful career politicians, and those politicians are fighting back to retain control.

As the articles of impeachment are ceremoniously transferred from the House to the U.S. Senate – probably this week for an impeachment trial that could begin within weeks – most people are shaking their heads and wondering what the hell is going on. How it is that Trump is greeted like royalty at LSU one night and is about to be impeached the very next day?

The contradictions between Washington, D.C. reality and real-world reality are stark and highlight the growing chasm that exists between the American people and their government.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

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