I think Trump is so singular that absolutely no precedent fits for him. I think it is totally possible that, with a Democratic House actively investigating him, so many things could be revealed about Trump that will make it all but impossible to stay in office. He has probably done things in his life that warrant a felony conviction and time in jail.
Of course, that might not happen at all. These are strange, scary, unpredictable times. But just because you don't have support for impeachment now, I don't think you can rule out impeachment when it comes to Trump. As far as I've ever heard or read, there has never been an American president anywhere near as criminal and venal as Trump.
8
Charles, thank you for the sound advice. Impeachment would be a catastrophic mistake for the Democrats. Trump must be removed from office by the millions of Americans who are not fooled by this con artist.
If there is clear evidence of Trump colluding with the Russians he should be impeached and removed - impeachment exists in the Constitution to prevent exactly the type of behavior under discussion so far. Anything less than overwhelming evidence, and I'd agree with Charles. A case could already be made for obstruction of justice, but it is far from solid. Assuming the Dems gain some major ground in 2018, a wounded Trump is a far better opponent in the next election than Pence, who Repubs would likely rally behind.
3
Remember however that the Republicans were revving up the impeachment engine in the fall of 2016 in the expectation that Clinton would be elected because Clinton um and er she well it didn’t really matter why.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/11/03/no-honeymoon...
If Trump cannot be impeached, then our Constitutional System is utterly pointless and bankrupt. The Founding Fathers intended impeachment as the sole remedy for a lawless executive. They did not foresee how shallow respect for the rule of law would be, once a narrow partisanship trumps -- pun intended -- all. Might as well tear the Constitution up under such circumstances, because it ceases to function as it was intended to function.
4
You can't impeach a president just because your (flawed) candidate lost the election.
3
The martyrization of Donald Trump!
3
If anybody meets the high standards (sarcastic) for impeachment, it is Donald Trump.
3
So, in other words, the President IS above the law and any wrongdoing is something we live with until the next election in hopes he'll be voted out of office, in which case he can go on committing crimes, just so long as they don't affect US, right?
Maybe you haven't heard, Charles, but the Russians have already been hard at it preparing to disrupt the 2018 and 2020 elections, while the man in the Oval Office, who swore an oath to defend us from all enemies, has yet to give even one directive to prevent their meddling. Yes, we can TRY to vote him out of office, but if our voting process can't be trusted, what are our chances? Impeachment is a Constitutionally supported remedy for unworthy, crime committing Presidents, and it's not there by mistake. If the situation calls for it, then use it or lose it (and everything else that American greatness ever stood for). Voting someone out of office (if we should be so lucky) is only a clarion call to future candidates that this is the worst they can expect.
5
The House Democrats moving full force with an impeachment investigation is going to be just another approach to gathering evidence against Trump and to. ensure that the public is aware of the evidence.
At that time there needs to be a discussion on the potential Indictment of the President. The issue would be how appropriate it would be for Trump to face prison. Personally I believe Trump's greatest risk will be in helping Russians launder money. There would simply be too much money for Trump to turn away.
There will obviously be other risks for Trump, but everything that leads to prison should be exposed to the public and moved to both state and Federal Courts. There is no need for the Senate to have a political battle on Guilt when there are Americans available to serve on juries.
3
The facts can hurt sometimes, 2/3s is too high to even consider removing the duffius, and it is a likely better outcome to vote him and his courtiers out into the street. But some sort of tight leash needs application--a Blue Senate is what is needed more than an intelligent prez at this point.
Since the only other practical option is assassination, I think all of us, including Mr. Blow, should be working around the clock to make sure impeachment is on the table and ready to proceed.
9
Impeaching Trump is like treating a symptom. Donald is symptomatic of a plague that needs a full on cure and a vaccination.
2
Much of the comparison with Johnson is apt. Both men were social strivers that never quite managed to achieve the ranks of high society, but were continually undone by their queer combination of envy, resentment and idolization of their social betters. Both spoke in incomprehensible rambling monologues, though at least Johnson had the excuse of being drunk.
A clarification for this piece is needed though. The impeachment of Johnson was triggered by his attempt to dismiss Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War Johnson inherited from the Lincoln administration, and one of the key architects of the Union victory. The conflict resulted in a victory for Johnson and solidified the power of the president to make, and break, executive branch appointments. Something to remember and be wary of as the Mueller investigation continues.
Although would not be as openly racist, gauche, misogynistic, narcissistic, and proudly ignorant, I don’t think his policies would be much better. Besides, if he is as guilty as he appears to be, he should be in prison rather than merely impeached.
2
Bill Clinton was re-elected after the impeachment proceedings. Some moderates felt the Republicans went to far with impeachment proceedings even if they felt Clinton made a serious mistake. The reason is that they thought Ken Starr of the infamous Starr report was infringing on Clintons ability to do his job properly and it was damaging the country.
If Trump is impeached his supporters will become more convinced than ever that he is their MAGA leader. Or maybe moderates will vote for him if the Democrats overreach. We wouldn't be having this conversation if more people had bothered to vote in 2016. The most important thing you can do is make sure you vote in 2018.
The voters need to look in the mirror and ask themselves why perfectionism got in their way and lead to Trump's election. He wasn't even expecting to win.
No he wasn't.
He was impeached and acquitted in his final term.
3
If Mueller or the federal investigation of Cohen in New York find substantial crimes or evidence of criminal activity, Trump should be impeached. Even without those findings, my belief is that this man should be impeached. He is morally bankrupt, mentally ill, dangerous and unfit for office. But given the first scenario of finding substantial criminal activity, if impeachment proceedings are not undertaken, there will be riots in the streets. I can envision an "Occupy Washington" movement that may even paralyze the government completely. The rioting and social turmoil may become so bad that Trump actually resigns. And then the states can bring criminal charges against him, convict him and imprison him. I am living for the day of seeing a mug shot of Trump with a crew cut in an orange jumpsuit and the launching of his new reality show, "The Apprentice II," featuring Trump learning to make license plates in prison. He is far worse and far more dangerous than Johnson, Nixon or Clinton. He is, plain and simple, a mobster.
11
Impeachable offenses are not limited to criminal acts. Once those criminal acts are inevitably uncovered, including treason (for which the Constitution itself specifies the punishment), then the tide will turn. Case law already indicates that a sitting president (Clinton, as it happens) can be indicted.
4
If impeachment isnt working, lets go for an annulment.
2
Mr. Blow, you fail to note important distinctions between Johnson/Clinton and Trump: Johnson was viewed as incompetent and unqualified, but not as having committed high crimes and misdemeanors, i.e., the Constitutional standard for impeachment. Clinton"s only "crime" was lying in matters arising out of an extramarital affair. Neither article of impeachment against Clinton received even a bare majority vote in the Senate. the allegations (and mounting evidence) against Trump, if proven, would constitute serious crimes including not only obstruction of justice, but various possible felonies connected to conspiring with a foreign power to interfere in elections, and rampant financial corruption.
12
A.) Less than 1 year since Mueller was appointed, not "two years and counting" B.) 22 indictments and 4 guilty pleas, so far; C.) Complex criminal cases take time to develop. Nice try, though.
1
Isn't there a first time for everything? Past precedent exposes missed opportunities and inaction as much as predicting future norms. The US presidency has been irreparably damaged, its reputation now on par with 3rd-world dictators. Where else do we need to go to discover the original intent of the Framers here on this constitutional check? I fear what many of us have feared all along...that we're acclimating to the incompetence, the treason, the collusion, the obstruction, the, the nepotism, the authoritarianism, the...
12
I completely disagree. "High crimes and misdemeanors is a phrase from Section 4 of Article Two of the United States Constitution: "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." Trump is potentially guilty of all of it. If he is - he should go! The Constitution is the guidebook, lets follow it! The country should be protected against someone trying to destroy it!
16
"The harmonious working of the Constitution" is insufficient reason to countenance this dangerously inept executive.
It was for Johnson, too. Harmonious workings were unavailable to the slaves we fought a long war to free. A political nicety is hardly compensation.
Moreover, impeachment shouldn't be sacrosanct. The vote barrier is high, but there is no legal block to stumble over.
7
Perhaps impeachment hasn't worked in the past. But Trump has confounded political predictions at every turn; perhaps the conventional wisdom that he can't be impeached will turn out to be wrong as well. One can only hope.
6
But what message is sent to the next traitorous Nazi who is considering a run for office? If you think Trump is the worst or the last, you are wrong. There are plenty of fascists watching what we will tolerate. By accepting a criminally insane traitor as our president, we are putting a flashing neon sign over the WH that says to Russia, China and anyone else with the time and money, "Install Lunatic Here." The framers feared a Trump president. That's why they built in so many mechanisms to stop such a person from getting hold of the presidency in the first place. But knowing as they did the nature of humans, they gave us one last recourse: impeachment. The fact that we won't deploy this parachute suggests that we deserve to go "splat!" America, it turns out, is too good for Americans.
12
We are in a genuine quandary. No one despises Trump and his team of crooked corrosive CONs more than I. And I'm no Johnny come 'hately'.
Saw through Don Con decades ago. That being said...
Trump has excellent (albeit smarmy and slimy) impeachment insurance in the form of Mike Pence. Lots of ambition and less intelligence coupled with his extreme CONservative Christian views AND being a total tool of the Koch Bros and Mercer make Pence dangerous indeed.
Yes, Pence has a conventional hair cut and won't be Tweeting on the toilet at two am, but the guise of probity is a poor criteria for being 46.
In other words, with impeachment WE must be careful what we wish for.
What I AM hoping for is that Mr Mueller will be allowed to continue a relentless investigation that WILL bear sight of fruit of the poisonous Trump tree. And let's also see Trump'$ tax return$.
Instead of their whining "witch hunt", Republicans ought NOT forget the YEARs that Ken Starr spent 'surfing' Whitewater. Not too mention all the "investigate Benghazi", "lock her/him/them up", and other bloviating from Trump, FOX & Fiends, and the Republican Party leadership.
Oh yea, VOTE THEM OUT.
3
I would be happy with trump in office with a obstructionist Congress not allowing him to do anything. Then on January 1, 2020 the Marshalls handcuffing him for a ride to prison.
6
While I don't think much is to be gained if Democrats run on an anti-Trump agenda in 2018, if the two investigations presantly going on do uncover significant wrongdoing on the part of the president, and the Democrats take back the House and the Senate, then it is very possible for Mr Trump to be impeached.
Just because two previous impeachments failed to remove Johnson and Clinton, doesn't mean it couldn't be very different this time. The country is already more polarized than its been in a long while. And impeachment may lance the boil, so to speak, then maybe we can move on.
7
It is not my hope the November elections will result in impeachment but rather in silencing the President. Holding up all appointments, creating legislation to undo the President's plans and curbing the limits of Executive Power.
7
Republicans and Trump supporters especially are traitors who don't deserve to live in this country.
12
I'm a patriot who believes in American values, which Trump and his supporters don't.
We have an obligation as citizens to demand the removal of any elected official incapable of carrying out his/her duties. "We can't" must be replaced with "We Must." Trump is a pathology, not a president, and I am incensed with those who continue to support his brand of anarchy.
12
and NO Pence is not as bad or worse than the current "president." Pence will not be sleeping with porn stars, using the highest office in the nation to promote his personal business interests and lining his and his families' pockets at the expense of the American people, talking to Russians in the Oval Office, conspiring with Sean Hannity and/or Faux News, tweeting name-calling, etc. etc. --need I go on?
3
I wholly agree with your sentiment and am particularly in favor of the closing of your column. I’d add one more thing: Work like never before to increase the number of voters participating in future elections and replace Trump supporters, sympathizers or specifically anyone who doesn’t stand up to his foolishness and indecency with a new breed of politician, one who serves as a means of contributing to the betterment of our country. It will only help candidates of the future if we still have the current dart board “at work” in the White House. Being able to point out his bad works will be far better than wasting energy which, as you suggest, will probably be unsuccessful and perhaps lead him to be reelected in 2020. God forbid.
1
I believe there came a point fairly early on in the Trump campaign when it became evident to Trump that he had to 'go for broke' or go to prison because he was committing so many crimes on top of other crimes he had already committed in business that would sooner or later come to light.
He ran for office because he was once again on the brink of insolvency and the Russians said, "jump" and he had no choice. He has been acting out like a psychopath caught in the act since he stepped into office. I save all my pity for the rest of us who voted against this pig and have to live with his filth.
10
Borrowing from Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), "the Trump in me is the Trump in you." The Washington establishment --large parts --is Donald Trump. Impeachment isn't the answer.
2
Impeachment has always been a long shot but still worth pursuing... the best strategy is to VOTE for Democrats in Congress in order to impose oversight on the rampant corruption etc. in the executive branch that has been promoted by the current occupant of the WH.
2
Trump is still winning even while suffering an incredible level of vitriol from the MSM. I think impeachment would only polish his image as an anti-establishment President.
3
Mr. Blow is trying to "soften the blow" to those dreamers (or dillusionists) who see impeachment or even the threat of impeacement as the end to this national nighmare. He offered the reader to sit down and have a cup of tea, no less. I am on the same page and appreciated what Mr. Comey had to say about impeachment: “People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values,” said Comey. Only voting, he suggested, can deliver a worthy defeat." We are on the hook for this, like it or not. And I do wish Tom Styer would stop wasting so many millions on this quioxtic quest to impeach trump. Why not put those resources into strengthening our voting process? Voter suppression is real and the Republicans are up day and night thinking up new ways to disenfranchise.
Finally, to Alexander H.: as I understand it, newcasters are obligated to, with a first reference, refer to Trump as President Trump and thereafter may drop the "president" appellation. NYT commenters don't fall under that category.
2
Mr Blow, once again a mediocre piece of journalism from you. Whether or not America abhors impeachment is hardy relevant. Honestly, I don't even know what that type of blanket statement means. I bet not much. The issue at hand is Donald Trump's lack of credentials, moral, political, intellectual, ethical, humanitarian to occupy the office of President. Not just of the US but any country that deems itself civilized. The constitution gives us, the people, the right to dispose of the President, through our elected (and paid for) representatives in Congress. In the case of Donald Trump, the right is bordering obligation rather closely. So, please stop the niceties and sophomoric rhetoric and call for the impeachment of this clown. You will be in the right side of history. This is not about election tactics in November, it is about the soul of our democracy.
4
I despise Trump but I don't want him impeached. First we would have Pence who is as scary in a different way. Second the house going democratic can stop a lot of his nonsense
1
Let's get positive, Dems. How about some uplifting candidates and policies that will be embraced by all kinds of people, conservatives as well as liberals. Most of us are already emotionally exhausted by this president, and the thought of an impeachment doomed to die in the Senate makes me want to go back to bed.
2
Donald Trump picked VP Pence as his insurance policy. No one with a same mind can contemplate the top office with Mike Pence in charge; he talks to Lord Almighty regularly.
1
At the end of the day, impeachment is a political process, not a legal one. I would prefer Trump stay in office so we an vote him out in 2020. I do not want the Democratic candidate have to run against a newly installed Pence. I think Pense would get way too much of a sympathy vote.
1
It is obvious that the writer doesn't like DT but what exactly does he wants to impeach him for? So far there is no proof he did anything wrong or impeachable and half the country likes what he did so far.
Close to 50% of our nation didn't like president Obama but we didn't try to overturn the legitimate vote.
4
Clearly Trump is unfit for office. But impeachment is dangerous for two reasons: one is that it would mobilize Trump's base and make him more popular. Two, it would put Mike Pence in office, who is equally unfit.
I agree with just everything Charles Blow has written here, but he lost me with his nod to the Resistance.
Perhap's he's telling the Resistance to cool its jets. That would be okay. But asking center-left and centrist people to be captured by the left wing (which is how I see the Resistance's politics)? No.
This is not the time to foster further political polarization by trying to drive anti-Trump folks farther leftward. Does Mr. Blow imagine Bret Stephens (avowedly a never-Trumpster) signing on with the Resistance? Opposition to Trump should encompass people from across the political spectrum.
We absolutely need to normalize impeachment and conviction. It doesn't matter if it will be offensive to people who voted for the criminal. If it runs off the rails from overuse, it will get revised.
My worst fears about Trump have not yet been realized. My sense is that he is two missteps away from global disaster. He is by far the least competent and most dangerous president in my lifetime. Presidents from both parties have been very problematic and blundered badly, but he has been most destructive.
The reason that Americans abhor impeachment is because it tears the country apart. A large portion of the population are invested in his agenda. In order to wrest Clinton from power, Republicans were willing to scheme, distort and lie to try to remove a president for lying under oath. It further widened the political divide in a destructive way. If there is no imminent danger, I prefer removal from office by election. However, the Republic and the rule of law are in danger from creeping authoritarianism. Our only hope is that election is a good enough remedy soon enough to keep the Republic.
3
Trump has been under constant attacking since his inauguration . Not being a typical politician I wonder if his psyche can tolerate the endless body punches being thrown . Far better men have self destructed over time Nixon , yes Nixon and LBJ come to mind
Impeaching Trump, even if successful, only removes ONE scoundrel. There's a whole lot of mute, complicit scoundrel Republican congressmen (AND -women!) that need to be voted out of office if our country is ever going to get back on the correct track again.
This problem was a long time coming, and nothing so simple - if one wants to call impeachment "simple"- is going to solve it. Vote this November!
Ask yourself why most Americans consider removal from office to be 'extreme and indecorous'. It is specifically because we hold the President in such high regard. You are calling the game before the first pitch. Wait till the investigations by Muller's team and the SDNY start releasing evidence to the public. If direct evidence exists proving that Trump has knowingly allowed the Trump brand to be used to launder money from drug, arms and human trafficking, expect the Republicans to line up for removal from office.
Since the 12th amendment, the policy consequences of impeachment are minimal. It is the constitutional consequences that are vital.
3
Before one talks of a potential President Pence pardoning The Donald, understand that it is quite likely multiple State jurisdictions may file charges after Mueller has concluded his investigations. Those are NOT pardonable.
I rather like that inescapability. If there are any legitimate charges coming Trump’s (or anyone in the Administration) direction, I really don’t want them to escape justice. We, as a country, really need to learn from and experience the consequences of our actions (or inactions).
1
Impeaching Trump would be impossible even if Dems got a hold of both houses of Congress. I would suggest just stalling his agenda. Let the voters decide in 2020.
1
Trump has demonstrated an amazing inability to concentrate on anything for any longer than it takes to send a tweet. He is already watching too much TV, attending too many egocentric rallies, being distracted by the Mueller investigation and railing against enemies (real and imagined). Should Democrats re-take the House and begin impeachment proceedings, his distraction level will only increase. Regardless of who is in the White House, it would be nice to have a full-time president again. One that wants the responsibilities and not just the title. One that believes "the buck stops here."
3
I am quite happy to have this particular president be distracted--I shudder to think what would become of us should he be more effective in carrying out his awful policies!
Impeachment isn't justice, it's more of a cathartic mechanism. What we need is justice. It's best to remove Trump et al through the next two elections. It would then be good to prosecute all the criminals when there are no GOP'ers to pardon them, and make sure we don't elect any Dems that might support pardons "so the country could move on" or some other mendacity.
3
Republican candidates have realized their path to victory in 2018. They have stopped campaigning on tax cuts and conservatism, which do nothing but bore the voters. The new GOP playbook is based on swearing fealty to Trump, promising to end the Mueller investigation and vowing to imprison Hillary Clinton. This will guarantee them victory, and the Democrats no longer have any chance of taking back the House. Republicans are running against Hillary Clinton in 2018. They are not running as Republicans, but as Trumpists. Democrats are now running against Trump, not against GOP candidates. This is a fight they can never win. They can't win the House anymore, but they can try their best to prevent Republicans from achieving a filibuster-proof supermajority in the Senate. They can do this by avoiding all mention of Trump. No talk of impeachment, investigation, prosecution or collusion. Their only hope is to focus on the actual Republican candidates, who are largely weak, vulnerable and uncharismatic and can easily be disconnected from Trump. Candidates like Romney, who dared to oppose Trump, can be easily picked off by Democrats because Republicans will not vote for them.
3
Impeachment would be unsatisfying for two reasons. First, Pence could be worse. He is a foney masquerading as a religious fundamentalist. Second, an even more satisfying would be winning, at minimum, the house, and making Trump a lame duck president, which would kill him. That would be alright with me.
5
Democratic candidates must focus their campaigns on issues other than impeachment. There is a long list of issues to win on.
7
Tom Steyer, the liberal billionaire political fundraiser has been promoting
the impeachment of President Trump for sometime now. He took out an expensive billboard ad in Times Square and has started a petition to impeach Mr. Trump that has gathered over 6 million signatures to date. He does not abhor impeachment nor do his followers. Will his efforts be fruitful in removing the president from office? Time will tell but highly unlikely. If it makes him happy and he does not mind spending his money good for him. He could be putting his money to better use by spending it on those Democrat campaigns that have a chance of winning for the candidates. I guess he hates Mr. Trump so much he feels it is worth spending the money.
4
"Yes, XXXXX is wholly unqualified, lacking in morality and character, a consummate liar and surrounded by corruption. Yes, every day that he occupies the presidency he is a threat to this country, its ideas, conventions and comity, but also arguably to the safety and security of the world itself."
And the conservatives replaced XXXXX with OBAMA and said pretty much the same things. Yawn.
3
Don’t know much about dignity
Don’t know how to act ethically
Don’t know much about any book
Well aware of Russian money I took
But I do know that I’m a crook
And if Mueller takes a long hard look
In a world of trouble I will be
4
No job Tom, I’m all snapped out and you’re paying for it. And Trump’s a crook.
As bad as Trump is, I would rather him than Pence as president.
2
The Trump-deranged are so foolish to concentrate on all of this. Instead they could actually be doing deals with Trump on issues that are important to them. In early in 2016 Jimmy Carter said he favored Trump over all the other Republicans because he would be more "malleable". But Democrats now would rather be destructive than constructive.
1
I for one think impeachment is far too nice of an outcome for a lifelong criminal like Trump. I'd much rather see the democrats use their majority to conduct in depth investigations into trump, his family, his administration, and the party at large than waste time simply impeaching him. Once those investigations are over, they can refer him and the others for state and federal prosecutions. Trump in prison is far better than trump having a voice to be heard on fox news calling for the destruction of our democracy.
4
Get out and vote. We probably won't be able to impeach Trump, but if democrats control the House and possibly the Senate, Trump will go ballistic. He has no off button. And is like some out of control kid. If he can't get his way, and Cohen flips, Trump just might give up and retire to Mar a Lago where he can tweet happily ever after.
4
"But that only works if success is not restricted to and defined by Trump’s removal."
Yes, yes, yes!
If Trump is comprimised and working in Putin's favor then the senate will help take him out.
1
The difficulty our system presents in removing a president who flaunts norms and/or the law shows that our system, far from harmonious, is cumbersome and unwieldy in coping with presidential malfeasance. Parliamentary democracies have very little of such trauma if a vote of confidence should call for a new election. There is no talk of a coup. If the prime minister can convince the voters to re-elect her there need not even be a change in government. The impeachment process is one of the few areas in which our constitutional founders failed us.
2
America may abhor impeachment, but there is always a time when the American People can certainly turn the other check. In this case, it's the whole face!
Only took 18 months foe the Left to wake up to the American political system. Your vote is all that counts- the rest is media blather. There was never going to be any impeachment or resignation, Trump is a lot tougher skinned than you thought
6
I wouldn't yet rule out resignation. Trump has a very strong sense of self and self preservation. He will resign the moment he believes that doing so will prevent him from going to prison.
5
I guess all the Trump haters are coming around to the conclusion that the idea of Trump colluding with Putin is bogus, much as they realized Trump, a brash self promoting reality show host really did win the election. Now they're hoping his businesses around the world will make things right. But doing business around the world is not illegal. The writer sprinkles words like "may" or "could" throughout this "Opinion". Apparently they used Steele. His reputation is based on his time with the British spy agency that absolutely guaranteed that WMDs were in Iraq. He also is the one Hillary and the DNC hired to contract some Russians to dig up dirt on Trump. I'm not sure why that isn't considered collusion. Will Mueller go after business deals? He went after Gates and Manafort for things that have absolutely no relationship with the 2016 election. He and Comey also took ten years to finally close the anthrax attack. In the end, one person committed suicide and another was awarded $5,81 million after he was falsely accused. So you may have hope that he will drag this out as long as he can rummaging through World wide business dealing. But then it has also been reported he intends to finish in November, election month.
5
You and your left wing cronies are desperate. Trump is doing a great job, you refuse to acknowledge his accomplishments and you will continue to do you utmost to discredit him. Shame on you.
4
The situation for Trump is going to get far, far worse than it is already, Mr. Blow, as more and more news about his "business" is uncovered; certainly much worse than it ever was for either Clinton or even Nixon. I agree, however, that Trump cannot be impeached without Republican support, which is why I am lobbying my Congressman for just that. Now is the time to stand up and say Trump is unacceptable, and be proved right.
3
Hey, teenagers currently worried about gun safety (or the million + one other things you should be worried about): some of you are already old enough to vote. The rest of you soon will be.
The politicians currently in power are in power mostly because your parents didn't think it was worthwhile to vote against them, because they'd become convinced that their votes didn't count. One person not bothering to vote doesn't affect things much; millions of people not bothering to vote affects things a lot.
I hope that, after seeing how many of yourselves there are, each one of you decides that voting is worthwhile. Gather up enough drops of water, and you have a tsunami; gather up enough snowflakes, and you have an avalanche.
6
Armed with historical facts, a writer makes a case against an easy impeachment for a hedonist in the WH. Quite obviously, Trump belongs to an elite echelon of those members, hankering after the fairer genders, other than their spouses. Another epicurean, Scott Pruitt, is hell-bent on frittering tax payer' money for his self aggrandizements.
Most recent example is his (Pruitt's) exorbitantly private telephone booth, impervious to sound. A covetous Tom Price has already left the field.
Interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, on the other hand, is rapidly becoming another ''crowing glory'' in his pursuit of personal happiness.
Trump, typically peppers panegyrics on his cabinet appointees, inordinately, before he tosses them out, a-la Rex Tillerson and McMaster.
1
Does he have to actually shoot someone on 5th Avenue before we consider impeachment? How bad does he have to get?
I'd be more sanguine about waiting until 2020 if the president gave any sign that he cared about foreign powers hacking our elections and stopped falsely claiming that "millions of illegals voted." What if our voting systems are completely compromised by 2020, as looks likely? Will we be like Putin's Russia, where the outcome is certain before voting begins? This president loves always being the "winner," no matter what. In his world, no rules of fairness or democracy apply to him.
We already have absolute rule by a minority of the population over the majority. It could get worse.
6
Removing Trump from office is far off yet. No evidence has been produced that he has committed high crimes and misdemeanors. There is plenty of effort to impeach him, none having any real substance. Trump's mercurial often wrong headed style of leadership and racist xenophobic bombast are now in the hands of the voters to end.
2
Impeachment is about addressing injustices, not about political calculations or "what's best for the country".
And I don't see how letting someone completely off the hook for high crimes and misdemeanors is ever appropriate, not to mention "best".
If that's the case, why even bother with a justice system at all ?
4
Each day that Trump continues to act as he has for the past 15 months in office will increase the electorate's determination to check him via the 2018 general election.
Removing Trump for anything less than quasi-treasonous behavior would be akin to plucking the flower from a weed rather than uprooting the whole plant.
Republicans are facing a lose-lose outcome as Trump continues in office as the supreme embodiment of odious policies and conduct they have pushed for more than a generation. Even if Republicans chose to jettison Trump during this term, Democratic votes would be needed to remove him through a Senate trial.
The country may be much better served by letting Trump return the Republicans to the minority. I would wager that Trump, long a registered Democrat, will claim he did so on purpose, as the only means of draining the swamp.
If he is removed the Senate should invoke the disqualification clause in the Constitution so that we are truly done with him seeking public office.
2
Impeachment and dismissal are essential.
Even if someone is elected, they could change, become unstable, cause a nuclear war. Not just Trump. Anyone. Especially if senility and dementia starts.
4
I think President Clinton's troubles are the best analogy for the current situation. People always point at the Lewinsky Scandal, yet forget about the insanity that was Whitewater. If I recall, his investigation into Whitewater was actually the authority under which Kenneth Star investigated the Lewinsky Scandal. Sound familiar? Even after 40+ people were indicted over that mess (including a governor and a ton of Clinton aides/supporters), President Clinton walked away.
