"all you have to fear is fear" Nice packaging of the vote to repeal the ACA Cadillac tax by the democrats. Republicans win even when they lose. Short of Senator Warren being elected president in 2020, something the democrats in congress have no control over, this house vote and the repeal of the Cadillac tax is as maddening as the Trump Presidency itself. If democrats in congress must imitate republicans to beat Trump, then what's the point of removing Trump. One thing is for sure. The Trump presidency shows how unimportant the president really is. Beyond Obama's integrity, his presidency was at best, neutered. Without the ACA, the Obama presidency is a joke. I'm not buyin it.
4
Resolutions from the majority opposition are a complete waste of time. You are wasting time that Americans need you to use wisely. So far, you have squandered your opportunity. All of you!
1
Shame on anyone who thinks impeachment is not only advisable but necessary if the US is going to slow the downward spiral into fascism that Trump is clearly promoting.
2
If Trump is re-elected in 2020, you will probably know a civil war.
He needs to be impeached. .. and more.
But with this resolution centered on racist remarks already condemned I can see why it might not be the angle needed at this moment. There is a smorgasbord of criminal behavior to use and so far that does not seem to be enough to unite Democrats to agree he is an evil dictator-wannabe.
I also understand that the GOP and in particular Mitch McConnell really don't care what Trump does or has done as long as they can use him to server there purpose and the other way around. Having a moral president is not anything that concerns them because they have all proven that their power and position is worth any personal cost they may pay in that regard. Impeachment won't get past that corruption.
But the idea of an inquiry should be made formal by Pelosi as it would give Judiciary some extra clout obtaining evidence. Just maybe something will tip the argument on the right toward impeachment...but not because of political morality (does not exist on right) but on outrage from voters on the right.
We saw that when Justin Amash called for impeachment in his town hall full of conservative supporters he got a standing ovation. That says that if given a safe place to express concern many conservative voters reject Trump and by extension could reject other GOP politicians as well.
We just have to get them past conservative news propaganda.
https://joethevoter.org
@joethevoter
1
The Democratic Party is running around, bumping into each other like Keystone Kops and looking ridiculous. The media is not being very helpful by focusing on and amplifying such divisions in order to improve their ratings. It is time for the Progressive Left Wing - including those newbies known as the "Squad" - to keep quiet, sit in the backbenches and follow their experienced leader, Nancy Pelosi. She knows what she is doing.
The only mission is to defeat Trump and as many Republicans as possible who are up for re-election in 2020. To do that, put up the moderate, centrist candidate who appeals to the widest audience and speaks their language. That is Joe Biden, not the passionate, extremist media darlings from the East Coast or the West Coast.
And at least for this coming election, we don't need Independents, Green Party, Peace and Freedom or other fringe voters draining off the vitality of our purpose. We need all hands on deck here to defeat Trump and rid ourselves of McConnell, Kelly Ann Conway, Jared and Ivanka and other despicable characters that have become a cancer on our institutions and our country.
4
@styleman
This country needs a party that has initiative, decency, and courage to demand the Law is applied to all. The “Democratic Party” refuses to do what it is necessary, so they can forget about me and many other independents
3
@Alberto If many share your feelings, you'll hand the White House right back to Trump, again. Then you'll have no cause to complain when it happens, which it will. Of course the Democratic Party has the courage to demand the law is applied to all. But let's not forget that the Senate - infested with cowardly Republicans - can kill any Democratic House approved action against Trump. Let's not cut off our nose to spite our face. Once Trump is ousted, the country can settle back to normal and all parties can express their voice. We just ain't got time for that now.
2
I hope this settles the impeachment issue. Once an impeachment proposal should enter the Republican-run US Senate, would not succeed anyway. Happy that Mama Pelosi knew this and pushed for this initiative. Good call, Mama Pelosi! Keep up the great statesmanship.
1
the Democrats are their own worst enemies. Controlled by Nancy Pelosi and the old triangulation ways that never gets them any results. Let the new generation take over they seem to know what's up
2
I'm amazed at how thoroughly and almost eagerly (if unfortunately) the Democrats are playing the game by Trump's rules.
5
@JRC
I don't see them doing so. You must already live in an "alternative facts" bubble to believe something like that, no?
1
@Ana Luisa
"We've given you a republic if you can keep it"
1
I'm really glad for the women who were elected to the House in 2018, but they have to realize they are a first step, not the be-all, end-all. Nancy Pelosi is an elder with a proven track record. Trying to impeach DJT in an election year makes it all about him (again) in all the wrong ways (again).
Let's condemn what's happening on the border and come up with a better solution to manage illegal immigration? Let's highlight appointees (and their lack) to demonstrate his ineptitude in management and his personal commitment to the swamp he promised to drain. Draw attention to a tax break for the 1% that was accompanied by no better job and/or education prospects for those who are barely getting by. Point out that since the Republicans couldn't kill ACA legislatively they are attempting to do it quietly through federal courts in the State of TX --regardless of what that means for millions of people?
If one MUST concentrate one's attentions on DJT, let's do it in ways that matter. Let's not take personally his horrible comments, tweets, and rallies; he intends to distract and divide. Let's use them as a basis for comparison as we campaign for better choices and a country that serves people instead of corporations. Let's not be as childish and self-destructive as he is. If we look for a victory that doesn't include impeachment, we stand the chance of a bigger, more inclusive victory. If we self-immolate over impeachment (as we are threatening to do), we lose.
3
If we the people do not stand up to Trump, we will lose our country. This is both scary and tragic.
"We've given you a republic if you can keep it"
Benjamin Franklin
5
I increasingly find the need to comment on the way the times covers the stories, rather than the stories themselves. The headlines are especially infuriating. For example, the headline here “ house votes to kill tRump impeachment resolution “ is very misleading. Congressman Green brought this resolution up for a vote based on s very narrow issue- trumps racism. The vote wasn’t to “kill” it, but to table it. The dems who voted against it were simply saying that all of trumps crimes, delineated in the Meuller report, would be the ground on which they WILL bring impeachment charges. The print headline was also misleading - “impeachment bid fizzles”. The dems are slowly but surely making progress in spite of trumps total obstruction of justice instructing everyone to not comply with congressional requests for interviews and documents. The headline word”fizzles” conveys the idea of weakness or lack of energy. At this point it is mystifying that Nadler isn’t running through the halls of congress screaming like the image in Edward Munich’s painting, “the scream”. The frustration with trumps obstruction of justice has long ago turned into rage but I’m also feeling that rage about your headlines and characterization of the stories. This is not straight reporting, It belongs on the editorial page.
4
It's so hard to wait for the right time to impeach Trump. This is not that time, simply because the Senate is in a stranglehold and won't even take up a trial, let alone convict Trump. But Trump will hang on his own vile words and deeds, just a bit later than most of us would prefer.
2
If at first there's no success impeaching an avowed misogynistic, white nationalistic, rapacious (alleged), hate mongering antidemocratic supplicant of Vladimir Putin, try, try again. But be more cunning and savvy and patient. Go for the jugular. There will be more opportunities.
3
This is the perfect oppty to censure Trump. Put him on record in the annals of U.S. history for his racist attack on elected officials.
It's not impeachable, but it's the next worst thing.
Trump's playbook is how Hitler got started.
3
Dear Mr. mob-boss/president, you are not the country. The only person who is tearing down this country is you. The vast majority rejects your racist, maniacal lies. I can't wait to vote out of office, and put your existence behind as far as possible.
5
Leaders lead. It is the constitutional duty of Speaker Pelosi and Party Whip Hoyer to gather the votes for impeachment. It's as simple as that. Past Speakers throughout the history of our democracy have put together votes on many thorny issues. By refusing to even consider impeachment, Speaker Pelosi is in effect complicit with this vile President.
2
It is time Speaker Pelosi
Impeachment Hearings NOW before this unhinged lunatic fires up the ovens.
He sees inciting racist violence as his only way to stay in office, and thus avoid prison. He does not care if the entire country goes down in flames around him if it means avoiding dying in a 6' x 6' cell where he belongs
2
"whether they should use their majority to ... try to remove him from office"
In my capacity as spokesman for Morons of America I want to assure NYT that *YES* even we know that the Republicans won't allow him to be removed from office!
However, the House passing impeachment would be a signpost in history that the country did indeed recognize the incompetence and malfeasance of this president. It would be a heck of allot more significant than a dime a dozen resolution. The members of MA would appreciate NYT writing about the move to impeach with that in mind in future. Thank you.
2
Most Americans judge themselves and others with their eyes.
120,000 American citizens of Japanese extraction were sent to internment camps after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Because they were not White?
It is not clear why the parents of Dwight Eisenhower were German, yet Dwight Eisenhower became a 5 star general and president of the U.S. while fighting Nazi Germans? It is also not clear why in WWII American citizens of German extraction were also not sent to interment camps like the Japanese. Because they were White?
It is also not clear why the all wise constitutional framers wrote that "all men are created equal" when Blacks were brought from Africa and made slaves. Blacks were not considered sanctioned beings, instead they were considered property. Because they were Black?
For 8 yrs Black U.S. President Obama sat in the oval office and failed with the welfare, protection, and advancement of minorities, people of color, even his own people. So 8 yrs was not enough, maybe 20, 30, or 50 years would have worked best?
I am old enough to remember that I have listened to or have seen in hundreds of documentaries about the WWII where white American veterans of the war calling German people: Hitlers willing idiots and accomplices... that the Europe, the Germans, should have understood the dangers that Hitler represented...that the German people should have stopped him before he started the war ...that someone should have stopped him before every thing went wrong.....
Well, dear Americans, the table has turned.. You have now your own Hitler! The difference is that your man have an endless nuclear arsenal ... and you.. you are the Germans of the 1930's
Have a good day!
3
The GOP standards are now supportive of a decisive, racist, pedophile. So, the 1960s are back baby!
1
It sounds a bit shrill for Democrats to suggest they must focus on "the issues". McConnell and company will block any attempt to increase the minimum wage, improvements to health care, climate change, infrastructure, etc., etc. So it might make the most sense for them to focus on their own issues and stop dividing the electoral support for removing both Trump and McConnell. Real change won't happen without bringing progressives and independents on board, so it is time to stop blaming "the left" for upsetting the party. Republicans are doing a good enough job of that.
Apparently, it's OK to be a right wing racist seeking to overthrow America but God forbid it be a leftist doing so. Yet the one thing in common between left and right is a serious disdain for the elitist establishment politicians claiming the mantle of "centrists". Clearly, Republicans have embraced the right. Pelosi had better stop alienating the left or we will endure another four years of hell.
In my America, we don’t put children in cages. In my America, we don’t call nazi’s good people; in my America people, we care for the least among us.
Matthew 25: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and you clothed me....Truly I tell you, if you did this for the least among us, you did it for me.
Don’t let Trump define America. It already is defined. It is not Trump’s America.
7
Pelosi is a closet Republican and everybody knows it.
3
Thanks for nothing, Democrats.
4
Almost as tragic as this presidency is the reluctance to impeach him -- even when you understand the strategy, the rational. That strategy is politically sophisticated, way more sophisticated than he is. Or perhaps it is just utilitarian since the senate would not approve. Still, impeachment would be symbol and demonstration of the refusal to tolerate a anti-leader who is ignorant and obscene. NOT to initiate impeachment proceedings is -- in current parlance -- brand failure on the part of the Democrats, and utility or not, dishonors the country.
28
@B Doll That's malarkey. Impeachment is feeding the trolls. You don't feed trolls. You ignore them as though they don't exist. Anything else gives them the power and attention they crave.
People seem to have a hard time ignoring this particular troll because he happens to be the president of the United States... but everyone needs to come to the realization that that doesn't matter. Trump must be completely ignored. It's the only solution.
5
Nixon’s resignation impressed, Clinton’s impeachment did not.
5
Uh, just one problem. He committed no crime or misdemeanor high or low.
4
Both parties have repeatedly shown a lack of willingness to uphold our country's values and instead acted only according to the best interest of their status quo. Let's see candidates for office who call out corruption and dysfunction by working to end party gerrymandering and unlimited lobbying dollars. Surely 'we the people' have a strong desire to hold our representatives to higher standards. If voting doesn't usher in true progressives, then there really is no hope, is there?
1
The Democrats have allowed "him" to take
control of their agenda. Using his diversionary
distraction tactics. They are losing this battle.
They can win the war by uniting and pressing
forward with their Health,Infrastructure,Education
Women's rights goals and outwitting "his" smoke
and mirrors.
We the people defended them with the House
majority win. Now they must do their job.
1
Trump is a divisive president. I do not think he has the least concern for the welfare of our country. He is egomaniac and a demagogue of historic proportion. The fact that he has admirers proves that American electorate is still very naive and gullible in believing such stupid things as "buy one get one free!" and "making America Great again! "
4
I disagree with most of the top-rated comments here. The enabling of this regime without a serious attempt to punish it for all the lies, all the crimes, the hate and racism he's peddled. It's time to actually do something and vote to impeach him. Otherwise, Democrats are enabling him. This man won't become a martyr, they already think he is one too the deep state. This man has already rallied his people. Historically an impeachment vote hurts a candidate, not helps them.
We should've voted for impeachment, this isn't leadership, this is cowardice.
27
@Matthew
The problem is that this is not like anything that ever happened before, because of the existence of Fox News, and the fact that one political party (that of a sitting president) teamed up with them for two decades now to create an "alternative facts" universe in which most GOP voters now live.
It's quite obvious that all Democrats agree that theoretically, he should be impeached.
In this particular political environment though, impeachment (we would be merely symbolical anyhow, as the Senate wouldn't even allow a vote on it) would be THE perfect propaganda tool, allowing the GOP to completely distract its voters from Trump's abysmal record in the WH (with NONE of his signature campaign issues signed into law or implemented) and fire them up much better than Trump and Fox News would ever be able to do on their own.
So concretely, it would strongly INCREASE the risk that he'd win a second term and that the GOP would expand its power in Congress.
And precisely because what they're doing to this country is so horrible, our first and foremost priority should be to make sure to make him lose the next elections.
That's why impeachment now is a bad strategy.
2
Nancy Pelosi is kicking the bucket down the road to the 2020 voters and defaulting on her constitutional duty. For an important reason, the Constitution places responsibility on Congress to remove a corrupt executive in a timely way.
James Madison argued at the constitutional convention that checking the power of the president required a more readily available remedy than the four-year election cycle. According to notes taken at the time, he pointed out that “corruption . . . might be fatal to the republic if the president could not be removed until the next election."
Well folks, I've read in this newspaper many despairing comments about the loss, or imminent loss, of our democratic institutions and the replacement of democratic values of humaneness and inclusiveness with cruelty, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and misogyny.
Representative Green's single article of impeachment should have been sufficient to launch the process. If the rule of law does not hold racism in contempt, what can offend it?
The House committees can add whatever articles of obstruction of justice and other evidence of corruption to his impeachment indictment, but refusing to take up the task leaves the "no"-voters in violation of their oaths of office.
James Madison would say,"The people have suffered long enough!" Imposing another two years of such oppression would be unconscionable. Madam Speaker, do your job.
1
Am I the only one old enough to remember Watergate?
Nixon was reelected with a 65% approval rate AFTER the Watergate hearings began. By time the hearings were over, his approval rating was garbage and even his own party wanted him out of the Oval.
Given Trump's historically low approval rating, there is no reason to believe he could withstand impeaching hearings.
2
For those, like Anthony, who suggest just follow Pelosi to victory, I can't see it. I see two scenarios that could play out. 1) Follow Pelosi, make political calculations, & not impeach. Trump will do what he did yesterday, & call Democratic failure to expose the facts against him "proof" of "No Collusion, No Coverup." He'll spend the rest of the campaign owning the daily news cycle, spewing toxic racism to distract his supporters while claiming that he survived the Mueller Report AND and the impeachment attempt. His challenger won't have the goods to back up her charges. The House investigations will come to naught as long as Pelosi-camp chair-people don't get tough & force the Trump people into obeying legal subpoenas. No witnesses=empty investigation. The Dems are fighting with an unloaded gun. 2) Pelosi allows impeachment hearings to begin now - in public. The American people will be glued to their TV & the media as they were in Watergate & Lewinsky. Trump will be on the defensive with each new witness, & the Dems have an excellent chance of exposing to the public numerous smoking guns that will be better than a thousand campaign ads to enlighten the people. Like Nixon, who had solid support from the GOP in the Senate, but lost it when the tapes came out, Trump will be running the same risk that the impeachment hearings will make public smoking guns. As long as Pelosi blocks this path, it is likely to be Trump in 2020. Maybe Trump will offer Pelosi a cabinet position.
