I'm still astounded not a single Republican grew a spine.

[OliverQ]

There are a lot of no votes, so some Republicans want to vote yes, but refuse to actually be on the record.

I just can't believe an entire party is betraying Democracy and the Constitution for a monster like Trump. It's truly depressing.

[RainCaster]

1. This is the end of the GOP

[doc03]

5. I doubt that, they will wear this as a badge of honor and Trump

may even get re-elected.

[Amishman]

10. Far from it. They don't fear for their jobs

If they did they would boot Trump.

They see impeachment not moving the polls. They see how utterly divided the country has become. They feel safe playing petty games, and they are right. Most have deep red districts, the vulnerable ones got the boot last year

[OliverQ]

11. No it isn't. Too many people worship trump and will support them.

[rockfordfile]

39. It's the end of those supporters.

[warmfeet]

59. This is the end, my friend.

[DownriverDem]

16. They are afraid

of their voters and trump. If they piss off trump, he can get a trumpster to run against them. They have put their reelections before the country.

[Golden Raisin]

55. Or the U.S.A.

They've got Trump in the Oval Office, McConnell iron-fisting in the Senate, Barr being rogue at "Justice" and a perilously shaky Supreme Court.

[greyl]

2. At least Amash left GOP months ago, but yeah. nt

[Ferrets are Cool]

3. Traitors to their Oath of Office, each and every one. nt

[TryLogic]

25. Exactly.

[handmade34]

4. in my heart

I know they are on the wrong side of history... it will come out in the end

[llmart]

15. That's the only thing that keeps me going these days.

Knowing that even though he won't be convicted in the Senate, we here will be on the right side of history.

[luvtheGWN]

56. If enough Senators vote to convict,

the Trump is out and therefore relatively powerless. So I'm suggesting that the reason they won't vote to convict is because there is enough scandal, dirty tricks and probably outright felony in their backgrounds and bank accounts to totally destroy both their reputations and their freedom.

[StevieM]

6. I'm not. (eom)

[bdamomma]

7. They

are not our friends across the aisle.

[LenaBaby61]

8. NOT shocked ...

Have you not been paying attention? They're also scared of him.

These assholes are the party of tRumputin.

He is them, they are Him.

[Evergreen Emerald]

18. I disagree--they have been like this for years.

That is how Trump got in office. They initiated a coup years ago. We just did not realize it because we believed in the strength of our democracy.

Trump represents them. They are Trump.

[Sherman A1]

49. Precisely

He is the culmination of their efforts.

[Chichiri]

9. Don't be surprised. Evil exists. nt

[crickets]

12. I know. It's sad.

Remember this when anyone starts talking about Senators telling them in private that they'd vote to convict if they had a secret ballot. That's a big lie, and a trap. Don't believe it.

[Kurt V.]

13. that is a political strategy in of itself.

[llmart]

14. Even the ones who are leaving after this term couldn't do the right thing.

Probably have cushy lobbying jobs lined up anyway, so they can't alienate their buddies.

[BuffaloJackalope]

17. They've alienated the majority of Americans, embraced the idea of oligarchy

to the extent that they can't maintain power without lying, disenfranchising millions of Americans, or cheating outright, and most outrageously - soliciting foreign govts, some hostile to the very concepts of freedom & liberty, to interfere in our elections.

[FiveGoodMen]

19. They've been against democracy all along

[ananda]

20. Two things.

They have a very small, rabid, ugly base to play to.

And many of them are compromised by either Russian money,
blackmail, or both.

Including Mitch McConnell, Devin Nunes, Lindsey Graham, and so many others.

[TryLogic]

28. Names such as these are the reason Congress is so unpopular.

Especially McConnell.

[kairos12]

21. They fear the Twitter. I don't you would have found many of these guys

on Omaha Beach. Maybe Pismo Beach though.

[Lucky Luciano]

22. Well Amash grew a spine and quit the party. He voted to impeach. That should count.

[Nitram]

23. me 2

[Progressive Jones]

24. I'm not surprised one bit. The cowards of the GOP are deathly afraid of their base,

and afraid of losing the easiest, most lucrative job they've ever had.

The entire GOP is a bunch of low quality Americans, especially their voters.

[TryLogic]

30. "afraid of losing the easiest, most lucrative job they've ever had."

Bingo.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. I'm not. Slugs don't have spines.

[LakeArenal]

27. Frank Lutz and Steve Brannon

That is all.

[calimary]

29. Invertebrates just can't get there.

They’re just built that way.

