This is why we should IMPEACH!

[Laelth]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/28/politics/allan-lichtman-donald-trump-2020/index.html

"Democrats are fundamentally wrong about the politics of impeachment and their prospects for victory in 2020. An impeachment and subsequent trial would cost the president a crucial fourth key -- the scandal key -- just as it cost Democrats that key in 2000. The indictment and trial would also expose him to dropping another key by encouraging a serious challenge to his re-nomination. Other potential negative keys include the emergence of a charismatic Democratic challenger, a significant third-party challenge, a foreign policy disaster, or an election-year recession. Without impeachment, however, Democratic prospects are grim."

I say impeach NOW.

Recent history shows us that an impeached President is always followed by a President of the opposition party (Nixon/Ford—>Carter, Clinton—>Bush). Just impeach this monster and get it over with. I would much rather see our spectacular field of candidates talking about a positive vision for America than to keep investigating this scoundrel that currently occupies the Oval Office.

-Laelth

[Faux pas]

1. I'm with you.

The longer they drag it out, the more he gets away with.

[Laelth]

4. And he's running out the clock.

The closer the actual impeachment gets to election day, the more that Trump can argue that the impeachment was politically motivated (a “witch hunt” as opposed to a legitimate attempt to protect the separation of powers codified by the Constitution).

-Laelth

[lagomorph777]

25. Impeachment is not a binary decision; nor is it a singular event.

It is a long process; a lot of hearings, that hopefully will go on fairly constantly from now 'til election day. The day after McConnell loses his majority leader status, then we can hand him the Articles and let him impotently stop the process. And it will be too late; the process will have destroyed not only Trump but the entire Russiapublican Party.

[Laelth]

29. It doesn't have to be a long process.

I am confident that Speaker Pelosi could have Trump impeached within 30 days, if she wanted to. She has the votes. We control the House. It's the only power we have, and the American people gave it to us in 2018. I say we should use it to defend the Constitution.

-Laelth

[lagomorph777]

42. The main benefit comes from the hearings, which will expose the truth.

The vote is not the point; the process ends the second the Articles go from House to McTurtle's Senate. Longer hearings would be a good thing; there is a lot to expose here, and we want it fresh in voters' minds when they go to the polls.

[dalton99a]

2. Silence is consent.

[Laelth]

6. Hear! Hear! n/t

-Laelth

[Trumpocalypse]

3. Al Gore won the 2000 election

Bush stole it with Nader driving the getaway car.

[Laelth]

5. I don't deny that.

Bush 2 was “selected,” not “elected,” but I maintain that impeachment will actually help us beat Trump in 2020.

-Laelth

[bigbrother05]

8. Clinton's impeachment meant Gore distanced himself

Also, putting the prude Lieberman on the ticket kept the whole thing in the spotlight. If you have to run away from your former partner, why would the public want to let you continue?

Even with all that baggage, Gore won and a complicit SCOTUS selected W.

Impeaching Trump now will let the Dems vying for the Senate point out the feckless GOP and should rouse the Dem base to oust the usurper.

[Laelth]

30. +1 n/t

-Laelth

[OMGWTF]

16. GWB stole Ohio in 2004.

These thefts in 2000, 2004, and 2016 have cost us THREE SCOTUS seats. Fking bullshit cheating GD crooked traitors to the Constitution.

[Laelth]

32. I don't deny that, either. Kudos. n/t

-Laelth

[AJT]

7. That is only true if the "scandal" involves Democrats.

45 had scandals up to his eyebrows before he was elected, and those that voted for him just don't care about what he has done or will do.

[Laelth]

9. I am not so sure.

Impeachment is rare, and it bodes ill for the party impeached.

-Laelth

[AJT]

10. Fingers crossed.....we are at a crossroads. Will our democracy survive?

[Laelth]

31. I have complete and utter faith in our cumbersome, intransigent system.

George W. Bush couldn't destroy it, and nor can Donald Trump. Our system of government is utterly unwieldy, but it is also utterly resistant to tyrants like Donald Trump.

Long live the American republic--and it will live long from what I can see. I am very proud of U.S. (with kudos to James Madison).

-Laelth

[BlueJac]

11. K&R

[Gothmog]

12. Senate GOP vows to quickly quash any impeachment charges

Link to tweet

GOP senators say that if the House passes articles of impeachment against President Trump they will quickly quash them in the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has broad authority to set the parameters of a trial.

While McConnell is required to act on articles of impeachment, which require 67 votes — or a two-thirds majority — to convict the president, he and his Republican colleagues have the power to set the rules and ensure the briefest of trials.

“I think it would be disposed of very quickly,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)....