@Beartooth
And gluing America to the Tee Vee next Summer would be far more effective than doing so this summer. Speaker Pelosi is playing the long game here.
NOT TRUMP 2020
1
Yes, the resolution the House passed on Tuesday is nonbinding. And the move by Rep. Al Green of Texas to impeach the president has been stalled. But both have served very useful purposes. They have sent powerful messages around world. The message that Al Green has sent is that “we have a bigot in the White House.”
Through Tuesday’s resolution, 240 members of Congress, all but four of them Democrats, have sent a message that the country is being torn apart by racism and that it is aided and abetted by no less the person himself. It is also laudable that they defied the senseless House rule that prevents the president from being called a racist. What else should he be called when there is overwhelming evidence to prove that he is one?
Neither the resolution nor the impeachment move has had any effect on the president, though. Ignoring the fact that it was his tweet on Sunday asking four freshman congresswomen — all women of color — “to go back” to their country that prompted Tuesday's resolution, he doubled down on his attack on them at a Greenville, N.C., rally, on Wednesday.
He couldn't care less that three of them were born and brought up in the U.S. The fourth one, Ilhan Omar, is a naturalized citizen. But the fact that she is a member of the House proves that she is proud to be an American. With no evidence, the Trump camp kept calling her an Al Qaeda sympathizer. No wonder the crowd at the rally shouted, “Send her back! Send her back!”, when he mentioned her name
1
Beg to differ that just by being a member of the House, or any political/government position,reliably indicates that the office-holder loves the USA.
Just look at the solely-self-loving, Russo-cowing occupier of the White House.
2
@Anon
You do have a point. But Omar, having gratefully and voluntarily accepted the refuge provided by this country, has every reason to love it. And having run away from persecution by Islamist terrorists in the country of her birth, she has no place other than the U.S. that she can call home. She is proudly doing it. Another important point: She is an American by choice, unlike the present occupier of the White House who is an American by the accident of birth.
@M. P. Prabhakaran
Oh please. How many fellow Somali refugees have gone back to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab, and how many have been investigated for supporting militant groups from (mostly) Minnesota, despite their having "voluntarily accepted the refuge provided by this country"? She certainly didn't choose to come to the US on her own mind, as she was brought here by her father and grandfather as a child.
And please don't confuse becoming American by choice, and by opportunism. Settling in Minnesota, where social programs benefiting refugees are abundant, was as opportunistic as accepting citizenship once it was an option.
Also, remember that her political faction famously promotes the idea that "America was never great".
But he never mentioned "four congresswomen of color" in his infamous "racist" tweet. That's an assumption. Ilhan is not the only congresswoman that wasn't born in the U.S.
3
@Aaron
Nice deflection but false.
1
@Aaron
But Melania is the only FLOTUS (at least in recent memory) to maintain dual citizenship. And I wouldn't be surprised if some of the constituents of the two Native American Indian congresswomen feel that you, I, Melania, the Dons and their siblings went back to wherever our families came from because our folks were the original new-comer immigrants. And weren't one or both of Don Sr.'s parents immigrants? That is true of all but one of his kids, too, so that they and he are of the same 1st-generation from immigrants as most of the people he and his jeering team say don't belong here.
He may have no shame, but me thinks you should.
1
I live in a fly over state that will probably vote for Trump again as President. So why is that. Ignorance, stupidity, fear? Probably all of the above. What the Democrats need to be doing is not attacking Trump directly, but attack his agenda and McConnell's agenda, over and over and over. A distinction must be drawn between the two parties. Democrats should not portray themselves as Republican "light", but as a party that stands up for "the little guy" and a party that is looking out for the future good of the country. So that means addressing climate change, low wages, affordable health care, social security, pensions, paid sick leave, paid vacation, support of unions, etc. It's simple. We all love this country. However, everyone deserves a piece of the pie, not just crumbs.
2
I’m so confused. Progressives want desperately for the Democrats to show some backbone and impeach the president for high crimes and misdemeanors. First of all, good luck with that on the basis of the known evidence. But even if Trump were impeached, he cannot be removed from office without 2/3 of the senate - the Republican senate - voting to remove. Democrats can muster 47 votes and the effort fails. Meanwhile, the civic environment is eroding during impeachment proceedings and Trump is barnstorming the nation stoking division and pouring gasoline on a building inferno. How will this benefit anyone but Trump? Democrats score a moral victory and Trump gets four more years? That’s the plan?
2
Impeachment is what Trump wants - it's what's driving him to make more and more outrageous remarks. Nancy Pelosi knows that so why can't the Dems who want impeachment see that?
2
If politicians (no matter which party or the unaffiliated) do not stand up for their oath of office, they are doing their best to destroy this Republic.
Mrs. Pelosi may think she's doing the best for the Democrats but that is not necessarily what is best for the country.
The Republicans have been working to create a permanent majority (read dictatorship) for as long as I've been able to vote. That they haven't succeed hasn't been because the Democrats have prevented it. We've merely been lucky.
Now we have a President who thinks and acts like a dictator. It's time for politicians of all strips to stand up and say no. If they don't, the dictator in chief will have won. The election is not soon enough.
2
@dfhamel
"The Republicans have been working to create a permanent majority (read dictatorship) for as long as I've been able to vote. (...) Now we have a President who thinks and acts like a dictator.
Like many on the Left, you seem to be confused about the meaning of the word "dictator".
You might claim that Democracy is in fact the dictatorship of the majority over the minority, but if your issue is with Democracy itself, you might find that the dictatorial tendencies you fret about are more a personal issue than DJT's.
I know it's a fool's errand to reason with someone whose worldview is dictated by ideology rather than reality, but do consider this: most actual dictators tend to muzzle the press as soon as they're in power, in order to control the narrative and eliminate dissent before it can be expressed. What has DJT done to muzzle the press? The only thing I can think about is when he tried to kick Acosta out of the WH Press conferences after he repeatedly disrupted sessions and generally acted like a loud-mouthed idiot. There is a protocol all other accredited journalists follow, which Acosta decided to ignore: the attempted action against him was hardly undeserved or a sign of an authoritarian will to suppress the Press.
On the other hand, Liberal Ontario in Canada has criminalized "misgendering", and the Left has become the champion of regulated speech.
I do see totalitarian /dictatorial tendencies, but certainly not on the Right...
I wonder how Nancy Pelosi felt when the word came to her that Trump is taking the failed impeachment vote as a bit victory & vindication. This is a great boost for Trump, who has been working overtime to create a divide in his opponents. Point to Trump.
Doris asks "Why vote an impeachment that has no chance of being enacted by the Senate?" There are three answers. First, it is the House's responsibility to follow the oath they took to the Constitution. They are not supposed to make political decision nor should they shirk their duty just because they fear the Senate would shirk its duty. Second, Trump has shut down virtually every other way the public has of finding out what he's hiding. Even the Southern District of New York cases appear to have been shut down in mid-investigation & all investigation into Trump Enterprises has been mysteriously dropped. Pelosi says that the House investigations will be enough, but you can't investigate anything if everybody ignores your subpoenaes. Without open revelation of Trump's misdeeds, his eventual challenger will have nothing but accusations, easily denied if the truth has been buried. Point to Trump.
Third, the Watergate impeachment investigation also was up against a Senate where Nixon had far more support from the GOP to avoid conviction, but they persevered. The investigation uncovered a smoking gun, Nixon's support disappeared overnight, & he resigned. Pelosi is preventing that scenario from playing out. Point to Trump.
1
I'm listening to an audio version of the Mueller report -- almost through. He is right when he stated in his one public appearance that IT'S ALL THERE. Instead of reacting to the temper tantrums (distraction policy) of the "president", Democrats, both progressive and moderate, should focus on the many outrageous instances of the report and highlight them individually. Write about -- talk about -- constantly WHY " we would not reach a conclusion one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime ". AND: "Additionally, Mueller stressed that the central conclusion of his investigation was "that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election. That allegation deserves the attention of every American"." (Time.com) All these issues should demand our attention on a daily basis, NOT outrageous tweets.
3
@Jessica
I'd love to see any damning evidence in your quotes, or anything that would justify the fortune spent on on the Mueller investigation, but there seems to be none. That the same "resistance" types are on an ongoing outrage fit since 2016 doesn't count as evidence, btw.
I also wonder why the same energy isn't spent by the same supposed truth-seekers to find out why HRC deleted all her emails, and why she sold US uranium resources to the Russians, who weren't any less a hostile, rogue nation at the time than they are now.
I keep hearing the term "treason" used in reference to Trump, yet HRC has defined the term in so many instances she might as well own it.
I wish the House would get on with the business of governing this country and STOP these futile attempts to do away with Trump which all they are achieving is deep division within the democratic ranks and do nothing to get rid of an already disgraced president except insure his re election as he appears to play the “ victim card”,
If the House members would get on with a solid plan for impeachment they should do so without all the bickering and infighting.
2
“It’s time for us to deal with his bigotry,” Mr. Green said on Wednesday. “This president has demonstrated that he’s willing to yell ‘fire’ in a crowded theater, and we have seen what can happen to people when bigotry is allowed to have a free rein. We all ought to go on record. We all ought to let the world know where we stand when we have a bigot in the White House.”
2
There’s nothing in the Constitution that REQUIRES Congress to impeach. Those who argue that Congress has a "Constitutional responsibility" to impeach are wrong. There is no such thing. Whether to impeach is a political decision, and has always been regarded as such. Congress is free to leave the judgment to the voters if it feels that is a less divisive and more certain means of redress—which at present it is.
To suppose otherwise is to believe the Founders thought so little of their new Congress that they would deny it the discretion to consider political concerns—for example whether the Senate would vote to convict, or whether the very act of impeachment could further strengthen the president they were trying to remove.
Or, as a reader, Einnor, commented in the Washington Post:
"Twist and turn all you want, impeachment is a political process. If it is not discretionary, i.e. political, then who can compel congress to act? Answer: no one, and thus entirely discretionary with no clear standard as to when to act or not.
"And if it a legal process, what is the burden of proof for conviction? Beyond a reasonable doubt? A preponderance of the evidence? No and no. There is no standard. The senate can convict regardless of the degree of the evidence. That fact alone disqualifies it as a legal proceeding and lands it squarely in the political realm."
Impeachment would drown out everything else the Dems are trying to do, and die in the Senate. Let the voters will decide.
4
There are many reasons to impeach Trump, but Green's one article of impeachment is a rambling, general complaint that is more than disappointing.. The articles of impeachment that led to Nixon's down fall were obstruction of justice and abuse of power. I just can't understand Green ignoring the Mueller report which documents obstruction of justice and abuse of power. What was Green hoping to achieve other than show the weakness of support for impeachment?
Trump's vicious attack on Omar shows us his power to weaponize hate; it worked for him in 2016 and may well work again. We cannot gamble our democracy on the stage of public opinion, which Trump works so well.
We should not only wait (some more) for Mueller, but begin aggressively using his report. Committee hearings are bogged down by WH obstruction, so the more powerful impeachment hearings are necessary. The goal should be, not conviction in the Senate, but a condemnation of Trump in the controlled (relatively speaking) setting of an impeachment hearing. We can't expect one lone Democratic candidate to hold Trump accountable while simultaneously defending him/herself in the loony tunes world of Trump.
Public opinion was 19% for removing Nixon from office at the start of the Watergate hearings and 57% just before Nixon resigned. Public opinion for impeachment of Trump is now at 46%. It is only Pelosi and her Representatives that resist impeachment.
@citizen vox: "Public opinion for impeachment of Trump is now at 46%."
According to whom? I remember not so long ago (2016), Hillary Clinton had a 95% chance of becoming 45.
Based on the polls.
The timing could not be more perfect for the events now unfolding that are drawing America’s attention to the true nature and hidden agenda of today’s Democrat Party: Gone are the days of reaching across the aisle and the intelligent discourse of a Tip O’Neill, a Joe Lieberman, or a Daniel Patrick Moynihan, men with gravitas backed by ideas, maturity and intelligence, who, rather than running toward socialism or supporting open borders or pandering to their “base,” could each stand up in the well of their respective chamber, on any given day, and make a speech that would scorch Trump’s hair, a speech that would have him on his knees.
1
@John@
When a sitting president is behaving in the most racist way possible, it's time to denounce that behavior publicly, NOT to "reach across the aisle".
"Intelligent discourse" and racism are mutually exclusive, remember?
If the GOP wants to be part of the real, serious conversations that the American people are having today, they will have to stop their tendency to get lost in personal insults and fake news and racist distractions, and try to focus on substance first.
I'm willing to have a serious debate with ANY GOP voter at any moment, because most GOP voters are inherently decent, good people - like most other Americans.
But what the GOP is doing today in DC is not making America greater, it is dangerously weakening both the GOP and this country.
That's when ordinary citizens have to fight back, you see ... ?
As to "open borders": the day you stop taking tweets for the Absolute Truth and start taking a look at the numbers, you'll see that Obama deported and removed MORE illegals in 2016 than Trump today. He's also the ONLY president in more than two decades to be passionate and competent enough to get a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill through the Senate - bill that would have TRIPLED the number of border patrol agents, if it weren't for the fact that the GOP House didn't even allow a vote on it, because they knew it would pass and then everybody would openly see how the only ones who have kept borders open all those years were the GOP itself...
1
@John@
Remember when Republic leadership met for dinner 4 days after President Obama won in 2008 and plotted their resistance to any AND every legislative attempt to rectify their massive failures 2001-2008.
@John@ "men with gravitas backed by ideas, maturity and intelligence"
Basically the literal polar opposite of "the squad", which seems to be what the modern Dems want as the face and brains of the party: women (you go girl!), of color (because whites sooo played out), in their 20s or 30s (people that age are super competent -well, woke-, according to Millenials), and with a solid record of successfully holding an instagram account with a bunch of followers.
Republican legislators thought that every liberal was a kind of social misfit who were despised by all, and any liberal Democratic President who they chose to remove from office on account of any misconduct would be forth with removed with popular approval. So they impeached Clinton. Not only was he not convicted by the Senate, he was not made unpopular, despite popular disapproval for his misconduct.
Trump does deserve to be removed from office but doing so will not be easy. Accept it and start to work through the problem.
If you cannot improve your position by moving a piece, don’t. A basic consideration for playing chess.
Trump cannot be impeached just because he deserves it. It requires so much popular support as to seem to be a consensus of all, not just one Party. This was a wasted move.
Convince the people, a super majority of all, including a clear majority of Republicans. Then he may be impeached and convicted, and removed from office.
The motion was tabled because it would result in nothing. The votes were not there to pass it. Even if there were the votes in the House, the Senate would not convict.
Until the popular support for impeaching Trump is overwhelming and includes most Republicans, impeachment motions are futile.
1
At this moment, the Democratic House is debating and preparing to vote on a $15 federal minimum wage indexed to inflation in the future but who would know about it unless they go to C-Span as I just did. The NYT is doing Trump's and Republicans' campaign work for them by ignoring the legislation House Democrats are working on and producing and highlighting intra-party squabbles and anything to do with impeachment and immigration, the two hot-button issues that benefit Trump's fear and hate-based re-election strategy. Republicans can say, "Al Democrats are doing is trying to take down our president." That is a lie, but readers of the NYT, WaPo, CNN and cable TV news wouldn't know it. As much as I value your comment platform, I will have to give it up if you do not begin covering legislation coming out of the Democratic House.
2
Instead of impeachment, let’s break the country up. This blue state resident is sick and tired of having to subsidize the Red Welfare States.
4
Send her back! Send her back! Where did that come from? Was it spontaneous or coached? Whatever, it’s brilliant. We don’t even need Hillary anymore just the all-purpose “her.” Send her back, lock her up, whatever.
Unbelievable. The Dems choose to NOT impeach Trump over treason, collusion, obstruction of justice, or any number of other actual crimes, and choose instead to impeach over a rhetorical slight.
They are playing right into his hands. Incredible. How can they not see that??
If only Machiavelli could be brought in for some deep training work for the Dems.