Or maybe when trump came along, that’s how they paid tribute. They had to line up for spine-removal surgery.

A backbone-ectomy.

[spanone]

31. the party of trump, it's like the Invasion of the Body Snatchers

[vlyons]

32. I'm amazed too

How do they go home and face their children? They all know that Trump is guilty as charged, and probably worse. That he is vulgar, stupid, and incompetent. And yet, they go along with the program.

They are absolutely no different than all those good Germans, who wore Nazi pins on their lapels, and stood by silently as their Jewish neighbors were rounded up and trucked off. No different than the German generals, who silently went along with Hitler's disasterous invasion of Russia in winter.

I don't get it.

[Wounded Bear]

33. I'm not. They've weeded out almost all of the moderates...

especially since the Tea Party bullshit.

Now, mostly just the fanatics left. Almost 3 dozen more 'retiring' this year, too, IIRC.

[captain queeg]

34. It makes me nervous

It certainly appears that sticking with Trump is going to bite them in the ass and it will be the end of the GOP. Do they know something? Are they so sure of rigging the next election that they feel untouchable?

If Romney or someone stood up and voted with the Dems at this point they’d go down on history. I think those guys are concerned about their legacy. Maybe he’ll decide he doesn’t want to be remembered as a boot licker. Showing some spine and voting with the Dems wouldn’t change anything (if it’s just one guy) but it would make someone famous.

[3catwoman3]

54. After that post-"election" dinner with...

...Trump, isn't he already remembered as a boot-licker (or would that be ass-kisser)?

[magicarpet]

35. Down the road, who next do they toss into the pResidential ring ?

President Howling Monkey Drunken Gaetz,

President Jacket off, Jack off, Gym Jordan,

President Top Secret Cow Nunes,

President Pastor Collins.

[FiveGoodMen]

36. But that's what their party has been up to for decades

Why be surprised now?

Going back to 1980, they reportedly KEPT American hostages from being released until Reagan's inauguration.

Traitors who deserve execution.

Every last one.

[B Stieg]

37. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil"

Swap out "money" for "power," and that pretty much characterizes all tRump's many minions.

[LV487]

38. Trump is not the man for Reps to fall on their sword for...

Reagan, yes, Trump, no. Funny how so many Reps hated Trump when he was nominated.

[Beartracks]

40. Surprised / Not Surprised

Hope for the best, expect the Republican.

============

[Bucky]

41. Republican Members of Congress do have spines

They call them bone spurs, but they do have the courage of their conviction... that someone else should do the sacrificing to keep the country safe

[Demonaut]

42. it's not what they say, it's what they do

[Capt. America]

43. I too am surprised that many of these supposed learned, professional people chose

not to see the facts for what they are.
However, I realize that as evil as the Rethugs are, they are simply following the wishes of their worse constituencies.

[Harker]

44. Your faith in reason and integrity is touching.

Now that they've clearly demonstrated their fascist, monolithic nature, I doubt there will be many future surprises left for you.

[wishstar]

45. Not only their votes in lockstep, but their Trumplike speeches were astounding

So many of them went way beyond mere voting to protect him, but morphed into nasty dishonest mini- Trump clones, similar to the disgusting performances by Kavanaugh and Lindsay Graham in the Kavanaugh hearings. The eagerness to stoop so low to score points with the cult leader and their followers is deplorable.

[malaise]

46. I am astounded that you

are astounded

[KentuckyWoman]

47. I am not shocked at all.

I maintain anyone who still wears the R label stopped giving a shit about anyone but themselves a long time ago.

[TheFourthMind]

48. The sort of confidence that comes from knowing all the ducks are in a row.

Headlines are already prepping the public for a Trump win in 2020.

[ck4829]

50. K&R

[dewsgirl]

51. We have an organised crime syndicate masquerading

as a government. I used to think they were only being blackmailed, I have no doubt now, they are likely being threatened. I'm not going to pretend I understand what happened with Mueller, I do know he didnt do all he did to just end up providing cover for Trump. Trump regime=Russian mafia.

[DFW]

52. They needed all that hard bone and enamel for their fangs

There wasn't enough left over for a spine.

[whathehell]

53. I feel EXACTLY the same...

At age 70, I've lived through a long swath of American history, and I've never seen ANYTHING like this...It's actually frightening.

[Nitram]

57. I'm astounded that there are still Democrats who are hesitating.

[LAS14]

58. My thoughts exactly. nt

[flying_wahini]

60. I'm not.