In the end, I think Mr. Mueller is going to find a ton of dirt, on a ton of people, for a ton of different crimes. But I doubt there will be enough to pin anything on Mr. Trump. So with that in mind, I think Mr. Blow has it right. Assuming the Democrats hold the House in 2019, they should sit back and ride out the last two years rather than try to impeach. It won't be effective at that point, and it will simply divide the country further.
3
If only we could find some tell-tale stain on the dress of an intern, then we'd all want Impeachment, right?
Otherwise, we don't have the stomach for such stuff, nor do we want to trivialize its gravity. Am I right again?
Well, maybe far right.
2
I am delighted that the awful Trump presidency has had the salutary effect of revealing your inner American historian. Bravo, Mr. Blow! Your article is as informative as it is fun to read and your conclusions, unfortunately, appear correct.
It is, however, conceivable that many Republicans loathe their president on quasi-personal grounds, but remain terrified by Trump's base in their district. That base, being delusional, remains secure, but its power may be compromised after losing support from independents and women and indirect support from progressives too apathetic to vote (I hope progressive apathy is a casualty of the Trump administration!), after which many things become possible. Let's hope!
1
Two points against Mr. Blow’s arguments. The impeachment process actually worked in the case of Nixon. He resigned rather than face certain impeachment by the House and removal by the Senate. He knew he didn’t have the votes to save himself. So he resigned. The impeachment process worked.
Regarding Trump, Mueller and friends are still working on their investigations. When they issue their reports, the Congress will examine them and, if warranted, hold public hearings. We could easily have a situation and outcome like we did with Nixon. Thus, saying that impeachment and removal is a near impossibility, when much of the evidence is still to be exposed to public scrutiny, is extremely premature.
6
Until and unless the Muller investigation turns up some evidence of 'high crimes and misdemeanors' ( a phrase which the most recent Supreme Court decision would proclaim as vague and imprecise), any talk of impeachment or conviction is grossly premature. To the best of my knowledge, the principle of 'innocent until proven guilty' has not yet been repealed here; if it was then please link to that occurrence.
3
The case for impeachment of Trump is much stronger and more unique than for Johnson or Clinton. In Article II of the Constitution it says "The President...shall be removed for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." As noted by Jonathan Chait and others, Trump's greatest liability isn't his sex scandals or even whether he himself colluded with Russia; it's his corruption (e.g. money laundering, fraudulent business dealings, etc.) and obstruction of justice. He won't be impeached for his policies or sexual misbehavior, but he can and should be impeached for corruption and obstruction, which in my mind at least rises to the test of "high crimes and misdemeanors."
7
Actually, both cases, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, were flimsy and based on the political temper tantrums of foolish, short sighted, partisan hacks.
Calling for impeachment based on the flimsiest of reasons is the political equivalent of flipping the board over because you're losing at Monopoly. When you're done with your temper tantrum, you've still lost and now have to clean up a big mess.
3
America abhors many things. Unfortunately, not enough. I could not believe my eyes when I read that Trump was nominating one of our chief "torturers" to head the CIA. Imagine that, all you believers in the Geneva Convention: forget about "name, rank and serial numbers" for POWs. It is now waterboarding and rendition for any future American POW. And the whole world is watching. And will have its revenge........Unbelievable and shameful for America as we have known it.
10
If not impeachment, then what? Trump's tenure to date has been disastrous, with more attacks upon the Constitution undeniably imminent. What happens even if Mueller's investigation proves the president obstructed justice? In short, how are we to be rid of this pretender?
7
As much as I would love to see Trump tossed out on his keister as soon as sundown this evening, it would be much more satisfying to see both houses of the legislature in the hands of the Democrats and to stymie Trump's agenda at every turn until he is well and properly rid of on Jan. 20, 2021.
Force him to spend his billions and the billions of his supporters, then humiliate him at the polls.
10
Every aspect of the USA is in Decline. The education system is so bad that people will elect a piece of trash like Trump.
5
Andrew Johnson was a racist Democrat like Senator Robert Byrd was a racist Democrat, and like Lyndon B. Johnson was a racist Democrat, and like Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a racist Democrat. Democrats were racist in the 1800s, 1900s, and now even the 21s century.
3
Hmmm.. Makes me want to vote for non-racist Republicans.
1
News flash. Mr. Blow has suddenly discovered that the sun rises in the East. But I’m sure the core readership has predictably cheered 18 months of hopeful fantasy from his florid pen.
4
Historical false equivalency? Americans salaciously follow impeachment proceedings. We glory in debating our leaders' bigotry, policies, sexual antics and incompetence. It is vested interests and Congress that abhors impeachment.
How appropriate that Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton are the bookends for an impeachment debate. Johnson is Trump's leading contender for worst president ever on pundits' lists. Clinton, by many measures was a decent president. Democrats were dismayed that the Starr investigation would in the end resort to a sexual dalliance basing impeachment on lying under oath about Lewinsky. The Senate rightfully voted against impeachment because sexual dalliance rampant and lying about it is not a hanging offense.
So the GoP and Evangelicals are right that this is not disqualifying. (They are wrong and supremely hypocritical to forgive and cut deals.)
If Trump testifies he will lie about his affairs if Mueller goes there. He publicly lies about them. But that should not be enough to impeach him.
Fortunately for Trump we don't impeach for incompetence, abhorrent political and personal ideals and chronic lying even under oath. We should probably not impeach for those reasons either.
But lying about money laundering and being in hoc to the enemy in ways that risk/result in election fraud and treasonous collaboration? Americans will clamor for impeachment. GoP legislators and vested interests maybe not --and that is the question!...
6
No president has had an article of impeachment brought against him for conspiring with a foreign adversary, although Nixon did, to influence an election. No president has had a charge of money laundering brought, only one other president, Nixon so blatantly obstructed justice and he resigned and lastly, no other president had a pee video hanging over his head. No other president ever has been so thoroughly compromised.
5
He is term limited. And who knows what will happen when his children are indicted. Impeachment is a pipe dream. Keeping him in office will help grow the numbers of liberals engaged in politics. A good thing.
How about a movement to impeach Justice Gorsuch? His appointment was the result of an extra-constitutional process.
3
I wouldn't rule out eventual impeachment.
It could be his business dealings, influence-buying and presidential profiteering that bring him down.
Business records, Cohen's testimony flip, the bribing/influencing of foreign officials, as proof emerges his policies + actions created Trump's wealth while president.
Donald J. Trump is still making billions on Licensing Deals/Real Estate & Development/Golf Courses/ Hotels & Resorts/ Vineyards/ Entertainment/Ventures/ Stocks Funds & Cash.... Accounts.
Federal Election Commission data released electronically on March 26, 2018 shows how he's personally raking it in:
Total payments to Trump properties:
$6,251,617.00
From Trump-related committees:
$4,892,946.00
From the Republican party:
$928,056.00
From Republican candidates,
elected officials and leadership PACs:
$305,980.00
5
Charles...members of Congress and shapers of opinion such as yourself need to start the drumbeat of "R
esign, Mr. President."
What in the world are you waiting for???
3
Finally, Blow says something I agree with.
Trump isn't going anywhere. We don't impeach presidents in this country. Let's stop wasting time thinking about it.
What America Abhors, Mr. Blow, is lawlessness. We abhor sanctuary cities, open borders, and "trumped-up" charges just to get someone.
We get it--Liberals do not like our Constitution. They see it as an outdated document, penned by a bunch of White, slave-owning racists. But like it or not, we must follow it. And the rules put in place for impeaching a president are clear. The House of Representatives must find "High Crimes and Misdemeanors". That's right--an actual law must be broken--such as when Bill Clinton lied under oath--about having sex with a 21 year old intern in the Oval Office.
Progressives have proven time and time again--personal foibles and despicable behavior don't matter. They have supported Marion Barry, Anthony Wiener and Bill Clinton. So it's not Trump's personal life that drives them insane--it's that he's acting exactly like the Conservative he claimed to be on the campaign trail. He's nominating Conservative judges, cutting taxes, removing regulations, and dealing with illegal immigration. If there's anything threatening to Liberals--it's a Conservative who keeps his word--and actually enacts the changes he promised to make.
Go read the Constitution, Mr. Blow. America isn't like the 9th Circuit--Liberals don't get to make up laws as they go along.
Throwing out the "Impeachment" idea--in the absence of any impeachable offense, is simply one more example of the Left's "Trump Derangement Syndrome". The mania is amusing.
6
Actually, during his campaign, Trump quoted Mussolini several times. He also threatened to punch journalists in the face while Mr. "Tough guy" hid behind a half-dozen or so bodyguards. Last time I checked, Mussolini did not write our Constitution. And neither did Hair Trumpen-Furor. My father fought with the 101st Airborne, Infantry Division, during World War II. I suspect that every time Trump opens his mouth, my father and the soldiers who fought alongside him is spinning in his grave.
3
@jbugko....are you responding to someone else's post? But since you want to talk about the greatest generation: I'm not so sure they believed they were fighting for abortion on demand, transgender bathrooms, open borders, denigration of law enforcement, disdain for the military, the welfare state or legalization of drugs--all things the modern Democrat Party stands for.
Jesse The Conservative:
I doubt they fought for white nationalism, white supremacy, environmental degradation, the subjugation of women, the subjugation of a free press, selling out our country to an enemy state (Russia), and the requirement that the Justice Department, FBI and the CIA all be "loyal" to the president, all of which has been an element of the right wing conservatism exemplified by Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
2
Let me tell you a story..if anyone tries to impeach this President, the silent majority will be silent no longer. There will be such a march on Washington that these useless politicians will be thrown out on their butts. You honestly think the military will help the politicians over someone like Trump. Beware what you ask for. Idiots.
The military should be ashamed of Trump. And as to a "silent" majority, you should go to youtube and do a search for the "Hail Trump" video. Yeh, yeh, "clean cut" as Trump would call them. Every day is opposite day when it comes to Trump and his fans. And to top it off, who can tell his die-hard fans apart from the people commenting from Russian troll farms. Answer: No one. Even THEY can't tell one apart from the other. You want to see a march? Then while you're at youtube check out the women's march that occurred the day after Trump's inauguration speech (was that a speech made by a president or was that a speech made by Dire Abbey with a hair-plug combover).
2
Yes indeed Melissa.
The great silent and well armed majority of this country resolutely stands behind this man of integrity, vision and the American way.
And if anyone dares challenge the holiness of his genius and the greatness of his leadership, there will be consequences.
Don’t those idiot liberals understand that Tony Perkins and his ‘religious ‘ evangelicals have given Trump a pass (a mulligan in golf speak) in regard to his utterly despicable morality and ethics and that he is now shrouded in an invisible cone of invincible godliness.
Those nitpicking liberals always get things so wrong.
2
I will call for impeachment if Trump fires Mueller or Rosenstein, because he will do that for the purpose of obstructing the inquiry and insulating himself from scrutiny regarding crimes. But a call is a far cry from 67 votes in the Senate and I strongly suspect Blow is right. We live in a time when Fox News offers Republicans stories on sex-crazed pandas instead of more signs that Trump is a crook. When partisans are more partisan than ever, especially those on the right. If there's evidence so damning that 67 senators would vote to convict, calls for resignation would have reached a clamor. I do not assume we get to that point.
3
Wow! Mr. Blow thinks it would be better for the American left to concentrate on themselves and their message to attract voters and regain leadership. What a concept!
I hope this is a signal that Democrats can turn down the dials on the Rage-O-Meter and Total Denial Gauge, and do something more productive than nurse Russian conspiracy theories as to why they were voted off the island.
Charles is also correct: Trump will be gone in either 4 or 8 years. Put up a decent and coherent opposition and it will likely be 4. Continue on the path Democrats have so far chosen, well.... the party may sink so far in its own bathos it will never come back.
Time to grow up, put the big boy pants on and become a worthwhile opposition - and stop wallowing in a futile "resistance."
2
Were the Republicans wearing their “big boy pants” when they vowed to make Barack Obama’s? Were they “grown up” when they shouted “Liar” at the president during the State of the Union address? It seems to be a trait of all conservatives and Republicans that they have both short and selective memories.
Mr. Blow, while all that you say rings true about our democratic institutions, this president has violated every act of normal behavior, from his overt racism, to his treacherous dealings with a foreign adversary, to his sexual perversions, and only him and his god knows what else. These are not "normal" times. the man and his vile cabinet are leeches, sucking the blood out of our democracy. Thus, it requires bravery, and extraordinary means to rid the United States of the menace serving as our president.
4
Democrats should be true to themselves and honestly run on things they truly believe:
1. Impeach Trump.
2. Repeal the second amendment.
3. Legalize all illegals.
2
For worse, we are stuck with Trump for his full term. It would take an existential threat to inspire Republicans to impeach him.
While I despise Trump as a president, I prefer his incompetence over a more adept authoritarian with illiberal intent.
Until then, I hope that a qualified champion of democracy emerges to lead and pull the republic out of its current populist death spiral.
1
Instead of continually, endlessly ranting and fulminating about how horrible President Trump is, why not focus on "I believe the best policy for the US is ______, because _______."
I try to read your op-ed and keep an open mind, but the non stop chatter about the awfulness of President Trump makes everything else fade to background noise.
1
Was this the action taken by the Republicans during the eight years of the Obamacare presidency? It’s amazing how conservatives have completely forgotten the “resistance” of Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. Now you are all “let’s think of what’s best for the country”.
Impeached for what? Because he is despised by Hillary Clinton's voters?
2
Because he is grossly incompetent.
4
That is not what Mueller - a Republican - is investigating, Wilbur. And as to that "MAGA" acronym, let me keep you up to date. When Trump uses that acronym THESE days, it means, "My Attorney Got Arrested" ! Oopsies!
Impeachment and conviction in the Senate would be a disaster for the country.
Trump would be infuriated and his weak ego blinded to any cause but revenge. All his supporters, from the Mercers to Bannon, Fox News to Breitbart, and all the Neo-Nazi wannabes would unite behind Trump's destructive rage. There would be a far-right third party formed....or worse...and the destruction of the American democratic experiment would be the result.
Madeleine Albright was right about what is at stake. Charles Blow and most of the commentators are right about the tactics. Win the 2018 election for the Dems, including the Senate where Mitch McConnell has been as nefarious as Trump. Await Mueller's conclusions. Box Trump in legislatively, legally, and with public awareness of his transgressions. Pass legislation to solve real problems, even if vetoed. And hold on until 2020.
3
I don't think so.
Blow's thesis in no way suggests the NYT Neo-Marxist hysterical assault on Trump, and has since his nomination, will be diminished in any way.
This is good news for NYT reader-base whose politics often mirror the Opinion Kingdom, e.g., Blow et al.
The daily mass-media, Trump piñata sideshow will continue with good wishes and kisses from the Editorial Board.
3
If the NYT IS neo-Marxist, does that mean that Fox News is neo-fascist?
Obama said this in 2012: "vote"
2
Being a jerk is not grounds for impeachment
2
...June 11, 2017 - The Resistance - Impeachment Anxiety
...that was Mr. Blow's article last year about impeachment
....we'll probably have another one in 2019....and possibly in 2020.......
....I think the only anxious person here is Mr. Blow...
...at least he's consistent
2
We should note Bill Clinton was not eligible for reelection during his impeachment proceedings. His popularity at the time is therefore irrelevant. Meanwhile, Johnson, after surviving his impeachment proceedings, failed to secure the nomination from his own party. He was seen as unfit and therefore "removed" even without conviction. Nixon suffered a similar fate.
I agree the odds of Trump being removed from office under conviction are practically nil. However, the question is still open as to whether he is "removed" from office. This essentially a question of Republican integrity. Under McConnell we can assume Republican integrity is practically nil as well. That leaves 2020 or we go bust.
I abhor Trump. Impeach him.
1
His tweets are growing more frantic and delusional by the day.
Exactly when his final-blow up will occur is something I can’t tell you, but it seems obvious that his end is near.
To hasten the process along, let us hope that he fires -- or tries to fire -- Mueller, Rosenstein and Sessions very soon.
Meanwhile, let us pray that there are still enough people in authority around him with sufficient gumption and common sense to prevent him from doing anything totally berserk before he is ridden out of town on a rail.
2
A president who daily attacks the free press with lies and who almost as often sides with racists yet is not considered "impeachment ready" by the population?
My god, how divided America is.
4
Even if there is iron-clad evidence of Trumps criminality, his core supporters will defend him. Fox will claim it's a witch hunt, a coup by the 'deep state'. The question is, what will it take for republican leaders to abandon him? Impeachment is a pipe dream. He will only resign if the republican brahmins force him to.
It's a long time to November, anything could happen. Trump could have a health crisis, a break-down, could run around the White House grounds in the wee hours in his tighty-whities screaming "Me, me, me..." and have to be tackled by the Secret Service. Melania could get on a plane to Slovenia, never to return.
My point is that anything can happen. The speculation is endless. We're going to have to see how this all plays out.
As for me, I'll be voting in November. See you at the polls.
1
Forget impeachment. The Democrats need to win the House and Senate and block everything Trump tries to do.
3
I agree with Bonku (Madison, WI). His comment is an NYT Pick. "I want Trump to go to the jail after proper trial and if found guilty."
As so many have said in their comments to today's opinion piece by Charles Blow, "Vote! Vote! Vote!" Vote! in November this year (2018) and Vote! again in 2020.
As Ami (Portland, OR) said in Comments (Times Pick), "The best way to deal with Trump is to win the next election and make him irrelevant." Then Vote! in the 2020 presidential election and consign Trump and Pence and their corrupt cronies and family members to the dustbin of history.
VOTE! as if your life depends on it! It may.
1
"Trump ... is a threat ... arguably to the safety and security of the world itself."
Newsflash, Blow. The Korean peninsula is on the verge of peace thanks to President Trump.
Hate the facts to get in the way of a good rant.
2
Mr. Blow has tunnel vision concerning Trump. His op-eds are filled with name calling. Does he really think we elected the Pope? People knew about Trump's past when they elected him. But he never installed, what some have called a revolving door in the White House, for women brought to him. As president, he hasn't taught an intern who came to learn about White House activities that her first activity was to service him. Mr. Blow says Trump is “wholly unqualified It must really hurt him that under Trump the economy is his at 4 % and unemployment is about 4% . African American unemployment is lower than it has been in decades and Hispanic unemployment is lower than ever. The Dow rose 5000 points. Small businesses are doing better than they have in years. Trump has been said to break the rules by another NYT contributor. One off those rules must have been to never set up a meeting with North Korea, one of the most dangerous countries and they have the bomb. Then there is a recent report the majority think the economy has improved under Trump and not Obama. To add to that statistic, Rasmussen recent poll shows Trump 7% higher than Obama at this time. All of this in the same time period that Mr. Blow has launched an almost daily name calling attack on Trump. He may wish for a political coupe, better known as impeachment but like the old school yard saying, names will never harm him .
2
while impeacent sounds alluring (can anyone recall a more unfit individual for the presidency who is actually doing harm to our way of life? not only was he elected under very dibious circumstances, apparently with the help of a hostile foreign government (isnt that enough?), but his utter contempt for our norms and even laws! not to mention his nepotism... but anyone who calls our press the "enemy of the people" has to be removed from office - that is simply unacceptable), that said, it may be best to pass all sorts of legislation clipping his wings for the remainder of his term. I find it disheartening to know that Clinton was impeached because he lied about his extramarital affair while in office (really? this was why? not because he was leading our country down apath of ruin?). where is your moral outrage today GOP? you bunch of Hippocrates!
1
The history of impeachment has been sketchy in this country. It is vague in the Constitution where the major sentence is high crimes and misdemeanors. If you take that literally it means somebody has to be a serial killer and get a traffic ticket too.
A. Johnson was impeached on shady grounds. Clinton was impeached for lying about getting a sex act in the WH and Nixon who really was the most deserving of getting impeached, never did because he resigned.
Maybe it is better to amend the Constitution to make it clearer what an impeachable offense is. You don't want to make it sound like a legal brief but you want to clear it up.
Re Trump, wait to see what Mueller says re crimes, if no crimes, censorship like with McCarthy should be the way to go to make Trump act more like a President than an ego maniac, pathological liar demagogue.
1
Liberals have already made themselves look foolish enough with their Saturday Night Live “Resistance”, without further destabilizing the government by threatening (emptily, I might add) impeachment. You need to have solid evidence of an actual crime, not just all-consuming hatred of the President for impeachment. Absent that, be quiet.
trump will share this disgrace with Clinton,
Why impeachment? There was nothing in this article that substantiates ground for impeachment. Blow might as well scream from the tree tops because just like Comey, he has nothing.
1
Johnson was impeached for blocking Reconstruction; Clinton was impeached for lying to Congress (in testimony about sex with an intern).
Neither of these amount to what Trump is suspected of: committing treason by colluding with a foreign government to subvert America's voting system and other democratic processes. If such facts are revealed by the Federal investigation, Trump should be impeached.
What Charles Blow really should have warned about is that, at the end of our dream scenario awaits Nancy Pelosi, who blocked impeachment of George Bush, and wouldn't impeach Trump if there was video of him shooting someone on 5th Avenue. Always better to look like polite little Dems., right?
REMOVE NANCY PELOSI NOW, or forget about impeachment.
President Al Gore has such a nice ring to it.
1
Sorry --- I wasn't able to get through the second paragraph without having to pick a nit:
Trump is not a "consummate liar." Consummate, as an adjective, means supremely skilled. Trump is a terrible liar: everyone knows when he's doing it, he's never believable when he does it, and he doesn't care about being good at it. (Largest crowds ever at an inauguration, anyone? 3 million fraudulent votes, anyone?) He does it constantly and yet still does it badly, the way people in my city drive.
"Habitual," "shameless," "inveterate," or "compulsive" might be accurate; "consummate" is not.
1
Mr. Blow apparently does not like the President.
The president has been doing a very good job despite the lying and insulting by the left.
The economy is great.
Taxes are down.
Workers are getting sizeable bonuses.
Families are getting good tax reductions.
Potential summit with N. Korea.
Unemployment is down.
Veterans can now go to a private doctor.
But Mr. Blow is, apparently, driven to lie or exaggerate about the president in his second paragraph.
1
Funny, but that could have been said while Obama was in office. He's the one who mitigated a flaming disaster. And by the way, the only workers getting a "sizeable" bonus are the Trump family.
1
Jbugko
Since Mr. Trump has been president, many things have improved in this country.
The Trump family members working for the president do not take salaries.
Jbugko
Those in the Trump family who work for the President do not take salaries.
Too bad America doesn't abhor impeachable offenses.
3
It's clear to me that Mr. Trump is essentially a covert Russian agent because of his actions. He advances Mr. Putin's agenda every chance he gets and it's obvious that he's been compromised by the Russians. Therefore, Mr. Trump is a traitor. I believe Mr. Mueller will produce evidence corroborating this. If he does, Mr. Trump should be impeached, and then indicted.
4
America has never before seen a manchurian candidate but there is no doubt this is what Trump is...... Look no further than his long record of Russian appeasement, most recently with the brouhaha around sanctions. While I don't believe Putin per se is the ultimate puppet string holder, I have zero doubt some of the Russia oligarchs who own him are......
When the Mueller report hits, I predict Americans sitting around reading it open mouthed, much like we did with Bill Clinton. Only this time, instead of salacious lying about sex, we are going to be talking open treason.
Further, beyond just Donald Trump himself, it is fairly obvious he has a cadre of similarly criminally minded individual surrounding him. He is literally the "Don" of an organized crime family and that family sits in the White House.
Some signs.....
It is very telling no lawyer wants to represent him. When before have top law firms not been chomping at the bit to represent high caliber criminals? Even Casey Anthony found a legal team!
It is very telling that Rudy Gulliani joined his team--he is likely complicit in this mess.
I also think the Senate and the House are coming to the Dems in 2018. If JohnMcCain's seat opens up, I predict his seat, Flake's and Corker's are all in trouble.
We may never have liked impeachment but we've never been faced with this crisis. Take it from this South American who has seen criminal indictments against sitting leaders: it happens and it's going to happen here.
2
Disagree. Mr. Blow seems to suggest that lawlessness, no matter how egregious, doesn't matter. 45's has been allowed to violate openly the emoluments clause, to trash the fourth estate, to threaten a planet-destroying nuclear war, to collude with Russia, etc., and you, Mr. Blow, want to tell the world that Americans are so without morals that they will just sit by and let criminality in the executive branch reign.
Why does Blow abdicate now, turning his back on being 45's most incisive and eloquent critic to proclaim, even before Muller's report is released, that, no matter what 45 does, no law can hold him accountable.
What a wish wash you are, Mr. Blow.
4
Dems would be stupid to impeach Trump. He is not a very effective POTUS, considering he has a GOP house and senate. Pence would be more effective at implementing the GOP agenda and judges. Plus Trump gives the Dems a solid target for 2018 and 2020. Just let Trump continue to fumble away.
3
You can't honestly suggest the dog and pony show that the Republicans surrounded Bill Clinton with is anywhere near on par with what is happening now? That was political theatre. This is the beginning of the end.
2
Well. An essay unusually free of the self-righteous huffery and puffery that we all love to start our week with amusement. Mr. Blow actually had to do a little research for this piece, instead of simply blowing a gasket for 500 words. Nice going, Charles. But I do hope you return to your spleen-venting ways next time. They're much more entertaining. Blow winds, blow!
The NYT Opinion columnists should be thought provoking,creative, and informative. Blow's weekly Opinions are mind numbing and predictably repetitious in their political attacks like propaganda.
2
Clinton was impeached for lying about sex. How many times have we seen this President on TV this last year, where he could of been lying about sex.
I don't need to revisit history to already know that as President, Trump has lied more than any past President. I consider it a sure bet that put Trump in the position of testify in any court proceeding as President and he will lie.
Democrats tend to think of the greater good of the country and harm it could do to Impeach a President.
They should think of the harm it will do not to, since we could end up with another man like Trump in office in 20 years.
4
The mad clown king djt should not be impeached. Impeachment is a political remedy. djt is a criminal. He should be prosecuted when his term is done and go to jail.
3
Whenever I hear people call for Trump's impeachment, I say two words that kill that sentiment: "President Pence."
1
The one most important action that needs to be done in order to correct the candidate with the lessor vote to win is to get rid of the electoral college. If ever there were an example of how our election system is harmful to the majority of the country, trump is it.
4
WRT Bill Clinton, he was impeached, but was not removed from office, to keep Al Gore from getting a head start on the 2000 election. In the meantime, the Republicans could hang Clinton's morality around Gore's neck. This, in effect, slowed Gore, until the GOP nominee could be selected.
.
As far as impeaching 45, I say, put Maxine Waters in charge. Nothing says "cray-cray" like, "Hello, my name is Maxine Waters."
The problem with your argument here, Charles, is that there has never been any inhabitant of the White House as blatantly vile, corrupt, self-serving, stupid, blind, cruel, dishonest and vindictive as Donald Trump. You just cannot compare him to anyone in the past. A “president” who tweets for anyone who opposes him to go to jail. Or tweets they are a slime ball (projection) or fake. Or tweets as the second form of communication with the American people outside of campaign rallies. He is in office only because of corruption. He is the dirtiest, most unethical creep in history and I feel like I am living in an alternate universe. It has to surface and in full. This evil man and all who enabled him must be punished. Our country must survive. Our world too.
So, compare him to no one else who has resided in the White House. Yes, he is even worse than Nixon. Nixon was pathetic and nearly succeeded. Thank God for good journalists who did not ever give in despite all odds and they brought him down. Otherwise we might have never known the truth. So, how about it NYT? Do us proud. Bring him crashing down and into a prison cell. I know he deserves it. He and his team are VERY bad people. I want it bad! And I know I am not alone.
1
Charles, I am astonished. Trump will be impeached. Why? For the reason that he must be impeached for the good of the nation. He is a horrible person and a danger to the well being of our nation if not a traitor to the Constitution and his oath of office. Everyone knows it.
3
There is a very important reason this offense to the human race must be ejected from office. I don't ever want to see his name attached to a road, a building, a school (can you imagine that!), or even a toilet bowl. His name must go down in history with arch criminals and perpetrators of genocide. If Dems take the house, even if they don't succeed in ousting him from power, they must do everything in their power to ensure that his name is properly besmirched for future generations to remember.
2
If America abhors impeachment, then why do Establishment elites want so desperately to impeach our president, Donald J. Trump?
1
It is clear & simple : If it is found that his campaign worked with the Russians in any way, or he is found to have obstructed justice, or there is evidence of money laundering prior or present he should be removed. Period ! NO ONE is above law not the president, or Congress.