2
IN my view the Dems are just taking batting practice on impeachment for now to get the feel of it this president is unfit and he will serve up apitch that we can hit out of the park soon on impeachment Babe Ruth said do not let fear of striking out get im your way the home run is coming
The Democrats do not seem to understand that the only way they are going to beat Trump is by harnessing the powerful emotions he stirs up in those who see him for the evil force he truly is. We must match his passionate base by giving voice to our deeply felt, passionate refusal to accept him and the Republicans as our leaders.The Democrats are not speaking up for the people. They are playing politics while Trump is whipping his 30% into a religious frenzy like a revival camp preacher. Talking about healthcare and wages isn't going to get out the votes we need to get rid of him. Impeachment proceedings will put the only issue that truly matters on the table--ridding our country of Trump and his right-wing, hateful supporters in Congress.
1
Pelosi was right. Should have held your fire and kept your powder dry, Democrats. Now any subsequent impeachment effort is going to appear 100 percent politically motivated and doomed to fail.
@Greg - Who cares. Repubs will accuse any impeachment attempts of being purely political anyway, so it's best to ignore all of them and their opinions.
Ben Carson, secretary of housing and urban development, was recently on TV and was asked if President Trump was a racist. He said no and would never work for someone who was a racist and would walk away. He went on to say that he knew racism growing up in Detroit. Mr. Carson is a man who has worked closely with our president so knows what he is talking about.
The Democrats have not been able to prove President Trump is guilty of any wrongdoing so they are getting desperate. They decide to use the racist card which has backfired on them. This failed vote in the house proves there was no evidence to go on. Want a waste of time. Americans should be very upset over this witch hunt. Many are.
6
This article, like so many others in the Times, focuses upon divisions among Democrats instead of the central issues before the country. Here's another version:
Today the House took up an impeachment resolution for the first time and tabled it for further action in the near future while addressing other constitutional concerns, such as criminal charges against Barr and Ross, new subpoenas and investigations, how to address White House pressures on the Supreme Court. Different positions are being aired on different ways to proceed against the Trump administration to lessen their impact on American society. This is an exciting if difficult time for the country.
6
No president has ever earned impeachment as much as our present divisive embarrassment. But I stand with Nancy Pelosi on this. Why vote an impeachment that has absolutely no chance of being enacted by the Senate? Even if it could be enacted (not happening) that's not the best way to rid ourselves of the president. His followers would regard it as a coup and would hew even more closely to him. We must defeat Trump at the ballot box instead. Sadly, I fear that the ultra progress
ives are so dividing our party that our chances of winning are completely undermined. The GOP wins because they are laser-focued on winning. We have to do the same if we hope to prevail.
30
@Doris-- The Democratic party has done this to themselves - with help from Trump & Pelosi. There is evidence aplenty for a mountain of articles of impeachment, but the old guard in the House, "led" by Pelosi, is putting political calculations over their duty - just like Dems have charged the GOP with doing when it was in the majority. Pelosi says she won't allow impeachment hearings unless she gets overwhelming support from the Democratic members. She talks more like a follower, than a leader. Many Dems believe that the strategy that they have followed since Reagan took over the working class vote will work again. Appeal to the mythical center (which has shifted markedly to the right away from traditional Democratic values) & trust that the dispossessed progressives will keep their mouths shut, as Rahm Emanual ranted when he was running Obama's first campaign, will be forced to vote Democratic out of fear of the Republicans. How did that work out, President Hillary? Just like the working class rebelled against the business-as-usual of both parties' neglect, the progressives are doing the same. They were successfully shut out when the DNC & superdelegates shut out Sanders. They will not be shut out again. Trump was elected by people who wanted to throw a grenade into the establishment. Who knew he was really a nuclear bomb? The progressives are tired of having the party of FDR, JFK, & LBJ hijacked by neoliberals. They will claim their party back or purge it in a Trump victory.
1
@Doris
You can divide people in a dangerous, destructive way. That's what racism does, and fake news, and asking people to no longer even inform themselves of what people who disagree with you politically or religiously think and say and write.
But there is positive, constructive "division" too, in a democracy, which refers to the cultivation of real, respectful debates among people who disagree, knowing that whenever people are living together, they WILL disagree, and disagree even on major issues.
What Democrats show time and again, including under Pelosi's leadership, is that difference of opinion is actively encouraged and welcomed - even though in the end someone does have to take a decision.
What the GOP shows is that they became so weak that they're doing everything possible to avoid real, respectful debates. One thing is certain though: that is NOT what made America great.
Progressives who imagine that those Democrats who tell them that we can't achieve their ideals entirely overnight, because too many people still disagree with them, are their worst enemies, are mistaken, and indeed make things worse.
Progressives who ardently spread the arguments that support those ideals, however, are doing society a great service, as all people who accept to engage in real debates on substance do, no matter what their political affiliation (and obviously race) may be.
In the meanwhile, indeed, impeaching Trump in the House would have no positive effect at all.
2
@Doris
Democrats should impeach the president because it's the right thing to do. Who cares if his supporters think it's a coup? They think saying anything negative against their lord emperor is a coup. And if the senate refuses to convict then voters need to remember that when it comes time to vote for their senators.
You say ultra progressives are dividing our party? If Biden gets the nomination get ready to see low turnout from young voters who are tired of politicians who don't seem to care about anything other than preserving the status quo. A status quo which supports the older generation and disparages the youth of this country. Progressives are the politicians our country needs. Donald Trump is the president we deserve since Democrats are too scared to do what's right because of the fear of being seen as "too progressive".
And those "moderate" swing voters everyone seems to be counting on? I don't expect them to turn out when we really need them. Who really cares that much about Joe Biden to actually turn out to vote for him? 2018 saw big turnout from the deeply unpopular tax cuts. Don't expect to see the same thing in 2020 unless there's a major recession or some other deeply unpopular bill passed.
1
Democrats need to focus on implementing infrastructure projects, for this split is what Trump depends on. If the Dems focus on derailing him, they will find themselves out of a job next year, for they've expended all their energy on impeachment, etc.
Ignore Trump and work for the people who voted them in.
1
Trump is trolling and winning, again. His goal is to identify "the Squad" with the Democratic Party amongst his electorate, and the media, desperate to boost ratings, all too predictably allows it.
What a complete waste of time and money. Al Green knew his proposal would be DOA to the House and was advised not to proceed. So how does this behavior serve the Democratic Party or the American people? It doesn't. Obviously this was of much higher importance than working to solve the crisis at our southern border, working on health care legislation or rebuilding our infrastructure. Sad.
1
I think Nancy Pelosi is remembering the impeachment of Bill Clinton rather than the impeachment of Richard Nixon. Here is an excellent article from The New Yorker to explain why that's a mistake:https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/nancy-pelosi-impeachment-and-places-in-history
2
Remarkable how in response to the most despicable and corrupt GOP government in history, non GOP voters seem to imagine that the best to do now is to demand absolute perfection and being able to achieve our wildest dreams overnight from Democrats in DC - and as they're observing that they actually seem to be flawed, normal human beings too, they throw up their arms in despair.
A democracy can only thrive when we have a government BY the people. Normal people, that is, just like you and me. Not supernatural heroes with a magical wand.
The GOP has been able to acquire so much power, and cling so much to it, long before it lost its moral compass entirely already, not only because of the "alternative facts" bubble that Fox News has created for their voters, but also because of the utterly abstract way so many other Americans continue to think about politics.
2
The democrats just can't get on the same page. They are unbelievably giving the toddler in chief everything he wants. trying to impeach him without knowing you have the votes is a huge mistake which is turning him into the martyr he loves to play. Instead of staying calm and united, they're ratcheted it up to what amounts to a room full of screaming people, pointing fingers and accomplishing nothing which plays right into his hands. My God, they're going to get this whack job reelected.
I don’t think what the potty mouthed POTUS said is an impeachable offense. There are likely several that it’s taking forever to bring to light. What sickens me is hearing that he was cheerleading a mob chanting ‘Send her back’ last night. My country is broken.
4
Pelosi is simply feeding Trump enough rope to hang himself.
She's almost set to pounce like wildcat — when Mueller testifies things are going to get bloody.
3
Every day, the NY Times peppers the front page of its Web site with a thousand articles about how the president is a racist. CNN spends literally 24 hours a day vilifying him as a liar. MSNBC spends every waking minute screaming that he is the Devil and the sky is falling.
Fox News spends most of its day telling us that the president is the second coming of the savior and spewing vitriol disguised as facts at anyone who disagrees with him.
Should Trump be impeached? No way. Words are not actions and he hasn't done anything to merit it. He's a terrible representative of America and what America stands for, but that's not a crime. It's just very disappointing and often embarrassing.
With no reliable information and the absolute appearance that there are people working very hard to "get" the president, who are we to believe?
We have come to a very dark place. The Democrats aren't leading us toward the light. The Republicans aren't, either.
Where do we find a candle in the dark?
2
@Elfego
CLEARLY rejecting racism when a sitting US president starts cultivating it shamelessly on an almost daily basis is the ONLY possible "candle in the dark".
1
Democrats are soo clueless and weak. Ignore Trump! That’s how you beat him.
1
@Michael
You don't beat racism by simply ignoring the fact that a sitting US president is showing the entire world that the US now decided to massively and officially cultivate it ...
What a terrible president he turned out to be!
3
Short of an impeachment which removes Trump from office, I am convinced the only thing that will stop him is to shut down his Twitter account for fomenting hate. Twitter is how Trump controls the narrative. He is both the creator and the distributor of his messages. Take away his delivery mechanism and decrease his publicity greatly. I know Twitter doesn't have the guts to do that and they would be sued, but what other hope is there? Brilliant minds cannot figure out a way to stop him. Is Trump the smartest guy in the room? It certainly looks that way. He plays smart people for fools and it looks as though that strategy is working. If he loses the next election, he may not leave the white house. Then what?
1
Nancy and Biden are players in the old swamp. Trump is the sewer. Both Democrats have to go and/or retire. Trump has to be fired and locked up. Elizabeth Warren has a plan to drain the swamp and disinfect the sewer. Nancy is an enabler and gate keeper for what is wrong with D.C. Sad situation.
This is a battle between immoral Trump, the old Democratic establishment that allowed Trump to win, and the reformers who are trying to clean up the corruption.
Every Democrat is now permanently coupled to the extremism of The Squad.
A grave error.
1
@Dr. John
Oh, so when Trump doesn't have the guts to refute progressives' arguments by engaging in a real debate on substance with the white male who's leading the movement, Bernie Sanders, but then in the most racist way possible singles out four lawmakers who happen to be women of color, your conclusion is that it's Democrats and their policies of universal healthcare (something that all conservatives outside of the US support, AND that a majority of GOP voters at home support) who are "extremist" ... ?
Interesting.
@Ana Luisa
Nothing he said was racist.
You ignore the worse possible racist and bigoted statements from the Squad - and over-react to Trump playing politics when he calls them out for it.
BTW - AOC said Nancy was racist.
The only card the Libs have to play.
Impeachment is not necessary a one punch knock out but rather a series of combative rounds for victory in later rounds.
A vote on impeachment puts every vote on record for a vote in the future to have to be explained.
Timidity is not a virtue.
4
There is only one good reason for the Democrats not to go forward with impeachment: because Trump wants them to.
4
Trumps not the problem, the number of Americans that agree with him are. Intellectualize if you can, point out the details and reason away as you please.
Americans want the Latin Americans and others to stop coming into the country and they do not want them represented. It means mass deportations, it means attacking the foundations of our republic and the principals of the society. It means attacking people and creating dysfunction through division.
I suggest that we are purveyors of only one truth; that it is in our nature to be perverse. As human beings we have attempted to deal with the vagaries of human nature, obviously we have failed.
2
It has taken them 2 years, but finally some Dems have decided to stop playing at least one loser's game.
If the Dems can learn anything from Trump, it's how to play a winning hand and how to fold 'em when you don't have the cards.
Now if "the Squad" can simply decide it's more important to defeat the Trumpling than it is to show your cards, we might stand half a chance to draw an inside straight and beat the beast.
2
Democrats need to move on from the impeachment strategy. They are wasting time and further inciting the Trump base. Let's hear some real ideas and stop playing Trump's games. Appeal to the middle class, those of us working hard everyday to pay our rent, educate our children and hoping to have some left over to retire one day. These are the people you are losing to Trump and he knows it. Get it together Democrats! We are counting on you.
3
Maybe we can't impeach him in Congress, but we can impeach him in the press. Put all his dirty laundry out, hammer the sexual assaults, the money laundering, the close ties to brutal dictators, the inept leadership behind unprecedented personnel turnover in the WH and Cabinet. Let him spend the next 18 months on the defensive.
2
Leonhardt today bemoans that Republicans are doing nothing to stop Trump, even as it is abundantly clear that both Republicans and Trump are behaving as ugly and un-American as one could possibly imagine.
I, on the other hand, bemoan the fact that the only party in opposition, the Democrats are inexcusably doing nothing to end this destruction of America. I'm 100% certain, that the Founding Fathers put impeachment in the Constitution as a political process to remove enemies, traitors and despicable racists who are threatening Americans.
By Pelosi voting with Republicans to kill impeachment hearings she has all but given away the 2020 election to Trump and the Republicans. In the last 24 hours she has no doubt lost more than half the black vote, Hispanics AND most progressives and liberals. There are not enough moderates and/or corporate centrists that can save the party from certain defeat - not even close! Of course, we all know that moderates will rally around Pelosi and blame the "radical" left-wing of the party. Good luck with that losing message.
Excuse us for standing up for something far more important like the Constitution, the rule of law and common human decency, than desperately clinging to the status quo and acquiescing to the needs and wants of the wealthy. So. tired. losing. to. Republicans!!!
3
Dreams do not come true. People must actually make things happen to make dreams a reality. The means to impeach and remove Trump from office do not yet exist. Right now trying to impeach him is like flapping one’s arms as if they are wings and expecting to be flying.
Mueller gave a road map for impeachment -- as despicable and anti-American as his tweets are, his crimes should be front and center at his impeachment hearing.
6
Mr. Trump specifically went after the four freshman congresswomen — all women of color — whom he urged this week “to go back” to their country of origin. Of the four, only Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a refugee from Somalia, was born overseas. At the mention of her name, the crowd chanted: “Send her back! Send her back!”
- Shameful. Shameful. Shameful.
6
New day.... maybe they will revisit this after last night
2
FOX News propaganda is at the core of all this dysfunction.
Why can't one of the many billionaires launch an open bid to take over that propaganda machine by buying stock or being in Exec Board ???
3
Ridiculous outcome. The “I hate America” squad of Democrats should have had overwhelming support from the other Democrats in the House. But we can still hope that Avannati, Stephanie Clifford, and Schiff come through with the damaging information they say they have about Trump.
3
@Richard Winchester
Individual-1 committed several Federal Felonies with Cohen including paying Ms. Clifford to be quiet prior to the vote in October 2016.
Maybe you missed that fact.
With Trump, you're dealing with a professional con man who happens to be steeped in the ways of White Male Privilege which permits all white males to exploit, denigrate and marginalize non-whites and women from any ethnic group.
From a campaign perspective, the best way for the Dems to win in 2020 is to simply hammer on the GOP as the Party of White Supremacy; i.e .a vote for Trump is a vote for Racism. If they really want to have fun, refer to him in all correspondence and public interactions from now on as "our racist President".
4
Maybe if we ignore him he'll go away. Well, that'a dream. He personifies racism. He had a good time making fun of Mayor Pete's last name, guess he forgot what his real name is, Drumpf.
Those 4 women have had their 15 minutes of fame, now they should lay low (especially the one who, as soon as she came to town spouted anti-semitic remarks). They are only giving djt fuel for the fire and seriously hurting the Democratic Party.
1
“Vicious language”? Is that what you call it? Is that your opinion or is that fact? How many people on the streets of our country have you spoken with about the President’s speech? Do they call it vicious or do they call it the truth? And what do you call the foul obscene language of “the Squad”? Again, speak to the people of America before you write a so-called news piece.
2
@Ross Stuart
Turn off Faux News, they are lying to you.
The Democratic Party cowards do it again.
The majority in the House rejected a proposal to initiate inquiries into possible impeachment.
Note that this was not a vote to impeach, but only to explore the possibility of doing it.
