First of all, if you want (or need) a good summary of the current state of the Trump-Ukraine situation, Electoral Vote has a good one today that can bring you up to speed.
Of course, things are moving quickly so that article is already out of date. In particular, Nancy Pelosi is about to announce a formal impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump.
And you know what? I totally agree. I think it is time to impeach. What convinced me was this article by Zack Beauchamp in Vox. It is a good article and you should read it, but the main point is this:
Impeaching Trump over Robert Mueller’s findings in the Russia investigation would have been an attempt to address past offenses; impeaching Trump over these calls would be an attempt to halt what sure looks like an ongoing attempt to hijack American foreign policy in service of the president’s reelection. Democrats have an obligation to try to stop this before it gets any further.
Trump believes he can get away with anything (including shooting someone in downtown NYC). If we don’t stand up to him when we catch him doing something, (as David Frum points out) he will just get worse and worse. He thinks he can sweep this scandal under the table like he has before, but most of those scandals were in the past. He is doing this one now, and we have an obligation to stop him.
Even if the Senate doesn’t convict him. At the very least, it will put all the spineless Republican enablers of Trump into the awkward position of saying that the president of the US is above the law.
7 Comments
“Impeaching Trump over Robert Mueller’s findings in the Russia investigation would have been an attempt to address past offenses”
Is any criminal can use this excuse to be not punished, because when he is standing in court, he is not committing any crime?
Hassan, you won’t be happy with anything the Democrats do, will you?
I suggest you read this article from NPR:
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/24/763575677/impeachment-has-never-been-very-popular-but-that-hasnt-stopped-congress-before
It makes a good point that the impeachment of Richard Nixon (even though it was aborted when he resigned) led directly to the rise of Donald Trump.
There *is* this thing called “blowback”.
Hassan, you won’t be happy with anything the Democrats do, will you?
I am not happy with anything that is not grounded on principles and ethics. I am conservative for impeaching president based on principles, what else you want?
I dont entirely agree with the vox article. Muellers findings related both collusion and obstruction of which the latter was applicable to the time Trump was in office. There was evidence that Trump attempted to obstruct and was only unable to do so due to Clouseau like luck. Collusion was not proven. However there’s clear evidence Trump has lied numerous times in public prior to becoming president and he was voted into office none the less. So his voters were ok with him being what he is. I dont think it was clear that even after the mueller report there was overwhelming public support to remove Trump from office. And thats my understanding of what impeachment is. ie removal from office and not an arrest for a criminal offense. I wasnt old enough to follow the clintol impeachment so i’m not sure what the public sentiment was then but it seems if the public doesnt care first make the public care. ITs a fickle public though that screams in anger and disapproval if a vice presidential motorcade goes through an island in which cars are banned but is seemingly ok at the inhumanity and stupidity of this administration.
Some increasing support for impeachment from the public. Critically from independents. https://morningconsult.com/2019/09/26/voter-support-for-impeachment-grows-amid-ukraine-scandal/
Relevant article from The Conversation:
“Founders: Removal from office is not the only purpose of impeachment”
https://theconversation.com/founders-removal-from-office-is-not-the-only-purpose-of-impeachment-124254
Thanks William, that article is really excellent.