“Why on earth would we give a platform to something that I judge as a purely political exercise?” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), another member of the Judiciary Committee. “We have to perform our constitutional duty, but if people think that we’re going to try and create a theater that could give you the perception that this is a matter that rises to the level of Watergate, that’s nonsense.”

Tillis said he would support McConnell bringing the impeachment process to a quick close, and that any kind of extended trial would be “rewarding what I view as bad behavior on the part of the House.”

[Laelth]

33. Fine.

Here's my point. If we force Senate Republicans to take a stand on this issue (Trump is guilty vs. Trump is innocent), we win, either way. Those Republican Senators who fear their base, and who back the lying scumbag that we all know Trump is, will alienate the middle of the electorate. Those Republican Senators who break ranks and call a spade a spade will alienate their Trump-loving base. Either way, we win. I want all Republican Senators who are up for re-election in 2020 on the record regarding Trump's criminality. The only way to put them all on the record is to impeach Trump and then punt this ball to the Senate for a trial--as required by the Constitution.

I see no downside to impeachment.

-Laelth

[AlexSFCA]

13. that what he hopes for

getting impeached in the house on party lines followed by instant acquittal of charges in the senate landing him and gop senators electoral victory.
We should keep impeachment on the table if he wins.

[wryter2000]

28. Amen

Getting impeachment done and over with now would be a huge mistake.

[Laelth]

34. I disagree.

He is LYING by suggesting that he actually WANTS to be impeached. He actually said that "nobody wants to be impeached." Trump's public image means more to him than anything else, and he doesn't want to be one of three presidents, in the history of this nation, who has been impeached.

-Laelth

[AlexSFCA]

41. public image?

be only cares about his base. If he gets impeached in the house (on party lines) and instantly acquitted in the senate, it will play out great for the base. ‘Don against the establishment’.

[MGKrebs]

14. Impeachment seems to be approaching anyway, but

using impeachment to gain political advantage is not the reason we should do it.

Actually, I am torn. The R's use every trick in the book and we can't cede half the weapons available just to be principled.

On the other hand, I am not convinced that impeachment would be helpful.

Yet.

[uponit7771]

21. +1, I agree ... it's not for political advantage & adds to reason the whole process should be used..

... should be used to outline Red Don's crimes and misdemeanors which are plentiful.

Less MAGA Cult will act like Red Don is a saint and every democratic candidate should be compared because they have the wrong reproductive parts or skin color.

Even his cult base thinks Red Don did some crimes ... BEFORE ... he was elected president and now we can make the case he did some crimes while he was president.

[G_j]

15. Agreed!

[BigmanPigman]

17. I wonder how much of a factor GOP contender Gov Weld will be.

[pdsimdars]

18. If not, what do they actually stand for?

[Laelth]

35. Precisely. n/t

-Laelth

[uponit7771]

19. K&R, impeachment usually hurts the party of the president the impeached

Last edited Wed May 29, 2019, 04:06 PM - Edit history (1)

[Laelth]

39. I disagree.

Recent history shows us that an impeached President is always followed by a President of the opposition party.

-Laelth

[uponit7771]

40. You're correct, I stated it wrong

[DownriverDem]

20. I think it will happen,

but it sure seems like too many folks keep yapping about it.

[Laelth]

38. Is it possible that "TOO MANY" Americans can fight to stand up for the Constitution? n/t

-Laelth

[Kurt V.]

22. it seems trump can break the law with no consequences. as Mueller said, no one is above the law.

[LW1977]

23. K&R

[yaesu]

24. the longer we wait the better chance we have a tRump in the white house post 2020

The candidate that MSM picks to run against tRump cannot win. Tens of millions of voters will not show up to vote, again.

[kentuck]

26. Justin Amash could be a very valuable ally.

...from the Republican side.

In my opinion, the Democrats should begin an impeachment enquiry immediately. This would be different from an actual impeachment proceeding.

Democrats could inform the public that there will only be an enquiry so long as the Republicans refuse to protect the Legislative Branch from the excesses and abuse from the Executive Branch.

But an "enquiry" could last right thru Election day? That may be the direction we are headed?

[Laelth]

37. "Inquiry," please. n/t

-Laelth

[wryter2000]

27. There will be no trial

Republicans in the Senate said today they’ll quash any articles of impeachment that come to them.

This is why we need to continue hearings in the House right up until the election. And the more Trump stalls, the worse things will get for him.

[Laelth]

36. No Senate has ever convinced a sitting President pursuant to Articles of Impeachment.

I don’t need Trump convicted. Impeaching him helps us tremendously in 2020, and it puts our party on the right side of history just to hold him accountable and to defend the Constitution.

-Laelth