Democrats are sending a message that they reject the desire of 70% of their voters.
The failure of this modest bill also empowers Trump.
Once again, the Democrats are on their way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
7
@Jerry Engelbach
What Democrats are saying here is that they are democrats first.
Trump has been duly elected. The best way, in a democracy, to get rid of a corrupt and immoral president, is to allow the people to vote him out.
Too many Democratic voters hope that Democrats in DC will give up being democrats, and instead simply impose the will of the majority of their voters onto the rest of the country - EVEN when that would without any doubt LOWER their chances to win the next elections, as a Trump impeachment vote would certainly do. And getting rid of Trump IS Democratic voters' most important priority today, NOT one or the other symbolical vote that would make us feel good but fire up the GOP base in such a way that NO real debate about issues would even be possible anymore.
1
@Jerry Engelbach
The underlying causes for this motion were lacking (racist though he is, he is also a criminal and the motion did not address the rest of his illegal behavior) and the timing is such that the House would not be able to move forward without impacting every aspect of the legislative schedule 2019-2020.
So stay home.
Trump is the Wizard of Oz, and he’s sending the entire Democratic Party down the yellow brick road. The only surprise is how easy it was.
8
@Edward
You do recall that the Wizard of Oz was a dishonest con man?
1
@Edward
No, he's a racist, period.
2
Why is no one asking the President of the United States how this is distracting him from running the country and his agenda? It is time to hold Donald Trump to the same standards all other presidents have been held to and stop giving him a pass. This is absurd that he is spending his time on this nonsense.
The media needs to do its job in holding him to his responsibilities. Stop chasing after Nancy Pelosi who has very little control of any agenda. The House can focus on its agenda all day, every day and then watch the President and the Senate ignore or kill it. So, why is everyone so interested in the House passing "message bills" (which the media is not reporting on anyway) when the President of the United States is burning the country down? Wake up!
7
Democrats talking about policy achievements is as ridiculous and useless as it is moot. Any legislation passed by the House has to be passed by the Senate and eventually signed by the President, or fail. What makes Nancy Pelosi or Dingell think that they can get anything on Healthcare passed by a Trump administration? He has launched a vicious attack on the Affordable Care Act primarily because it is known as Obama Care, and as a racist, he is obsessed with the fact that Obama became a President of the United States. And, to assist in his only policy of rollback all things Obama, he has appointed members to the Supreme Court who are guaranteed to support his agenda, declare the ACA unconstitutional, and as a special kick in the head, repeal Roe v. Wade. What has Nancy Pelosi et al. done about that? There is no federal law guaranteeing a minimum wage of $15/hr. And, instead of us asking you what you've done about Prescription drugs, Ms. Dingell, why don't you just tell us? This "go slow" and "maintain the course" attitude is lockstep and failing. Trump is a reprehensible and elusive character, and there is no earthly reason why a Democratic House cannot do more than one thing at a time. They will need to impeach him to get anything passed anyway. There is absolutely no way Democrats will get anything passed with him in office other than another tax break for the wealthy, some of whom happen to be "centrist" Democrats who are not turning it down.
3
The Senate has to remove him after an impeachment by the House. The Senate is the trial court and jury. What the House does is like an indictment. I know Americans don’t really know much about civics, but a Dem controlled House impeaching Trump only to be rebuffed by the GOP controlled Senate in what would be a PT Barnum like extravaganza is a waste of time, a distraction, and would embolden Trump and likely deflate Dems in an election year. Pelosi knows this. She also doesn’t have 218 votes. She knows that, don’t you? Senate didn’t convict Clinton. Made him more popular.
Get out of your bubble.
2
@Jeff B
Please identify the 20 Republic Senators who would vote to convict Individual-1 after the House impeached his felonious selfish self.
Low information voters (ie. most voters) are lost and confused. If Democrats lose the narrative/messaging war to define this historical moment, Trump’s themes will win. The Republican party and right wing propaganda machine are so unified behind his vulgar lies that Dems’ lack of a bold response leaves the impression that maybe he’s right.
Impeachment hearings are appropriate 1000 times over and are the ONLY bullhorn loud enough to take over the story line. If Republicans refuse to impeach after all the loathsome corruption is laid bare, that only reinforces Dems’ message at election time: BOOT THEM OUT.
3
What's very depressing to me is how "mainstream" Republicans have become mute or even supportive of this president. What does Trump have to do before their sense of decency or outrage kicks in?
6
The Walter Cronkite Republican wonders why anyone would seriously consider impeachment of Mr. Trump, after all he is a reliable loose cannon as well as an excellent bad example. Especially considering his replacement who would be Senator McConnell's tool.
1
This was not the issue on which Impeachment rests no matter how despicable it is. The articles of Impeachment should be brought for collusion with Russia. Once Bob Mueller testifies, the House should move forward.
5
It appears obvious to me that Trump does want a formal Impeachment inquiry to be started in the House of Representatives. I fully support Ms. Pelosi's decision not to do so.
5
Progressive does not equal pro-impeachment and pro-impeachment does not equal progressive.
Progressive equals pro-universal health care, pro-infrastructure renovation, pro-debt relief for students, and pro-every other policy whose purpose is to take care of the American people. The people, not Wall Street.
Progressive does not equal responding to name-calling.
Trump's name-calling makes Trump the issue. Exactly what he wants and exactly what will help him get re-elected.
The most powerful answer to name-calling is deafness on the name-calling, while yelling about the issues: "What about health care?! Job security?! School funding?! "
3
Trump will be louder and more offensive for the balance of the campaign. That's him in a nutshell.
Unfortunately, we need a president to lead all of the people. Right now, that's not what we have.
3
Congress can’t punish speech (1st Amendment). Tweets can’t be any kind of crime or misdemeanor, let alone a high one. How can Congressmen not see that?
@Ilya Shlyakhter
The president is held to a higher standard: fitness for office.
His speech influences millions of people. When he lies and inflames hatred against huge groups of people he is betraying his oath.
That's impeachable.
P. S. Bill Clinton was impeached for telling one lie.
3
I do wish the media would lead with front page headlines extolling the passage in the House of legislation to help Americans. We hear almost nothing of what Ms. Pelosi is trying to accomplish other then not impeaching Trump. Show us our government in action and how the Senate and Mitch are thwarting progress.
16
Dear Albert, the hysterical press does not because it sells “newspapers” to print every outrageous thing he says and the responses. Trump will win re-election and the press will again be a major enabler of his victory because the path there makes money for them. Like everything in America, it is all about the bottomline.
@jaco
Hey jaco, please let us know which of these you oppose and why.
List of bills in the 116th United States Congress
For the People Act of 2019, H.R. 1
Equality Act, H.R. 5
Green New Deal, H.Res. 109
SAFE Banking Act of 2019, H.R. 1595
Taxpayer First Act of 2019, H.R. 1957
Vetoed
(With official titles)
March 15, 2019: Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019. (H.J.Res. 46)
April 16, 2019: A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. (S.J.Res. 7
For those who follow Pelosi lead you are assuming a smooth transition from a Trump loss in 2020.
Do people think that Trump's 40% following will peacefully accept defeat?
3
@sidecross
If they don't, they'll quickly fill the federal prisons.
1
No mention of the possibility that the Republicans would take a stand against bigotry and racism in the White House. There is healthy and exciting debate going on in the Democratic Party. To Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Nicholas Fandosm, why paint that as negative while allowing the silence on the Right to go unheeded as if to give their cowardice a nod of approval.
3
@jaco Stating that American citizens should "Go back where they came from" is a racist statement. It is not "Love it or leave it" at all. Completely different statement. . Jaco, are you an American? Would you stand for someone who said you should go back to where you came from meaning before you became an American citizen?
The impeachment issue is only one of choosing the best strategy, and is not a question of Trump’s fitness for office. A disgusted evaluation of Trump is universal among Dems, and venting about it is not useful, which is what impeachment rants amount to.
1
The Democratic Party is about to hand over the White House to Trump for another four years. They should be framing the "Squad" issue completely differently.
It should be framed as: "This president is telling each and every American that if he or she disagrees with him, criticizes the government, is unhappy with our government---then leave, get out, just leave the U.S."
Instead, they framed it as being just about four people. Four people who are more disliked than liked around the country.
They needed to dump Trump's words ("if you don't like it--get out of our country") at the feet of every American in a way that each American can relate to. Many Americans remember the 1960s, when masses of young people (and not so young) went into the streets to berate American policy. Every American can relate to being unhappy with the government; every American can relate to criticizing the government; every American can relate to being angry with something our government has done.
Democrats threw away a political gift; they could have made Trump look like the dictator-wanna-be that he is. Instead they wrapped themselves around four highly disliked congresswomen.
13
@NYC Independent
With all respect, imho Democrats today are doing EXACTLY what you say you want them to do. So what makes you imagine that they wouldn't b doing so?
And obviously, those four lawmakers represent their districts, which isn't exactly what I would call "highly disliked".
Finally, why are you afraid to use the word "racism" here ... ?
2
Well said. The people should also be warned that if they are naturalized citizens, they may lose their citizenship; if they are the Americans born children of immigrants, they may get that taken away. These are responses we should be warning people about. There is no doubt in my mind, if Trump and the white nationalists like Steven Miller get their way, they would love to do this.
3
I feel sick. I don't recognize these people chanting these hateful slogans, and I certainly don't understand why they support such a vile man. I'm sad to say it, but I don't feel like I belong to the same country as they do.
8
@Meagan You are free to leave.
One can gauge the effectiveness of Nancy Pelosi's political strategy by watching Trump's poll numbers go up and people like Thomas Friedman writing columns suggesting that Trump's reelection is all but a foregone conclusion.
I'm sorry, but my faith in Ms. Pelosi's long game is at an end. Give us something to believe in, or get out of the way.
2
Journalist Goes to Ilhan Omar’s Homeland to Prove How Great It Is – Gets Killed by Terrorists
According to a Washington Post report published Saturday, the Somali-Canadian journalist had returned to the country of her birth to tell “uplifting” stories of how people lived there. However, her homecoming ended in tragedy. By the time Trump unleashed his nativistic tirade against Omar, Nalayeh had been dead for two days.
She was killed Friday when al-Shabab militants stormed the Asasey Hotel in Kismayo, killing at least 26 people. It took around 14 hours for Somali security forces to regain control of the hotel, where another journalist and at least one American were among the dead.
2
@batazoid
June 28, 2018:
Annapolis MD, USA
“five employees of The Capital were murdered during the Capital Gazette shooting in the newspaper's office. The suspect in the shooting, Jarrod Ramos, had held a grudge against the newspaper since it published a story about his guilty plea in a criminal harassment case in 2011.[85] Hiassen was an editor and columnist, Fischman was an editorial columnist, Winters was a journalist and McNamara was a sports reporter for the Capital and the editor for the affiliated weekly Bowie Blade-News. Also killed in the shooting was Rebecca Smith, a sales associate for Capital Gazette Communications.”
Trump will continue to attack and demean every Democratic candidate all the way to election day, just as he did with his opponents in the last election. His goal is destruction, not competition.
His other goal is to bury his misdeeds. In this he is succeeding. The only remedy is media airtime to examine his past, via impeachment.
5
Good.
I'm glad the rest of the House killed the impeachment resolution.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO DO IT.
Democratic House representatives should listen to the leadership, follow instructions and keep quiet for now. Speaker Pelosi needs to print that in several languages for those impatient House members who do not understand plain English.
All they are doing right now is stoking Trump's Republican base and getting them new members.
The time for impeachment will come. Be patient and shut up.
1
Democrats need to strategize behind the scenes until they can come up with a unified voice and beat DJY in 2020. Family squabbling in public is not helping.
1
@grandma185
On the contrary, a thriving democracy is ONLY possible when you openly allow people to express their opinions and engage in real, respectful debates about disagreements - as by definition, the population of any given society will ALWAYS disagree on many important issues.
It's trying to silence those disagreements, by fleeing from them, creating distractions, asking your voters to no longer read newspapers whose editorial board doesn't share your own political preferences, that sows real division, in other words the kind of division that only weakens us as a nation.
Openly disagreeing, however, has been and will always be what makes us strong and increases our "greatness".
5
If the Republicans were not cowards and had one shred of integrity, it is they who would be leading the impeachment case. Republicans are the extremists they were always warning people about.
5
Will anyone defend the Constitution? Perhaps after Mueller testifies and after the unsealing of documents by the Southern District of New York showing Trump's complicity [as "Indiviual-1" an unindicted co-conspirator] in a felony to commit election fraud, the House Democrats will get the spinal transfusion to begin an impeachment inquiry. We can't have a Constitution if one party continues to defile and defy it while the other refuses to defend it.
9
The "Four Horseman of the Multicultural Apocalypse" had their feet held to the fire and I think it hurt.
5
This my friends is a preview of the impeachment hearings once he’s “cleared” by the Senate.
@Ziggy
Let every Republican be on record for their vote on impeachment so to be used to defeat them in a future election.
The revolution of 1776 did not wait for King George to have a change of mind.
3
@sidecross
I agree in principle with you. But I think that's merely wishful thinking.
1
@Ziggy
No, if Trump is cleared by the Senate it will be made plain that the GOP is willing to let someone who has been proved unfit for office to remain there.
It will be a rallying cry for the Democrats and will increase their voting base.
Dems want to win ,learn how to fight like Republicans. Call out to Iran and Venezuela that the Republicans want to overthrow your government and steal your oil so if you want to be left alone hack Trumps taxes business and personal and his children's files until you get dirt to remove him.
Republicans said it is fine to do and dont think for a second they are not calling for Russia to do the same again
7
The election of an unfit person as President of this country proves that our antiquated election system does not work well. Worst can happen and our experiment of democracy can go down the drain. Trump is not the problem, he is just a symptom of a deeper problem. But the present system is good of our oligarchy which does not want to hear about it.
8
I was hoping this Democrat sponsored impeachment nonsense would have moved forward. It would have assured Trump's reelection in 2020.
6
@paul
Well, it's possible that the more Trump's crimes are exposed the more his loyal freicorps will support him.
But exposing those crimes, whether he's convicted or not, will certainly win more votes for the Democrats.
My current wish: for the Democrats in Congress to stop taking the bait. Reacting to his vicious statements about people who love this country but hate that he is president is only making things worse. By responding to his attacks you are playing his game. When you do that, he wins. Be smarter. Pause. Restraint of tongue and pen. Stick to what you were elected to do.
4
What? Loony left aside, Have Democrats come to their senses? This is the best thing Democrats could do to be honest. The last two years have been spent wandering in the wilderness looking for gotchas and magic bullets to unseat someone who they despise and defeated their darling. It’s been ugly and There is something of the night about Nadler and Schiff and how they are going about this.
I have to say with a year to go and the candidates already racing to the left, whether it’s too late to appeal to enough voters to win. Ultimately, like him or not, the sky hasn’t fallen under trump, and in many respects he has done a good job. I think the Democrats need to go back to the drawing board and look to 2024.
6
The election is already lost in 2020 thanks to the Electoral College. Move forward with impeachment. He won't be leaving after one term.
7
I empathize --- and agree --- with U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan, who pleaded with reporters to listen to her address an issue besides impeachment. Prescription drug prices, for example.
The reporters ignored her.
The news media don't want serious policy discussions. They want red meat to feed their audiences. The news media are, regrettably, a big part of the mess our country is in. Thus they contribute to the anti-news media ugliness Trump pushes. They are their own worst enemy, really.
9
@An American Expat
Trump appointed the former president of Eli Lilly to head our Department of Health and Human Services.
3 vials - the average monthly prescription for an insulin pump - Humalog Insulin in our country costs over $1,000 without insurance. In Canada, it's less than $250, without insurance.
When Trump claims he's going to lower the costs of drugs, like no one has ever seen before. It's because no one will ever see it, either before, during, or after.
3
@Jbugko
Yes, I agree. But the news media --- esp. TV news media, and also lots of online news media --- would rather focus on heat than light. For them, it's all about controversy, about impeachment or whatever crazy line Trump is pushing, and not about the substantive issues in play.
And the irony is that the news media then blame others for the distractions, as if the news media make no choices. But they do.