2
If Trump were to be impeached and convicted it would put an evangelical homophobe in the White House. Pence would do his best to make this a Christian nation in the worst sense of the word. Still, it would be refreshing to see Congress act as though it cared that the country has been turned into a grade B straight-to-video mob movie. Given the Republicans' aversion to putting the nation's interests above their own, this is highly unlikely. However, if Democrats can win at least the House in November there is a reasonable chance that the Trump agenda of slash-and-burn can be arrested (pardon the pun). America really needs to catch a break so please vote to take America back again.
1
Forget impeachment, pardons, or jail time.
Isn't the penalty for treason a hanging?
I can't wait for the treasure trove coming from the Cohen records.
1
Impeach the Trump frying pan and fall into the Pence fire? No, thank you!
2
I've had the vapors ever since November 2016 but I don't think we should impeach the thing in the white house. We need to take back the government, keep up our activism, and let all the slimy details of all the swamp creatures to emerge. The thing needs to be truly exposed and held accountable. Impeachment will just make him a victim and give us an equally sad thing in the white house. I say make him stay and do his penance. The Democratic house voting to take away his golfing privileges should do it.
2
If anyone is wondering, perspicuous = lucid.
Even if Trump were to be impeached, how to deal with the millions of Americans and Russian bots who voted for him
Thanks Charles for your insight into Impeachment. The very best and honorable way to “Impeach” Donald Trump is with your vote. Does any normal person really believe that a Sycophant like Mike Pence would be any better than Trump? It’s not enough to just vote in 2018 and 2020: Convince your friends, family and strangers to also vote. Do it like your life and country depend on it, because it really does!
1
From a tactical perspective, Democrats should prefer to see Trump remain in office and force his Republican cohorts to defend his morals, his insults, his lies, his questionable business practices and associates, his tweets, his misogyny, his demagoguery, his ethnic prejudices, his complete lack grasp of policy, and his inept and erratic management style.
Trump is now the unquestioned leader of the Republican Party. The heart, the soul, the brain. Republicans will be easier to beat in the midterms if he stays in office as a reminder to the voter of what Republicanism has become.
2
The soft underbelly of the anti-Trump movement will prevent impeachment unless something that cannot be ignored is unearthed, whether it be from the past or the future. That soft underbelly is: “if we get Trump impeached and he is removed from office, we’ll get...President Pence! No-o-o!” There are too many anti-Trumper Democrats that have this view.
We love Trump! Best president ever! Trump 2020 all day long. And I laugh so hard at impeachment!
"Johnson, the racist that he was" ... had "qualities totally unfitting him to be the ruler of a people" and was “obstinate, self-willed, combative, slow to act” and in possession of “no executive ability.”
I have never believed enough Republican Senators would ever vote to remove Trump from office.
But I am starting to believe in reincarnation.
1
If the evidence from Mueller or Stormy or both indicates major crimes or malfeasance and impeachment fails, that failure will be tantamount to our electeds wiping their feet on our Constitution and a clear signal that our democracy is in serious danger. Lincoln said it best. A house divided cannot stand and in case no one has noticed, we are perilously divided by a dug-in electorate and a weak-kneed Congress with poll ratings even lower than Trump's. Meanwhile, the chance of a successful impeachment appears to be inversely proportional to the depth of the political divide. So take note; the more audacious Trump's behavior the wider the gap. And some think Trump is a moron.
Oh Dear Mr. Blow
You are factually correct. However we are in different times and your liberal analysis is outdated. We are in fact moving toward a more intense and disparate political economy. More and more Americans are becoming aware that we have a despot for president. As Americans look beyond fake news and experience living with less while the wealthy take more they will not continue to tolerate this oligarchy. I’m sorry you are fearful. It’s your analysis of courage that we need to read.
Sincerely
Diane J Abatemarco, PhD MSW
2
Vote against every republican in every election until there are enough votes to impeach and remove. Our low-life so-called president is a blight on humanity, not just our society. I'd like to see him prosecuted, convicted and do time.
His crimes aside, he is intent on destroying our laws, environment, and standing in the world. He treats women like sex toys. And a racist to boot.
No one should get away with all of that.
2
Trump attracts a lot of attention, but he's not the head of the snake. He's the set of fake eyes at the tail to distract predators. The Republican Party needs to be crushed at the polls, again and again and again. Vote them into oblivion.
2
I think Blow selects his own comments. Such is the echo chamber he has constructed of himself. It gives him the validation he needs but insulates him from reality. The Democratic Party works the same way a reflection of its own self-delusion and destruction.
It may be that the most effective resistance to Trump is not impeachment but irrevelance, a demonstration that, while a responsible President can drive the country forward, even an incompetant and craven one cannot drive it back.
1
One thing wrong with the Democrats is their suicidal love of providing "sanctuary" for illegal aliens who by definition are criminals under federal law and in many cases gang members and felons. Right now a caravan of them is moving North through Mexico to the border. They will be arriving with hands and mouths open. They can't vote or work at least not legally, but Governor Moonbeam will, of course, welcome them with open arms while Kamala Harris confidently predicts that California is the "future of America." Watch the Demorats try to double back on this as they go out among the deplorables in November and try to convince them of the Democrats' suddenly rediscovered love of the middle class. It won't work The suicide pill is already taking effect.
Trump is akin to an incubus, an Alien injected in the body politic of a great country by the rise of fetid ignorance, populism, jingoism orchestrated by the ever sicker Republican Party. America will overcome, will reject this abomination!
Nice to see the leftist media finally decide that they had better try to talk their readership off of the ledge that they placed them on.
Johnson, Clinton and Nixon were not traitors. Lets see what happens when the treason of Trump is published.
PROSECUTE RUSSIAGATE!
Charles-
It's been well over a year now, just settle down and ride out the next 6 plus years. Every article you write is focused on your hatred of Trump. There is a lot going on in the world, your narrow, constant narrative is getting stale. Be happy that the economy is in the best shape it's ever been!!
President Clinton did not commit impeachable offenses. Ronald Reagan clearly did commit impeachable offenses via Iran-Contra, but I gather that the Democrats took pity on an old man with dementia. Some would say Reagan had dementia when first elected, but I prefer Clark Cliford’s discription of “amiable dunce.
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My father, a great Adlai Stevenson supporter, walked around the house chanting, "Ike and Dick are bound to click, but if Ike gets sick, we're stuck with Dick."
If Trump's impeached, we're stuck with Pence,
It's horrid now, but would be much worse hence.
If Trump were impeached, and I agree it's very improbable, Pence would be a nightmare, but a very electable nightmare in 2020. He's Trump without the coarse narcissism.
The answer is to humiliate Trump at the polls, in both 2018, reducing his influence, and in 2020, sending him off in ignominy.
On the other hand, a criminal indictment would be nice.
This is an important column that makes an important point. Namely, that the best (a perhaps only) way to stop Trump is not through the Mueller investigation and impeachment, but by using our votes in November.
The think that worries me most is that I am still constantly hearing variations of, "the Democrats need to run on a platform that benefits all working class Americans!" Whenever I hear that, I can't help but wonder what these people envision. Near as I can tell, the Democrats platform does just that. Off the top of my head it includes:
- Increasing the minimum wage
- Instituting paid family leave
- Rolling back "right to work" legislation
- Taking action on climate change
- Equal pay for equal work
- Criminal justice reform
- Rolling back the recent GOP tax cuts and reforming the tax code to be more progressive
- Strengthening and expanding the ACA
The above would represent huge gains for the working and middle class. What worries me is that what these people really want is protectionism, confiscatory tax rates on upper incomes, and government price controls on things like healthcare. Basically Trump's campaign platform without the racism. What I'm afraid these people don't realize is that this agenda, even absent the racism, is still an authoritarian agenda. Whether it comes from the left (e.g. Venezuela) or the right (e.g. Mussolini's Italy), such an agenda is a recipe for human misery as demonstrated by almost all of 19th and 20th century history.
Much as I would love to see President Trump impeached and removed, I do agree with Mr. Blow that the chances are remote. Furthermore, a President Pence, although more stable, would be inclined to favor more conservative legislation on social issues. Unless incontrovertible proof of heinous, impeachable offenses committed by the President is uncovered, removal is highly unlikely. Realistically, we need to work for a Democratic majority in the House that will obstruct any further legislation or appointments. Even if there are enough votes for impeachment, it should not go forward without airtight evidence of serious crimes, not just obstruction. I believe it's out there.
Democrats need some achievable goals that can be started before November and voting. Socrates, in his comment, mentions several factors that discourage voting in some areas in the country, and two of these could be addressed immediately: "the elimination of polling places, and a lack of voting machines in poor areas that disproportionately affects the poor and minority voters."
Couldn't Democrats work to increase polling places, and purchase voting machines? Democrats in those states with few polling places could focus on establishing more polling stations, and could also fund raise to purchase voting machines. Far better to have some tangible, achievable goals in campaigning than to attack opposition candidates.
1
Charles is absolutely correct about the difficulties and unintended consequences of impeachment. What would be better is a voluntary exit from the position by (electoral college) President Trump.
The British have a way of expressing this option in their Parliamentary system. When the PM or other ruling party official speaks, the opposition shouts "Resign, resign, resign".
This method should now be widely employed in our situation. Members of the Presidential press corps should preface their shouted questions with chants of "Resign, resign, resign!".
At the white House briefings Sarah Huckleberry Sanders should be warmly greeted with cries of "Resign, resign, resign".
At every conceivable opportunity, public and private, the mantra should go up "Resign, resign, resign!".
Peer pressure is incredibly powerful. It can sway opinions and, perhaps, even start to encroach on the stubborn beliefs of the 37%. With enough broad spread action and support, this could have an enormous psychological and practical effect.
Start it now. "Resign, resign, resign"!
The best way to challenge DJT is via elections. Dem control of the House (and hopefully the Senate) and DJT will collapse like a house of wet cards.
But the Dems have to do a number of thins to get there:
-develop a cohesive positive message
-do not run on impeachment (and if in control only impeach after Mueller indictments)
-promise a speaker other than Nancy Pelosi
-promote younger party leaders
1
Agreed. I abhor this president, but impeachment would make a martyr and removal prove impossible. Will our country learn this lesson? I can only hope so.
Disagree, Nixon would have been impeached, inevitable, but he chose to resign, with a pardon from Ford. Clinton's approval ratings were better than Reagan's for a time, and Clinton, like him or not, was one of the smartest presidents of the last 50 years, and left a surplus, foibles aside. Trump couldn't spell foibles.
Also, it is no slam dunk that the balance of political power will change in 2018, lets not forget the NYT Hilllary slam bang fail.
1
Mr. Blow,
When are you going to realize that a certain degree of corruption is acceptable to most Americans?
President Trump is a symbol of the American principle that a "certain amount of corruption greases the wheel of progress." Accepting this principle is what Americans really abhor...
Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton did not have an (ism) attached to their names like the current occupant of the White House.
Although Trumpism isn’t defined by political manifestos because Donald Trump doesn’t have a well defined ideology, its roots go way back in our history: nativism, racism, sexism and yes, as Madeline Albright recently pointed to in a new book, fascism.
President Obama called it a ‘fever’. Mr. Blow is right, the voters must go out and defeat Trumpism with a resounding turnout and result in this November’s election.
2
James Comey has demonstrated great judgment and mature leadership. He is opposed to the impeachment of Trump.He recognizes the volcanic potential of this intervention.He is correct.Impeach at the ballot box.Vote him out! Vote him out! Vote him out!
This opinion shows how weak “the resistance” is to what has occurred in our country.
Could not disagree more with this.
Our country has been hijacked by a con artist but we are supposed to feel bad because, of course, impeaching him is unrealistic and can never happen.
Malarkey.
Maximum pressure on Representaives and Senators needs to be applied(phone calls, letters, meetings, sit-ins, meetings, protests, etc) to say impeachment is clearly needs to happen. If some people abhor it, so be it. That is their problem.
Impeach.
2
Thank you, Mr. Blow. As much as I abhor the current occupant of the White House and long for him to 'retire' to one of his properties asap, the reality is that voting him out is the best, most permanent way of ridding ourselves of this scourge. Don't boo - vote!
In any case impeachment or resignation, the GOP will make sure Trump goes nowhere until 2/19 so that Pence can run twice.
After November, I could abide two more years of a politically impotent, humbled and humiliated Trump.
Although I doubt Trump could endure it.
It is disgusting to see how the GOP sticks to Trump. So in the meantime forget an impeachment.
I personally abhor impeachment in this instance solely because of the Dominionist waiting in the wings.
1
>
Actually it would be best for the Dems not to impeach DJT, not that the Dems know what is best for them.
This assumes that in 2018 the Dems take the House. This means that in 2020 the GOP will have to run two cycles with DJT @ top of ticket. Moreover, in 2020, it's the GOP that have ~20 Senate seats up to the 11 Dems, AND 2020 is a high turnout election. The GOP has yet to gerrymander a Senate seat, but give them time. If there is a wave in 2018, 2020 will be a tsunami. Dems will take Senate by a large margin and pick up more seats in the House.
I predict the Dems will impeach, but it will be the GOP Senate that convicts..... If the GOP Senate doesn't they are doomed in 2020. Impeachment is only one piece of the pie, conviction being the 2nd half; Clinton was impeached but not convicted.
The GOP while now dying a death by a 1000 cuts will be decapitated if they have to run two cycles with DJT on the top of the ticket, and they know this.
Everyone that has ever got into any relationship with DJT has lived to regret it.
2
Cogent arguments, but: Trump is plainly mentally deranged. People who are thinking clearly simply do not speak and act like this. There is good reason to believe that he is subject to paranoid delusions. Every day that we allow him to control the nuclear codes we are rolling the dice with our children's lives.
2
Speak for yourself. I quite enjoyed the prospect when the Trick was gonna get his if he hadn’t spoiled it and resigned. “I am not a crook!” Yes, you were!
Certainly enjoyed the 90s version, we got a little further with that one, which makes sense on account of it being so trivial but hey, when those Republicans smelled blood, it was too tempting.
No President has potentially conspired with a foreign adversary in order to subvert this nation’s electoral process. If proven, impeachment is the only remedy. Following impeachment and removal, charges of treason would be appropriate.
2
Clinton stayed in office because on the whole, he was a good president, and his private shenanigans didn't bleed into his public office. With Trump, there is no difference between the way he conducts himself privately and the way he conducts himself publically. Both are a disgrace. As far as I can see, he has engaged in criminal activity from the get-go. Does he have to murder someone in cold blood or rob a bank in order to be arrested and thrown in prison before he is removed from office? Or is he above those laws, too?
3
We all know that Trump will not be impeached. Most of us know he SHOULD not be impeached (since the theocratic Mike Pence must be removed first).
As long as Americans are stupid or self-hateful enough to keep voting for Republicans, there will be no point in impeaching Trump (not gonna happen with a GOP Congress, still shouldn't happen if the GOP deservedly implodes).
Democrats (in the fantasy world where they wrest the Congress from the iron grip of fascism and Russians) still don't want a theocrat in the White House. So Trump stays. True, the destruction of the Judicial brand could then be halted, but it will still be a decades-long struggle to neutralize and remove the pretender Gorsuch. Will we ever have a legitimate government? Or will Chinese hegemony rule before we can stop the national suicide?
I think the Russians know their dreams of empire are ridiculous, but that they believe they can take down the great Uncle Sam as they sink.
I'd rather see him in jail.
Impeachment won't help unless the Congress (who actually pass laws) move towards compassion and unity. We need more Democrats.
We've pushed politics to the right. Or, you can say we've been played, seduced, and led to the right by the rich. Of course, the billionaire President and his Republican henchmen passed a tax cut for the rich. Of course. What did people expect?
Don't act dumb. We only have two parties, and those that vote for the right-wing Republicans have helped tear down the country and privatize this place, which benefits the rich. We probably have a dozen billionaires worth more than 100 million people. Can a nation be 'democratic' is such a state? I say, no we cannot.
I don't mind Trump being President because we're finally witnessing just what Republicans stand for and how corrupt and immoral their leadership is. Trump is the bully, con-man, adulterer, draft-dodger calling McCain and POW's 'not his kind of heroes' (because they got captured). Republican.
Don't forget how bad we've become, how hateful, how greedy, how ignorant. Trump is US. Face that mirror.
Will we ever get rid of the electoral college? Well, it will take better people, better citizens that actually believe in a work for a democratic nation. We're not there, yet. We're too selfish and seduced by social media, right-wing media, sports, modern soap operas, etc. Entertain us; we say.
Someday we will rise, possibly led by the youth, for they see more clearly how little the country cares.
Impeachment isn’t realistic until January, 2019 at the earliest. The far more realistic strategy is for Democrats to fight hard to win Congress to minimize the harm Trump does to our country. If they can do so, while Trump will remain a horrible person, a corrupt grifter, a compulsive liar, and utterly incompetent, he can be walled in until Democrats can take the presidency in 2020.
Vote!
1
Trump is unimpeachable. Impeachment is really just a political act. Even if he were to be removed from office by some divine intervention, it would not matter. He has already exploited and unleashed the ugly underbelly of our country- racial and cultural hatred, misogyny, distrust in our press and other democratic institutions, and a deep fear of the "other." Sadly, the damage may be irreparable with or without Trump in the White House.
1
The veep, while ostensibly not a degenerate liar, has political stances that are horrifying and odious. Let's keep the guy we have now in office, and neuter him completely.
2
Third time’s the charm.
1
Give the Republican Senate majority an impeachment deal they can't refuse: proof of Trump's treason. His multiple treasonous public appeals to Russia to release emails they stole from his democratic opponent - which constitutes giving aid and comfort to the enemy during a time of cyber-war - is a good start.
2
Said differently, if the best argument the Democrats can muster for the upcoming election is the Trumpian, "what have you got to lose?" the answer may very well be the Republic.
Gee, he should have been impeached months ago, but I’d rather see him indicted.
1
Comey is right. Blow is right by implication. The American people need to own this guy. Marginalize him by voting his supporters out of office. Toss him out completely in 2+ years. But some of his supporters, including family, can probably and should be sent to jail. Mueller does not need to wait.
1
Let’s hope all the other liberals listen. (I certainly agree). It won’t end well. We will have President Pence who is even more vile and far more competent.
Even if Trump is proven to be a paid Russian agent no republicans will vote to remove him. I’m not sure what would lead them to vote to convict. Maybe if he ordered nukes on Dallas (but not if he nukes LA).
Boloney. Trump won’t get impeached because the Democrats have no reason to impeach him. The President is:
1) a Democrat fundraiser’s dream come true. Since politics is no longer about swaying people with the goodness of your argument, but rather, about making your voters fear the alternative, Trump, being the stuff of progressive nightmares rakes in the big bucks.
2) Rather than have a cohesive message or a position or a goal, Democrat leaders need only say “Donald Trump” and voters will flock to the poles.
3) compared to Donald Trump the Democrats could probably run Andrew Johnson again and win. If they could and get away with it, and if choosing Andrew Johnson would guarantee big money donors regardless of Johnson’s obvious non-qualification for office they would do so in a heart beat.
1
Removal of a president, however despicable, unqualified, and loathsome he may be, means overturning the will of the electorate. It is not possible, and should not be possible, unless large numbers of people who voted for Trump decide that they were deceived and that he is unfit to continue. So far, that is not happening.
The will of the people was not trump. The outdated electoral college system is what gave added weight to a few states and gave us the disaster in the White House.
1
Impeachment is not going to happen. We the People are going to have to step up and eject Trump and his sycophants at the ballot box.
2
Impeachment is a huge mountain to climb.
If the Mueller investigation and reports to congress show half of what seems to be out there in terms of Trump's shady past and The Russia Thing and Obstruction, Uh Oh.
Then I believe it is possible that he can be neutered of power by losing the House and potentially the Senate. I doubt he can truly be shamed, because he will say it is all a lie, and he believes his own lies. He has no shame.
The salvaging of our country and our national dignity will simply come down to enough Republicans being sufficiently offended and outraged that they will demand his resignation.
I would guess there will be some set up and some remarks about how everything is fixed and his genius is no longer needed, before Trump ever quits.
I won't hold my breath.
This is the best piece ever by Mr. Blow.
Impeachment would result in a more passionate, more destructive, and more intractable political schism between us. Let’s hope the next election results in gridlock. Let’s also hope four years of reality show idiocy persuades enough 2016 Trump voters to throw this execrable sleazebag out, and vote in a moderate voice of reason (with manners and integrity). To make that happen the Democrats need to stop flirting with the excremental and choose a moderate in 2020. Otherwise,
Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
Think about it.
1
Bitten by autocorrect again!
What I meant to say was, the Democrats need to stop flirting with the extreme left (not “the excremental”) and choose a moderate in 2020.
I disagree strongly with Mr. Blow's opinion today on historical and moral grounds.
Andrew Johnson was Lincoln's own vice-presidential choice, as distinguished from Trump who is a traitor who gained his office by lying, fraud, and consorting with Russian crime bosses, while preying on the ugliest American prejudices armed by a foreign (Cambridge Analytica/FSB) consortia of PsycheWarfare. His first actions on taking office appear to have been to send Lynch scurrying to Kislyak to have Putin hunt down and extinguish counter-intelligence agents within Russia that helped inform our services of this coup. His other actions seem dedicated to destroying our State Department and its ability to further gather evidence and intelligence via our embassies in Russia and Eastern Europe. Trump is a traitor and should be hung.
Trump has made a mockery of ethics and the emoluments clauses since assuming his fraudulently gained office by monetizing and personally profiting from symbols of the presidency, selling favors and offices, insider dealing and market manipulation and encouraging foreign powers to buy his favors by patronizing Trump Clubs and hotels, which jacked up their fees and charges accordingly in what has amounted to the most corrupt 'pay to play' government in American history.
In the name of this democracy Trump must be impeached ultimately for the good of this nation.
9
Impeached and removed.
1
This kind of one-side hate writing helps Trump mostly. Imagine you talk with Trump friendly and personally for one hour. Imagine he is your father-in-law whose daughter you love most and she loves her father, too.
I think comparing Clinton's affaire and Trump's unethical, bullying, compulsive lying behavior is like comparing apples to oranges. There's no comparison. Clinton's high poll numbers merely show most people don't care about a politicians affairs. Voters didn't and don't care about Trump's affairs. Trump is unpopular because he's dangerous and has the mental attitude of a spoiled teenager. I don't want him impeached. I want him voted out of office. Pence as president is worse than Trump.
1
Somehow Toronto survived Rob Ford, its wild and crazy, drug-abusing mayor. But even if Trump is emotionally labile and often in denial to a degree that sometimes seems delusional, he is not crazy, manic, depressive,… or even stupid. Unprepared? Ungrounded? Egotistical? Short-tempered? Disloyal? Potentially criminal? These faults converge to high-degree in one person, but none of them is unique to our current President. None of these preclude making every effort to get the best out of him. The constant attacks, well-deserved and inevitable, bring out his worst. I’m not sure what would be his best or exactly how it might be facilitated, but given the significant loyalty of his supporters, the rest of us will have to make do with what we have. As you argue: he ain’t going anywhere anytime soon. We will survive, and we can repair.
What can and must be addressed concerning this President and all future Presidents is the extremely lethal power we vest in a solitary man, the power to launch a nuclear strike at moment’s notice. Such power even in the best of hands is terrifying. Could it be that our worst enemy is US?
Dream on, Blow, Trump's approval numbers are rising steadily, there is zero chance he will be impeached or resign.
Just how many pinky toes does "The Resistance" have?
Hey, it's only taken 18 months, and a foundering investigation, for Mr. Blow to wake up, however gingerly, to reality. It's tough to admit that the premise behind your appeal to a wide readership is wrong, but, hey, we all have such moments in our working life.
Reading the comments following Mr. Blow's columns is one of the better entertainments available over the last year and a half. Pompous, self righteous, and indignant comments from those who imagine themselves to be "woke." It's fantastic stuff!
I noticed a new movement this morning. Now there are warnings about "Christian Dominionists." Hey, that's ominous! I have been hanging out in a wide variety of Christian congregations and interdenominational gatherings for forty years and I have not once heard a single comment about "Dominion." Yes, Christians will pray for your salvation, some of them may condemn behavior that they consider immoral or unwise, but seeking to dominate non-Christians? Never heard it--ever. This new plank in Progressive's platform of hysteria promises ever more abundant opportunities for humor.
There was a time when I read the Times for the news content, but, in recent years, the news has been so degraded that it is merely the more subtle version of the editorial page. I was going to give up my subscription, but along came the 2016 Presidential campaign and the slanted news and the editorials reached new heights of comedic absurdity. I continue to subscribe for the comedic value alone.
Impeach Trump because Chuck disagrees with his ideas.
It's called ELECTIONS. Run a better girl next time.
1
Hillary had over 3 million more votes than trump. The electoral college gives added weight to a few states and that is what brought us the disaster in the White House.
1
@Norma, EACH state has 2 Senators = CA & TX v WY & VT (2 most populous v 2 least populous states). YET, the House seats are apportioned to each state based on population. Each state (including DC) has a minimum of 3 (of 538) electoral votes. In all but 2 states, the winner of the popular vote gets all of the electoral votes. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/us/politics/how-does-the-electoral-co...
Yes, Hillary won the popular vote nationwide BUT that's b/c she won overwhelmingly in CA, NY and IL (LA, NYC & Chicago). All the single digits and low teens in the farmland of America begin to add up pretty quickly...
Norma,
I am sorry to hear that the Constitution is in your way.
As an Indiana native, I would rather have Trump than Pence. Yes, Trump is unhinged, narcissistic and unpredictable, but at least he doesn't truly believe in the agenda of the Christian Right. Yes, he pays it lip-service so he can get the support he needs, but he doesn't really believe it. Pence on the other hand? Be ready for Christian Sharia law. No thanks.
Impeachment gives the Republicans a golden opportunity to play the victims, galvanize support, and motivate their tribe.
The one way to truly shove the metaphorical stake in their vampiric hearts is a resounding, undeniable electoral landslide. Then repeat that victory every 2 years until they beg for mercy and finally stop serving their rich, corporate masters. Any other option gives them the opportunity to regroup and take power.
We got into this mess at the ballot box and the only way out is through the ballot box. Where are you volunteering this October?
Consider the damage to the country perpetrated by Andrew Johnson, Nixon, and Clinton and one must hope that Trump resigns or is otherwise removed from office as expeditiously as possible. I'm sure the promise of a big monetary reward would be enough of a carrot to get him to quit. Other than raking it in via the "tax reform" legislation and all his ethical violations normally expected of a responsible leader, what else is keeping him in office besides Putin's blackmail threat? (Melania would quit the WH is a NY minute.)
I agree with Jim Comey. Don’t impeach. Vote against Republicans in House and Senate so they dump him in 2020.
1
Trump has created jobs and contractors can't get enough qualified help to keep up with the demand .
Now if he just fixes all the entitlement programs we'll be able to do so much with that money for medical , border security , infrastructure, ect......
Just check the market and ask why wasn't it like this after 8 years of Democrat leadership and all your questions should be answered .
Impeachment is a distraction, IMHO. Impeach, convict, and we get Pence and an even worse VP. Which of the oligarchs leaves if Trump is ousted? Right... None. Horrible as it may be, better to leave Trump alone. Let him go on digging and tweeting. Run against him at every opportunity.
2
There should be a high bar for removal of office, and there is.
But we have a treasonous, lying con man for a leader and who is representing us in the world community.
What does it say about American values if we don't have the courage to protect our own democracy?
1
Let’s assume that the Mueller investigation will provide clear evidence of Trump as the Russian colluding, grifter, self styled mobster that he is. The Republicans will rally around him impeachment or not.
The question is how the American people will be able to support a clearly criminal President and a Republican Party, complicit in keeping him in office.
I suggest based on what we have experienced so far that it is all a coin toss.
Incumbency brings advantages. I don't want Pence to have them. Every day Trump remains in office, he further damages the Republican party. Let him keep playing golf, tweeting and yelling "No collusion!" every time he opens his yap. We survived the last President the GOP inflicted on us; we can survive this fool, too.
"...the public and the political class abhor impeachment and find removal to be extreme and indecorous, even for a compromised president."
--True. But if a Democrat were president, this would hardly be the case. After all, the Republicans, at least since Gingrich, believe that their opponents should be "locked up," and the pundit class would be lining up to describe the cart on the way to the guillotine.
Yes, Trump is flawed -- deeply flawed -- but removing him for no real real reason other than a lot of people in power hate him, would be a monumental mistake.
