I'm not second-guessing Nancy Pelosi's decision not to hold a vote.

[MineralMan]

My knowledge of what is going on in those closed hearings and in the House chambers is inadequate for me to form any judgment at this point. So, I'm going to go with Pelosi's vast experience with that legislative body and trust her to make the best possible decision on this matter.

She and other Democratic leaders have a strategy they're working with. I don't have a better one, due to my lack of knowledge, so I'm going to rely on the Democratic House leadership to execute its own strategy.

Unless someone has more information than I do and can demonstrate that information to be factual, that's where I'm going to be on this.

[Cartoonist]

1. I used to doubt Nancy's strategy, but no more.

When Trump began his meltdown on the day Nancy announced the impeachment inquiry, she showed me her timing is impeccable.

[5X]

2. Her holding a vote to satisfy trump would be as bad as investigating Hunter at this point.

[dalton99a]

5. +1. He'd just come up with more bullshit "rules" and demands

[gab13by13]

3. The argument being used by the White House

and others on the right to not comply with subpoenas is that Democrats aren't holding an official impeachment inquiry. Democrats believe they are holding official impeachment inquiries. Voting on the declaration that Democrats are holding impeachment inquiries would wipe out the White House argument for not turning over documents or appearing at hearings.

Even if Democrats voted to validate beyond a doubt that they are holding impeachment inquiries I suspect that the White House and others would just come up with another reason to not comply with subpoenas.

[MineralMan]

6. Every failure by the Administration to produce documents and testimony

is another obstruction article for the Articles of Impeachment.

[hedda_foil]

16. Then they'd say that only Democrats voted for it proving it's all a partisan witch hunt!

So of course they wouldn't cooperate with that.

[mrsv]

4. If a formal inquiry is voted on...

Republicans will have subpoena power too. Who you think they're gonna call

[GeorgeGist]

10. Hillary?

[spanone]

7. anyone who thinks trumps 'demands' will end there is fooling themselves.

IMHO

[Mike Niendorff]

8. Here's how this would go ...

Trump: I demand a formal vote!

Pelosi: Will you comply with all House subpoenas once we take a formal vote?

Trump: Well, maybe, but until then I definitely won't.

Pelosi: Ok, here's your vote. Full House is now onboard.

Trump: Thank you, and no, we're still not complying. But we do have another, more lengthy, list of demands we'd like to litigate next. Maybe we'll comply after that ...

(and on and on and on ...)

[gratuitous]

11. Got it in one

Trump will also strut and crow about how he forced the House to take a vote he didn't give a tin shit about. Anyone who's watched this asshole knows how it plays out, whether it's Obama's birth certificate (legitimate and he was indeed born in Hawai'i) or Warren's claim to Native ancestry (yes, she has some Native American in her bloodline, just like her family lore said). Has that stopped Trump and his fanboiz from continuing those taunts? It has not.

[StarfishSaver]

15. Bingo AND

In the future, it will be difficult for the House ever to conduct an impeachment investigation without a formal vote because they helped set the precedent that such a vote is necessary.

[ehrnst]

9. Especially since the WH is pressuring her to hold one (nt)

[Qutzupalotl]

12. A vote would entrench people on one side or other,

whereas members need to keep an open mind at this stage. It seems like the strategy is to persuade and not let Trump influence the process with praise or scorn.

[BruceWane]

13. R demand for a vote is just a ploy

If given the chance to negotiate terms of an impeachment inquiry, R's would simply make endless ridiculous demands in order to drag out the process as long as possible, all while still claiming "see how unfair/illegal this is!!!".

At minimum, R's would demand to be able to call their own "witnesses". Which would be a parade of people who have the same twisted definition of the word "truth" as the administration and practically all of the R party, i.e. "truth" = "whatever story serves our purpose of the moment".

So, skipping the vote, they claim "so unfair/illegal!!", which they would do anyway, but the inquiry proceeds without delays.

[Hortensis]

14. Lol. Gosh no. This isn't amateur hour.

[ecstatic]

17. All I know is, Traitor tRump doesn't get to call the shots.

Anything that he demands, I fall into the "No!" camp.

[TomSlick]

18. The only benefit I see to my passage of years, is learning hard lessons.

One of these is learning to recognize my betters. The Speaker is far smarter than I.

[SharonAnn]

19. This time I was right. Friends badgered me to support "younger candidates" and I demurred.

I said we need deep experience and skill in these perilous Trump Times.
She’s showing her skill and experience.
She’s way more knowledgeable than I am about this stuff.

Go Madame Speaker!

[Bettie]

20. I think it is a giant

screw you to the occupant of the white house...and that belief makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.