2
Contrary to history and common sense Trump’s foes are desperately hanging on to the hope that next time will be the charm. So we have two House committees looking for another bite of the apple, and this latest House resolution which failed. Yet hope endures that there will be another chance and another and another until that great dream of impeachment comes true. It’s the oxygen Trump needs. Instead of feeding it with the obnoxious ravings of the infamous Four the Dems need to get to work and show they are interested in doing the people’s business. In the House more than in the Senate you have to bring home the pork, and you’ve got only two years to do it. Are the Dems now just going to give away the House? The so-called wave was not blue but a deep shade of purple.
3
The most recent polling by IPSOS indicates 68% of Americans find Trump's tweet offensive, 59% believe Trump's it's un-American, including 1 in 4 Republicans.
The notion that Trump is an evil genius who is somehow winning the argument with overt racism and hate doesn't pass the laugh out loud test.
The vast majority of Americans see him for what he is.
9
How often are the Democrats and the media going to fall for this? Trump is getting them to offend his voters as they go after him. Sad!
3
Now Trump is claiming exoneration again just like he did after the Mueller report. This is nauseating.
The Mueller report took forever, and Pelosi had said no impeachment from the beginning. Now an impeachment vote which should have happened last year as soon as the dems took the house has failed giving Trump more ammunition.
The establishment democrats are re-electing Trump.
8
Wait. So as a nation, we create a monster through decades of political expediency, moral ambiguity, gerrymandering, judicial manipulation, and political influence pedaling and now we want to scream ‘bloody murder’ when the monster starts breaking everything in the lab?
Let’s be clear- there has long been “something rotten” in American “democracy” and the Donald is simply the stench of extensive and festering wounds.
The source of many of those wounds is the very body we are now demanding fix the problem - the Legislative branch. And as Audre Lorde said, “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.”
3
It amazes this reader that so many people's pessimistic, defeatist opinions were selected as NYT picks.
It is hard to believe that the proportion represents a majority view on impeachment. Is this an editorial attempt to incite passions on this issue?
Leaving passion aside, which granted is not easy, consider these two facts:
A) Initiating an impeachment inquiry will put the Stable Genius and his enablers rightfully on the defensive. and shine light on all of the shenanigans. That should turn off anyone who might give them tepid support.
B) It is the sworn duty of every elected government official to uphold the constitution of the United Sates of America. With the ample evidence we already know about, every single elected official in Washington must uphold their duty to impeach this deeply unfit president.
And while that's going forward, the Democrats must unite with a strong message about how they will lead the country. Only unity of purpose can save our sinking ship of state and win in 2020.
4
Pelosi understands that an impeachment hearings on obstruction as outlined in the Mueller report will a) not end with impeachment and b) will be an opportunity for far left members of the House to hijack the hearings with a bunch of hyperbolic half-truths that will become endless Twitter fodder for Trump.
As a moderate living in PA, I would like to see more focus on 2020 and less theatre of the bizarre. Many in the media are also feeding the frenzy by ambushing our lawmakers with questions about tweets rather than questions about policies as this article points out.
Is this not exactly what Trump wants? Does anyone doubt that he can keep this up for 18 months?
6
First of all, I implore the Democrats to stop going down the road to impeachment. Donald Trump is only hoping beyond hope that you will give him the biggest present to take in to his campaign to be re-elected.
Second, may I point out that there were more than four new Congress men/women elected in 2018 that enabled the Democrats to take the House. Their contributions are just as important to note and support. Perhaps they could be more visible so the Democrats can begin to refute this notion that the Party is ripping itself apart.
Third, may I offer a suggestion to the whole Democratic Party? Just this - stop answering ANY media questions about Donald Trump's latest offensive and deranged pronouncements. He is not going to stop and every time one of your members responds to the media's questions, you only prolong the conversation.
And finally, may I ask the whole Democratic Party to go home to their districts for the summer holidays and work like crazy to get every single person in your district to register to vote in every single election that comes up. Make people aware that when they vote for their local Council person, they could be voting for the next President of the United States and they have a really heavy responsibility.
4
The executive office has been vested with power & authority as if its a counter weight to the impulsive & capricious whims of an unknowing electorate; as if the citadel of a philosopher king. This is so far from reality to be laughable.
Until this office is divested of excessive authority, more Trumps will rise, making those responsible for his or her election look like pikers.
2
So, at least 95 Reps. had the courage and mental clarity to confront our Mad King Donald on his march to outright dictatorship. The number is growing with each brave attempt by Congressmen and women who are patriots, putting themselves at risk to do the right thing. Sadly, this is no longer commonplace in America, including Congress. The NYT again shows where its allegiances are by the title of this piece. Sad. Go Bernie and Elizabeth!
6
I hope the squad watched this are are listening to trump. His base is eating this up. Fodder for the 2020 campaign.
Democrats are destroying themselves. They did it with Hillary and they are doing it again. Should have been Sanders.
Now however the moderate Democrats are shunning away from some of those policies. The time for Sanders thinking passed us by in 2020. And it is NOT helped by the squad. Their constituencies are small.
1
Let's not forget, Pelosi's decades of working in political trenches is what has her poised and ready to fiddle with the stringsthat matter the most in the here and now, those she'll need to manuever when it comes to getting people to the polls in 2020, and in this instance, it's the same ones that won them back the House in 2016: getting the Working and Middle Classes the Health Care they deserve. Exit Polling indicated just that, that Health Care was the number one issue that got them to the polls in 2016 and got us back the House.
With that said, it's because of her political savy that Speaker Pelosi works her magic so much like a music conductor with baton in hand, not clumsily like these impatient types groping in the dark at the low hanging fruit of Impeaching Trump.
There just isn't enough time for that. And the Republicans will know to drag their feet to such a degree during the process that any notion for the Impeachment of Trump will still be hanging on the vine during the run-up to the 2020 election like rotten, stinking old fruit, thus giving Trump the opportunity to say again and again,
"See, I told you, No Collusion, No Wrong Doing."
And it will help usher in four more years of another disastrous
Trump Administration.
Please follow Speaker Pelosi's lead on this, or you'll put an end to the America we once knew, maybe not perfect but surely better than what Trump's been up to creating.
3
I now see Trump winning 45 States. Liberals are totally blowing it. Mueller is dead to us but Dems keep pushing a dead horse. Now the four haters are feared. Democrats going the wrong way. Not one Democrat currently running can beat Trump. Not one. Perhaps Bloomberg or Cuban but the current crop? Falling over their own feet
There are two opportunities for the Anti-trump faction ( i do not say democrats as i believe it is a more inclusive political mix than that) to use in the war against Trump. One is impeachment and the other is defeating him in an election. We know impeachment has almost no chance of succeeding as it requires the Republican party to assist and it is apparent that unless the investigations can uncover evidence so overwhelmingly damaging, that they will not allow that to happen. The other opportunity is to defeat him in an election. That is highly probable if the party can appeal to a broad consortium of people who despise what Trump stands for . However there is one more factor, using the impeachment tactic that has no real chance for success hampers the chances of the second opportunity from succeeding. Do you want a moral victory where you can say that we filed impeachment charges against Trump but he stays in office or a real opportunity to rid our country of this racist despot.
3
Your point is nicely argued but you don't consider another outcome: that an impeachment inquiry and maybe even trial reduces the chances that Trump will be re-elected. Many of us believe that if the evidence is laid out in high-visibility impeachment hearings, voters would reach a different conclusion than the Senate.
2
I understand Nancy Pelosi’s position to not start the impeachment proceedings because they are guaranteed to die in the Senate. And even if they had any chance of succeeding they would be viewed by a large portion of population as a distraction from more important issues like health care. Even if impeached, Trump would become a martyr for his base.
A much better way is if Trump is removed through elections. (And I sincerely hope that then he would actually be tried for all the crimes he committed and sent to jail.)
BUT imagine he is re-elected...
Even now his words and actions are inflammatory and dangerous. People will be hurt as a consequence of his personal attacks on congresswomen and his general attacks on immigrants.
If he gets re-elected, what are the democrats going to do then? Will it be too late? Given that Republicans cannot be counted on to restrain this dangerous man, will democrats be able to fight to save this country and will there hesitation to impeach now become a bigger mistake than they realize ?
5
I can’t believe that those in Congress who aren’t supporting his removal expect to get re-elected. So Trump has just gotten rid of most democrats...
1
Are you serious? Fizzles? This is the kind of headline that makes Trump look invincible and the Democrats look feckless. The motion was defeated because enough representatives know that there needs to be a sound, unassailable case against the president if impeachment is to succeed. You are minimizing Trump's wrongdoing and making the opposition look entirely politically motivated. You are helping.
8
For three years Trump has visibly violated the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. Then the Mueller Report clearly showed that Trump committed obstruction of justice and unambiguously declared that it was Congress' responsibility to act. The man should be impeached on legal and Constitutional grounds, not because he is a big racist meany.
12
They were tossed claiming the plaintiffs lacked standing. The merits of the case were not discussed or ruled upon. The lack of understanding and misrepresentation are piling up.
1
@Saints Fan - LOL. Look, a person who thinks the courts get to have a say in impeachment! Funny.
Nancy has lost control and Chuck is looking at supporting reparations. Joe remains silent, Kamala is slipping in the polls and the Democrat Party is in disarray.
The most radical neophytes promoted by the Liberal Media have emerged as the face of the Democratic Party. Everyone from the Speaker of the House to the President are now racists, in fact anyone who says anything against them is a racist.
Interestingly Mr. Greens resolution on impeachment had not one word about the Mueller report, Russian Collusion or any of the daily refrains we've heard for 3 years now about why Trump should be impeached, only that he is a bigot and a racist and has sown the seeds of discord.
Trump is better at this game than the Left is. They've played this way for as far back as I can remember and are used to having there way. Those days are over.
3
Describing Trump as using "vicious language" is at least as nasty as what he says.
You say: "He charged that the “dangerous, militant hard left” among the Democrats were “hate-filled extremists who are constantly trying to tear our country down.”"
BUT ... that statement of Trump's is TRUE. The quote "hate-filled extremists who are constantly trying to tear our country down.” also applis just as much to the authors of this piece and the New York Times editorial staff.
These attacks will stop when the New York Times, as the FORMER "newpaper of record" returns to that again and stops being a political attack web site. Others will follow,
except the far left politicians like "the four".
Its the LEft side that is causing the problem. In case you
have not noticed, the country is doing very well. The rest of the world, especially Europe east of the English Channel, looks at us and says "oh my .... we can't control them any more, they are standing up for their OWN interests."
This is called respect.
3
Who is going to stop Trump???
It seems nothing and no one can control his foul mouth , his indulgent spectacles and his Dictatorial whims.
He is disgraceful embarrassment to the world.
He doesn’t play by the rules and needs to be stopped, NOT “ gently “ admonished with kid gloves.
5
"If liberals are so smart, how come they lose so GD always?"
Because the democratic party has become a mob. A mob will never win. Sometimes the wrong side takes the flag.
We all need to grow up and focus our attention on what matters. We need to stop being angry at everything and be productive on something.
1
Trump needs to change the subject because the information about him in Michael Cohen’s plea deal is to come out today( against the wishes of federal prosecutors). The information was redacted and sealed as long as the case was still open. But now it is closed and there is no reason to keep the the information about “Individual 1” sealed. Why would the prosecution want it sealed? Trump is worried about this so needs to control the news.
8
I don't think Democratic leadership and elected Democrats understand the the boost that refusing to do anything to challenge Trump gives him with his supporters. He counts it a victory and so do they. On to a 2020 win in their minds. And they may be right. Democrats are putting all their eggs in a free and fair elections basket. They're going to take the high road against Trump which may well lead them straight to loss of the White House and both chambers of Congress. I keep hoping that the Dems will get more vocal and take some real action. The time frame on doing that is getting shorter and shorter. On mornings like this I despair.
6
The Dems should distance themselves from their liberal socialist colleagues if they want to have a prayer of victory in 2020. Most Americans do not want socialism, Medicare for all, reparations, porous borders including the abolition of ICE, guaranteed incomes even for those who do not want to work, etc. The Dems won't wake up to this, though, because their particular talent is shooting themselves in the foot. Insofar as impeaching Trump. is Pence an improvement? If not, forget it. The Senate will exonerate Trump if he is impeached anyway. To win in 2020, the Dems need to field a moderate, and "Uncle Joe" may not be it. Most people I know including myself detest The Squad and their views, yet they have effectively become the spokespersons of the Democratic Party. Perhaps the Dems should become more practical and focus their efforts on 2024. I'm an independent but predict that Trump will win reelection.
3
With all the transgressions of the law and ethics though Trump's is a ripe case of impeachment yet given the harsh reality of political opportunism and the complete surrender of the Republican party to Trump, let alone the divisions in the Democratic ranks, it is perhaps not the opportune time to even toy with the very idea of impeachment. Better to leave the issue to be settled politically at the 2020 elections.
2
At Trump's inauguration, assorted young men in the crowd rejoiced that they'd no longer have to be 'politically correct'. A huge part of Trump's appeal to his base is that he says/does what many of they long to do, but have felt inhibited from doing - until Trump. He knows exactly what he's doing.
Impeaching this President is a noble cause but in reality impossible, given the existence of his Republican enablers in the Senate. The only way to prevent years more of Trump is to defeat him at election time.
2
Imagine this final summary of a murder case by the prosecutor "We have not actually accused the defendant of committing any actual crimes. We are sure that he committed murder, but we haven't discussed the details of the murder, or actually charged the defendant with a crime, but we demand that you convict the defendant anyway."
That is how we are treating Trump's attacks on the Constitution.
Taking about impeachment without talking about High Crimes, is like discussing a murder case without mentioning the murder.
Every time that you think about saying the word impeach, say "High Crimes" instead.
Trump has committed hundreds of High Crimes, like calling for violence against citizens without due process, and accusing U.S.Intelligence agencies of treason for two years with no evidence, while praising the man that outsiders attacked on our elections
The Unconstitutional thing about what happened on Sunday is that Trump questioned the citizenship of U.S. Congress Members. It probably should be, but racism is not a High Crime, and not impeachable.
We the People have to force the Press and he Democrats to talk about "High Crimes." Trump commits them daily, but until they are listed, and named as"High Crimes impeachment is impossible.
Make a list off High Crimes and talk about those, using the phrase "High Crimes."
Even of impeachment never happens, if you talk about actual High Crimes, it will weaken his re-election chances.
Everyone repeat together: "HIGH CRIMES!"
3
The sooner the Dems can settle on a candidate around whom we (Dems, Republicans who have wearied of Trump, and Independents) can rally, the better off our country will be.
1
By not going through with full impeachment speaks volumes about Pelosi and her weak leadership. The future GOP leaders will now see they can be bullies to every one in America . No more compromising but ready to destroy our climate with their support of coal. No more women in charge they are afraid to impeach bad men and how will they be in time of war. I may not vote in this next election if we don’t go into full impeachment.
4
@D.j.j.k. If you refuse to vote, then*YOU* are weak. Just because Pelosi is feckless, doesn't mean we citizens must be,
The Republicans have unity. The Democrats don't, as this outcome demonstrates. (If the positions were reversed - hah! try to imagine that! - the Republicans would have impeached the Democratic president long ago.) The irony is that the GOP unity, which enables them to lock up the levers of power, is possible because no member of that clan has a vision worth standing up and making the case for. No vision, that is, beyond "hold on to power." I think most if not all Republicans in Congress - Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham included - wouldn't want Donald Trump to sit on their living room couch yet they are willing to let him run rampant because that's the unity position. The result is that they are a solid block - one that acts on this country like cement shoes. But that deadening unity won't be overcome in a single election cycle. I believe THE objective for next year's election is to remove from the country's public sphere the universally acknowledged, horrific wound that is Donald Trump. So I think Bill WELD's only chance is to say that he would provide the exact same approach to policy that the current executive does but minus the venality, the racism, the lying, the single-minded self-dealing and the general sliminess. Putting aside those Americans who are willing to shred our fundamental, decency-based values just to stick a thumb in the eye of "the liberals," is there a single person who wouldn't take Bill Weld over Donald Trump on those terms in a heartbeat?
2
@Jonathan
Also if our churches who support Trump would speak up about his bully behavior and to save our climate from coal and fossil fuel use would help. They are just getting the yearly tax breaks from the GOP which needs to stop. They can certainly afford taxes. True churches don’t abuse women and children these are cults receiving tax breaks.