Agree, impeachment is a long stretch, however incompetent and corrupt Trump is. But, if this con man's abuse of power is to be minimized, congress must be flipped to democrat's control. This, for the simple reason that complicit republicans have shown a flagrant dereliction of duty to stop this runaway president. It is ironic that this guy, who lost the popular vote, and only won by an anti-democratic institution called Electoral College, puts on airs of undeserved grandeur. It is now up to the people, by way of Mueller, to try to stop the iniquities Trump's pluto-kleptocracy is dedicated to. And following unjust laws must be abhorred as a matter of principle. And demanding the ouster of a con man sounds quite reasonable. The devil is in the details for sure, as crooked lying Trump knows full well.
You’re so very right, Charles. And your arguments are so well chosen and compelling. I especially like the Lincoln/Johnson story. Now, I know Donald Trump, and Donald Trump is no Lincoln, but Pence could prove to be another Johnson, and really tear this country to shreds.
No, let’s stop talking of impeachment. The Democratic Party should put out a firm statement that it strongly feels that if Mr Trump (“Twump” to Elmer Fudd.) is to be impeached, that should be a decision for his own party to make!
If Mr. Blow is correct, it only serves to prove that, typical of all those burdened with addictions, America has been and always will be The Nation In Denial.
Trump is a problem, and a bigger problem is that 35-40% of voters support him. Whaddaya do about that???
1
All the more reason for every Democrat and every independent and every Republican who cares about our country over party (if there are any left) to vote Democratic in 2018. This could be the most important, consequential election in our history. The only way to get rid of Mafia Don and his acolytes is for the Democrats to win back both houses of Congress. We don't need a blue wave. We need a blue tsunami.
Sorry, Charles, but we're in a whole different universe with this seriously unhinged, erratic, hateful and unprincipled president. We've never seen anything remotely like this, on so many fronts, each overlapping the next, that comparisons with past impeachment efforts just don't wash. He is absolutely impeachable. And I haven't even mentioned Mueller. Lady Justice must be licking her lips!
Also on the table is the possibility of Trump deciding that resigning is better than a serious peek-a-boo into his arcane and shifty business dealings or a charge of obstruction of justice and even treason.
Oh yeah, he's impeachable.
3
I pay little attention to those sitting on a sideline crticing those who have gone through such a gruesome campaign process. If you think, Mr. Blow, you're America's answers to all of its social, economic, and political ills - then please step into the fray sometime. We'd love to know where you come down on such issues as abortion, gun control, border security, monetary policies, and job creation & growth.
Write a column that's productive. Write a column that helps America move forward - not backwards. And write a column that doesn't expose such an ugly disdain for a sitting U. S. president. I'm bored. Could we move on, please!!
I don’t know. Trump is the most hated man in America, if not the world. Sure, he’s got a bizarre cult of personality going with his fans, but everyone else is desperate to end this grueling nightmare.
Although I’m sure it won’t happen, I’d love to see the guy spend the rest of his life in prison. He deserves every last day of it.
1
I don't just want him impeached, I want him imprisoned.
Jennifer Rubin recently gave some very good advice on this issue in the Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2018/04/18/what-the-d...
Impeach Trump and we get Pence. No thanks. If there’s any way to do it, I’d rather see Gorsuch removed and replaced with Merrick Garland.
Impeach and remove trump one week before his term is up and the Dems have taken over all three branches in 2021. Deprive him of Secret Service protection and of his pension when he leaves office.
Do unto him as he has done unto others.
Then RICO his 'empire'.
Regardless of the almost worse thought of there being a President Pearce, there is still the problem of how our current constitution can let an absolute criminal, racist and destroyer of democracy and the life support infrastructure of country, remain unchecked in office.
Nixon would have been convicted in the senate. Barry Goldwater delivered the message to him. Just a historical note.
This year, a lot depends on whether mueller completes his investigation before the election. Until then dems can avoid the impeachment issue-- unless trump himself pushes it -- & then it does become a real wild card, as Charles explains.
Our marvelous "democracy" allows the actual winner by 3 million votes to lose due to a warped dated electoral college which allows the fools of 3 states to decide the election by 80,000 votes.
Now we have the situation of a corrupt, morally bankrupt incompetent president who is deeply aligned with Putin to remain in office because the people dislike impeachment.
If this is what a true democracy looks like, it sure isn't very acceptable and why should the country be destroyed by a corrupt man and his cronies. So very sad for my country each day that passes under this president and his GOP enablers.
1
Whoever does not favor any and all legal methods to seek the removal of this grossly incompetent and dangerous man from the most powerful office on the planet should remember their decision when the worst case scenario actually happens because of his gross ineptitude. This is like allowing a drunk passenger on an airliner, who has no experience flying a plane, to take over the controls and holding your breath and hoping for the best.
Don't be surprised when it turns out that that was not such a good idea and you and many others end up paying dearly for making that reckless decision.
1
With all due respect neither Andrew Jackson nor Bill Clinton was the danger to our democracy and rule of law that Trump is.
Trump is corrupt, he is a serial liar, there is evidence that he has committed criminal acts, and he is in the process of trying to destroy our independent DOJ and FBI and use them as a force to detain and jail his perceived political opponents.
If Trump's corruption, criminality and authoritarianism, in addition to his attempts to destroy our rule of law and democracy, are not enough evidence that this man should be impeached and removed from office then nothing is and we might as well say that the President is above the law because he will be. And only because we have made him so with our cowardly inaction to stop him.
2
One approach is to vote to replace Representatives and Senators who thwart justice and fairness in public policy is one strategy for checkmating this current President and his immoral, criminal cabinet and cluster of unqualified advisors.
“What should happen if a president has rendered himself obnoxious?”
-Benjamin Franklin
"America Abhors Impeachment" I don't. Let's go for it!
2
Trump may be impeached as Clinton was, but just like Clinton he’ll remain in office. And he’ll win again in 2020.
Citing failed impeachments of the past is pointless because unlike all his previous Presidents, Trump is insane.
Vote Trump out and let the court of public opinion and the free market exact revenge on his “brand” and businesses, leaving him mortified and destitute. No??....well a guy can dream, can’t he?
I am pessimistic about Trump’s impeachment, but optimistic about flipping, at least, the House in the mid-terms. I dream of seeing Trump and his posse hog-tied, hobbled, and humbled ( okay maybe “humbled” is pushing it) and Mike Pence being asked if it is all part of “God’s plan.”
O.K., we hear you again, Charles Blow - "America Abhors Impeachment"! Impeachment, should it be attempted this year (soon as possible), will not pass the Senate. So we are left with only two alternatives to our plight of resisting under Trump - the resignation of Donald Trump from our presidency (not bloody likely), or the strange mechanism of a deus ex machina removing him somehow from our White House and his mansions and golf clubs and big condo tower hither and yon, down America's East Coast from New York to Florida.
We're hoping that Ivana Marie Zelnickova Trump, Donald Trump's wife for 15 years - who helped to make him what he is today ("The Donald") - was right to say to the press and media, fake and real, "Donald Trump should go and play golf instead of running in 2020."
Meanwhile, it is only Monday today - and we are geared up for the roller-coaster ride of another chaotic week under Trump's aegis. What will we remember from this week? The Macron's visit tomorrow and wednesday? Who knows? Time will tell.
Nothing is impossible. If "they" were able to con trumps way into the office. We can certainly IMPEACH HIM NOW!
1
While I would like to see Trump removed, I believe Charles make a cogent argument. Removal could make Trump a martyr with his unwashed base, egged on by the likes of Limbaugh and Hannity, might serve to broaden and harden the divide.
A Pence presidency would be every bit as bad. His "religiosity" is huge deterrent. Trump will be best cured by a strong November voter turnout.
1
Except he is not crazy. And has some experience in government. Other than that, I abhor him.
Mr. Blow makes perfect sense - but sometimes perfect sense is imperfect justice. An impeachment proceedings, whether it succeeds of fails is a necessary act to respond to the demagoguery and quasi fascist views of DJT, which can, over the coming years, do far more harm to this country than an impeachment proceedings - even a failing one. It would at least put him on warning that he has crossed the red line that separates democracy from fascism.
5
Sy - other than in your rich fantasy life -- where and how has Trump done anything that is quasi fascist. Even mildly fascist. I know fascist is a word the left loves to throw around, but do you know what it means?
Ralphie, having relatives who died in the Holocaust I believe I know what fascism means. DJT's constant attacks on a free press is the prelude to fascism, we have Hitler's Germany as the lesson here. His equation of white nationalists (Nazi hate groups) with civil rights protestors - they are not part of my rich fantasy life but of the nightmare that everyone who loves democracy should share. Sorry that instead of your addressing the issues you choose to start a tirade against the left - a group I do not belong to. As your leader would tweet: "Sad."
Trump is a rather shady businessman, he is intellectually shallow and his way of dealing with women is not everyone's taste. But that was all well known when he was elected. Using those things as argument for impeachment would show contempt to the voter.
There is no comparison of Bill Clinton being impeached for lying about Monica Lewinsky and what Mueller will find for Trump.
Although there is one comparison I always remind Republicans of when they say the Mueller investigation has been going on 11 months and that is more than enough.
The Bill Clinton / Whitewater investigation went on for four years and $70 Million.
And throw in seven Benghazi investigations.
2
I am fine with impeachment.
It is false to say that it is "... nearly impossible to remove a president". Two thirds is not "nearly impossible" as the definition of those two words goes in English.
Impeachment is not impossible. But first you have to find some high crimes and misdemeanors, similar to treason and bribery.
Keep looking, and good luck with that. In the meantime the Republicans will clean Democratic clocks in November. The definition of that is not a landslide for Republicans - just a majority in both chambers.
Once that's behind us, Mr. Trump will win in 2020.
But keep looking for those crimes and misdemeanors. In a world where the President's every sneeze is promptly leaked, reported as news and debated ad nauseam all evening as a threat to the nation, it's likely that a crime would have already been uncovered had it been committed.
But keep looking. And talking about it. That’s a lot of ink you’ll waste till 2024.
1
You will be getting the bill in the mail.
The 2018 deficit is going up after the Trump tax cut by almost double - $600 Billion is going to around $1 Trillion.
Most people I know will be getting about $1,000 a year for 7 years.
That's about $20 a week.
But after ten years, we will have added $10 Trillion to the national debt or about $67,000 for each tax payer.
I wouldn't mind if you voted for Trump and got fleeced. But I am getting fleeced, too.
Reagan cut taxes and got 16 Million jobs and a huge increase in the deficit / debt. It’s the reason they put the debt clock in Manhattan.
Clinton raised taxes and got 23 Million jobs, almost 50% more than Reagan and balanced the budget, zero deficit.
W Bush gave us two "tax cuts for the job creators" and we got 3 Million jobs. He also took Clinton's zero deficit and gave Obama a whopping $1.4 Trillion deficit. And he also gave Obama the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Obama gave us the "jobs killing" Obama-care and we got 11.5 Million jobs, almost 400% more than W Bush. He got us through the Great Recession and cut the deficit by almost 2/3 to $550 Billion. And 20 Million people got healthcare.
And now with Trump, Republicans have done it again, cut taxes and increased the deficit / debt. And I expect worse job creation than Obama.
Already the 2.06 Million jobs in 2017 was the lowest since 2010 when the recession ended.
But some people never learn.
2
I agree, but if crimes make him lose the popular support that he has, all representatives and senators will not risk their positions and they all will run away from him
1
Although I believe that Trump should be impeached, said impeachment should only be attempted, if there is overwhelming evidence, such that even Republicans cannot ignore Trump's malfeasance, and must remove him from office. Otherwise, I think we run the risk of making a martyr out of Donald Trump. However, given the man's fragile ego, I think a resounding defeat of the GOP in November of 2018, along with a resounding defeat of Trump in 2020, would be a far more effective means of destroying Donald Trump. With a victory this November, Trump's power can be essentially muted and his agenda emasculated. A resounding defeat in 2020 would attack Trump at his very essence, his narcissism, and leave him as just a footnote and a trivia question as to who was the worst president of the United States.
1
But talking about impeaching an unsavory character like Trump feels so righteous and enables us to avoid talking about our real problems and the fact that we're powerless to do anything about them. The party's only any fun so long as we all can sit around sipping our wine and bashing Trump.
Very shallow. Johnson was impeached in a presidential year, when the party nominee was virtually certain (Grant) and there was no vice president to succeed him.
I disagree with all the half measures and deferring. Trump is more than a policy disaster he is an afront to our American values and should not be representing us. I'm not opposed to decent republican policy differences but Trump is more than that and to try to downplay the unfitness of this man is simply crazy. I would go as far as to recommend if Trump's campaign, for which he is totally responsible, has colluded or connived to use foreign interference to win the election then the whole crew needs to be thrown out. That includes Pence who ran the transition team when contacts were being made with Russia. It's outrageous that this could happen to our electoral process. We should either have a do over or install Hillary as the real winner. If this sounds radical to some, well so be it. We never had real accountability for the financial crisis and now people are talking about no accountability for possible collusion?? If we don't get tough on what our standards are for our democracy then we deserve the crumbling of the America once so highly regarded. Unlike most people here I think accountability is cathartic and maybe a catharsis is what is needed to bring civil discourse and expertise back to our political process.
President Trump's approval rating is approximately at 40 percent. If Mr. Trump was to be impeached and removed from office, it would not sit well with the American people who support him. Rest assured they would blame the Democrats and the people would surely not vote for them in the midterm elections. If the Democrats do win during the midterms and President Trump is still popular among the voters, they would be foolish to try to impeach him. It would probably guarantee his reelection in 2020 and they would lose seats in Congress as a result.
The only way for President Trump to be removed if he is found guilty of a crime and Robert Mueller has not been successful so far. He may find some wrongdoing but the chances are unlikely. His fishing expedition has not turned up any leads directly pointing to President Trump and probably will not.
There is a great deal of difference between the impeachments of Johnson and Clinton. Johnson truly was all the things stated in the Articles of Impeachment; Clinton's impeachment resulted from a certifiable witch hunt by the Republicans, and Clinton's sex life was what they could latch on to - and those GOP Representatives who were the most aggressive in the hunt had some pretty salacious sexual history themselves.
I did not vote for Bill Clinton. Since I was retired by the time of Clinton's impeachment I had the time to watch the whole mess, and witnessing the hypocrisy and vindictiveness of the Republicans I was so disgusted that I changed my registration to Democrat and have never voted Republican since that time and the GOP has steadily gone downhill ever since.
So yes....impeachment can bring out some unanticipated results.
If Trump is removed, Republicans still have the Presidency. Let's not impeach.
Is better to mobilize and vote. We have a decent chance of capturing one of the chambers of congress and putting an end to his legislative agenda.
If you agree that there are good grounds for impeachment, the idea that it is doomed to fail is besides the point. This topic is and should be a legitimate part of the political discussion. It is important to point out and remind people that this man is a criminal and is unfit to serve.
1
Trump's impeachment would dramatically publicize both Trump and Republican criminality and malfeasance. It does not have to succeed to do good work for democracy.
1
I agree. Settle it at the ballot box.
Sorry, Mr Blow, but there you go again . . . the media using false equivalencies. If it is determined that Trump engaged in a conspiracy with Russia to meddle in the election, or we find out that he has been involved in criminal activity like money laundering there need to be some consequences. If the DOJ can't indict a sitting President, the only option is to start impeachment proceedings. If there are now consequences for behavior like this, what will prevent Trump from being re-elected or some other corrupt, authoritarian from taking the reigns of government and further corrupting it. Bill Clinton was guilty of a lot of misjudgment, sexual misconduct, and, yes, lying to the FBI, and perhaps should have resigned; but this does not compare to involving a foreign adversary in our elections. Perhaps the polls show that people are too keen on impeachment, but it is time to stop relying on polls for telling us how to act in the face of government corruption and do the right thing. If Mueller comes back with solid evidence of obstruction of justice or other crimes, and he can't indict a sitting President, then impeachment is the only option.
1
Even if the D's take both the House and the Senate, they won't get 2/3's of the Senate. So conviction isn't going to happen. This is probably a good thing because it will keep a lid on the situation. Because no matter how vile and incompetent Trump is, without clear and convincing evidence of personal wrongdoing, roughly half of the country will not approve of his removal. Doing so, against the convincing will of the people, will create conflict the like that we haven't seen since the Civil War. It is simply not in the best interests of the country to impeach him. Better to put a lid on him, keep him contained. Congress can take away his nuclear button and override his vetos.
I mostly hope that the Senate can be taken back by the democrats. Then, Trump won't be able to appoint another conservative Supreme Court justice. That would help me sleep better.
Mr Trump is the symptom.
We are the problem.
1
As of now the case to impeach Trump is weak. He's a disaster, sure, but we duly elected him. And to undo the election requires proof of a very serious transgression, not just incompetence. Congress will be compelled to act only if such proof appears: actual collusion with Russia, obstruction of justice, unauthorized military action, etc. Just being a bad president isn't, unfortunately, enough. That lesson will have to be learned at the ballot box.
1
A casual review of Andrew Johnson’s impeachment history makes clear that his impeachable offenses were definitely not anywhere close to the sort of impeachable offenses that Trump appears to be guilty of. Not even close!
And as for Bill Clinton... give me a break!
Andrew and Bill were mere jay-walkers compared to the kind of high-crimes and treasonous criminality that Trump is being investigated for.
1
If the Democrats can come out of hiding, address the problems that we have such as income inequality, health care, crumbling infrastructure, immigration policy and student debt they will win.
Almost by definition, impeachment is a partisan act. We're already so deeply, dangerously divided, so impeaching Trump will only justify and intensify that partisanship.
Trump and his incredibly corrupt cronies are doing great damage to our country. It's painful and frightening to witness, but I remain hopeful that in the end, the rule of law will survive and conquer. Impeachment would be a much less conclusive denunciation of this president than a Mueller report that clearly delineates Trump's dishonest, possibly treasonous activities. In the long run, an unassailably definitive indictment would be a much better outcome for the country.
The best solution to the problems of our nation is voting. Democrats should concentrate entirely on winning back the House in November (maybe the Senate, too) and winning everything in 2020. Yes, Trump and his Republican enablers can cause a lot of damage in the meantime, but much of that damage can be reversed. This year and in 2020, vote for every Democrat in sight. And let's make sure to nominate candidates that can win, even if they are not card-carrying progressives. This is no time to argue about candidates; let the arguing happen after we win.
The only reason the Republicans have fallen in line behind Trump is that he is delivering the goods for the Republican agenda. That agenda is the issue, not the man. The Democrats need to offer the voters their agenda in plain words. As a voter, I don't care what a candidate or party is against; I want to know what they are FOR.
Pence is Trump's impeachment insurance policy, as Pence would likely do even greater harm to America (if that's even possible), so people are looking at a choice of evils and feeling defeated.
Right now, Trump is making everyone play HIS game. If people in the media and our congressional reps and senators could be more strategic (as Mueller and Avenatti are), we could and SHOULD make Trump play our game. You can't bring peace signs to a war and expect to win.
1
After we know what the Mueller investigation finds, there may be popular support for impeachment. That would be fine, but absent that we still require a Democratic Hous and preferably a Democratic Senate to stop the bad policy and worse unqualified appointees for all manner of high positions within the government and judiciary. It's bad enough we have to contend with Gorsuch on SCOTUS. We really need to get an effective check on this executive.
3
Best article on the subject I have seen. It begs a follow on however. Looking on the brighter side of our apocalyptic times this could be one of the greatest eras for Reform since the early 20th century if we have the courage and leadership to seize the opportunity. This means in part having a punditry not blinkered by conformist world views. Who among this class is willing to go a step further to say our constitutional laws concerning removal of our president, the near monarchal powers given to the president and shielding of the president from criminal charges are bad for a working democracy. And taking a further step back from our rigid adherence to a document written over 225 years ago to ponder whether the reliance on parsing words to get at founders’ intent best serves a working democracy. The British system deserves a much closer look for combining written constitutional documents and common law precedents to develop laws more suitable to circumstances. Is that too radical?
3
There are clear cases where I would be in favor of impeachment, but there are many borderline cases as well, and I'm not exactly sure where the borderline is. If this article is correct, probably the majority of people are like me in this regard. Further, I don't have high hopes that Trump will be impeached, in part because I don't think the Mueller investigation will uncover clear evidence of serious collusion. The reason I don't think that is that collusion was not necessary. One big flaw in conspiracy theorizing in general is to think that where it is the interests of both A and B that C occur, and C does occur, A and B must have conspired to bring C about. No, it entirely possible that the two actors could have assessed their interests independently and acted independently to promote C. Russia could easily have decided to try to damage Clinton's candidacy and the US electoral process without seeking an agreed quid pro quo from the Trump campaign. And vice versa. Bad actors acting badly, but did collusion occur? I think it is unlikely.
1
They are all going to jail (his administration and members of the GoP) The Constitution doesn't prevent Trump going on trial and being convicted in a court of law for criminality. He can serve his time as POTUS in jail, maybe that will convince Congress and the GOP to do the right thing. NOTE: The time honored tradition of saying a sitting President can not be indicted, convicted and jailed is a DOJ tradition. There is no language in the Constitution that shields him from our system of justice. I hope this fact goes straight to the US Supreme Court.
7
I agree that impeachment is highly unlikely.
The only possible scenario I see for impeachment, which is still not entirely off the table, is that Mueller uncovers serious criminal activity in Trump's many international business dealings, such as money laundering, bribery or kickbacks from foreign officials and a wide exposure to possible blackmail by foreign governments.
The constitutional argument would then be that Trump is so financially compromised by foreign entities that he can not objectively carry out his constitutional duties in the foreign policy area.
The further argument would be that, similar to a mistrial in a jury proceeding, that disqualifying information was unavailable to the voters (the jury) at the time of the election, which warrants the formal intervention of Congress, since there is no mechanism in the Constitution for a redo of a national election.
Other than this drastic scenario, I agree that impeachment is unlikely. Trump will be able to squirm out of any charges relating to electoral misconduct or Russian collusion by his campaign.
3
Impeachment would be a disaster right now, as much as many of us would like to see Trump go. If the Dems are shrewd, they will learn from their mistakes, organize, and move forward with strong candidates for local, state-wide, and national elections. It's also possible that Trump, in the meantime, could do something truly egregious that may make impeachment moot.
2
"It's also possible that Trump, in the meantime, could do something truly egregious that may make impeachment moot."
Birdie, I wonder what you --- or anyone --- can imagine Trump doing that would result in Congressional Republicans moving against him in any way. I, for one, cannot.
It is essential for Democrats running in November's election to emphasize policies that they favor that actually help improve people's lives. They must not run with any reference to possible impeachment. It would be futile, at least at this point, to seek to impeach and then to try Donald Trump. What's more, Republicans at this point are thrilled with the prospect of being able to claim that Democrats, should they win the House, will try to impeach the President. They expect that that threat will help boost the turnouts of their own base.
4
Right on all counts. For those of us opposed to Donald Trump, we must focus on shaping a message and program which speaks to the real needs and fears of many in his base: how to increase real wages/income, provide health care and job security. Trump will continue to build his own case for Impeachment. There is NO need for us to mount what would be a counterproductive campaign for it. Campaign in 2018: An America That Works!
4
I would make two points: One, Americans never want to be wrong. This is one reason why Trump enjoys >80% support among the GOP electorate; two, and somewhat tangential to the argument, is that southerners were murdering former slaves in what is now the southern red states at an alarming rate (read Chernow's recent bio of Grant), during the Johnson administration. This was unacceptable to Democrats and northern Republicans, at least most of them. While it's no secret that many southerners would still welcome this kind of atrocity toward African Americans, (witness Charlottesville), Trump's corruption, lying, and lack of qualification to be President doesn't rise to the horror witnessed during the Andrew Johnson administration.
1
Pence would make the Handmaid's Tale look like a cakewalk. Democrats must take the House so we can throw a net over Trump.
4
There is much to do to undo Trump's assault on our society. If the Congress, beginning in January 2019, is willing and able to tackle the problems he has created without jailing him, fine--don't make him into a martyr for the right-wing, just dismantle his efforts expeditiously.
I like the idea of leaving him as an example, emasculated, spluttering, and unable to harm us further. It would also help us get past our worship of his disgraced office to see the Congress take responsibility for what happens.
1
The midterm election should become a referendum on Trumps impeachment. I think the anti Trump voters will win and the Congressional representatives they elect will have a mandate for impeachment. Trump should suffer the humiliation of impeachment by the House and the Senate, but if it is just the House that’s fine too.
3
Let’s quit talking about Trump. It may be possible to secure his impeachment but, as Charles notes, it's extremely unlikely that he would be convicted. Instead of ceding the narrative to him and the Republicans, we need to spend the next six months, getting out the vote. Adding one more Democratic vote or dissuading one potential GOP voter are what we need to focus on.
Let’s win through the power of our numbers. VOTE!
2
I can't imagine under any circumstance which includes Trump after being impeached by the House and aquitted by the Senate acquiring a high approval rating. Now in his absolute outrageous mind Trump may feel that an aquittal automatically will boost his poll numbers. But since we all know how degenerative his mind is that his thinking usually goes ignored: that is why his current poll ranking is so low today and will continue to be so throughout his tenure on Penn. Ave.
1
Yes. Enough already regarding impeachment. Trump has been involved in interminable shady dealings most of his life and never suffered any consequences. That cycle will continue. Vote, vote, vote in November. And Democrats, let us find a winnable Democrat for the White House in 2020.
1
Charles, I have to say I am very disappointed in your analysis. You are one of the few who really understand the clear and present danger that Donald Trump, the GOP and Russia pose to America. And now you say we need to look the other way and let Trump remain in the Oval Office? If Special Prosecutor Mueller uncovers evidence of High Crimes and Misdemeanors, Trump will be impeached and the American people will not look the other way to ensure a Democratic House. It is time for patriotism and time for us to rememeber we are a nation of laws.
4
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Damn.
I'll agree with Comey on this one. Let's put this loser president out to pasture the old fashioned way -- at the ballot box in 2020 -- unless the Big Macs get him first.
3
OK, fair warning given.
In this case, if the tea leaves we have been seeing for over a year are not refuted, we have the following:
1. Personal crimes -- including massive fraud and lying, infidelity, and corruption--and sexual assault in addition to the consenting adultery that got Clinton impeached.
2. Crimes against the state -- specifically working with a foreign adversary to influence an election (itself a violation)--essentially what Nixon did (breaking laws and covering it up) with the extra credit of using an adversary nation.
3. Governing in defiance of the constitution, our laws, and the norms and precedents, and procedures of the government. Violating his oath of office.
4. Rejecting fact based governance, and the long established factual based for policy, including the existential threat from the climate change he is deliberately denying., directly imperiling much to the land area of a number of states and the habitability of many more.
5. Putting utterly incapable, venal people into many cabinet slots, and encouraging them to actively work against the missions of their departments. Tolerating their personal corruption.
6. Demanding loyalty to him, not the country.
7. Personal lawlessness and fundamental untruthfulness so nobody can believe either his word or the word of the US.
If this does not require impeachment, no president can ever be impeached. Trump might just as well appoint himself president for life.
6
I agree the Democrats should not mention impeachment until Trump has been implicated in high crimes and misdemeanors, like Nixon. It is likely to backfire by making Trump look like he is being attacked for political reasons. So far criminality has not been shown. I agree he is a threat to the country because of his incompetence. But there are still allot of people who don't. The Democrats should work to win at the local house of representative level so they can at least block more of his crazy policies. There is a scenario in which enough Senators could convict if he is impeached by the House. But without the demonstration of high crimes and misdemeanors its a mute point.
1
Yes, impeachment is distracting and will make a martyr of a terrible person such as Trumpy. Democrats should achieve on political success by focusing on the economy, national security and the environment. If it is obvious that Trumpy has participated in criminal and/or treasonous acts, his followers must be convinced to abandon him. He will go down as the American civilization's Caligula or Nero.
2
It's even worse. Not only is talking about removing Trump a mistake--and then there's that absurd lawsuit--but the Democratic Party is failing to give people any positive reason to vote for them. What do they stand for? What specifically would they do to make things better for citizens who are not billionaires? Democrats are about to blow the best chance they have had for years to break Republican dominance because of their incompetent leadership.
1
Despite the rash rhetoric from the left, Trump has done nothing to be impeached over. No collusion with Russia. He hasn't violated any laws while president. The impeachment and removal from office is a fantasy for CB and the left but will never happen. And if the left were to succeed it would cause such a huge rift in this country that we may never put it together again.
With Nixon, although he did nothing worse than many of his predecessors (Woodward and Bernstein would not have gone after JFK given the same circumstances, and the Kennedy's played dirty politics) the country was tired of him and the war and a crime (minor) had been committed.