3
the unprecendent behavior of a president should not sink GOP. it should sink all GOP leaders who are occupying tax payer institutions and enabling the white house with wreckless attitude towards other americans and democratic congress especially women. let us protest against each of the GOP leaders in their office to improve their attitude or vote them out. insulting fellow congressmen/women like this must not be supported. disagreements can be debated not insulted. they have the every right to criticise but not be insulted. if you cannot win the debate - too bad.
2
God save our country.
3
@John Dubois
There is no god, and Congress will not do anything.
2
Trump has no agenda. He failed in carrying out what he promised. He said Mexico will pay for the wall. Then when he took office he wants the American taxpayers to pay for his wall. He said he will have a healthcare plan that will be affordable and works but he never came up with anything. Now he promises to produce a healthcare bill if he is re-elected. He will keep using distraction using hateful language full of lies. When he ran for office everything was wrong with America that he needed to fix. Ironically now he's accusing the four women of hating America because they have their ideas how to make it better like he did back in 2016. He inherited a good economy that was on the upswing yet he claimed he "inherited a disaster." Unlike him who is escorted with Secret Service everywhere he goes these four women have no protection. We already saw how one man in Florida was brought to New York where he plead guilty to sending bombs to people who speak out against Trump. In a country where people with mental illness have been shown to buy guns and use them you would think common sense would set in and he would stop making these prevarications. He's actually putting these women's lives at risk. Then if something happens to anyone of them he will say he's not to blame but the person who attacked them. We really can't take four more plus years of this demagogue. Europe paid a high price because of similar characters in the twentieth century. We should take notice.
6
Come on Mr. Green...keep on filing impeachment charges day after day after day.
This is like fishing in the ocean without a depth finder or bait.
Eventually you'll snag something.
You just have to try....HARDER!!!!
2
AOC's so-called "Green New Deal" is the most idiotic, far-fetched, job-killing piece of insanity - and EVERYBODY KNOWS IT!
Yet AOC is the de-facto leader of the democrat party. As long as AOC sits in that throne, the democrats can kiss 2020 goodbye. Pelosi and other so-called moderates (Pelosi was considered far-left until AOC) are afraid of AOC - Pelosi keeps behaving like a scaredy cat, so nothing will change.
2
Boo
No increase in the national debt limit without serious concessions from Trump. Let him whine all he wants about how his opponents hate America, but he can't stop them from using their leverage against him. Refusing to back down, even to the point of the nation defaulting on its debt, would mean more than all the impeachment votes put together. Use that sword.
3
I was proud of my Texas representative for coming forward and saying what we're all thinking, that this president does not represent the people and is a dangerous, lying, criminal. He really should be impeached, and further, put in jail. On the other hand, Pelosi knows what she's doing. If we try to impeach him, we cannot expect the senate to vote in favor of that. McConnell and Graham will say anything, do anything, to keep the majority in the senate and their jobs. So they'll stand by him no matter what. The only way to correct this is to vote him out and let the courts have him. I look forward to that day.
3
While the desire to see the current occupant impeached is quite understandable it seems that many proponents are forgetting who takes his place. The vp* would be worse in many ways. Impeach both of them.
2
The cry for impeachment began before President Trump was inaugurated which tells me the Left wanted to impeach the President for winning an election no wonder this resolution failed, overwhelmingly.
3
Aside from giving a cursory response to some of Trump's more egregious racist, hate-imbued, bizarre, lying rants, mostly given at his lovefests, the Democrats would do well to ignore him and adopt a stance speaking to how most Americans have not benefited from his best economy ever, have not seen the infrastructure improve, have witnessed no gains in health care reform, have endured countless numbing acts of violence in the country as automatic weapons become commonplace, have seen families abused and caged like animals at the southern border, etc., etc. These areas have traction among Americans who care about the country, including the four female legislators who are now the focus of our racist POTUS. But, in addition to keeping ongoing attention on the aforementioned, addressing the fact that the cost of everything keeps on going up while wages remain stagnant and the ultra wealthy, the banks and big business are the main beneficiaries of Trump's reign should be emphasized - not responding to his never ending lies, distractions and nationalistic rants. Falling prey to his calculating, devious distracting lies and rants will lead the Democrats down a no win path, just as if did in the last sham of an election. Trump didn't beat the Democrats, they beat themselves - let's hope they have learned something from that tragedy.
1
Have some backbone fellow democrats.
Run AOC to get the turnout we need.
2
Impeachment has been attempted only twice in our history, it was always considered a very serious charge, and not to be taken lightly.
Yet Democrats think they could impeach Trump over a tweet?
They have thrown around this impeachment threat every since Trump took office, but has never been able to identify any "crime or misdemeanor".
Forget extreme, it makes them look crazy, and a bit ignorant of our laws - and these are supposed to be lawmakers.
2
It seems that most Democrats don't care what Trump does. There is a lot of smoke coming out of there mouths, but no fire in their actions.
The Democrats messed up. Instead of focusing on how Trump was threatening to exile innocent citizens from the country, they kept talking about racism instead, and failed.
1
It is time for the Democrats to realize that the party is also made up of people that are not living on the east and west coasts. They have Democratic views but tend to be more conservative than the East and West coast liberals. There is also a large independent faction that fall between the Democrats and Republicans. This party states it is the party of inclusiveness yet they often willingly ignore the views of a large part of the populace to propose ideas that are not in the majority of the party's interest. This has been caused by the Electoral vote system that allowed them to ignore these people as they could win with a small percentage of the total states that had high electoral counts. While many of the far right and left view the word compromise as a "4 letter word" it is just that that process has allowed this country to prosper and grow. Until they recognize that this is critical we will remain with a federal govt that is deadlocked at possibly the worst time with nuclear weapons proliferating, a climate emergency that may make every other problem small in comparison, and with another for years of an arrogant, racist, greedy president that will condemn us and the whole world to long term damage by executive order.
68
@Rob Wagner
No, Trump is stoking racism and misogyny because people want to believe that by mistreating others they will solve the problems that you identified, rather than actually solving the problems. You will never be white enough for Trump.
18
@Rob Wagner
Considering that Trump actually lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes, I view the electoral college as a 4 letter word.
21
@Jbugko
So we let one state elect the President? I dont think so. Thats exactly why the Electoral College was implemented.
Robert Wagner:
"It is time for the Democrats to realize that the party is also made up of people that are not living on the east and west coasts.There is also a large independent faction that fall between the Democrats and Republicans. This party states it is the party of inclusiveness yet they often willingly ignore the views of a large part of the populace to propose ideas that are not in the majority of the party's interest. "
1
IMPEACH - Trump will be re-elected -the obvious and perhaps permanent divide in the Democratic Party will be the loss of the Presidential election. The Republicans have the clout, have a very well organized Party plus their billion $ 'war chest' which will continue to grow. AND they have the unknown % of registered voters from both parties who are racists - who no longer will remain silent as they now have Presidential support. Plus any voice against Israel is actually against the law that was passed several years ago, however tested only once in court and lost. IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH.
1
Trump is playing the Dems like a fiddle. Four more years. God help us all.
2
Only if we let him
The majority of the country is dual focused
One on his distractions
Two on ending this American nightmare
Don’t let the carnival barker use one to prevent two
So far he seems to be ahead
1
"moderates [] stick to a poll-tested agenda that includes improving health coverage and raising wages for working people"
That was the Clinton-Obama agenda. The problem is that these are increasingly perceived as peanuts for the common people while the rules of the country were increasingly skidded to benefit the elite.
People want real change. Change that goes beyond what has been the "consensus" for the past decades. Trump has been very skillful in exploiting that sentiment while the Democratic Party has remained stuck under a de facto dictatorial leadership.
I would enjoy watching this guy and the GOP squirm in their seats, and you know they would, fumed with blaring bravado during an impeachment inquiry. This statement by senior politician House Speaker Ms. Pelosi given me' food for thought';
"You have to give him credit: He's a great distractor," Ms. Pelosi, Democrat of California, said of Mr. Trump on Wednesday. She waved off questions about whether the Democrats' policy priorities were being eclipsed by the president, saying, "We're not having him set our agenda; we're setting our own agenda."
David Axelrod is correct. This guy is a (frightened) 'feral genius,' and maybe no action taken by the Congress is the best reaction.
2
I see one phase, very practically and definitively, ended when Representative Omar bought up Impeachment. The Squad, though, was saved in its face value consequentially by Mr. Trump. Now, Mr. Trump is trying to pave the way to 2020, as desirably most positive possible for him, by the electrifying switch for rant chorus. From Lock Her Up to Send Her Back.
No no no. He needs to be defeated by popular and electoral vote. The Democrats can do it - we have a majority - if we rein in the progressive left. If we let the progressives control the agenda, we are giving Trump what he wants and he wins re-election.
1
Democrat voices -- at least as filtered through the media -- appear to be divided between a faction that is struggling with hysteria, and another faction that is resisting hysteria.
Donald Trump has successfully cultivated a base that wants to have its religious fervor (apparently for nothing more than his reassuring charisma) refreshed and renewed. They are not a majority, and probably can only become one if Democratic hysteria goes becomes dominant.
Unfortunately, if Democrats do unify around hysteria, it is likely to reproduce the self-destruction of France's Reign of Terror, inaugurated by Robespierre, which only came to an end when the movement executed Robespierre himself.
I believe that leaders of the Democratic Party, including candidates, need to recognize that not addressing the hysteria level is going to imperil 2020, and to openly acknowledge why hysteria and democracy cannot coexist. If nothing else, doing so will provide encouragement for moderate Republicans to produce a 3d Party alternative to Trump -- one that has the potential to palliate Trump's tactics, or to push Republican moderates into the the Democratic camp.
The real problem is that millions of people in the US agree with Trump however crazy that may sound... But the best thing to do is nothing, Trump's a brawler but if you ignore him and tell the American people the positive things you can do to improve their lives I believe liberal democracy will return to America once again...
3
Seriously. The way to beat him is to ignore him. The media attention, impeachment attempts...they only embolden him and his base.
Unfortunately, the media prizes their $$$ over the health of our country.
4
Can you imagine the glee and satisfaction in the Kremlin now. I’ll bet Sarah can hear the clinking vodka glasses from her back porch!
2
Our new American despotic leadership of invective, machismo, derision, fury, and disrespect. What's not to like? If you challenge our president, he'll attack you, your heritage, your looks, destroy you, and laugh.
Republicans: Do you really want this human near you without some disinfectant? Near your daughters? To have him daily grace your tv screens with his oily lies and dares to go lower still? Do you want your children to emulate him? Is America now the land of thugs? Is Trump worthy to be in the pantheon of Washington. Jefferson, Franklin, Madison? Is winning at all costs more important to you than your very morality?
5
How are the democrats so weak?
4
There is certain "wait for it," logic in the approach advocated by Pelosi and others. We are in a genuinely, truly, really bad way and we need to help ourselves out of this mess, not through impeachment but through clear rejection of Trump and his followers at the ballot box...it's the only true way. Anything else, including impeachment, makes Trump a political prisoner whose "struggle," makes him all the more attractive to his followers.
Trump is using his bully pulpit (was it ever such an appropriate name?) not to promote positions but jam the machine bringing dysfunction that causes people to lose faith.
We will once again hear Trump's promise that only he can fix our problems. He might even suggest the formation of a new political party centered on MAGA as a means of breaking with the last vestiges of past civil discourse and as a ramrod to his effort to destroy not simply defeat hos, political opponents.
We have seen this movie before, most notably in 1920s-30s Germany where Hitler and his minions halted the functioning of Democratic institutions then claiming that only a man who loved his country as much as Hitler loved Germany and only a government formed and focused around that single "savior," could lead the nation and vanquish its domestic a foreign enemies -- starting with the domestic opposition to his rule.
It's time for Americans to wake up. The nation is at stake.
6
The Democrats are in a real pickle. The right has their champion, their slogan, their agenda, their direction and drive all in one orange package. They are ready for the fight. The "left" is split between progressive idealists and traditionalists. The ridiculous length of the election cycle will only make matters worse. Trump's greatest political weapon is his lack of shame. If you can't be shamed, you're unfettered. And what's worse, his minions have adopted the strategy too. No shame is a pathetic but effective political strategy.
12
@CM
This is a democracy. The most important thing to strengthen a democracy is to ACCEPT and celebrate the fact that people will ALWAYS disagree on crucial issues, and that the only way to obtain a thriving society is to actively engage, time and again, in real, respectful debates.
THAT is how you end up building common ground and then passing your signature campaign promises, as Obama has done.
Trump prefers a different strategy: cultivate racism and distract your voters in order to avoid all serious debates on substance.
Result?
NONE of his signature campaign promises have been signed into one.
Now pick your side ... ;-)
2
@Ana Luisa
I don't think Trump is as interested in signature policies as much as he claims he is. Health Care, repealing the ACA, the Wall, etc... it's all red meat for the base. Meanwhile, he is stacking the courts, has lowered taxes significantly for the wealthiest citizens and deregulated all over the place. He doing plenty. Of damage, that is.
Getting impeached for a tweet? Give me a break. The Democrats are struggling to remain a serious alternative.
11
@MD Monroe
You don't seem to get it.
When a sitting US president actively and deliberately cultivates racism, he's endangering the American people as a whole.
Whether he's doing so in a tweet or in front of 10,000 people is irrelevant.
By the way, talking about tweets ... do you remember when in 2017 Democrats proposed to vote for a modified version of the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill that Obama already got through the Senate in 2013, and that would have tripled the number of border agents at the southern border, AND included FULL funding for Trump's wall?
Trump was about to sign it into law when all of a sudden Ann Coulter started attacking him with some tweets.
Result? He withdrew. No strengthening of the southern border, no wall.
So it seems that for this president, tweets matter ...
And obviously, that bill IS a SERIOUS alternative, as especially on border security Trump is all tweets, no action.
2
If the Squad prevails over Speaker Pelosi, the Democrats will lose the 2020 presidential election. They are the perfect foil for the perpetually underestimated gut(ter) instincts of the "occupant" of the White House.
7
There are any number of news sites that have attempted to list all of Trump's lies. One example is here: https://www.politifact.com/personalities/donald-trump/statements/byruling/false/ . That runs to 12 digital pages. (Note: From what I can tell the NYTs gave up their list in Dec 2017--one example of battle fatigue.)
How does one believe anything Trump says, particularly when he is engaged in his favorite political activity: mud wrestling. Why should he be given any airtime to announce that he won?
He has succeeded in dragging us into his own feedback loop, his own version of "Groundhog Day" (no offense to the movie).
4
Trump has the Democrats and the Press talking about him instead of the issues that should concern them. Just what he wants and how he got elected in the first place. History repeats itself as the media, GOP, and Trump’s fascist followers take our country further into the abyss.
4
I think one headline in yesterday's newspaper was something like "The House was busy yesterday ..." Really? At first I bought into this lie until I read that the bulk of what happened yesterday was all about Trump. I firmly believe this country is in terminal and that we're living on borrowed time. At best, it's a case of extreme relative decline. And this isn't about a racist remark. The advancements in equality over the past fifty years is about the only bright spot in our recent history. Yet, let's try to impeach Trump a third time? There's not budget agreement, there's no debt ceiling agreement, no legislation to aid American industry into becoming the behemoth it once was? I saw a lot of modifications of prior tax and spend policies that have become "fixed" expenses. The roots of our decline date long before Trump, and his predecessor for that matter. I'm not buying the fact that Trump is the boogeyman. Congress is the boogeyman and this newspaper needs to stop aiding and abetting the seeds of our destruction. But, yet, let's do another racism chant and try to impeach Trump a 4th time! I'm sure China and Russia are smiling. I don't have time to even write this comment let alone play these types of games. The country is out of control and I'm not impressed with AOC, Shaprton Pelosi or even Trump for that matter.
4
To quote what Trump said from the article:
"He charged that the “dangerous, militant hard left” among the Democrats were “hate-filled extremists who are constantly trying to tear our country down.”"
Which I guess are so unlike the militant hard right, hate-filled extremists which support him!
5
This ugly mob behavior is forcing the left to dramatically re-conceptualize their ideas of what a conservative is. Even in the Fox News era, the left isn't yet completely realistic about what's happening.
Here's a clue: in his book "We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy," Ta-Nehisi Coates references a YouGov poll that showed at the end of 2017, 57% of Trump voters thought it was "definitely true" or "probably true" that Obama was born in Kenya.