With Clinton, while I personally don't think he should have been impeached (the future of the country shouldn't hinge on the libido of the president) he did behave in such a way that would get CEO's of most companies fired -- even then.
Andrew Johnson -- a political event. He wanted to follow Lincoln's path of reconciliation with the South whereas radical Republicans wanted to punish and plunder. Still, his sin was political.
Trump has not committed high crimes or misdemeanors but the left has been calling for impeachment before he took office and have dismissed as stupid those who voted for him. To disenfranchise those who support Trump because elites don't like him could completely unravel our democracy. Show me a crime -- OK. but just because you don't like his character -- that's merely a political opinion
1
You don't know whether he has committed any impeachable offenses, and won't know unless Mueller's report becomes public once he has completed his investigation.
3
C -- the biggest fantasy the left has is the idea that Mueller will get something on Trump that will lead to impeachment. By now, you should have figured out that there was no collusion with Russia (no evidence has been produced, the house committee said there was no collusion). You should also recognize there was no obstruction of justice. Comey's book makes that clear if it wasn't before. And if Comey had something on Trump he'd be going after him. All he has done is go after those who work for Trump on charges unrelated to the campaign, collusion or obstruction of justice. If he had anything on Trump don't you think he'd be focused like a laser on that? No, he's just fishing --
C - and since we have not seen the report, we should be working from the principle of innocent until proven guilty, should we not?
Impeachment should happen through the ballot box. I dispise Trump, but I do not want him impeached unless the Mueller report details something so abhorrent, that there really is no choice. Pence is too competent, too theocratic, too beholden to the Koch brothers.
I am grateful (?) that this administration is not more adept at deconstructing the administrative state. The seven deadly sins consume too much of the Cabinet.
Perhaps what we need as a country to persevere as a Republic is to suffer through this kakistocracy and forever taint the GOP as a viable political party. Where’s Teddy Roosevelt when you need him???
1
Nobody likes impeachment.
But what does it say about America's values if we do not have the courage to fix this horrible mistake?
4
Perversely, I hope Trump makes it for the rest of his term: as things grow worse—the budget deficit rises, prices for crops fall as tariffs kick in, inflation rises as a result of protectionism, job creation falters—we'll have Trump and his Republican enablers to blame and vote out of office.
This problem, then, makes the Electoral College responsible for ensuring that an illegitimate President not be installed. They failed dismally in this regard and elected Trump. With that safeguard not working -- and the country only in an unimaginably bleak future will never have a better case than Trump's unfitness -- the popular vote needs to be the operable mechanism.
1
The bar for impeachment needs to be high. It can't be an instrument for reversing an undesirable result in an election. The worse outcome in an impeachment proceeding is to make Trump's (or any other president's) supporters feel than an election was stolen and that they were effectively disenfranchised. If he is impeached, it should be with evidence that at least most of his supporters would feel constitute a reason to remove him from office. The NYT columnist Anthony Lewis wrote about the Clinton impeachment as a virtual coup d'etat. This is an awful precedent.
It is important to remember, too, that impeachment proceedings effectively immobilize government. This is not a small thing. Responding to a crisis that requires a unified government is almost impossible in an impeachment atmosphere and any realistic chance of passing meaningful legislation will be gone until the matter is resolved.
Trump should not be president. He is incompetent and infantile. An extraordinary amount of his campaign rhetoric was dishonest, which maybe at some point will be considered disqualifying for being considered for president. Eventually, evidence may surface that he is guilty of more than mere idiocy. For the time being we need to live with the fact that too many people voted for him and hope that sensible people (especially the DOJ, the courts and the career civil service/military) will continue limit the damage he can do.
If the facts come out that exposes Donnie as a con and criminal. Those that still enable him to stay in office, will also be exposed as corrupt. This is 2018 and the ground swelling of protest has not even begun. As Americans, the information and facts MUST be given to all American's and not be swept under a rug by corrupt politicians.
If there is anything this whole debacle has taught us is that the seemingly impossible is possible
1
Charles Blow is right--67 thumbs down in the Senate isn't going to happen even if the Dems secure a majority in the fall, and even if Mueller's findings suggest eventual criminal indictments. A Republican congress that's willing to look the other way on foreign election meddling is a congress that will let just about anything go--whether misdemeanors, money-laundering or hookers at the Ritz. If his vaunted 40% base equates presidential transgressions with authenticity, then serving up an impeachment process will be like serving up a banquet for Trump supporters. The only way to reassert the will of the majority and relegate that base to the minority corner it belongs in is by ballot.
A successful impeachment would yield a President Pence and an agitated cadre of what Repubs call "activists." How is that an improvement? For once, Dems, use your heads. Try winning an election or two.
P.S.: A freshly-impeached Trump would likely immediately enter the 2020 Republican primaries. You want to bet he wouldn't win them again? Leave him right where he is, twisting in the wind.
Clinton received high job approval ratings during his impeachment proceedings because he actually was an excellent executive. The Lewinsky matter, as regrettable as it was, was seen as mostly a partisan hatchet job.
Unlike Clinton or Johnson, Trump is dangerously unfit. If he’s removed from office, we get Pence - certainly a win for conservatives.
We need to stop arguing that “liberals” would like to see Trump impeached. Anyone with a brain should want him removed from office.
1
I believe that it was Justice Ginsburg who said that she would not use the U.S. Constitution as a guide if she were writing a constitution. I agree. If we get a dud president like Trump, we are just stuck with him for the duration.
It’s too bad that the Waffle House shooter never got to meet with President Trump.
They could have had a wonderful discussion together about being stalked by Taylor Swift.
2
Why Trump is meeting with Kim Yong On will remain a eternal enigma to me. But, maybe the outcome of this meeting will deliver the cause for an impeachment.
The Trump group approaches 'high crimes' only at the threshold, but the Mueller commission is not finished yet...however don't hold your breath.
If he is successfully impeached, we would have 'Zombie' Mike Pence for two years-suffer injury to insult again?
Don't impeach: hold him accountable. Even if it ends in removal it only gets us a slightly less odious chief executive and a consolidated opposition.
We should, in fact, delight in the fact that evil has taken on such an ugly face and use the opportunity to strengthen the laws, safe-guards and badly beat up customs that hold us together.
If a sense of justice requires us to imagine him gone then we need only force him to do his job: he will jump in the dust-bin of history all on his own.
Trump is a convenient scapegoat/distraction, meanwhile the donors, PAC, SuperPACS, lobbyists, insiders, you name it, are busy behind the scenes. Their efforts to elect minions to enact their policies have been successful, resulting in the degraded state of our democracy. I humbly request that the NYT makes it a priority to get the names and behaviors of these bad actors into the public domain. Scandal and outrage make for excellent (and lucrative) click bait but until the names and faces of the people and entities ruining our democracy are as well known as those of the celebrities and sports figures that our culture seems to worship our national decline will continue. A rogues gallery of villains is also good click bait and it's time to out those who have remained in the shadows, shielded by their wealth and the armies of lawyers that have been bought with it. The circus of media attention around elections is detrimental to the transparency that is required for citizens to know who is really pulling the strings.
Impeachment is near impossible.
The mantra should be vote vote vote in november Contain and remain.
Or
Remain and contain
Either way, a nice republican - like talking point, bumper sticker, and, it fits on a blue hat
1
Even if Mr. Blow's position were wrong (which it is not) removing Donald Trump from office would put Mike Pence in the Oval Office. That is not an improvement. In fact, it might be worse. At least Trump is largely incompetent. Pence might be better better at achieving things that, at least so far, Trump has, said he wants to do but, thank goodness, failed to achieve.
Clinton was not convicted and his popular support increased during the proceedings because the public knew that the Republicans wanted him out of office for a sexual indiscretion -- the nature of which that time would show to be minor compared to the below-the-waist misdeeds of several of the main accusers. In contrast, Nixon's resignation came in the face of his proven acts to undermine the rule of law and the Constitution -- truly impeachable offenses. At least Nixon tried to hide his dastardly acts from the public eye. Not Trump. No. He openly subverts the rule of law, he speaks of "his" Justice Department and Attorney General and not "the" Department or "the" AG. He demonstrates every day that he wants to know nothing about how this democracy works, or should work, but rather prefers to put on display how he paws, maims, and mangles the fundamental mores of decency, respect, and compassion while bullying his way around to shut down inquiries that just might absolve him of wrongdoing. [I would not bet on seeing much evidence of his innocence.] Even worse is that no President has ever so eroded public trust. He lies every day, about any and all things that show him to be less than what he imagines as a true despot. A despot who threatens military attacks, withdraws the threat, or announces major policies and then reverses himself. In short, "I am President; I can do anything I want, however I want, and whenever I want." He must go, and as soon as possible.
2
Even if the democrats get control of the senate, a dubious proposal at best, there will never be enough votes to remove Trump from office.
If somehow Trump is found to have committed impeachable offenses (highly doubtful), there is zero chance of the democrats getting 10 or more republican senators to vote to remove Trump from office. To do so would be to commit political suicide.
Trump owns the republican party. He is as close to an authoritarian strongman as we have ever had.
Democrats would do much better to accept the stone cold fact that Trump will be President until 2020. If they don't get their act together quickly, make it 2024.
Every moment spent discussing impeachment is a moment wasted. All energy expended on this nonsense would be better spent developing a candidate and a strategy to defeat Trump.
Let Tom Steyer waste his millions. He has the luxury of doing so. Democrats do not.
Impeachment should be difficult. If it wasn't, nearly every President would be impeached at some point in their terms.
Democrats are smart enough to let the President be indicted for his crimes, let that be known publicly, and prevent or challenge any improper pardon, rather than force impeachment when the votes are not there.
1
Please don't underestimate Trump's ability to gain the 2/3 vote for impeachment in the Senate, after more of his fraudulent behavior and treachery is revealed. Not even his staunchest Republican supporters will be able to "let it go" if he supported the Russians interfering in our election and continues to support Putin's policies and his oligarchs money laundering through American real estate. Not to mention, the millions of dollars he is spending at his own hotels/golf clubs where we also have to pay for his security details. Rarely is someone loyal to a bully when they self-destruct and he is well on his way. There is from my perspective and yours, as near as I can tell, NOT one redeeming feature of this "so-called" president, but I believe God still loves him despite ALL his failings. Yet, no one will want him in the White House, when all is said and done between all the lawsuits and investigations.
1
As long as Jared goes to jail and Ivanka loses her fortune, I can live without impeachment. Melania divorcing Donald would be a nice. Sometimes bad things just really need to happen to bad people. And I would prefer that it happen in some fashion that does not make Trump to his adoring poorly educated supporters.
Charles Blow really should read the Constitution. Donald Trump is qualified to be president by virtue of the fact that he is over 35 years old and a native born American citizen. Trump's main presidential jobs are to give a State of the Union address and be Commander in Chief of the armed services. Those are the Constitutional requirements and duties for the toughest job on earth--President of the United States.
Isn't it time for Charles Blow to end his persistent shrill calls for impeachment. Of course America abhors impeachment because it is an exhausting time consuming process. Everything comes to a grinding screeching halt. Impeachment minus a conviction for bribery or treason is nothing more than a Constitutional slap on the wrist. Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton survived impeachment and kept their day jobs anyway.
Better luck in 2020 Charles.
I agree with Mr. Blow but only up to the point that Trump is not convicted of a crime or shown that he was't very much aware of these crimes. Treason and money laundering are not the same as what Clinton or Johnson did in office and I believe the public will look at that differently.
Trump is in a class all by himself. It's not that he's just incompetent. That's been proven time and again, it's his complete disregard for the truth and his total lack of integrity. He must be removed from office for the good of this country. The sooner the better.
1
We have had 45 presidents. An example drawn from 2 or 3 presidents is not necessarily indicative of anything. How Trump would react to an impeachment, no one knows, even Trump.
Four presidents have been assassinated by gun, nearly 10%. Does that make the presidency one of the most dangerous jobs on earth?
1
Trump has masterfully created a worshiping cult, his 'base', through media manipulation par excellence. Perhaps the only thing he is good at besides grifting. Trump has used fear and hatred to cling his followers to him and he is not above inciting vengeance and violence to keep him sitting as POTUS. The Truth is no longer an issue for Him.
Trump's calculated tactics have also cowered our Congress into a body of men who have rejected public service to country and Constitution and revel in sycophantic protection of the ruler. Standing with Trump, Congress seeks to divide, marginalize and punish the not 'real' Americans.
In such a race to define America downward, impeachment is a tool best left on the shelf. For the good of the country, the respect due our Constitution and body of laws, we the people need to vote out of office Donald Trump in 2020 with a convincing majority. This is the only way Trump's cult will accept his removal from office.
We are not dealing in the factual world right now. The Trumpian universe has damaged so much in America. Crimes are newly redefined and excused. If we can maintain the integrity of the vote and make the supposed Blue Wave real, then there is hope to reclaim our government and democratic ideals.
An informed electorate can filter out ads. It is harder to control an informed electorate. Perhaps we should start thinking about a voting test. And one could not hold office without passing the test. Should voters be voting if they don't know the difference between a Shiite and a Sunni? Neither Bush nor Trump could have run if there was such a test. The world is to intertwined to permit ignorant voters to control the outcome.
As James Comey stated, the voters must vote him out, as they have voted him in.The electorate must demonstrate that they are totally fed up with this degenerate, and his corrupt, self serving actions. Impeachment and removal from office would put this responsibility in the hands of the politicians, and not show the worwld that THIS is what the voters have decided. One can however make the arguement that the politicians are acting on the desires of their constituents, but better it comes directly from the voters.
I wonder about a Mike Pence presidency. We may very well be going from the frying pan into the fire.
The most perspicacious observation so far is that this President, no matter the folly that put him in the Oval Office, no matter the methods by which he uses our Presidency to enrich himself personally, is not worth the tumult of impeachment. Fox TV and regressive social media outlets would be howling day and night. This phony himself would gleefully go back on his obnoxious rally tours. Russia would get exactly what they were angling for with their intervention ('meddling' is much too weak a term for the outrage) in the U.S. Presidential election. Vladimir Putin should not be allowed to select the U.S. President, so something should be done in a Democratic Congress to prevent that. And if Mueller and his legal team provide evidence of obstruction of justice and previous crimes such as money laundering for Russian oligarchs by the current occupant of the White House then Democrats should make certain that the evidence is presented full throated to the American voter. But impeachment proceedings, as they were with President Clinton, would be volatile and counterproductive. Even if successful, which is impossible to conceive, such action would at best result in a President Pence which would be one fox relieving another at watching over the hen house. Indict citizen Trump when he leaves the protection of the Oval Office. Vote out his Republican protectors in Congress. Let's make America sane again.
Democrats are ready to do the impossible twice. First they lost the White House to the most illogical of candidates. Now they might very well fail to reclaim the House of Representatives in their off-year bid. They can only blame themselves--first for choosing a dud of a candidate who couldn't win for losing and then continuing to find excuses for their failure instead of learning from it. Now they have made themselves look desperate as they struggle with their message and seem more interested in protecting the rights of illegals and fringe groups than in helping their traditional working class base whom they seem to have abandoned. Who are they? What do they stand for other than hating Trump? This confusion does not translate into a winning strategy.
Among the many Republican actions that have undermined our constitution in the last several generations, the impeachment of Bill Clinton ranks high. The original allegations were frivolous, and the investigation then devolved into (yes) a witch hunt. The Republican partisan hypocrisy was blatantly obvious, and conviction was obviously never going to happen. But the lasting effect -- genuinely damaging to the Constitution -- was to trivialize the whole process of impeachment, and effectively take it off the table for Democrats in the next Administration even when faced with a far clearer case for removal of the President, lest it become the reflexive action of any Congress paired with a President of the opposite party.
The wreckage left by the Republican Party of 1968 onwards will take generations to clear, and that's the optimistic view.
The United States of America never was and never will be a banana republic. Removing a president for cause is one thing but American citizens will frown on dismissing an unpopular and incompetent president such as the 45th. No upheaval of American governmental norms is going to happen.
Yes, voters decided unwisely during the last general election and perhaps see the error of their ballot choices but impeachment here is not the answer. America is a democracy and an unsuitable Chief Executive can be voted out, should he run for a second term. A rejection by voters at the polls will be the democratic and orderly way to remove this president. Also, his base couldn't claim bias or a “deep state” conspiracy if the nation were to say to him, “enough, sir, you’re not fit to continue to lead us”.
Remember also, that Mitch McConnell, in denying Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland a hearing, declared that the American people should decide who should fill the vacant seat on the Court and would make their choice in the upcoming election. That same philosophy should also apply as to the fitness of the next president rather than the impeachment of a scoundrel from the Oval Office.
There is big IF for Democrats wins the majority of the House in 2018 Charles !
Let`s not get ahead of ourselves, we need to stop this infighting among the Democrats.
Just look at NY, Cuomo vs. de Blasio.
Mr. de Blasio suddenly showed up with Cynthia Nixon, a mediocre actor of no political experience to challenge of all places Mr. Cuomo New York.
Donald J. trump rings a bell ?
1
In Johnson's day the Democratic Party was not only the racist party, it was the Party of the Slave State.
One more obstacle to Trump's impeachment is that his replacement would be Pence, of rather dubious political following. We can be forgiven if we reckon Pence might be worse than Trump and Pence may be more difficult to defeat in 2020 than Trump might be.
These are fair points. But how can we ignore such gross incompetence, even if it is to our advantage? I fear you are right in your assessment, but I also feel that Trump must number among the other two Presidents who were impeached. We cannot let his behavior go on unchastened.
1
There are several issues with removing Trump. First and foremost, Pence will be President. While I believe he wouldn’t have a chance in 2020, the prospect of a religious tyrant is worse than a corrupt tyrant.
Second, Trump’s bade is continuously fed right wing propaganda full of conspiracy theories. Trump’s impeachment and removal will be a plateful for Trump’s base.
The best is to keep Trump as an useful fool, have all his “achievements” fail, and either convince Trump’s supporters that they e been taken for a wild ride, or have a large Democrat turnout in 2020 so Trump is removed the old-fashioned way - through the ballots.
I don't care about impeaching Trump. If the Democrats take the House, I want Trump politically paralyzed and thoroughly investigated.
Then, when he's out of office, if circumstances warrant, I want him tried and jailed.
1
The US can get rid of Trump. In 2020. By VOTING.
Impeachment will be seen, by Fox viewers as a political act to rob America of its dear leader.
Any impeachment proceedings will need to have overwhelming evidence of criminal wrong-doing that cannot be disputed or lied about by Fox News. That will be the bar.
Look, enough Americans voted for him, voted for a third party or didn't vote.
Elections have consequences.
If you don't want Fox and Friends running the country, VOTE.
VOTE, while it is still legal.
2
Let's settle in for a heavy dose of reality.
> Even if Mueller/the justice department get innumerable convictions and people to ''flip'' on the President...
> Even if Democrats take back the house AND the Senate ...
> Even if The President does indeed take someone out on 5th avenue ...
There will be nothing that will happen. (let that sink in)
The absolute best case scenario that can possibly happen is if the President actually is indicted. The house votes to impeach, and then on the eve' of the Senate voting to convict ( won't happen because there will be blue dog Dems that will not vote on it ) that the President pardons himself and/or resigns.
Then we are left with President you know who, which in reality might be even worse on so many levels.
Issues first.
Gossip after.
Alas.
Gossip about impeachment is more fun the facing up to president who while facing evidence Russians have something on him has repeatedly had private conversations with Russians only present including one in which in view of EU leaders he fought a private audience with Putin.
But who cares. Gossip on.
Regardless of Collusion with Russia or not,
there are sufficient reasons to confront DT
and remove him one way or another:
- Continuously avoiding the Truth
- Reversing Environmental Direction
- Illfated Tax Reform
- Indecent and irrational behaviour
- Personal Enrichment for himself and his Gang
- Selecting, what is surely one of the the most
terrible and incapable Cabinets and Group of
Advisors in the US History.
And, and, and.
Dont get used to it, but act.
1
Charles Blow, thanks for the History Lesson.
Still, Impeachment would be the rightful Finale
for this President, rather than enabling him to
sneak out the backdoor of the WH in 2020.
Humiliation is what he deserves after this
digraceful, indecent Tenure, which he and his gang also using shamelessly for personal gains. This
unfortunate period does not even deserve the term
Presidency.
It also should serve as a warning to his Successor(s).
3
If Trump is removed from office, you get Pence.
I think that I prefer an incompetent with Democratic Houses of Congress (hope).
1
Fear not. Trump will resign because he will need a pardon from Pense to stay out of jail after he pardons his daughter, this sons and his son in law. He might even pardon Putin.
Forget Team of Rivals. As more and more info comes out, I think we are seeing a Team of Users. Somewhere along the line, Trumps family and associates realized what an easy front man they had. As these users are pealed away one by one, I think this president will fire Mueller. And resign? Ha- we will have to drag him kicking and screaming from his perceived throne.
Colluding? Perhaps his users did with a ‘win at all costs’ mentality. But his failure to see what they were doing, or ignoring, encouraging their use of Russian associates- once again a gross “failure to take care”.
When he does fire Mueller, it will then be up to the millions, the majority, in this country to either sheepishly rant, rave and accept, or walk out in a continuing strike. Until this president is removed from office.
A president Pence has to be better. At least he is his own man. And is rational.
1
So the Electoral College is a Republican tool, vote and voter suppression and vote machine hacking is a Republican priority, the Supreme Court is owned by Republicans for decades due to their unconstitutional duplicity, every federal department is in the hands of its enemies, wealth is being transferred to the 0.1% at an ever-increasing rate, the press/media are threatened with prosecution for reporting truth, education is financially out of reach, health care is unaffordable for most and Russians own the presidency.
But impeachment might make things worse?! We should play nice in a rigged system?! We should fear upsetting the deplirables?!
If so, Democrats really ARE "surrender monkeys".
1
Maybe best for the country to endure 4 entire years of Trump as an aide memoir for future elections. Let's remember the hubris of the Clinton campaign and the Democrats, and recognize the need for vision and purpose, as well as know-how, in term of winning elections. And re-learn how dangerous to run against the voters, writing off "deplorables" and winding up advertising smug moral superiority. And let us long remember the establishment Republicans and their silent acquiescence in the morally repugnant vitriol of Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh and Micheal Savage and Mark Levin who helped the party first win Congress by vicious attacks on Obama (and Mrs. Obama) and started the whole name-calling game that paved a path for Trump to trod. it was "beneath their dignity" to engage with the falsehoods and fakery of these radio prophets who captured the loyalty of millions of rural county listeners via AM radio. These Foxy demagogues turned out to have enough (12-hour a day and rerun on Sundays) sway to busted the hifalutin' voting models of the Clinton operatives and delivered state after state to Trump. We reaped what we had sown. Maybe we will all be more careful and vigilant next time -- 2020 -- yes a lot of damage will be done before then, but if we really want to impeach, convict and then let Mike Pence be next to say "our long national nightmare is over." you can look forward to a Pence sympathy win over anybody...foolish thinking, you say: well, just look back at 2016.
I quit Facebook. I used to really enjoy it. I was able to stay in contact with people that had before been seemingly lost from my life. We reconnected and it was wonderful.
But, then I learned that Facebook helped elect Trump by selling our data, often our private messages, using our love and friendship against us to elect this vile, two bit hoodlum to the White House.
Of course Facebook would never move to correct that wrong. Mark has billions. He doesn't care about us or the world. Regulations are rolling back. Our election process was hacked and we were used.
So, I am leaving social media. I gave up Twitter long ago. Now Facebook can go away. Instagram. Pinterest. I am happy to live my life without these things,now.
As for Trump, I hope he goes away, too. How? Who knows? My hope is that Mueller indicts him and his horrendous family. But, I will need to find out in the newspapers. I'm not sitting by Facebook, waiting for some kind of flash of conscience that would enable them to help undo what terrible things they've done.
1
Impeachment is certainly not a good idea for the resistance. In fact, things have already gone too far and the whole movement threatens to backfire. The resistance has painted Trump with such extreme and exaggerated brushstrokes that it is becoming a parody. Some voters on the left are starting to wake up to the fact that they have been manipulated with lies and bias and virtually brainwashed to view Trump as a monster. And with the whole collusion narrative going south, that puts everything the left has been telling them into question. Plus Trump isn't doing that bad of a job. Probably time for some new thinking.
Let's settle in for a heavy dose of reality. > Even if Mueller/the justice department get innumerable convictions and people to ''flip'' on the President... > Even if Democrats take back the house AND the Senate ... > Even if The President does indeed take someone out on 5th avenue ... There will be nothing that will happen. (let that sink in) The absolute best case scenario that can possibly happen is if the President actually is indicted. The house votes to impeach, and then on the eve' of the Senate voting to convict ( won't happen because there will be blue dog Dems that will not vote on it ) that the President pardons himself and/or resigns. Then we are left with President you know who, which in reality might be even worse on so many levels.
Wow. Charles I always agree with you, but not here. If Trump tries a Saturday Night Massacre, we must do everything possible to impeach and convict. Without worry for the real concerns you list. It is that simple.
Let's settle in for a heavy dose of reality.
> Even if Mueller/the justice department get innumerable convictions and people to ''flip'' on the President...
> Even if Democrats take back the house AND the Senate ...
> Even if The President does indeed take someone out on 5th avenue ...
There will be nothing that will happen. (let that sink in)
The absolute best case scenario that can possibly happen is if the President actually is indicted. The house votes to impeach, and then on the eve' of the Senate voting to convict ( won't happen because there will be blue dog Dems that will not vote on it ) that the President pardons himself and/or resigns.
Then we are left with President you know who, which in reality might be even worse on so many levels.
From where we sit right now, Charles Blow’s premise is unimpeachable (no pun intended). However, he is overlooking the potential nature of Trump’s perfidy. Johnson’s dereliction was failure to implement national policy as established by Congress. It’s repercussions were morally abhorrent and obstructionist but of only domestic significance. Nixon’s dereliction was at worst conspiring in a burglary and at best covering up such a burglary with no significant political consequences other than the fact that he was a “crook” notwithstanding his protestations to the contrary. Clinton’s dereliction was in not keeping his pants zipped up and then lying about it. Disgusting, but not a threat to national security or any domestic issue. I am sure many of you commenters read Glenn Simpson’s article about Trump’s financial connections with Russian crime criminal elements that have potentially compromised him with a foreign adversary. If proved, this would not be sufficient to constitute treason, but it would make him a traitor, a word that has no technical legal meaning, but which everyone understands to be a serious threat to national security striking at the heart of the nation’s existence. Would anyone doubt that he should be impeached if he sold out the Ukraine to get a Trump Tower in Moscow? The evidence isn’t there yet but the perfidy has no precedent. Trump is basically taunting us saying. “I may be a traitor, but you can’t prove it.” If proven, impeachment is a lay-down hand.
1
Impeachment is mentioned six times in the Constitution. Perhaps it was intended for use more frequently. Now is a good time to start.
156
Your equating the use of violence with the ordered process of impeachment? The point is that our founders preferred due process and order over violent overthrow when faced with a dangerous or damaging presidency, or a president with disdain for the Constitution he swore to uphold.
Knock it off. That was about a militia armed with muskets.
Impeachment probably was meant to be used more frequently, and originally, high crimes and misdemeanors might well have included something like "demeaning the office", which could well include the sort of behavior Trump embraces.
But early on, dealing with judiciary impeachments, Congress shifted to equating the "high crimes" phase with criminal violations. It probably reduced the number of purely political impeachments, but it has left us open to the likes of Trump.
PS I think that Bill Clinton could have been accused of "demeaning the office" for the combination of his actions with the intern and the way he prolonged the scandal with his denials.
5
People do not like to see a newly elected President being driven out of office, even if he got there by an antiquated electoral law. Time is needed for a feeling of disenchantment to ripen.
If not the individual votes were counted, but the geographic area of the state's voting either for, or against, the candidate, Obama would have lost his two elections.
Years ago during the Iran Contra scandal Congressman Al Swift told me and a few others that there was enough evidence of Pres. Reagan's wrong doings to impeach and force him out office but the choice was made by the Dems. not to do it because how close it was to forcing Nixon out and the damage it would do to the country, and that there was no way he would win reelection. Guess what he won reelection. The moral of the story, don't make assumptions about the future and don't put off what needs to be done now.
Conservative writer George Will left the Republican party over Trump, but he says we'll need to suffer through this presidency, like a dose of medicine. Maybe this is the only way to convince some that voting really matters, even during midterms, when the couch is apparently especially comfortable.
4
If Mueller's investigation reveals serious crimes, Trump must be impeached. We can't continue to allow presidents to get away with crimes. If Nixon had been imprisoned, Reagan might not have risked Iran-Contra and Bush II might have thought twice about torture and lying to start an unnecessary war. Presidents must be accountable. Why even have an impeachment provision if we refuse to use it (except for Democrats' affairs).
7
I rarely agree with Mr. Blow but this column is an exception. The question is: why this sudden enlightenment on his part? I think the answer is that he, and many other anti-trumpets have come to the realization that there is no Trump-Russian collusion and so impeachment is a non-starter with the public.
1
Thank you for this sane insight. I believe your comments on the topic constitute not only opinion but cold hard facts. I do believe however that you reach many conclusions based merely on opinion. There are many who do not care for the president but approve whole heartedly of his overriding policies, policies that in many ways represent mainstream America. Might it be possible to occasionally give voice to those policies?
2
I'm not for impeaching Trump, not so much because he doesn't deserve to be impeached, but because it would mean the elevation of Pence to the highest office in the land.
Trump is loud and obnoxious and annoys both Democrats and Republicans, thus stifling his ability to advance most of his agenda, whatever that is.
Pence will be quiet and will advance the right wing agenda without the noise and obnoxiousness associated with Trump.
Like him or not, Comey made a good point when he was asked about Trump's impeachment: "I hope not, because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook -- people in this country need to stand up, go to the voting booth, and vote their values. Impeachment, in a way, would short-circuit that."
6
Unless clear evidence is uncovered by Mueller's investigation that Trump himself personally colluded with Russia to win this past election impeachment just isn't going to happen. "I'm not Trump" didn't work for Hillary nor will it work for anyone else foolish enough to go that route. The best way to deal with Trump is to win the next election and make him irrelevant. He truly deserves to be a one term president but that's only going to happen if Democrats can show that the government runs better for everyone when they are in charge.
214
With or without concrete evidence of a crime, a Democrat-controlled House very well might impeach the president, but the odds that a Republican-controlled Senate can muster 67 votes to convict him are close to nil, no matter what the Mueller Commission discovers.
13
AMI: First, it's President Trump, not Trump. The man won an election fair and square that he wasn't supposed to win, was and continues to be mercilessly attacked by a media composed mainly of "nostalgiques " who have never overcome the loss by HRC,whose dirty tricks throughout the course of her career make LEE ATWATER look, in retrospect like, a statesman!Observed also that criticism of our "vox populi," by those on the left, is seldom if ever policy driven: all bones and no meat!Not once has Alexander Harrison read a derogatory comment by someone who has written that "I disagree with his policy of shutting down sanctuary cities, of curbing illegal immigration, of being a pro business c-in-c, or opposition to Iran's efforts to upset balance of power in M.E. AND HERE's WHY! More substance and less flaccidity is what is needed, and then we can debate! Otherwise, how are we ever going to get together to improve the commonweal?Suggest you, second person plural, take a class in expository writing in which you propound a thesis or hypothesis and then back it up with facts and examples, no offense intended!
3
The Democrats got shellacked in the 2010 midterms (losing 63 House and 6 Senate seats.)
Obama went on to win a second term.
1
“I cannot agree to destroy the harmonious working of the Constitution for the sake of getting rid of an Unacceptable President.” The irony of this statement is that convicting on impeachment charges is not destroying the harmonious working of the Constitution at all — it is simply enacting one of the provisions of the Constitution.
That said, I agree with Mr. Blow entirely. Campaigning on the possibility of impeachment this year would be self-defeating for any Democratic congressional candidate. It will never result in Trump's removal, since 2/3 of the Senate will never vote to convict, even if the Dems pick up a few seats for a narrow majority. And it will hand any GOP opponent an irresistible issue to get Republicans out to the polls in droves. We have to be careful not to mobilize former Trump voters to overcome their increasing distaste for him. "Never interrupt your opponent when he is in the middle of making a mistake."
4
If we want to be rid of this president start voting.
Vote in your local elections, your state elections, and federal elections. Find out who is funding your judges' campaigns before you flip a lever, or fill out a voting form.
Impeachment is sound and fury signifying little or nothing.
154
"If we want to be rid of this president, start voting."
I've said this before, and I'll say it again: anyone who did not vote for Clinton in 2016, voted for Trump. Doesn't matter if you voted for a third-party candidate or just stayed home --- your vote was one that Trump didn't have to worry about.
By not voting for Clinton, you expressed your opinion that it would be better to have Trump as president. Congratulations, you got the president you wanted.
13
Precisely. So when the time comes -- DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!
It's understandable that many feel that impeachment is useless or worse, except for the notion of rule of law.
If anyone breaks the law and is not held accountable, it hurts us all. If the current occupant of the White House is proven to have committed or abetted crimes, then he should be held accountable as a matter of justice.
6
He will be impeached. The senators that vote against Impeachment will be publicly despised by their constituents, unable to travel on public airlines without security guards.
Then the Trump Keepers will be "throne" out when their term ends and most certainly Trump will not be reelected for a second term.
It is also possible the House will re-impeach Trump because their constituents will demand it!
Trump has accomplished nothing and failed on his "promise" to replace Obama Care and "failed" to get the Mexicans to pay for it.
Trump did not "drain the swamp." He enlarged it.
4
Investigate. Expose. Uncover. DON'T impeach. Make the Republicans defend how they operate, what they've been getting away with, and how that has hurt Americans.
12
It's possible that Trump presaged impeachment by picking Pence. With Trump gone we get Pence, and Pence knows what he's doing. So, yeah, things can get worse.
5
Impeachment right now is unpopular because it would leave us with President Mike Pence. Out of the frying pan...
At least now we are partially protected by Donald Trump's incompetence. Pence is better at this stuff, to our very great woe should we elevate him to the White House.
We Democrats need to focus on taking the House and the Senate, thus mitigating the damage Trump is able to do. Then, in 2020, we need to sweep, and begin the long, hard work of setting our nation back to rights again (and if we are lucky, even better than before).
5
In my view we need to impeach both together as Pence is a liar. Public lies from the mouth of the 2nd highest elected official constitutes a "High Crime." Trump's high crime, besides Liar-in-Chief is his pile of Ms Demeaners.
1
Charles's take on this perplexes me, not because it isn't (as always) well reasoned and articulate ... but because Charles always takes the high ground of doing what is right, not just what is pragmatic. For what he has done and not done, Trump must be forced from office. For his deceptions and crimes, Trump must be forced from office. For his ethical breaches and oppositional defiance, Trump must be forced from office. For his degradation of everything good, and his four figures of lies, Trump must be removed from office.
3
I agree that spending the country's time trying to impeach Trump will likely fail. Because McConnell would not impeach the devil himself if he had an R after his name. How many times did the Republicans vote to abolish the ACA when that had 0 chance of passing and getting signed? No qualms at all about the time and money spent there. And then, when their best chance came along, they blew it. So, no, I say don't pick at an already huge wound in America's skin and make it bleed. If the Democrats take the house, Trump's power will be diminished and then the voters will do the job for the politicians in 2020 and the Democratic president can order up the biggest victory celebration ever. And there won't be any need to inflate the numbers of those in attendance. We can even bring back the old song "Bye Bye Donald, we hate to see you go" followed by cheers and laughter. That will be so much better than any boring impeachment hearings.
4
Trump is terrible, a great case can be made for impeachment, and I wish he was gone yesterday. However, a prolonged and bitter impeachment process would further tear our national and social fabric and lead to endless acrimony, blame, and argument (we have seen the abject failures and gross politicization of the Congressional investigations of Russian collusion and hacking). Better that we, the people, speak and vote the GOP out in the mid-terms, then vote trump out in 2020. The power of the people and the electoral process will reestablish some form of national moral authority--not by litigating it through the legislative branch but by using the most direct and inarguable rebuke we have, the vote.
4
You may have underestimated the magnitude of the frustration which will ensue when the electorate comes to the realization that, in the absence of impeachment, it will have to endure a sitting president who is a criminal and perhaps worse. I wouldn't count on reason prevailing.
3
Impeachment and conviction lies in Republican hands. The onus must be on them. For one thing he is their president. For another, their votes would be necessary. Most importantly, the Democrats must privilege elections and getting out the vote. Make impeachment a Republican issue, not a Democratic campaign issue.
Republicans, if you want to get rid of your president, go ahead. If there is proof of crimes we will support you. But beware, we are going to vote you out either way.
1
If Blow is right this is deeply unfortunate. An inability to impeach Trump will forever taint the US system, it will no longer have any credibility in the world. The self image as the city on the hill will be gone. No one outside the US will take US claims to be democratic seriously. The damage to US standing globally will be immeasurable.
2
Hopefully the Democrats will take the House back in the Fall. Whether they impeach him or not Trump's agenda (as well as the the Right's) will be derailed. As Blow has cited, although The Senate will probably not remove Trump regardless of the heinous crimes he committed, tacitly they'll just ignore him. The sad part is that with all the push to impeach and remove DT as well as the diminishing will to defend and protect him, essential legislation has fallen by the wayside. Where is a much needed infrastructure bill? Meaningful immigration reform? Sensible gun regulation? All lost in the fog!
2
Blow is rightly afraid that the anti-Trump hyperventilating of the Democrats is backfiring on them and is now actually helping Trump. There is a sense that they are not being fair and are putting their own partisan interests above the good of the country. Blow himself bears some of the blame for this with his overheated op-ed pieces. Now he is pulling back, but I think too late.
@ed: "Blow himself bears some of the blame for this with his overheated op-ed pieces. Now he is pulling back, but I think too late."
I note that "ed" and others of his political ilk frequently employ words such as "hyperventilate," "overheated" and "hysterical" when going after critiques of this president and his administration. This is an old, much-worn tactic and IMHO has lost its stinging power. We the people know that these are times unlike any other in recent political memory, and we applaud the efforts of our fourth estate in calling out the abuses of power, the lies, etc. in whatever manner needed, in the interest of truthful and fearless reporting.
1
I believe it is more likely that Trump will be compelled to resign from office as a preemptive move against the exposure of the cons he has pulled on his supporters and various frauds and malfeasance while in office.
In the meantime, the world looks at America and understands that it has a dangerous, unbalanced President that cannot be trusted or dealt with in conventional terms.
5
As a conservative Republican, I have no problem if a Democratic House impeaches Donald Trump, if they do it for legitimate reasons. I don't believe that Trump conspired with Russians to steal the election, but if I am wrong and you have the evidence, impeach him. If you have a clear case of obstruction of justice against Trump (like we had with Bill Clinton), then impeach him, but don't make a trumped up case for obstruction based on the president firing a deeply flawed FBI director or issuing a pardon. I would even be willing to entertain an impeachment of serious misconduct that may not technically be illegal, but make the case clearly. Do not expect me or anyone else to indulge your conspiracy theories about Trump conspiring with Putin to steal John Podesta's emails. I will cry no tears for Trump if Mueller has the goods on him. In fact, I will welcome the outcome, but I am not willing to see a duly elected president drummed from office based on a concerted campaign of innuendo.
3
fair enough statement, but keep in mind impeachment is a political process, not criminal, show me someone who isn't "deeply flawed" if you believe Comey was, and lastly, any president who even remotely considers the Free press the "enemy fo the people" needs to be removed... immediately. there are real consequences to that type of mind set and we will all collectively pay for them. one may not agree with or even like ones coverage (funny how people involved in unscrupulous activity always abhorr press coverage.. best to keep out of the sunlight). he is damaging our country try and that should concern you. and I don't think that is frivolous.
I keep hoping that Mueller will reveal crimes that are so horrible that Trump will be impeached. We know trump's chaos will get worse before it gets better, no normalization ever for America while Trump is in the picture. I also write my representatives and encourage- wanting them to try and convince Trump to resign. Wild hope. I do feel our National Security is at stake and this should be Trump's demise. Join MoveOn.org to protest if Mueller is fired. We have to show this White House is unacceptable. Pence worse? Yes, but Trump needs to be called out either way. I want to know there is justice because right now America is not feeling there is any.
1
Even if it were shown that Trump had handed over all our military and nuclear secrets to Putin in exchange for money - as well as gunned down people on 5th Avenue as he bragged he could get away with - the GOP Senate would still not impeach. So the one thing Dems should not run on is the impeachment idea.
4
Of course President Clinton's popularity went up during his impeachment process. The charges brought against him were entirely trumped up by the Republicans, and we all knew it. Yes, Clinton behaved poorly, as the Monica Lewinsky affair demonstrated, and maybe he did have other romantic affairs, but to impeach a president because he (briefly) denied having an affair, come on, that's pure dissimulation. The Republicans impeached him because he was doing a great job running the country, accomplishing most of the things the Republicans liked to claim they would do, but couldn't . He actually balanced the budget, ended the war in Kosovo, and vastly improved racial relations in this country (probably an achievement the racist Republicans couldn't stand). Sure, we didn't approve of his dalliances, but his leadership was inspirational to those seeking to have a country more responsive to the working people than to the plutocrats. Had it been permitted, he would have won re-election in a landslide.
6
Impeachment stinks.
It would further divide the nation, the Trump lovers across the country would see it as an act betraying their votes (forget that the Electoral College previously betrayed democracy) and, in the end, it would settle nothing except removing the most irresponsible person to hold the nuclear button since the invention of the nuclear button.
We have constitutional power over a president that we can't use unless, one, he commits an outrageous, openly illegal act or, two, the Republicans in Congress become convinced he must go so they can survive.
There is another path. Trump's power to move forward should be severely limited. This, in effect, is what the Republicans did to Obama after 2010, they neutered his presidency and feasted with great joy on the corpse.
First, two to five Republicans in the Senate who are willing to put their nation first should be recruited into what would be, yes, a secret plan. Then, they and a small group of others would meet with Trump to tell him this: either your settle down and act like a real president, or you will get nothing through Congress. A five person executive committee would be appointed to work within the White House on the issues of war and peace. This committee would have to agree unanimously before any act of war could take place. (Trump would need to cede this power.)
We would be out of the immediate crisis and the investigations could proceed without further threats.
1
Our political system is a complete shambolic farce. Because the behemoths who really rule are the multinationals and whatever they want, we see enacted speedily into law in the pages of the latest Federal Register. Regardless of what branch, or even what agency of the federal government, the little people are a false constituency. Trump, and all the ignorance and abuse of the Constitution for which he stands, is merely the rash on the body politic that our institutionalized plutocracy has broken out in...
1
We shouldn't count our chickens before they are hatched. Forty percent of Americans like Trump and he could conceivably win in 2020 via the electoral college. As far as 2018 goes, so many Democratic voters are so disgusted with everything, many may stay home.
25
Disgusted Dems who stayed home instead of voting are the reason we are even discussing Trump and impeachment. Resist and vote.
19
"... so many Democratic voters are so disgusted with everything, many may stay home."
Which would be the ABSOLUTELY STUPIDEST THING they could do. Please.
14
From what I have read, it's not the Dem voters who are "so disgusted with everything" that they will "stay home", it is the Republican voters.
11
In 2018, its about justice, the rule of law, and overcoming bad law.
The current occupant of the White House is unfit and has proven himself so ever since capturing the office. If our system cannot rid us of an unfit man, where's the justice?
If our system cannot rid us of a man who has broken the law, and the evidence is mounting by the week, then what good is the rule of law?
Since the electoral college imposed this loser on us while the majority of voters elected his rival, and we can't get rid of the unfit poser, then have we no recourse under the law short of being stuck with him until 2020?
Allowing this abomination to remain in office does a lot more damage to our country and sets terrible precedent. Kicking him out of office would at least prove that the rule of law works for everyone, and serve justice, too.
To be quite honest, I gave up any hope of impeachment a long time ago, seeing as the G.O.P. has now become the party of the T.R.U.M.P. and as such, can't be relied on to do anything much.
That is why I've put all my faith in the Americans who haven't been lulled into a false sleep by this siren's song of a presidency, and the outcome of the Robert Mueller investigation -- because that's the only thing that will save us now.
1
I don't abhor impeachment, instead, viewing it in practical terms. Looking ahead to the result if the current president were removed from office, we need to consider the possibility of a frying pan into the fire situation. Or, we should be careful what we wish for.
1
"Pence is worse" is NO EXCUSE for letting someone get away with high crimes and misdemeanors.
Impeachment results from disqualifying behavior, not from a guess as to how he compares to their VP.
If Pence is truly worse, he too will be impeached.
107
What if the harm done by a succeeding vice president although grievous, does not qualify as an impeachable offense? Pence, who surely cuts a more traditional presidential figure, could conceivably finish Trump's term and then be elected to two of his own. It would then be reasonable to expect him to be the one to name replacements for Justices Ginsburg, Kennedy and Breyer. This would be just the tip of the iceberg, but enough for me to be very wary of impeachment, as Trump stands an excellent chance of being voted out in 2020's election.
9
If Pence doesn't commit an impeachable offence, he shouldn't be impeached.
If he's truly doing more harm than someone who committed high crimes and misdemeanors, he will most likely lose a re-election bid.
Think of what more harm would actually look like.
Vices are ALWAYS represented as ogres, maniacs and fools; devil you know etc. This vice is probably authentic; a dangerous white man convinced that the only two colours of the rainbow are black and white. And yes, he must be relieved of and removed from governing our fragile 'democracy'.
4
How the public would view an impeachment has everything to do with the nature of the alleged crimes and the breadth and depth of the evidence. Once recordings of Nixon were made public of him engaging in criminal acts. Irrefutable proof of his guilt that is, Senate Republicans went to him and told they would be voting to convict which would achieve the 2/3rds needed.
The same sort of scenario could happen with Trump. Once irrefutable evidence of his guilt on serious charges is made public, it will be clear that bipartisan support is there to convict. That's when he, as Nixon, resigns.
The charges against Bill Clinton were not considered by a majority of Americans to be truly serious high crimes rising to impeachable. I expect they may well about Trump's numerous offenses.
2
I for one don't abhor impeachment. I'd like to see it used more, not only to remove unfit presidents but also to unseat unfit lawmakers who abdicate their oversight duties as laid out in the constitution and act as accomplices instead of a third and equal branch of government.
4
Thanks Charles, the truth can be hard to bear as evidenced by many comments. Trump was given a pass from the moment he didn’t reveal his tax returns. He will not be impeached. However, a careful reading of the tea leaves would show dark days ahead for the US as economic trade winds begin to howl, mega storm clouds gather and a rich, polarized country comes apart at the seams.
1
Look, all I want is a Congress that will serve as a check on and a balance to Trump's power, not one that acts as his rubber stamp, and certainly not one that lets him use the nuclear option the next time a seat opens on the Supreme Court.
Impeachment talk will have to wait until Mr. Mueller completes his investigation and delivers his findings to Congress, but in the meantime, a Congress finally living up to its role in the separation of powers is what I crave. First things first.
9
In total agreement with your sentiments.
Additionally there should be an aggressive attempt to remove the electoral college so that they can never again ruin the office of the president of this nation by seating a buffoon.
It was once said that Trump could shoot someone and still win - however, I suggest that if it were generally proven that he laundered Russian money and that he owes more to them for the various properties he owns, then that would be too great a conflict of interest even for the Congress to allow.
5
It might be better in the long run, Mr. Blow (or in the short) if Donald Trump is not removed from office by the impeachment process.
As you write, this president is wholly unfit for office for a variety of issues dealing with character, morality, political acumen, etc. A House controlled by Democrats might vote to impeach Mr. Trump but a GOP Senate, where a two-thirds majority is necessary to convict, isn't likely to send him packing.
And peering ahead to 2020, just whom among them would challenge for the party's nomination? The president might be mortally wounded by an impeachment process but his party--if current politics is any indicator--certainly won't allow it. If the current run of Republicans in the Senate could see Roy Moore (Alabama) as a viable candidate, as well as other states where Republicans face a booby-trapped trail on Election Day, why would they shy away from Mr. Trump? Mitch McConnell, for one, is up for re-election in 2020; he should be safe from electoral defeat in Kentucky, but even he might be hobbled by a rock-bottom rating (and age) by the disastrous president.
Democrats would do well, if they re-take the House in 6 1/2 months, to focus not on removing the abomination who now inhabits the West Wing but on marshaling the political capital to overturn the ruinous de-regulations that have aided the fossil fuel industry; ruined our drinking water; getting healthcare tightened up.
Meantime, Trump remains a scarecrow in a cold and barren field.
3
America, it seems, has few options to rein in a president who is demonstrably unfit for office.
The idea that a sitting president could be removed goes up against the unspoken reflex of many people to regard the president as a quasi-super hero, the one person who is supposed to be above politics as leader of the entire country. (Not that Trump seems to pursue anything but his own interests.)
This reflects that at some level that people value stability over the rule of law.
There's the example of Richard M. Nixon, who decided it was better to resign than face near certain impeachment. (His tapes certainly didn't help him. Access Hollywood seems to have bounced off Trump.)
Trump is facing a long list of allegations of criminal acts connected with not only his election, but decades of business deals. Unlike Nixon, the Republican Party still seems firmly committed to keeping him in power - they still have to finish slashing the safety net, and there's still a lot of the country left to loot.
And no one seems willing to take on the task of proving Trump is unfit for office due to health issues, mental or otherwise.
That leaves one traditional American remedy: assassination. Moral considerations aside, it would do little to drain the swamp of corruption that keeps Trump in power.
Putting the House in Democratic hands matters. They can hold hearings and block bad legislation. They can return Congress to being a check on the presidency. We just have to make it to November.
1
“We do not fight the fights that we can win, we fight the fights that need fighting.”
I can’t think of a more powerful way to energize the Dem base in November than supporting impeachment. The one pitfall you need to watch out for is another Pelosi impeachment-is-off-the-table fiasco. It’s this risk-adverse nonsense that keeps Dems as the minority party. Note that the GOP rejects the same focus group “wisdom” that Dems live and lose by, yet the GOP keeps winning because as Bill Maher says Republicans don’t look for the issues, they create them. And no sane person doubts that had Obama done 1/5 of the things Trump has so far, the GOP would be campaigning on impeachment alone. And if the Senate refuses to indict Trump in 2019? Then shame Republicans until 2020. I know Dems loathe to take a clear stand, but at some point you have to lead. If Trump is as dangerous to our democracy as you all say he is, then you have no choice but to impeach. You can’t have it both ways.
2
I could not agree more with the gist of this article. The next election will be won or lost on the basis of program which offers benefits to Americans who are voting. We get absolutely too much news about Trump and certainly by next election date, the voters who are still pro Trump will not be won over by any words against him on the political trails. Trump's actions and behaviors are well known thanks to our free press. Run on ideas and platforms, not more Trump. We are sick of the word.
116
if they keep offering "free education to everyone" the Bernies of the world WON'T vote because the USA is mostly --around 70 % made up of HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS holders. Do they want to pay HIGH TAXES to give free education? No likely. I don't like paying taxes so some dude can take off his mortgage interest on a house that he can't afford. The democrats need to offer sensible ideas about how to improve the life of" EVERYMAN". Then they will get elected.
1
Whether "free education" would sell or not, I don't know. (Though free technical college, which would be included, might well appeal to some of those people with only high school diplomas.)
However, providing clear and sensible alternatives is what Democrats need to do.
they don't need uniformity, a range of clear ideas, can work. But they do need to realize that, at least for now, reversing course is the primary goal. It will take power to chart a new course.
Let us define success as "electing honest people who will do their best to govern in the public interest". True, that pretty much rules out voting for Republicans for the next few cycles, because the party has sacrificed its soul on the altar of Trump's narcissism. But it's something maybe the country should think about getting back to one of these days. #MADA (make a democracy again).
1
Well, why don't we wait and see whether the Mueller investigation provides a referral to Congress and, if so, what that referral contains? Perhaps there will be no referral. Perhaps there will be, but the charges will be fuzzy and indirect. On the other hand, perhaps the charges will include strongly supported allegations of multiple serious felonies on the part of the president and it will be impossible for Congress not to act.
Of course, the president could also commit an obvious act in the public sphere, such as firing Rosenstein, Sessions and Mueller, and that would constitute clear obstruction of justice.
At some point, Congress may be compelled to act or face a withering backlash from the electorate. And, of course, if Congress then did not act, that withering backlash would provide the remedy.
Patience.
1
America should look to the Ancient Greeks for the right answer: an ostracism. When someone got too big for their britches and harmed the quality of life and public discourse of the City State of Athens, you could be voted “off the island” but your wealth was not touched.
Every day, America’s role in the world is being diminished and people like me are worried that the light of democracy is waning worldwide. In the west, we’re more worried about a minority of people who want a new pronoun than feeding the hungry children in our communities.
I am hoping that Mueller's investigation is going to prove enough wrong doing by Trump and his cohorts that they are all indicted for Money Laundering, Consorting with Enemy, Obstruction of Justice and Treason, not impeachment.
As you stated both Clinton and Johnson continued to serve. What good does the impeachment process do, if the House votes for it and the Senate doesn't. We are then stuck with men who should not be serving as President.
2
All I can say is times change, sir. But even if he were impeached, Trump would refuse the leave the office, even after a conviction. He would create a crisis for the preservation of his own brand and ego.
That is a crisis we can surmount. Ive missed a few elections in my lifetime but I know when my freedom and life are imperiled by a tyrant. Some things are worth a civil war - trumps refusing to leave office after being convicted by senate would be one of them...
1
With all due respect, Mr. Blow, I believe you are over-estimating how Americans feel about impeachment in regard to Trump. There surely has never been such an abhorrent occupant of the Oval Office as him. He clearly needs to go and I'm convinced a majority of Americans will cheer his departure. I will for one.
4
You need to get out more, tho i concede its depressing. Talk to Moore of your neighbors down there in non NOVA. Trump still holds the firm support of 40% of the electorate.
First, impeach Pruitt. That is an easy case to justify. Can't do it? Same problem. The Senate won't act. The lesson is that impeachment of Trump and/or Pruitt will happen if there is smoking gun from Mueller or the equivalent in Pruitt's case.
If not a smoking gun, then a landslide change of the Senate in 2018. Otherwise, both will be around until 2020.
3
Here is the issue.All the evidence to date points at probable financial malfeasance by Trump the businessman, not Trump the President.If indeed he did knowingly act as a laundry and accept shady loans and investments from foreigners then he would be guilty, amongst other things, of contravening the FCPA, a serious crime.However, given that any such sins will have been committed prior to him entering public life, impeachment is highly unlikely and resignation improbable since he would be in a much weaker position as an Ex-President.So sadly, the ballot booth is the only way forward and for that, Democrats need a compelling Leader and message.Hello, anyone there?
2
@Observer says that all financial malfeasance by Trump pre-dates his unexpected assumption of the presidency - that's patently false - a lie. Trump has monetized the presidency like no one before him. He also has failed to place his business in any kind of meaningful blind trust.
While he was running for president Trump solicited what amounts to payoffs from foreigners, especially from Russia. Worse, he solicited hacking and manipulation of his opponents by Russia. He is a despicable traitor and divisive psychopathic liar who promotes corruption and nepotism, which is why we hate him and want to see him impeached.
1
I think we all got seriously mis-educated about impeachment in the 1990s. Clinton's acts did not come close to meeting the standard for impeachable conduct, according to Harvard's Cass Sunstein.
Sunstein's short book explains clearly that egregious abuse of Presidential authority is grounds for impeachment. I hope America doesn't abhor that notion. It's a crucial piece of the Constitutional system.
There were no political parties when the Constitution was drafted. Politicization of impeachment is the problem, not impeachment itself.
7
Good point. But I would say clinton was appropriately sanctioned-disbarred and impeached but not convicted-that seemed about right. Remember he lied under oath-you cant let him skate with a wrist slap for that as the person responsible to enforcing the law of the land. I suspect trump will also be appropriately dealt with -impeachment from house of a financially related misdemeanor , but not convicted in senate.
1
Trump’s crimes (if they are borne out by Mueller’s investigation) of money laundering, paying hush money, permitting and encouraging a foreign government to interfere in our elections, make Watergate look like a college prank in comparison. Clinton’s misdeeds, granted the complete unacceptability of his exploiting of Ms Lewinsky (who has somehow survived with her dignity), even his perjury upon being asked a direct question, were rightly seen by the country as s result of the Republicans’ endless quest to discredit him (Travel agate, Whitewater, Vince Foster). But Trump is a menace to the fate of the country in every possible way (environment, equality, decency, foreign policy), and his crimes build on decades of impunity for really horrific misdeeds. He is beloved by his core group of supporters, white folk who fear their loss of dominance, including a lot of evangelicals, who seem to have no standards. But I hope his resignation will be swift and cleansing, with or without the congressional courage for impeachment.