If there's any one statistic that speaks to how utterly deranged and lobotomized by right wing propaganda Trump supporters are, that would be it. This is mass hypnosis combined with white hate and it's going to get worse, because soon it will be adrenalized by the reality of a liberal in power.
3
Lack of impeachment happens when the Democrats don't stand up for the constitution. Trump certainly has done enough to warrant impeachment. Facts don't seem to matter. Meandering on the subject simply means that lying Trump now has 'facts' that exonerate him.
Here is the latest Twitter blast from Trump:
The United States House of Representatives has just overwhelmingly voted to kill the Resolution on Impeachment, 332-95-1. This is perhaps the most ridiculous and time consuming project I have ever had to work on. Impeachment of your President, who has led the Greatest Economic BOOM in the history of our Country, the best job numbers, biggest tax reduction, rebuilt military and much more, is now OVER. This should never be allowed to happen to another President of the United States again!
3
So Trump is doubling down on saying that criticism of his racist words and policies smears the United States and means that Democrats don't love their country. No, Democrats love their country and are fighting for its Constitution, the rule of law, and equity for all, including workers and the poor. Democrats despise Trump--not their country-- and his party of sycophants. Trump's views do not represent the majority of Americans, nor did he win the presidency by legitimate means. Trump is now making "go back to your country" a meme like MAGA thanks to FOX newsish. I think Republicans should also come back to their country and their senses. Do you really want lawless white men with guns and law enforcement at the border or elsewhere given more entitlement to terrorize people, citizen or not, because that's where "go back to your country" leads to. And if anyone tells me or any member of my family to "go back to my country" you can be sure I'll return the favor like any six year old. Thanks, Republicans for continuing to divide Americans along lines of color, ethnicity, and wealth.
4
Unfortunately it’s true. People are ashamed of supporting DJT but they will pull the lever for continued White Rule. The only road to victory is massive turnout in November 2020 and the Republicans are doing everything they can to prevent that.
The first stone to turn is McConnell’s. I sent a campaign contribution to Amy McGrath because he is the most nauseous.
4
White rule? So Obama’s 8 years as President was Black rule?
The Disunited Democrats.
Time to get your act together.
Remember that ever tweet you send out into the universe, is used as much as a tool against you as for you.
Be cautious.
Be word wise.
And find a united voice/mantra/whatever that is not all about Trump.
1
Scherie Murray, a New York businesswoman who immigrated from Jamaica as a child, will be running against AOC in 2020.
“There is a crisis in Queens, and it’s called AOC. And instead of focusing on us, she’s focusing on being famous. Mainly rolling back progress and authoring the job-killing Green New Deal and killing the Amazon New York deal.”
2020 cannot get here fast enough!
3
First of all, after almost three years of Trump in the White House, we already know that his campaign chants serve only one goal: entertainment of his crowd, and firing them up in such a way that they continue to be massively distracted from what he's really doing in DC.
"Luck her up"? Trump didn't even start trying to put Hillary on trial.
"Who will pay for the wall? Mexico!"? Obviously, there won't be any wall, let alone a "deal" where Mexico pays for it.
"Send her back"? In real life, Trump deported and removed even LESS illegals than Obama in 2016.
That the GOP, the self-declared "party of values", has become totally unable to use deeply inspiring entertainment techniques, which lift the entire country up, and instead deliberately cultivates racism 24/7, shows how especially when it comes to what made political parties and the country as a whole "great" in the past, they have no clue at all.
3
Impeachment is not the solution for now. There's just not enough time before we vote November 2020. Removal from office either by getting him to resign or with our votes is still the best option.
Trump is not going to go away easily. He'll spew his hate and twist his lies until they sound like the truth. Long after he is out of office, trump will continue to "govern" with his tweets.
He's a monster and we will pay the price for allowing this to happen.
3
Democrats are on the defensive and misplayed ths. You can't spin it otherwise.
2
What would happen in the United States if a person with no political connections mustered a crowd of like-minded people, called it a rally and shouted out that if an elected member of the government born in Somalia "hates our country - send her back." And the crowd shouted "send her back!!, send her back!!"? What would happen if an ordinary American citizen publicly accused others of "destroying our country"? Would these be examples of free speech or of slander?
4
What does this say about our representatives who fear for their jobs, that they won't call racist when they see it ? What's the point of having that job in the first place.
They won't protect American values, because if they do than they won't have a job that lets them protect American values !!
2
Buried in today's NYTimes is this quote from Teresa May's exit speech: "Some are losing the ability to disagree without demeaning the views of others."
It is important to act on these words, as difficult as it seems—disagreement without disparagement. This should be the mantra of our time.
Test yourself: can you criticize without belittling those you disagree with?
Keep trying until it becomes a habit.
3
Trump's hatred and racism is only a mirror of the hatred and racism of millions of Americans. I am deeply ashamed to say that they are such a large part of our wonderful country, but there it is.
5
This “president” has been an embarrassment since day one, and his constant falsehoods have debased the rule of law, especially when viewed through the lens of international relations. To have the leader of our nation continually speak untruths and entice the worst instincts in our collective consciousness belittles the ideals the United States was founded on. Mr. Trump, for his personal life, deserves condemnation. For his public life, he deserves to be removed from office.
5
The next step in Trump's unbridled quest for power and endless wealth will be to stoke violence against House of Representatives members. During a news conference, members of the the "squad" already acknowledged the receipt of death threats. Thus far, Trump has been held to account for absolutely nothing. One could argue "accessory" in the Charlottesville killing of an activist, but there exists this delusion that you cannot indict a sitting president.
So the question is, what would Al Capone do if he were elected president? Killing his opponents is the obvious course. Trump will intensify his speeches to pit Americans against one another. The same rancid republicans who failed to condemn his racism will fail to condemn his encouragement of deadly force.
Expect the worst from Trump so you're not surprised. Civil war ahead.
4
I would like the Democratic Party to quit playing Trump’s game and instead, at every opportunity, describe the progressive plan they are united behind, which will provide better, cheaper, health care for all, reduced college tuition, secure borders, and create jobs through mitigating climate change. The Republicans looked pathetic during all those years of nothing but opposing Obama, e.g. repeal and replace, now the Democrats look pathetic. Of course, the press will have to go along with this and start covering candidates talking about policy.
The way things are going, Trump is absolutely certain to be re-elected, and no amount of screaming “racist!” is going to change that. Everybody knows about Trump’s personality, and it doesn’t matter. Health care and the economy matter, other things, not so much.
6
@Peter
"I would like the Democratic Party to quit playing Trump’s game and instead, at every opportunity, describe the progressive plan they are united behind."
Ha Ha Ha - that's a good one! AOC's gang has taken over the democrat party. Pelosi and other leadership is afraid of them; rank and file members are afraid of them. But AOC's gang are not leaders, and they have proposed nothing to unify the party (unless you call the idiotic Green New Deal a unifying platform).
What we are seeing is a result of the leaked Podesta and DNC emails, which showed to the world that the DNC selection process was fixed, and that what the citizens wanted DID NOT MATTER.
4
@99percent
Yeah, well, you are right of course. I'm describing what I would like to have happen, not what I think will actually happen. The unity that exists is 1.) unity among the Pelosi/Clinton/Rank and File who never planned to do much for the 99% in the first place, and 2.) unity among the super-far-lefties who think everything should be free. My fantasy is that Democrats unite behind the platform I so wistfully described, wherein the rest of us actually do matter, the press covers it, and some normal person gets elected to the presidency. And I get to live on a unicorn farm.
1
Ready-Fire-Aim. That's the Democrats method of going after Trump. He certainly deserves to be impeached, not for the vile things he says but for the corrupt way in which he acts. Yesterday's vote indicates that Pelosi's grip on the Democratic caucus slipped a bit, but she and her establishment members cannot avoid the elephant in the room forever. Not impeaching Trump on obstruction emboldens him to vilify Democrats as weak and ineffective. Using the excuse that impeachment will go nowhere in the Republican controlled Senate is lame. As Pelosi has stated, impeachment is not a political but a legal process. Trump committed illegal acts of obstruction. By not impeaching Trump the Democrats are neglecting their duty as set forth in the Constitution.
4
If there is one salient message about politics since Reagan defeated Carter in 1980 is the Republicans will do whatever they need to do to win and stay in charge. They will support unpalatable candidates. They will look the other way at ethical violations. They will table their morals. They will gerrymander to their heart's content. They will block a supreme court nomination in February claiming that a president is lame duck with 11 months to go in his term. And of course the ultimate con job: passing policies that benefit the rich but convincing blue collar folk that they are their party.
And what do Democrats do? Lose. Allow Republicans to eat their lunch every day. If you are an elected Democrat official, and you are reading this, understand this. If you cannot win, then your highroad morals and fantasies of saving the world are utterly irrelevant.
What will it take for this party to become strategic and get the job done? Our children's future is at stake.
4
Dear Democrats:
We, the electorate, need you to unite NOW. Stop the division. The “Squad” needs to be reigned in not because we’re trying to suppress their voice but because every time they utilize social media to circumvent Nancy Pelosi they become fodder for Trump. They will become a toxic liability next year. I am a female and say this with all do respect. If you can’t get a bipartisan vote condemning Trump’s racism, you won’t get a bipartisan vote to impeach him (the vote will die in the Senate). Get a reality check, win the middle and the Swing states, and we can move on and heal from fours years of disaster. If you choose otherwise, this country will fall of the cliff and they’ll be no turning back...
Sincerely,
A Concerned Voter
5
Green enabled Trump's news cycle; that was unfortunate.
7
Congress spent all this time on a goofy impeachment vote when it should have been voting on an immigration package or transportation bill. Issues that sorely need to be addressed.
This peacock strutting yesterday was so pointless it makes me mad. Come on Speaker Pelosi, get control back from these kids.
9
@Mich
People are in cages at our border, and democrats are "investigating" Trump. That's what people see.
2
Now that Democrats have finally provided funds for new and better border facilities, Republicans should make certain they are top tier. Accommodations should be like a Marriott, with nice schools, pleasant dining areas, onsite courtrooms and a lot of free stuff for those seeking higher paying jobs in the USA. Of course the cost of all of this will limit the numbers of illegals that can be held. But when Trump asks for still more money from Congress for additional facilities, what Democrat will dare turn him down? How will they say the facilities are too nice?
1
After watching the so-called Democratic debates the other day, I may not go to next elections as I don't want to participate in reelection of Trump. I am a Dem, by the way, but I don't like that my party is slowly turning into a Social-Democratic Labour Party.
5
At some point we need to think of saving the country from this fascist, not this party or that. Democrats are going to loose if all they can worry about is how to turn few votes from blue collars chanting send her back, they are lost cause. Wake up and have some backbone. Salute to the squad.
4
Should any of his rabid supporters take it into their little minds to attack, harm or kill anyone Trump has "called out" in one of his psychotic rants, I wonder if a legal argument for complicity could be made.
Probably not.
Somehow this man has to be stopped before this country devolves into Germany prior WWll with hatred and bigotry permeating everything .
Trump is destroying the fabric of this country. - and he doesn't care.
8
The democrats should stop reacting to Trump's racist tweets, and ignore them. It serves no purpose but distracting and dividing us. Reacting to these racist tweets gives him exactly what he wants and needs to keep his base happy. The democrats should not let Trump throw them off course and enable him to use "divide and conquer" tactics that work very well for Fascist demagogues.
2
Strange Things and Big Little Lies: according to Trump, respecting Israeli citizens is above the needs and aspirations of the common American; and it doesn’t matter if this POTUS doesn’t see himself as a racist, mainly because lying is the only thing he excels. The people should cancel this show, unless they truly want to believe...
3
The expression ‘women of color’ has been used to describe all four of these women, who were offended by Mr. Trump. And most importantly, the expression was adopted in order to claim that Mr. Trump is racist. False.
First of all, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and Ms Tlaib are NOT ‘women of color’, one being Hispanic (a culture and not a race - I happen to be Hispanic and white); the other being clearly white. According to state department description, Palestinians are white - see queen Rania of Jordan.
9
@Maria M,
Thanks for pointing out that Congress tried to play the race card. Seriously idiotic.
4
This is a glimmer of good news in that it shows that Nancy Pelosi is possibly reigning in her party for what we can only hope will be a focus on issues of concern to the electorate.
Emotion and reaction do not win presidential elections. And the democrats MUST present a viable alternative to Mr. Trump. So far, they have not done so.
10
I think Pelosi is doing her best to keep the Democrats in the house from falling into disorganization. House Democrats too eagerly fall for Trump’s bait and look to be on the verge of implosion. They absolutely need their senior leadership to keep the party on track. Efforts to boot the speaker for a less seasoned lawmaker look completely foolish.
9
Let's vote Trump out in 2020 but if that fails Nancy Pelosi can have the House start the impeachment process the day after the election.
4
@Mary Pat
Impeachment on what grounds exactly? A second presidential victory would almost certainly negate any such effort.
1
@Mary Pat That assumes that the Democrats will still be in the majority in the House. If Trump wins again, then it is also a good bet that the Dems lose seats in the House.
1
While Trump's tactics are rough and brutish, he nevertheless knows how to channel the basic American political conscience. The Squad and their ilk would appeal to the mainstream in Germany or France, which have a modern tradition of socialism, but not in the United States where individual capitalism reigns. As long as the economy keeps rolling the Democrats don't have a chance in 2020.
8
It is time for the rest of us besides his cheerleading squad to ignore everything the president says, to render him insignificant, like George W. Bush in the last two years of his term. Treat Trump like a lame duck, as a waste of time, except when he takes action. Let Fox and Breitbart broadcast whatever they want. Let the Washington Times and Examiner print whatever they want. There is no way to win over the adherents to those "news" sources. They must simply see their cult leader crushed in the election. When the president _does_ something, and there are plenty of things he does that are given such short shrift, but which a new Democratic president would have to undo, if Trump doesn't receive any pushback on them. If reporters feel compelled to deal with his statements, were I a reporter, I would have just one question. To this question I would relentlessly seek a definitive answer, and not allow the president or his enablers to obfuscate or change the subject. Sort of like Kellyanne Conway's perseverance in dealing with the reporter who she seemed to think was the interviewee yesterday. I would read this quotation from the president's Greenville "speech": “They don’t love our country." My question would be, "Mr. President, please define 'our" in your statement. Who is the 'we' to whom it refers?" And I would not let him get away with "patriotic Americans" as his answer. "Who exactly are patriotic Americans?" And I would go on and on and paint him into his own corner.
12
@Gnirol
As long as the media are competing for audience share, there will be no ignoring Mr. Trump.
Democrats are not united because their party is comprised of thinking individuals with differing opinions. Republicans are united by their common goal of staying in office and shoveling as much money as possible into the pockets of their wealthy owners.
Perhaps being united is not such a great thing after all.
4
@Jim Dickinson Perhaps you missed it, but the Democrats just voted to 1) Effectively kill Obama care. 2) Voted not to impeach Trump. Is that what not being united gets us?
It just shows this Democrat that my party can’t be trusted with running the government. Impeachment and repealing the ACA tax all in one day. Just as the GOP was united in 2008 in opposing Obama that is all we want to do now to Trump. I agree with sending them back. Not to another country, but back to her bar tending job.
8
In defending his impeachment article, Representative Green said:
“This president has demonstrated that he’s willing to yell ‘fire’ in a crowded theater..."
This is Justice Holmes' formulation for suppressing the Constitutional right of free speech.
It is not a hunting license for those, like Representative Green, who find a bit of speech offensive. It is the opposite: it is a very strong restriction on admissible reasons for violating our normal rights.
To paraphrase Justice Brandeis, the cure for bad speech is good speech, lots of it.
Holmes' "fire in a crowded theatre" overrules this because there is no time to correct bad speech ("fire!") to good speech ("settle down; no fire").
The press of time, the urgency of correction, is the operative feature of the Holmes exception.
Representative Green: you are facing nearly half this country which supports Trump and actively or in acquiescence is staying with him through the bigotry.
Your job, and the job of the rest of the antiracists is to go to that half with good speech and persuade. There's no shortcut of suppressing Trump and his half of the population, unless you want something like a civil war.
There's time. It's not theatre-fire urgent.
We need good speech. Lots of it.
Get to work.