7
I think “beloved” is overstating anyone’s enthusiasm for Trump, and he is less popular with “evangelicals” than the liberal media would have us believe.
1
As despicable as Trump is, and he is utterly despicable, he's but a side show, a convenient and useful distraction as the GOP congress goes about its long-dreamed deconstruction/wealth concentration agenda. The American people must be somehow made to see that nothing will change unless the money-soaked and therefore thoroughly corrupt political process changes. Our only real chance to retain our democracy and remain a nation of law, not just for some but for all, is to vote exclusively for those candidates who commit to changing the system. Nothing else matters at this point.
7
Trump needs to remain in office to fire up the Democrat vote in the mid-terms. With him out and Pence in, many may think "problem solved" and not feel the need to vote. With him in office and more Dems voting to change the makeup in the House and Senate, we could at least defang the viper and slow the damage that is currently taking place almost unfettered.
1
Trump has willfully destroyed most of the norms of decency and ethics followed by most U.S. presidents. Moreover, if the Mueller investigation reveals widespread corruption and possibly even conspiracy with a hostile foreign government, impeachment is the only constitutional remedy.
If it's proven true, we cannot allow a criminal to govern as our president. Assuming Pence is not found guilty of similar charges, it would be putting party above country for Democrats to keep a criminal in office simply to avoid a more effective successor.
If Trump is proven guilty -- and we claim to be a nation of laws -- Trump must be impeached.
3
The case against Bill Clinton was brazenly political, the first shot fired by the ur-republicans who lust for power by any means, even trampling the Constitution and trashing democracy.
The case against Trump is encyclopedic, of which high crimes and misdemeanors is the least of his offenses.
There isn't the most remote equivalence.
This is an emergency. A national, global, crisis.
The longer Trump remains in power, the deeper and wider the damage he cavalierly inflicts on America and the world.
That his jury of Senate Republican peers might not convict him is no reason not to impeach.
His blatant corruption, cynicism and contempt for American values and political norms is profound and poisonous.
There's absolutely no point to having the most powerful military in history if the assault against America is led internally by the Oval Office and isn't fought in the manner proscribed by the Constitution.
If we can't stop Trump in his tracks, we can throw sand in the gears and do damage control.
Impeachment isn't an ice cream flavor that people like or dislike. It's a necessary tool, a defined process to deal with egregious circumstances of presidential malfeasance and criminality.
Whether impeachment might succeed or fail is a separate issue from its use.
This isn't a monarchy that rules by divine right. This is a democracy where citizens hire and fire the president.
We let him in. We can throw him out.
Impeachment is the pink slip.
15
Thank you, Mr. Blow, for injecting a whiff of reality into this national discussion. Reading the comments here, and based on my own experience, I'm finding that the biggest thing that offends my liberal friends is stating this simple reality: the likelihood of impeachment is next to zero, for the reasons you clearly state. In fact, those reasons have been evident for months now, and continue to be so. And yet the fantasy persists.
Impeachment is the metaphorical Holy Grail of the left at this point, except unlike the Holy Grail, it is seen as practically in our grasp. We saw it when Mueller was chosen to investigate, we witnessed it when Cohen's offices were raided - every new bit of news produced social media announcements that the Holy Grail was now just a moment away from being revealed.
We all need a slap in the face. This is reality, folks, like it or not. Donald Trump is president of the US, and approximately 40% of Americans think he's doing just fine. There is a high probability that Democrats will take over the House this fall, but a very slim probability that they will take over the Senate. There is zero percent probability that the Democrats will gain a 60% majority in the Senate. And this fact will remain true even if Mueller recommends impeachment.
Therefore the only way DT will no longer be president is if he loses his reelection bid in 2020. Those are the facts. Deal with them.
2
Showing all my cards: The possibility of impeaching 45 gives me hope; it gets me through many long, dark nights, literally and metaphorically. It's a psychological relief. And, rationally, impeachment seems the least we can do -- this terrible man should never have even been given the reins of power. You know why this is so; therefore, I don't have to list the valid and irrefutable reasons leading to this obvious conclusion: in fact, Charles succinctly and powerfully does just that in today's column, another eye-opener with mind-expanding observations.
I had predicted that 45 wouldn't last six months: I was creating my own light at the end of the tunnel. Now, bloodied and bandaged up, but still suffering, I can, sadly, I suppose, make it till 2020. And because the country is much stronger than I am, of course, I believe it will make it, too. We survived the Civil War pretty well, the Vietnam War, and even Watergate, so we have good reason -- don't we? -- to think that we will endure this daily gauntlet of injustice, mistakes, and insanity.
Still, in a word: Ouch!
19
Impeachment could at least slow down the insanity for a while. Then perhaps the other, equal, branch of government - congress - could do its job. Of course there's less chance of that than impeachment. Congress abhors cooperation with one another for the good of the country.
3
I totally agree with Mr. Blow. Talk of impeachment and the act of impeachment will enhance Mr. Trump's position. We need resistance but intelligent, productive, measured resistance. By analogy Berlusconi withstood years of personal attacks. It was only when the opposition changed their tactics did Berlusconi fall.
6
As much as I dislike Trump, I think that impeachment is not a good solution to a bad president. An overwhelming electoral smack down of his party in 2018, and then him in 2020, would be a much stronger message to the future. I do think Trump is deserving of an official censure for anything from his comments after Charlottesville, to his attacks on political opponents, judges and the media. Of course, it all depends on what the Muller investigation turns up.
4
I would not be surprised if Trump got re-elected. Polarisation of US politics has been pushed to the extremes by the Republican party for years. McConnell and Ryan did not contain the Tea Party when they had the chance, rather they stood by as the party was taken over by people whose views would have been dismissed as insane 10 years ago. Think about it: The Republican base is drilled daily to hate liberals and everything they stand for. Outrage about the Trump cabinet's continuous attacks on environment, immigrants, healthcare, public education etc. is already being replaced by fatalism, despair and indifference. The election is still years away.
Immigration and globalisation are Trump's popular topics, his ratings shot up after he announced the new China tariffs. If he keeps hitting those nails... don't be surprised we end up with Trump II.
4
Mr. Blow,
As I have said elsewhere, voting him out is the only safe option. I am not talking 'safe' vs. 'bold'; I am talking 'safe' vs. 'harmful'.
If the past history, if the growing revelations, if the ongoing investigations have not caused his supporters to budge, I am afraid that the only thing that will make them move is removal by any means other than an election.
And I am also afraid that the one place they will move is in the direction of their guns. There is your (not so) 'well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state'.
And necessary to combat the conspiratorial hobgoblins of an imaginary Deep State.
Think of the Bundys. Hundreds if not thousands of times.
Vote.
It's the last thing left.
5
Even if you disregard everything else, Trump confessed on national TV that he fired Comey in an attempt to end being personally investigated.
Either Trump is impeached, or the rule of law simply doesn't apply to the president.
If the president is above the law, do we truly live in a democracy?
5
Just as a matter of timing, it's better to focus on elections. Impeachment hearings can't possibly begin until 2019. They won't go fast. Then we're in the 2020 cycle. Trump can play the persecuted martyr if he's delusional enough to run again and if not, the next Trumpublican can campaign on carrying out the brave, fallen leader's legacy (whatever that is). Better to let them stand before the public and ask for a new mandate - I know how I will answer.
"Folks, have a seat and get some tea. I have something to tell you that you may not want to hear: Everyone still hoping for Donald Trump’s removal from office is hoping against the odds."
I think I'll be needing more than tea if I dwell too long on this scenario and so at the risk of seeming completely deluded, I'll admit that I'm a bit more confident than Mr. Blow about Trump's removal.
One thing that gives me hope is something mentioned in this piece: that it wasn't until the House Judiciary recommended impeachment that most of the country demanded Nixon's removal. Clinton did became more popular after his impeachment, but Ken Starr was so overtly on his evil fishing expedition from start to finish, the infamous blue dress humiliation, for example, so blatantly unfair, that the country saw right through that Republican game and rejected it.
Fortunately, as brainwashed as so many Trump voters are, polls do show that most people are aware that DJT is a serial liar, and a large majority do want to know what happened during the election. It must be that somewhere, in many confused heads, the old- fashioned notion of the rule of law as having importance, and a special prosecutor being the right person to discover the truth, could ultimately, definitively clear the way for the proper resolution of yet another Presidential saga.
3
This the (weak) case for Wimpocrat copout forever.
The same hand-wringing feel-good-about-losing that gave us GW Bush's irresponsible tax cuts, the disastrous Iraq invasion (enabled by the votes of Democrats such as Hillary Clinton), all-talk-no-action Obama and his spineless Congressional counterparts, Hillary as 2016 presidential nominee (the candidate best able to maximize votes for Trump's pseudo populism), and since then the endless normalization of Trump's monumental stain on America in the vain effort of establishment Democrats to pass the buck for their eternal lack of a clear, consistent, forceful and credible alternative.
Democrats now running for Senate stand a good chance of bringing the Democrat-Republican split in the Senate to just about where it was in 1974: the year when enough Republican Senators turned against Nixon that he felt compelled to resign.
By all indications, the case for impeachment of Trump is stronger than with Nixon, possibly much stronger. And unlike Trump, Nixon really wanted to be president, and -though not widely liked- was solidly respected for his international leadership talents.
Trump IS the disaster for which the framers (however ignorant Americans may now be of them) gave us the impeachment clause.
Impeaching Trump is imperative, and if achieved a resignation deal is very possible. It is thus incumbent on patriotic, informed American voters to vote out in November any Congressional incumbent unwilling to support impeachment.
5
As Blow himself tacitly admits, it doesn't matter a whit what "America" abhors: impeachment lies with Congress. And he is correct, of course, that the newly Dem House is likely to pass Articles of Impeachment, but the Senate (even if the Dems do take it by a seat or two) is unlikely to convict for removal. And yet...
The impeachment of a president has a profound effect not only on that president's agenda (Clinton's agenda for the last two years was DOA), but also on his Party. Thus, while it may be UNLIKELY, there is still the possibility that, given how damaging he has already been to the Party, the GOP may not want to wait around and see him destroy the Party prior to the 2020 election. So there is a change, and not necessarily all that slim, that the Senate might well vote him out.
Yes, that would give us Pence, who has serious issues of his own. (Assuming he himself is not caught up in the Mueller probe, in which case the new - Democratic - SOTH would become president.) But those issues are more easily addressed. And at very least the "chaos" created by the current occupant of the WH - both domestically and globally - would end. And THAT is worth doing all by itself.
1
There have been talks of the impeachment of President Trump since he was elected president. Maxine Waters has wanted to see him impeached since day one of his presidency and has been shouting this incessantly. So far she has been unsuccessful from removing him from office. You cannot impeach a president just because you do not like him or his policies. If that was cause of impeachment, we would be able to remove all presidents after they were legitimately elected.
Those who ignore the reasons why Trump was elected will reap the same sour grapes again. What we need is a real leader. We haven't had a president to truly inspire us since Kennedy, a Democrat who also knew how to speak Republican. Politics does not get practiced on the peripheries. It's found near the negotiated center.
2
I'm a Democrat who found -- certainly at least initially -- both B. Clinton and Obama quite inspiring. And I think both of them could speak a dialect of Republican. Clinton was about as centrist as they come.
But since Kennedy both parties have moved away from the center where reasonable dialogue could happen. I could argue that Republicans have moved father right than the Democrats have moved left, but that's almost beside the point.
I've read that a dialect of a language is a variation that is about 30 percent understandable by speakers of the same language. With less than 30 percent intelligibility the dialect becomes its own language.
There was probably a time when Rs and Ds spoke mutually intelligible dialects and could communicate easily. But it seems that now they are speaking different languages.
Impeachment is not the desired end-state of the Resistance. It is an end to the tsunami of disastrous policies spewing from this administration. There is a role for government in helping the poor, protecting the environment and building a stronger and more resilient country among the nations of the world. Impeachment is but one section of the maze Mr. Trump has led us into. It is perhaps a blind alley and does not achieve the primary objectives stated above one whit.
But, voting and seizing the majority in the House and possibly the Senate will restore the co-equal branch of government to serve the interests of the people as a countervailing force to an administration which has gone off the rails.
First, vote. Then, use the power of the Congress to start to bail out the ship of state. Then, use the 2020 election to choose leaders to put us on a better course. Step-by-step.
9
Two Presidential impeachments is not what you would call a statistically valid sample. The Senate has in fact convicted several high officials during its history, including five Federal Judges since Nixon. So "abhorrence" is not quite the term to use.
1
I agree that there does not appear to be any practical or achievable method for removing Trump from the office. It would be far more productive to work to limit the damage he is causing to democracy in the US than to fight a quixotic battle to remove him.
1
I agree. Those running around spending millions of dollars (wasting millions of dollars) on impeachment fantasies are doing us all a great disservice. It is showboating pure and simple.
Invest the money in congressional races and voter registration.
4
All true. If we had a parliamentary system, Trump would get a vote of no confidence.
The tragedy continues....
5
A Republican running for Senate in West Virginia is campaigning on putting Hillary Clinton in jail. I would put this type of manipulation of voter anger on par with any Democrat manipulating anger running on impeachment of President Trump at this time. Let the investigations take their course. If there is strong evidence of High Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Congress does nothing, running on impeachment would be warranted.
I disagree with the statement Americans abhor impeachment. There has been no full impeachment of any president. Americans have nothing to abhor. What Americans do not like is facing some hard truths regarding the hypocrisy and disparities of justice, seeing presidents and others not being held fully accountable under the laws and Constitution.
4
I would agree that we would be better served if Democrats instead of talking impeachment were instead talking about how they can at least stop some of the crazier aspects of this President. Like it or not, Trump is president until 2020, the best we can hope for is the restoration of a sane congress to act as a bullwork against him and the so called 'Freedom caucus'. For that of course, we need to show up and vote.
5
No one is more anti-Trump and aware of Trump's many serious character flaws and possible wrongdoing than I. (except maybe Robert Mueller) However, impeachment is not what I desire in Trump's case. I would like to see an indictment, a trial, and a conviction of criminal behavior and Mr. Trump led away from the White House in an orange jumpsuit. (a fantasy I know) In lieu of that which will never take place, I will settle for Democrats taking over the House and Senate and never cooperating with Trump and never approving of , or even bringing any judicial nominee to the floor for a vote. Take that Mitch McConnell.
11
I'm one of those Americans who abhors impeachment. Let's not forget, republicans in congress hounded President Clinton until they finally got him to make a mistake, as all people eventually will. They then used that mistake to try to remove him from office. Fortunately they failed. Do we really want to live in a country that uses endless investigation and threats of removal from office to cripple our government, numb us to real threats and eventually make the processes in place to protect our democracy meaningless? Popular certainty that crimes have been committed doesn't mean that crimes have been committed. In the absence of clear evidence of crimes, we have an effective way to remove President Trump and his supporters in congress from office. It's the polling place. That's where our repudiation of this foul administration is best expressed.
3
Seems important that you mention that the aTenure of Office Act passed by Congress and used as the reason for impeachment was probably unconstitutional and the whole situation was political.
Maybe the notion of impeachment disturbs some because it is an indictment of their electoral choice. Someone else is telling them they picked the wrong horse. But, I would wager that a very sizable majority of people in America would want donnie to disappear.Now.
2
The biggest change that will happen if Democrats win the House or Senate is that there will be HEARINGS. Finally. Hearings, testimony, investigations. About Russia, emoluments, Pruitt, Zinke, Trump's taxes, Kushner's deals, etc. Hearings galore, like Watergate times a hundred. Then we will finally have some transparency, and, I hope, some accountability.
5
What matters for America is that truth and justice should prevail. Let a thorough examination first be completed of Trump's finances, connections with Russia, and any collusion by him or his campaign. Let that evidence be presented to the public. The odds are that most of Trump's supporters in Congress will fall away. Once Trump is isolated and powerless, even if his hard-core supporters still stay behind him, they won't matter. Trump will resign, rather than go through even the debate in Congress of a motion of impeachment.
2
It was a powerful event on Saturday whether you approved of the Bush family or not. It was a time when civility and actual knowing your position were important implementing programs that actually addressed the needs of the country. Mrs. Bush working on her literacy program before the vultures of education reformers who wanted to take over education, Mrs. Obama addressing obesity in this country and Mrs. Trump talking about bullies. We may never impeach Trump but we have learned so much from Mr. Comey and Mr. Mueller. Many of us are engaged in politics and trying our best to get the best democrat elected. On Saturday we experienced class, order again and it was refreshing that Mrs. Bush had the services she deserved. Once that event was over it was back to listen to the hatred from the White House but for a few hours we reconnected to how we are suppose to behave in the White House. This president has been exposed for what he truly is a greedy American who along with John Bolton never went to Viet Nam and served America. History will be writing volume's about him and his swap kingdom and it will not be kind. People will remember him in the same manner we remember the dark days of the 1950's and not in a good way.
2
Democrats who have won local and special elections have campaigned primarily on local issues. National Democratic organizations are not recruiting on, or messaging on impeachment, nor reportedly do they plan to. Just the opposite; they're avoiding it. Republicans are the ones campaigning on impeachment, probably looking at the same data you are.
Impeachment is clearly seen as an extreme remedy, and your underlying point is obviously true: Congress and the public look to it very reluctantly. (But examine your Pew poll again: After Oct. '73, removal consistently outpolled approval, 2:1 by March '74.)
That said, "The American people have got to know whether or not their President is a crook." An April poll by Marist shows 67% of registered voters think Mueller should be allowed to complete his investigation.
But current polling on impeachment forces respondents to conclude what is not in evidence. That skews the results. In April, Marist also asked whether respondents would vote for a candidate "who wants to move to impeach [Trump]." A plurality said no, including nearly one in five Democrats.
Better to ask whether respondents would support removal if evidence convinced them that the allegations against Trump were true.
If Americans became convinced Trump had conspired with Russia, and perhaps still was, do you believe they'd want him left in office because of habit?
Give us a little more credit.
3
If you don't set boundaries with a credible threat of consequences, you get more of same behavior and worse. The next one might not bother with the formalities of fair elections at the end of the term. That's how autocracies happen. Impeachment should certainly br on the table if the President is actively subverting his oath of office.
3
Here's the difference between DT and the other two who were impeached: (1) Johnson may have been equally unfit, but there were no nuclear weapons then; (2) no reasonable person was afraid that Bill Clinton's sex problem was a serious security risk. DT IS a serious security risk.
3
My wife and I are in Virginia for the weekend. Beautiful. Lots of history. In the countryside we came upon a loose horse. I knocked on the door with a dog on my heels. No answer. We drove away. On our return trip to Abington the horse was not there. A few yards up a young couple were staggering up the road around 1 in the afternoon. There were Trump signs in many yards. Another world. We did have a nice dinner in Abington, VA. Peace.
When Trump took office and showed us that his chaotic rhetoric wasn't just rhetoric, but his prime modus operendi, we should have begun impeachment on the basis of him being willing to destroy America to feed his ego. He won't be impeached even, unless the Congress seats a majority of Dems in 2018. His supporters and the GOP leaders seem fine with whatever he does. So far he hasn't made THEIR pocketbooks or power plays suffer.
1
The analogy with Andrew Johnson is poor.
At the time, many members of the president's own party (then Democrats) voted with the opposition because they did so to uphold constitutional principles.
We know from many, many times that today's Republicans don't care about constitutional principles, unless it benefits them directly.
They'll flaunt these principles if it will benefit the Democrats, without compunction.
They even took no action on Merrick Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court, because McConnell wanted to wait for the people to elect the next president, even though the people had spoken, overwhelmingly, in 2012!
Please, no more comparisons with today's unprincipled Republican party with other politicians who have acted on the best interests of the nation and not only their own political party!
3
Blow is, as usual, spot on. As much as I'd like to see Trump removed from office, it won't happen unless there is evidence of a serious crime that makes impeachment uncontroversial. Similarly, the 25th Amendment won't be invoked unless the president is truly incapacitated.
What the United States needs now is something equivalent to a "no confidence motion." In countries like the UK and Canada, where the Westminster parliamentary system prevails, a new election can be called when parliament loses faith in the government's ability to govern. It happens automatically if the government can't pass a budget. The US Constitution would be greatly improved if it had some mechanism like this for removing a president when the legislature loses confidence in his or her ability to govern effectively or competently.
7
Charles, many of your observations have merit but this is the dilemma for me. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by a larger margin than Obama did in his first term. If Russia, Cambridge Analytica and Trump's minions interfered in the election process, "gaming the system" in my mind the most recent election is invalid and a treasonous crime. Even if Pence wasn't actively involved in this disaster... If he knew about it and didn't come forward... in my mind he is complicit and must also be removed from office. That goes for Ryan, McConnell and many other Senators and Congressional Representatives. If they knew what was going on and didn't do anything to stop it, they are complicit and must be held accountable for their actions. We must pursue the facts. We are living through some very ugly times. but our democracy will survive. The young people who stood up and spoke out about the Parkland Shooting and the Women's March allow me to "keep the faith". Many Americans have been manipulated by the immoral acts of Putin, Trump, Cambridge Analytica and wealthy oligarchs. We must take accountability for our inability to see the forest for the trees. We the People, must defend the very foundation of our democratic society. We must do this for the coming generations. Many irresponsible politicians need to be voted out of office & many immoral corporate leaders need to be forced to resign.
11
Past performance is not indicative of future results but this president seems to have gone way above and beyond those impeached before.
And don’t forget that Bill Clinton was extremely likeable ... Trump, not so much.
8
I agree, hopes for a fully disclosed truth come before any defined hopes for justice be that impeachment, censure, or prison. As much as I loathe Mr Trump and his entire Administration, I tread daily to keep an open mind as far as who did what, when, to and with whom.
If only there were an option for an emergency election to validate or void 2016, we’d maybe find domestic peace. Too bad, we must muddle through as honestly as possible until the electorate can again cast their light on our path forward, or not. After 2016, anything is possible and it could be that America will become a Trump monarchy if that is a ballot issue.
2
To some extent, Trump is the least of the problems. Right-wing, unqualified federal judges, who Mitch McConnell says he is going to get through because the Republican control of Congress, the Senate, and the presidency, can't really be expected to take-up any legislation that might actually benefit the majority of Americans....
8
At this point, Trump is superfluous. Impeachment is nearly impossible, HE must be contained. How??? By getting out the vote in November, and winning at least ONE Chamber. That will send an undeniable message to the GOP, about their own Job Security, their greatest priority. Trump WILL resign, to prevent a Criminal Trial, and/or the loss of most of his alleged fortune. I'll predict a year, at the most. The GOP Ticket for 2020 : Pence and Pompeo, and not necessarily in that order. Just saying. Or, Pompeo and someone yet to be determined. Seriously.
5
Charles Blow is right, but for all the wrong reasons.
The founding fathers recognized that impeachment could not avoid the political mechanations of the times, and that a split government WOULD want to replace the President with their man so they set the conviction bar at the same level as the veto override bar to attempt to ensure that it would be bi-partisan. Impeachment is a terrible step, but Brazil and South Korea, to name recent nations, have survived it. Johnson's impeachment, albeit on trumped-up charges, would have removed a vicious incompetent--the vote was close enough to make it possible. The Clinton impeachment was purely partisan pushed by the man who would have replaced him if his plan to get rid of Al Gore worked--Newt Gingrich. But it was doomed from the start. You need 2 numbers: 218 and 67 and Newt only had one an NO chance of getting past 55.
Nixon technically wasn't impeached but factually was. It was blindingly clear that 218 and 67 WOULD be reached because the Dems WISELY made it bipartisan, their last smart move. Nixon quit because ouster was inevitable.
Unless Republicans themselves are forced to push for impeachment, it's a fool's quest. Because 67. Even if Dems take the Senate and win every seat, they absolutely won't have more than 57 votes--10 short. There aren't 10 Republicans (yet) who would vote "guilty".
So we must wait for the Mueller and Cohen investigations to finally uncover all the filth in Trump's White House.
4
Pence would be much more disciplined in office, more so than the current President, who spends hours watching tv and has spent 108 days in office playing golf. This article says that Impeachment is unlikely, at least to the degree that it would result in an expulsion from office. As to somehow shaming the President into resigning, that doesn't seem likely. At least Mr. Blow cautions us here to be realistic in imagining what is coming next. Thank you for that,
2
But perhaps the threat of imprisonment post-presidency may induce Trump to resign, as in the case of Nixon? One can only hope.
5
We have an electoral college, but it did not do what the letter of the law called for, namely, weed out manifestly unfit candidates. We have impeachment, but the Congressional Republicans are not willing to use it despite the fact that it is clearly appropriate. In order to avoid impeachment, they would abandon their Constitutional oversight duties and violate their oaths. We had vital and longstanding traditions and conventions for nominating and approving Supreme Court justices, but Mr. McConnell ignored them. We thought we had a robust democracy that would not permit a president to do what Mr. Trump has done. We don't. My goodness. How is all of this going to end?
5
Once upon a time there were those that served 'most' of the country. Can't wait for that day to happen again. Impeachment wouldn't be so bad but in this case it may have to include the entire Administration. Time to consider a new political party not shrouded in so much angst. How about the American Party with leanings every way and the freedom to express them without fear.
1
It's not all that complicated. If there is sufficient evidence to impeach him, then launch the impeachment proceedings and let Congress vote on them in accordance with the representatives the citizens have chosen. In the meantime, concentrate on voting Trump out of office (and getting money, gerrymandering and so on out of politics).
Whether Trump gets impeached or loses the next election, his base will believe that a coup took place. No idea what will bring those people back into the American fold...I guess the rest of us will just have to, like, encourage them to come back when they're ready and forge ahead without them.
3
Mr. Blow as usual has an opinion not rooted in reality. Sure the president does not have the traditional education or experience, that is why he won. He beat many Republican traditionalists, and of course Hillary the most experienced in traditional and by some measures failures in reality. And of course we should only impeach anybody for real reasons, not just a difference of opinion. Elections should not be overturned by anybody for differences of opinion.
4
Charles did not mention Trump's traditional education. Truman was a haberdasher. What was written about our current president is that he is "wholly unqualified, lacking in morality and character, a consummate liar and surrounded by corruption." This is the reality that many of us have to face everyday, with his Tweets steeped in myriad of lies, his provocation and his unique ability to separate our country with his bullying and thuggish threats. He does not comfort or support those of us who need a leg up, his actions are selfish and mean-spirited. He does not represent the best of America. Mr Trump has brought us down into unimaginable darkness. The differences of opinion, whether we like this president or whether we are ashamed that a person of such low moral character has little to do with traditional education or experience. Unless experience consists of cheating the little man or woman out of their hard-earned wages. I know plenty of people who did not have a college education, yet many of them are philosophers, deep thinkers and care for our humanity. Charles is an excellent columnist. He speaks for more than 55% of our population.
1
A caucus of the Electoral College is a travesty of an election, especially when the "winner" is beaten hands down by another candidate. Trump didn't win because he was different. He won because he headed the GOP ticket. Against another Democrat, diehard Repubs would have supported a misogynistic, xenophobic, playboy... Oh, wait! They did!
1
Charles, the Republican party used to be the gathering of men of higher orders. Not any more.
With the term righteousness and members with higher moral characters that used to be attached to the earliest Republicans including president Lincoln who fought a civil war with high number of deaths on both sides just to label his party as the party with members with higher morality.
But what we find with the current Republicans, especially while dealing with their president Trump, are a bunch of White males who abhors impeachment of their president even though that is morally right for the country and the world.
On one hand, they say they hate Russia. Especially two of their Senators, John McCain and Lindsey Graham, two of the G.O.P.'s longstanding operatives who still call Russia's president Putin "a thug."
But on the other hand, the real honchos of the party are praying for another miracle from their "thug" Putin.
With their party in dire straits now with 40+ incumbents not running, the G.O.P. is facing the worst crisis ever.
They're scared to their bare bones while watching hundreds of women using #MeToo movement and Black and minority candidates running for the first time in this year's Democratic primaries.
But the irony is, instead of heeding what Mr. Comey said in congressional hearings that "Russia will be back", the Republican party of 2018 are praying for the Russians to come back and give them a November surprise like Putin did to their sell out President Trump.
7
Concentrate on the Nov. elections before thinking impeachment. Then think about governing before thinking about impeachment. That's the advice Dems should follow. For one thing, there would not be enough time to hear the Mueller report and debate before electioneering would be in progress for 2020.
So save the country from the meaningless debate of impeachment and concentrate on war and peace , whoich are in danger from Trump.
8
If Trump stays in power despite all that he and his administration have done to roll back progress and lower the standard for political behavior, then we might as well repeal the impeachment section of the Constitution.
The founders included impeachment for exactly the current situation. No one deserves to be removed from office as much as Trump.
37
Well put...
We the People have the duty to give control of Congress to the Democrats in November in order to put a check on this president. This is especially true for the Senate. We the People have to elect representatives who will stop Trump from putting barely qualified people on the federal bench.
Then, in November 2020, We the People ought to send Trump and the GOP packing.
46
Impeachment allows a legislative body to remove a civil servant (not just Presidents) from active government service for alleged criminal acts. Since 1797, federal impeachment has been conducted 19 times. Demands for impeachment occur more often than the procedure itself.
Due to politics within the legislative body, impeachment is conducted only if criminal behavior is obvious. When asked in 1970 what is an impeachable offense, Gerald Ford responded, “An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history.”
So the question is, if Mueller's investigation demonstrates criminal behavior by the Trump Administration, will a GOP-led Congress vote to impeach? Unlikely considering Trump's heinous actions they've ignored so far. Congress hasn't even voted to censure Trump which would at least let the Executive Branch know that the Legislative Branch is a check and balance to tyrannical actions.
If the GOP sees Trump's actions damaging their hopes in 2018, and Mueller proves criminal actions by Trump before August, then maybe Republicans will turn on one of their own.
However, considering the RNC and Republicans backed Roy Moore running for office, it seems unlikely that they'll vote to impeach Trump.
While Americans appreciate the rarity of (politically motivated) impeachment of a President, failing to reign in Trump makes the GOP complicit that'll challenge 2018 re-election attempts.
15
Mr. Blow is right; the Democrats won't succeed if they let themselves be defined only by Trump.
It should be easy.
>Healthcare
>Education
>Infrastructure
>Social Security
>Minimum Wage
>Income disparity
>Productive foriegn trade policy
Pick the ones you want or run on all of them.
The Republicans have also made it easy for the Democrats to present themselves as the party of fiscal responsibility.
Ignore Trump. Don't mention his name. Let him tweet himself into oblivion.
For me, the best outcome would be to take back both houses of Congress in 2018 and bring Trump to heal. It would be much better for Mueller to present his findings to a Democratic Congress, and then let them decide.
43
Democrats ran on exactly those things but nobody was listening or talking about it. Clinton and all the Dem candidates talked about that stuff all the time!
Ears were too full of Faux Noise, the press and public were glued to Trump's crazy antics; the media only discussed tactics and who was up or down, or asked candidates what they thought about Trump.
And the Democrats lost while running on all those issues. Drowned out by the crazy.
Tell me what exactly has changed about that since 2016?
1
As James Comey has eloquently pointed out in his book and interviews, for the good and the health of American institutions of government and the Constitution, which are under clear threat with this president, it is essential that the people do the removing - at the ballot box in November of 2020. Only then can we “move on.” Impeachment would enflame all the partisan strife we suffer so much with today and, as Charles suggests, would have a good chance of empowering Trump and his base. Enough Americans voted for him to get him in there under our system. An unequivocal defeat in 2020 would be the best way to clean the slate and right the ship of state.
33
A false choice is presented by assuming that protecting an investigation of misdeeds committed by Donald Trump and his associates – many of which would be grounds for impeachment -- cannot co-exist with vigorous campaigning for Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections.
Working to change the political composition of the House and Senate is not inconsistent with uncovering serious crimes by President Trump and the people around him.
The Mueller probe is a legal proceeding, and impeachment is a political proceeding. Neither should be impeded artificially.
24
sdw: What misdeeds? issues are so muddled, and motives of c-in-c so suspect, that any effort to impeach him would only increase his popularity among the hard core!Mueller investigation has been ongoing for a year at the least , and no discovery of any wrongdoing has been found. 0n the contrary, when DWS and HRC tried to fix primary results against Sanders, who would have stood a better chance against Trump if he had been nomimnated, nary a peep from millions of Democrats!Hunch that I am replying to a liberal, white academician who criticizes us for being narrow minded, parochial, biased, but lives in a quartier that is diverse ethnically, perhaps, just perhaps, but certainly not economically.Never understood why so many are reluctant to give their full names.Mr. Blow has written a good article this time, and he is right about the majority of Americans not caring a whit about impeachment, and moreover, anu sondage taken at random would reveal that a percentage coul;d not even define the word or discuss its implications.
While it's true that Bill Clinton enjoyed his highest approval ratings during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, his party did go on to lose the White House and Congress in 2000. It's also important to note that the charges against him were deemed technical and petty by a sympathetic public. Trump does not garner the same sympathy from the public and his crimes will be shown to be far more substantial. If they warrant impeachment, then it is the duty of Congress to move forward in that direction. We shall see.
39
Johnson's case is a bit different because a committee in Congress spent many months searching for something to use as an impeachable offense and kept coming up short. Finally, they used a law that prevented the president from firing cabinet members, if I remember correctly, and tacked on some articles about Lincoln's assassination. Johnson wanted to see the law tried in the Supreme Court after he fired the Sec. of War, and replaced him with Grant (for a short time). Republicans tried to use impeachment as a tool to get their way because there was no VP and the presidency would have gone to a member of Congress, Ben Wade. The law was later overturned by SCOTUS. (As an aside, Johnson's presidency was a victory for the South.)
Clinton is closer to what might happen with Trump because he lied to an investigator under oath. Whether that meets "high crimes," to lie about a consensual affair in a deposition about another matter entirely, is debatable.
In both cases, the articles seemed a little weak.
But Trump may have conspired with a foreign government to give him the presidency in return for...something...we don't know. In Trump's case, the decision to impeach seems closer to what might have happened had Nixon stayed in a office a few more weeks. Ford pardoned Nixon after that, of course.
I am ambivalent and willing to wait for all the facts to come out. I don't like the idea of a Pence presidency at all and I'd prefer kicking them both out at the polls, however.
38
In return for...something... Lifting sanctions on Russia, for instance? Staying out of Russian foreign meddling (Ukraine, Syria,...)? Not having "Kompromat" released? Facilitating money laudering and passing legislation indirectly benefitting Russian oligarchs? Elsewhere in this paper I read about the plight of public servants, who are now joining the ranks of the poor while they have to work much harder for much less. That's what the Republican ruling class wants: an impoverished docile and depressed population living on handouts from the rich. The USA looks like Russia already in many Republican led states, but in Russia people still have access to affordable health care....
1
Impeach Trump now; Vote Pence out in 2020.
How about doing what's right rather than what's politically convenient? When it it disclosed that the Trump campaign collaborated with Russian intelligence to affect the elections impeachment becomes a moral duty.
25
Do you see Paul Ryan or his successor as Speaker allowing articles of impeachment to come to the floor of the House? Do you expect any Republican in the House to do what is right? Moral duty and Republicans parted company decades ago.
1
Charles, I think Nixon is a apt reference in that he resigned before the vote on articles of impeachment was taken. I've never thought Trump would be impeached, but it's possible he would resign if Mueller's investigation gets too close to proving he knew of Russian collusion during the campaign. Since appearance is paramount to Trump he might just declare victory and leave blaming Democrats and the "Deep State" for preventing him from doing his job as president. There's always the possibility of a deal for a pardon (if he doesn't pardon himself!) although it will be harder to avoid prosecution for financial fraud or money laundering if that's at the end of Mueller's investigation. In any case, I don't see Trump serving out his full term.
12
But...if Trump fires Mueller (thereby demonstrating guilt) ALL bets are off and anything including impeachment is possible. He would never regain the stability - and I use the term loosely - to be able to govern.
15
Trump can still be prosecuted by the State, even if he fires Mueller. I have no doubt Mueller and his team make sure their evidence is in a safe place to be used by state prosecutors as soon as Trump fires Rosenstein and Mueller.
2
Rob: It should only happen ! like Macbeth "Out damned spot".....
1
Form follows function
The Ideal government is a shield of interlocking procedural safeguards that recognize, define & protect the essential freedoms of democracy for all, and for all time.
Those freedoms ensure the exercise of:
enabling creativity
respectful expression
constructive activity
competent leadership
purposeful authority
harmonious participation
capable defense
The ultimate purpose is to ensure the viability of the intergenerational transfer of freedoms, values & ideals in a progressive, accepting and tolerant society.
It recognizes that words are sound symbols for experience and that an appreciation of, and sensitivity towards, the experiences of one another is essential to peaceful coexistence.
It balances freedom & discipline and acknowledges developmental differences imposed by age, developmental stage, family relations, and cultural exposure.
It considers the influence of history as well as the future impact of proposed changes on family, community, state, nation, world and Earth.
It eschews engineered consent and power-political expediency as a means of asserting one's will.
The Constitution may be sacred, but it is not ideal. Charles Thompson burned a book he wrote about the origins of our government because of the liberties taken with our history. [Re: Valiant Ambition]
The departure from the original Constitution due to Jefferson’s unwillingness to work cooperatively with Adams led to our adversarial party system instead of cooperating segments.
4
Charles, the Johnson impeachment was too long ago to serve as much of a reference for what lies ahead.
Both Nixon and Clinton were capable Presidents who had run afoul of the law - in Clinton's instance, in a relatively minor personal matter having no impact on his ability to do the job.
Donald Trump is a wholly incapable President whose policies, like the trade war he is launching with China, are likely to have a profoundly negative impact on a number of states that he won (like the agricultural export states cited in a recent NY Times story).
However, if Trump leaves, I think resignation coupled to a corrupt pardon from Pence, is the more likely scenario - inasmuch as this knave would surely attempt to get himself and his family off the hook while he still had bargaining power, something he will not have once he is defeated in 2020.
I would remind Trump of this every day - so that the terror bubbles up within him, as the evidence of his various forms of business and presidential malfeasance mounts.
If the Teflon Don doesn't get a Federal pardon while he can, he will not get it later - and thus he and his family will face - and deserve - both state and Federal prosecutions once out of office.
Trump is going down, one way or the other. The only question he needs to be asking is: Do I want a Federal pardon from Pence or do I want to face justice without one once the Democrats assume control of all three branches of government come 2021?
34
Beyond Trump's removal or neutering, my impression is that Democrats like most Americans want the country's failing infrastructure repaired and updated; that they want healthcare; jobs; the environment and social safety net protected; governmental stability; and no unfair bias in favor of the wealthy at the expense of the working class. Women, minorities, immigrants, and the young want no more shredding of their rights and want opportunities such as education expanded and not destroyed.
Republicans like Steve King on the House Judiciary Committee had saved all of Hillary Clinton's emails despite no charges being brought and planned to begin impeachment proceedings against her before she even took office if she had won.
You might argue that what's good for the gander is good for the goose. We should wait however for the Mueller investigation and related ones such as that on New York to conclude before deciding next steps. The midterm elections give us our next best chance to vote our consciences and feelings about Trump and his abetters.
31
You're correct in this Mr. Blow. I agree that first, conviction in the Senate is highly unlikely. But it might be interesting to imagine what would happen if a Democratic Senate did convict. Many of trump's followers have violent tendencies, and they would certainly view the conviction as illegitimate. trump would rally his base and a "movement" might really get going. If the Mueller investigation reveals crimes more serious than collusion and obstruction of justice, there should be a plan to prosecute and jail trump before impeachment proceedings begin.
27
Based on an analysis of the past, there was no reason to think some one like Trump could have possibly been nominated by a major party, let alone elected President of the United States. There is, likewise, no reason to think that history is a guide to whether Trump can or cannot be impeached and convicted.
37
I am delighted to welcome Charles back to the real world.
I'd suggest he could be more radical, and find favor with voters. He is only going a half step with "to fundamentally transform the topography of the political landscape and send a strong and powerful signal to Washington that the Resistance is a formidable force."
Just resistance as reason to elect is not enough. Give voters a message of positive things the opposition to Trump would do with power: health care, education, end wars, build out our decaying infrastructure, reinforce Social Security.
Voters largely agree on these things, and certainly Democrats do. There is no need to fixate on mere resistance, mere passive "not that."
Show them something. Get enthusiasm behind doing something.
20
There is nothing stopping us from doing both. We can campaign on issues and work to imprach.
I want all the things you do. But I don't want a president in office who is deep in hock to other countries and won't protect our elections from foreign sabotage, because he knows no interests but his own.
While we could do both, we have not been doing both. We've done Russia-Is-Coming instead of settling the issue of "what next" after Trump. It has been issue avoidance, seeking unity in resistance. We need unity on what next, so we can win on that in the next election, and that means we must settle that question now, not avoid it.
Thank you Charles.
I am a Canadian and cannot understand what is going on. America's problem is it is a deeply divided nation whose motto is E pluribus unum even as united becomes an ever more allusive dream.
Nobody can give me a reason why a united country is more desirable outcome than any of the legal and psychological political solutions that recognize the country is divided by irreconcilable differences that cannot exist under one united roof. Morality cannot be legislated.
There are fundamental philosophical differences for which there are no political solutions. The military is the only institution that unites and the current administration has shown the chasm that exists at the highest level of command.
Impeachment solves none of America's problems only both sides sitting down and discussing a 21st century modus vivendi has a chance of success and only if both sides agree that the solution might be there will never again be a United States of America.
It was in 1964 that the GOP's nominee for President announced that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice in a nation dedicated to the supremacy of the ballot box.
In 2000 the GOP controlled Supreme Court in deciding Bush v Gore reiterated the words of the 1964 GOP convention with an extreme deviation from liberal democracy.
The world awaits America's decision on its future. How important is it to keep the country together? Will you destroy civilization to achieve unity?
18
The “e pluribus unum” motto was never an official one.
Alas, during the Cili War, they put “In God We Trust” on coins, and during the height of the Cold War and anti-Communism, they put it on paper money and made it the official motto of country.
Religious zealotry and American exceptionalism trumped diversity, tolerance, and pluralism in a united civic whole.
1
Thank you Stephanie.
The great Nova Scotia statesman and writer of the 19thy century Thomas Chandler Haliburton said, "When a man is angry and can't admit it he always gets angry." We Canadians spend our lives apologizing for our mistakes it seems destroying the world because you can't admit your mistakes is not a good course of action.
Beyond your explanation and background, I fear a Mike Pence Presidency far more than a Trump Presidency.
Mr Pence is a Christian Dominionist and he is free to believe that way, but that should disqualify him to hold high office. These are people who want a theocracy- not a secular democratic republic.
109
At the moment America is in transit where we have a fake Presidency with weak Leadership; opaque with allegations of corruption; a nest of vipers, and it is a real possibility that Pence could step into the slot, 'without' high expectations of converting the Nation to his religious views and dogma.
Several attempts at being converted have taken place before in this State here: One by thoughtful Lutheran neighbors; another by a happy Jehovah witness; one by a Jewish convert now a radical Catholic; and this fortunate American, a believer in the power of faith, finds them all pleasant, non-violent and hapless in the web of deceit.
Friend 'Austria' reminds me that we might as well go about our business in daily conformity with our nature because there is nothing we can do about Our State of Affairs, while I am not planning to give up on my Country, and standing beside Charles Blow.
While We cannot feed our children on The Principle of the Matter, We can remove the fog and blindfold from our vision. We are a Nation in distress; not all of us realize this, and it is going to take tremendous courage and conviction to open an 'American Spring', and clean this swarm of political parasites out of Our Homeland and into the bin.
Some of us voted for Trump because we confused him for 'God' apparently, but we are moving ahead now, and not waiting for Godot in this troubled hour of conflict in our Nation's history and vision of the future.
Carry on, Mr. Blow, some of us 'Hear'.
A Trump apologist pretending he isn't.
Yes, but Trump is an unfit lunatic. Pence will never inspire the Trump cultists that are the Trump base. He will keep the immoral hypocritical evangelicals but Pence's extreme abortion laws in his own state were just overturned by the courts. Without the madness of Trump, Pence is less of a threat. He will forever be tainted by his complete obeisances to Trump.
1
Good column Mr. Blow. A more popular Trump is a reason not to want him impeached, but also the thought of a president Pence. He would also be a nightmare. As much as it pains me to agree with Comey, he is right that the best way to get rid of Trump is to vote him out in 2020, especailly if the 'wave election' doesn't happen.
64
It is probably worth pointing out that when Nixon resigned, the majority of the Republicans when polled didn't support impeachment. Of course, Nixon then got pardoned by the only unelected President in US history- so maybe even with Nixon the US doesn't deserve a pass when it comes to Equality under the Law.
Then we see Torturers come back in fashion Obama was not willing to prosecute those crimes either.
Maybe the problem America has is with accountability. Maybe we are so enamored with politics that we can't see past them to prosecute people who engage in crimes while in office.
Maybe that is something America should feel ashamed of, not some pride of moderation.
Of course, Johnson set back civil rights for at least 100 years. Should we look at him as justification for the future?
20
Assuming the Democrats win the House back, impeachment would NOT be the right policy to pursue.
For one thing, it would fire up Trump's base and its phony persecution meme. And, if Trump could be removed, we'd still have Pence.
What would make sense is, (1) stopping Trump's fascist agenda wherever possible and, (2) holding a series of PUBLIC hearings on all the issues the Nones goon squad has been trying to bury.
Get Trump's corruption and collusion out in front of the public, and keep it there. Subpoena witnesses and documents — as the Republican House Intelligence Committee has refused to do — and make their content public. Cooperate with FBI and other law enforcement agencies to bring the full story to the fore.
And, in 2020, let the Republicans try to defend the White House and the the Senate against their greatest nemisis — the truth.
104
Trump was not elected to use the power of the Presidency to protect his friends or shield them from criminal convictions. But does his election indemnify him from removal from office?
The theory of removal begins with interrogation: Did Trump attack Syria to deflect from Cohen? Is his racism real? Does he believe unvetted inexperience is best for managing government? Why does he demean people and institutions? Why pardon a person convicted of crimes he roundly condemns?
A theory of removal seeks reliable answers, as it explains and predicts behavior by answering two general questions: what is the hidden cause, what is the new balance?
For example: the bond among Trump's voters is their comfort with anger, not anger itself. But what did Trump know when he asked Putin to release Hillary's emails?
The search for hidden causes asks: Do Trump's twitter posts increase support (direct causation), decrease support (inverse), or create opposition (contradictory)? Are his insults and lies high crimes?
Those who voted for his business acumen ignored his participation in multiple bankruptcies, his fraudulent “college,” his rip-off branding of hot trends, all now defunct, his use of foreign manufacturing and labor to deny the cause of their own pain: Trump hides his criminal intent with Republican collusion to scatter the statistics of waste that give rise to his wealth.
32
Thank you, Mr. Rhett, for a clear and concise summary of what is happening to our Nation under the thumb of Trump.
7
Dear Charles, this remains to be seen. If it is warranted,President Trump will be impeached. If there is no evidence,impeachment will not occur.
With Trump, resignation is the most likely exit vehicle.
Unlike,Nixon he is extremely vulnerable to being criminally charged,as our family members. Nixon got the pardon-how could Trump protect family members? This makes his leaving more complex.
12
I think Democrats must not even try to impeach Trump. That would enable Mike Pense to become President and allow Trump to evade justice. I want Trump to go to the jail after proper trial and if found guilty.
Trump presidency and his act as president can be checked to a large extent by winning majority in Senate and increase number of Dem members in the house in 2018 election. Then Dems must defeat trump and GOP in 2020 presidential election. Then force Trump and his associates who helped him to break laws and harmed American national interest to face full force of American justice and put in jail once proven guilty.
If GOP, as an party, thinks Trump is hurting it then they should initiate impeachment and take responsibility for it, which is more than unlikely.
105
Hate to break the news to you, but if Bush-Cheney and Clinton aren't going to see the inside of Leavenworth, nor will Trump. It is the nature of the swamp. One of Blow's points, but not all.
2
Dems don’t reliably vote for other Dems (Ralph Nader and Jill Stein voters you embarrassingly know who you are), while Republicans only vote for fellow Republicans. That’s been the difference in the past 20 years of American history.
5
I don't think impeachment is incompatible with a criminal prosecution. Only Ford's pardon saved Nixon from it.
The decision of whether to impeach Trump will be moot within six months. Mueller has found evidence of deep and persistent criminality in our President, soon to be revealed in all of its horror.
Trump will lawyer up and hunker down, but there is no escaping the Everest of evidence against him.
Have fun at Mira Lago, Donny. Let’s hope that your many future court appearances will be televised.
38
This comment is a good example of what's wrong with current thinking. No, no one has found anything yet that will sink Trump. With a Republican Senate, conviction upon impeachment, even if it happens, is a low probability. So, stop dreaming. Trump is here for at least 4 years.
24
I actually think it is unlikely that any impeachment-worthy wrongdoing will be found on the part of Trump. Trump is too erratic, indiscreet, and incompetent to be entrusted with any caper that is really risky, and his handlers know it.
Many in his own entourage, including possibly his son and son in law, will be swept up. But the only thing Trump could potentially be found guilty of is obstruction of justice.
What we can hope for is full exposure of Trump's incompetence and indebtedness to foreign oligarchs. If one or both houses of Congress are retaken by the Democrats it can be hoped that Trump can be neutered and marginalized so he will not be able to do more damage.
2
@Chris-zzz: Your comment is what's wrong with current thinking on the other side. You don't know what Robert Mueller has found. This guy has been keeping his cards as close to his vest as possible. If presented with incontrovertible evidence of criminal wrong doing, Congressional Republicans would have no choice but to vote for impeachment, and then to convict. Heck, many within the GOP are sounding lukewarm about backing Trump for re-election!
3
I suggest if the Democrats take over the house, they hold hearings exposing the corruption of the tRump government.
They can begin by xxamining all the giveaways made by his secretaries, the sale of public lands like Bears Ears, and who will profit from that if they get way with it. The giveaways to private schools, the allowing polluting industries to pollute more without penalty. make all his secretaries testify and make them pay for expensive lawyers to represent them.
Hearings could go on for years. And set the forensic accountants on track to examine the financial records of all these people.
They could also force tRump to produce his tax returns. There is a strong possibility that there are some illegalities in them. Knowing what we know about him he is a swindler and his finances are questionable.
Impeachment will not do anything except energize his supporters, corruption hearings will shut them up.
100
It is s given that a known crook like Trump has many uninvestigated crimes in his background and in the background of all the like minded crooks who work for him. But at a lesser level those crimes are in the background of any democrat who might launch such an investigation and so the entire Democratic Party is far too compromised by corporate crime to pursue justice against this must criminal administration. So the lawmakers will protect each other before they represent you. If you want justice you will need to go some other route.
As appalling as I find our current President, and abhor his policies, I think the Dems need to focus on other things besides Russia and impeachment and focus on the policies needed to repair the country after Trump's administration comes to its conclusion. Let the Mueller investigation decide his guilt or innocence regarding Russia involvement in the election, but personally I prefer that Trump not be impeached particularly by the opposition party. Rather, I think Trump will eventually impeach himself in the eyes of the American voter with his ridiculous posturing, tweeting, blaming, and destructive acts. Let his self-destruction do him in. The political price of the Democrats taking him out will be destructive to the country.
36
I agree that focusing on impeachment is un-, or counter-productive. We need to focus on House and Senate races, and on mitigating the damage that this administration can do.
28
The Democrats bring up the idea of impeachment periodically I don’t like Trump the person but Pence is not better as far as policies go Take a deep breath Charles and exhale slowly Trump is not a nice person but his policies are much better than Obama’s Secure border,support for cops, minority teenage unemployment, growth of economy,strong military less crippling government regulation Hope the next president will have the Charm of Obama and many of the Trump policies We will survive the next two and half years and hope the Democrats will try to work with him at least on policies that make sense
2
Sorry you bought a pack of lies. Obama didn't support having a lawful country? ("cops") Of course he did; but wanted cops to follow the law too. Obama didn't want a strong economy and didn't act to get one? Of course he did, and helped bring us successfully out of the great recession of 2008-2009. Obama didn't do anything about minority teenage employment? Lie. Obama didn't favor a strong military? Lie. Obama crippled the economy with regulation? Lie. Secure border? Obama deported millions who were here illegally and sent National Guard to the Southern border when it was necessary, not to posture for a ginned up imaginary crisis as we see now.
Potus 45 is a mental and moral midget standing on the shoulders of a giant (Obama) by comparison to him.
1
Why don't we wait until all of the evidence is shared before we decide whether or not impeachment is a reasonable option.
10
Toby in Denver, time waits for no man, and we are running out of time.
I respect your view, but disagree. It will be the nature of the criminal activity (if any) which will determine this man's fate. The evidence will be mounting and if it points to extreme moral terpitude, the Senate will have had enough.
9
This majority in this Senate are so besotted with power that they will support this president no matter what Mueller discovers, short of murder.
I fully agree with Charles here, that impeaching Donald Trump may we well near impossible.
That said, we all want to know what he finds, and the sooner the better, so that once Trump leaves office, he can be held accountable.
In the meantime, nothing will get done until Democrats take back power, somewhere.
But the longer the investigation continues, the more evidence will accumulate regarding the total corruption of this president.
I take heart that many still supported Nixon until presented with the facts. It's funny, but somehow, a well-prepared list of charges and evidence pointing to high crimes and misdemeanors--including conspiracy--might be the wake-up call this country sorely needs once and for all.
43
We did have a criminal Presidency in 43 - and nothing happened. Our constitution is too flawed and imperial; the checks and balances have been perverted, representative government we only have in name. Obama’s fateful flaw was to want build bridges and understanding with those vehemently opposed to the well being of our nation.
1
So what’s your idea? Or don’t you think it’s part of your job to have ideas?
3
The answer's obvious: engage and oppose Trump over his many destructive policies, rather than just tuning out and hoping for impeachment. Pretend like there's a competent Republican in office (because when it comes to getting their agenda passed, he is).
Impeachment, let alone conviction, is certainly no cakewalk here but if Mueller's committee does, in fact, turn up clear and unqualified evidence that Agent Orange did indeed collude with the Russkies in order to win an election I would urge Democrats to begin proceedings no matter the political cost. Treason cannot be permitted to stand, and collaboration with an enemy-nation is the worst form of treason. Anyway, I would love to hear our GOPoliticos (or what remains of them following the mid-terms) try to defend The Donald after such a conclusion is reached. That, at least, would prove entertaining.
93
They will simply lie aided by Fox News and the other media liars. If treason was a problem for Republicans or the deplorables Trump would have be outed a long time ago. Clearly they have no problem with it whatsoever.
I think Cohen may have such incriminating evidence of illegal acts that Trump may not have any way out. There is also Stormy and her lawyer to contend with and other actions brewing. We'll see what happens but even Paul and Mitch may be moved by obvious illegal acts.
15
Illegal acts are not what constitute grounds for impeachment and conviction. That is a common confusion. It is undermining the United States that constitutes grounds. That is not a legal term, intentionally. The Founders did not intend legality to be the main question.
14
Thomas - Tell that to Bill Clinton.
Both of the two actual impeachments were politically motivated and both failed. Only Nixon would have been removed. That is as it should be.
People can disagree, but a very large segment of the population would see an impeachment of Trump (in the absence of a smoking gun from the Mueller inquiry) to be an illegitimate attempt to roll back the result of the 2016 election. Many would consider it to be politics by other means, a non-military coup. If he were removed, the result would most likely be civil upheaval of historic proportions.
If the Democrats find themselves in a position to do this, they must reconsider. Impeachment is a dangerous tactic. There is a legitimate procedure for ridding the nation of an obnoxious president, and it is called an election.
18
ERP, do you mean that the Constitutional process of impeachment and conviction is not "legitimate"? I hope you don't.
9
If the Trump team colluded with Russia, I believe those found guilty should face the death penalty or, at the very least, life in prison.
1
Mr. Blow and I frequently disagree. On this point, we're on the same page.
The best thing Democrats can do is to win the midterms - then pass popular bills which Trump will veto. Then they should nominate a younger, more inclusive and open minded candidate in 2020 - not Warren, Biden or (the non-Democrat) Sanders.
Win elections - don't impeach.
163
If the Democrats do not nominate someone like Bernie Sanders they will lose in 2020 no matter how young that candidate is. Bernie Sanders would have won by 10 points in 2016 and he has an even better chance in 2020 after four years of anti Bernie policies have scarred the country. But what are the odds that our conservative corporate money loving Democratic Party will run such a winner in 2020? Zero. Be prepared for even a weakened Trump to eat the next “Republican lite” Democrat for lunch. No one in America wants to see a Clinton style Democrat in office again, certainly not the disenfranchised democratic base. America’s main problem is that it does not have an opposition party because that role has been bought by the rich oligarchs who control the country. Without the safety valve of actual representative elections the current problems will never go away. And that is the whole point of single party control.
2