3
This person being in a position of power is the fault of the Republican party. They allowed him to continue into power and since then, have subjected our country to an experience that is similar to letting a poorly-behaved child run wild in a dignified, serious setting. They have compromised our country's integrity and safety. Their lack of condemnation and, therefore, acceptance of this kind of behavior - after non-stop complaining about our previous president - is revealing about white men who are afraid of our government's representative nature.
2
As usual, Democrats wander about, trying to figure out life as Republicans laugh. As a Democrat I am ashamed that one of my reps voted against an action that everyone knows is long overdue. So now Democrats can hang around the watercooler, wasting time, while Trump wins yet again, in 2020. Great.
5
Wow - how many times are we going to hear more on impeachment??
The Democrats are making impeachment motions as if naming a post office - a routine of the House.
Impeachment - in our history was truly tried only twice - and both times they failed miserably - and the one who probably deserved this constitutional punishment - escaped it by resigning even before the House had voted on a single article.
Much is made of how much Democrats are still doing People's business - despite repeated calls of impeachment.
But as I recall - all they have done is pass resolutions in their Chamber.
If they want to show some real achievement - they may want to bury the hatchet and work with the Senate Republicans to pass bills that will get POTUS to sign.
Now, that's real Peoples business.
I am watching British Open.
In golf, we say drive for show and putt for dough.
Impeachments are becoming Democrats drive for show.
But they are putting for big time bogeys as these drives are getting buried in traps way to the left of the pin.
2
Sometime before the election Jane Goodall wrote that we, as a species, really have no defense against an unapologetic alpha male who goes around knocking over trash cans and beating up subordinates. It's primitive behavior and it always works.
At some point he will make a mistake and alienate a key ally, or everyone will just grow tired of it, and then you will be able to knock him over with a feather. That moment can't come soon enough.
5
Wow - how many times are we going to hear more on impeachment??
The Democrats are making impeachment motions as if naming a post office - a routine of the House.
Impeachment - in our history was truly tried only twice - and both times they failed miserably - and the one who probably deserved this constitutional punishment - escaped it by resigning even before the House had voted on a single article.
Much is made of how much Democrats are still doing People's business - despite repeated calls of impeachment.
But as I recall - all they have done is pass resolutions in their Chamber.
If they want to show some real achievement - they may want to bury the hatchet and work with the Senate Republicans to pass bills that will get POTUS to sign.
Now, that's real Peoples business.
I am watching British Open.
In golf, we say drive for show and putt for dough.
Impeachments are becoming Democrats drive for show.
But they are putting for big time bogeys as these drives are getting buried in traps way to the left of the pin.
2
That was utterly embarrassing. He was warned not to do it, and did it anyway.
3
I wish the Times would stop pointing out that Rep Omar was the only one born outside of the country. That is an irrelevant fact and fans the flames against her. She is a US citizen and duly elected representative. It gives the impression that Trump was a little right in the reprehensible comments her made and he was completely wrong.
3
**Note to the Dems — If you want to beat Trump at his own game you need to know the right language to use to respond. That messaging is clearly not being “shocked”, “outraged”, etc, which clearly plays into his game — you come off as the crazy Dems.
The right language is that Trump’s actions and words are lame, pathetic, embarrassing, a joke, a sideshow, a gong show, a national embarrassment. These cut to the heart of the matter without playing into his hands.
Language matters — get a consistent message.
7
“ridicule, disgrace and disrepute”
It would be near impossible for any in our House of Representatives to recognize any of these modes of behavior.
They exemplify their behavior, very possibly these words were created for them.
Have you noticed how much work they have actually done, nothing, virtually nothing.
6
Nancy Pelosi knows that as long as Mitch McConnell and the Republicans control the Senate there is no way Impeachment proceedings against Trump will ever see the light of day. The Republicans will circle the wagons around Trump, regardless of their personal feelings. Politicians of both parties know how important it is to protect the resident in the White House no matter how odious his behavior may be.
5
The impeachment inquiry must begin regardless (because of!) that anticipated response.
Pelosi needs to get the action on the record.
PLEASE Madam Speaker, before your August vacation!
1
Angry does not get the job done, as both Trump and Green have no demonstrated. Count votes. This vote carries only if all Democrats agree and they don’t. The next vote in the Senate if it happened, which it won’t, is another no. And if that passed we get Pence as President. Green’s grandstanding hurt his party. Time to get back to investigating Trump’s taxes and back records, to show how he committed bank and tax fraud as well as selling influence.
5
Al Green arugued in his resolution on impeachment that Trump had "brought the high office of the President of the United States into contempt, ridicule, disgrace and disrepute".
He made no mention of Robert Muelle’s report, even though the special counsel will testify next week.
Green had filed similar impeachment articles twice in the past when the House was controlled by GOP.
This time the Democrats who have the House majority prefer to wait until they have built an “ironclad case” against Trump.
Pelosi points out the six committees that are “working on following the facts in terms of any abuse of power, obstruction of justice and the rest that the president may have engaged in,” she said. “That is the serious path that we are on.”
Indeed, it’s smarter not to waste time and energy on Trump right now.
Let him rant. Seeking re-election is his survival strategy, to dodge legal woes that await him once he leaves office.
He must be worrying about Mueller’s televised testimony next Wednesday and does his best to deflect the public’s attention from it.
5
Democrats are not "split" as every Democrat detests Trump and all he stands for. There is a disagreement over the best way to deal with him.
9
It seems America - and hence the world to a certain extent - are in a downward spiral that has only seemed to speed up in the last few days. I was to young to witness from afar the McCarthy hysteria but isn’t the present situation somewhat similar? Isn’t there anyone who can finally Lance the boil and say to Trumps face - “sir, have you no sense of decency” ?
3
No, there is no comparison with McCarthy and his show. His was a one man campaign while in 2008 and now it is an entire party against one man. The news coverage was completely different.
@Michael
I wish someone would do this to democrats and put them out of their misery. Just say, "No." The president cannot be impeached. You'll have to get the presidency back the old fashioned way, by earning it.
Mr Trump has committed a plethora of offenses, any one of which could have resulted in impeachment in a time when members of Congress took their oaths of office seriously. Since the Senate isn’t doing anything besides confirming right wing job judges, why shouldn’t the House, as a matter of routine, pass an impeachment bill a month on to the Senate? That will have numerous benefits: occupy Chief Justice Roberts’ time, reduce Mitch McConnell’s control of the Senate agenda, and slow the approval of alt-right judges. Don’t worry, Mr Trump will continue to provide more counts weekly, and if he doesn’t, there is no law against bringing the same articles to the Senate more than once.
3
@Jeff I like the way our courts are going more right. We need less activist judges and more who apply law not try to make law.
2
Bravo Donald Trump!
He is a masterful strategist. He’s the best in the world at playing this game, and now he has the Democrats exactly where he wants.
Four more years!
12
@Mikey
Since when is having your opponents strongly united and fired up to fight against racism, somehow a "winning strategy"?
Trump is sticking to the same tactics today even though he lost the midterms with the biggest voter gap in three years.
If you want four more years of this kind of entertainment, imho you better start leaving your "alternative facts" bubble for a moment, and try to have the courage to get at least one foot in the real world ...
2
I think the Democrats know the 2020 race is over. The question now is whether they will continue to embrace the hatred they have for working Americans and those who shop at Walmart.
They should wonder whether embracing Talib and Omar is a good strategy.
If the Dems think things aren't looking too good now, wait until the indictments start coming down in the spygate scandal.
15
@Charles Segal
How exactly do Democrats show hatred for working Americans? By trying to make sure everyone has total and complete access to healthcare? By trying to make college affordable? By trying to guarantee a living wage? By trying to stop payday lenders from exploiting people? By trying to help with student debt? By trying to save the planet we all live on? I'd like to hear... And while you're at it, perhaps you can tell me what Republicans have done for working people.
5
@Charles Segal
The indictments? You mean like Trump's promis to lock up Hillary?
For the moment, he didn't even deport or remove as many illegals as Obama did, and somehow you still imagine that he's your guy?
And since when is turning an economy that was shedding 700,000 jobs a month into a decade-long growing economy with record low unemployment, as Democrats did in 2009, somehow "embracing the hatred they have for working Americans" ... ?
Or since when is Obamacare, which insured 20 million more Americans, thereby saving an additional half a million American lives a decade, somehow "hating" working Americans ... ?
Democrats agree with those four lawmakers because the ideals that they represent are the only ones that truly take American workers into account.
They may be young, and as a consequence imagine that change for the good can happen fast, in a democracy, whereas in real life it's always slow and messy.
But to imagine that THEIR policies, rather than the GOP's, would somehow hurt ordinary citizens is, with all respect, to not have been paying attention to who does what in D at all, and to have allowed yourself to be distracted by racist tweets and "alternative facts" fake news ...
3
Since the first two Dem debates several weeks ago, up until now, I’m asking myself: Why are the Democrats making this too easy for Pres. Trump?
At this rate, a 1984 redux is completely within the realm of possibility.
12
@Cjmesq0
In real life, they made him lose the midterm elections with the biggest voter gap in three decades.
The day you'll leave your "alternative facts" bubble, you'll understand why.
And one of the reasons, of course, is that a majority of the American people continue to include fighting against racism as one of the very pillars of America's greatness.
4
I live in Minnesota. I believe some of Omar’s words are takin out of context. I also believe Frankin’s actions were taken out of context. He resigned and I believe Omar should also resign. We have emailed that opinion to her office.
It is my opinion that Omar and her coalition’s rhetoric are fueling Trumps further division in the United States and now also along racial lines.
Al Frankin was a strong leader he resigned for the sake of unity Omar , in my opinion, also needs to resign.
13
@Kristen
Al Franken resigned because of what he DID, as shown in pictures with women, and because the Democratic party wants to be unambiguous when it comes to women's rights.
Omar mere SAID things, and as you say, only when they are taken out of context can those words be seen as offensive.
If we start asking all politicians who seem to say offensive things when journalists and their opponents start taking their words out of context, then we should have asked Obama to resign as soon as he took office.
And of course, that would mean asking politicians who say offensive things WHEN you put their words into context, to resign too - and that's almost all GOP politicians today.
Conclusion: stop blaming the victim and start engaging. THAT is how we'll defeat racism in this country.
9
@Kristen an amazing comment! Who is dividing? You believe Franken's actions and Omar's words were taken out of context yet you say they should leave office. Anyone duly elected can be thusly pushed out by the opposition, or made to leave by those so fearful. Omar is guilty of fueling Trump? Without her Trump would grab others to vilify, as he has. We send people to Congress to fight for what we believe in.
3
@Potter When Al Franken resigned we lost a darn good, intelligent, moral, senator. I mourn that.
3
It is obvious that Trump and the GOP only care for their base. So the "other side of the isle" as they love to term the non basers, should use this as a rallying cry. "OK, you don't care about us and our needs. Here is what we are going to do. Ignore your distractions and enact legislation to help those you deem as insignificant. And we will do it also for your base as they seem to not see that you don't care about them either. It's all about money and power. So we suggest you continue doing what you love to do and we will continue doing the real work for all people; Republicans and Democrats alike."
It will be very important for Democrats to keep repeating and repeating the things they have done for ALL Americans regardless of party. And Include past legislation. Don't be afraid to bring up the past milestones like Social Security and Medicare, and so much more. The laws will speak for themselves. Make a strong case and do it every single day because voters have a short memory especially now. The Democrats seem to skip that important message while campaigning.
5
Tactical disaster. Trump’s remarks were offensive, but not « racist ». Dems need to get the Squad in line to win White House in 2020.
28
@Marc McGuire
I'm sorry but how many White people is it he's told to 'go back where they came from'? His comments are absolutely racist as are many of his actions - Can you honestly tell me he would have White children in the conditions we see Hispanic children?
24
@Marc McGuire
In that case, can you please tell us how you define "racism"?
What those four American women say and do is not only what their American constituents elected them to say and do, it's also what most progressives in this country strongly believe in.
If Trump wanted to engage in a real, respectful debate with his political opponents, he would have done so.
If he prefers personal insults instead, in order to avoid any focus on substance - his main "tactic" to try to keep his voters fired up - he could have picked his most important challenger on the progressive side, Bernie Sanders.
Why do you think he never told Bernie to leave the country? Why isn't he asking his supporters to chant "Send Bernie back"?
For one single reason, which has to do with the ONLY difference between Bernie and those four women: he's a white male, whereas they are women of color.
Attacking people ONLY because of their race, as he does here, is, obviously, RACISM.
But if you think you can refute this fact, what would your arguments be ... ? (serious question, so I'll hope you'll answer it!)
3
@Marc McGuire: Trump’s words were intended as racist. Psychopaths have a way of saying things that are very suggestive of something bad, but vague enough that they can deny they said what they meant. It’s called “gaslighting”.
1
Hey Democrats - here's a tip: Spend less time on virtue signalling and more time addressing the clearly expressed concerns of US citizens.
55
@Mark
How?
"We the people" gave the Senate and White House to politicians who want everything BUT "addressing the clearly expressed concerns of US citizens".
This is a democracy.
Our concerns will only be addressed once we give people who have proven to know how to do so, the legal power to do so.
If instead, you prefer blaming politicians, then nothing will ever happen ...
6
@Mark: Tell that to Mitch McConnell. He’s holding up each and every proposal from the House by not bringing it to a vote in the Senate.
11
Democrats must unify on every issue in order to …..
not only defeat Trump but to defeat the GOP in Congress.
Unity is the only way to drain the 'swamp' and effect change
to everything that the GOP and Trump have destroyed and
to put in place the laws which restore our government
7
These are times that prove people’s principles.
9
@H
Or lack of principles.
Impeachment will be easy. Just get him in front of a committee under oath. He will lie. A lie under oath is all that is needed for the impeachment.
12
Mr. Trump,
Don't worry about "foreign" House representatives (the four women of color, as they've been labeled) seeking the destruction of the USA. It looks like you're handling this task all on your own quite efficiently!
19
Follow Pelosi’s lead. She is the one who has Trump’s number, the one she intends to display on his orange jumpsuit.
9
Mr. Trump's rhetoric simultaneously is *hate speech* and endangers my life, liberty and pursuit of happiness as a citizen with long roots in this land. I am not only a descendant of kidnapped enslaved Africans from South Carolina and Virginia, but also Yamassee, Tsalagi and Dutch. I am sure, due to Mr. Trump's words, I and another Black woman received a racial microaggression yesterday in our local pharmacy from a rude, older Euroamerican male, wearing a red USA baseball cap.
Congressman Green's actions are not only "a matter of conscience," they are necessary action. Black, Red and Brown lives are *in danger* in the US. Indeed, we are being killed. Whether at the border, raped on or off the reservations, and/or murdered by law enforcement, or overworked and underprotected in industry, we, human beings, are in danger. Mr. Trump has truly yelled "fire" into a crowded theater and somehow, in some manner, his horror show must be stopped. Kudos to Congressman Green y a luta continua...
16
This attempt at impeachment along with cartoon character-like entities such as “The Squad”, not to mention the Russian Collusion Hoax have almost cemented Trump’s 2020 presidential election victory.
22
@Scott K
Except that what you prefer to reduce to a cartoon are lawmakers representing the opinion of tens of millions of Americans, and belonging to a political party which sadly enough is the only one today still fighting for basic moral values - which is of course why they won the midterm elections with the biggest voter gap in three decades (in both the House and Senate).
In the end, the truth always prevails ...
8
@Ana Luisa
For two years they claimed Trump was guilty of colluding with the Russians. Turns out they were wrong. The truth will set you free as well if you can move past your animus towards this president.
2
@Scott K From here in the UK, we are looking on with our mouths hanging open, at the small minority of the country, that thinks Trump is some kind of guru. 'We Love you Mr President'. LOL. In Europe, no one cares a toss about their politicians, and criticise them all day every day.
If this minority are bewitched, I suggest you do some strenuous reading, of Trump's criminal career, his childish demonising of 'the other', and the Mueller Report.
I have no skin in your game, except I have family in the USA, and never having heard of Trump, spent a month researching him. Conclusion: Sociopath, skirts the law, sexual predator, and conman.
4
I agree what Trump said is reprehensible, but it is no basis for impeachment. It was witless to bring such a measure to the floor of the House.
20
The Democrats have ONE JOB. That is to win the 2020 election for president and as much of the senate and house as they can.
I don't think they can win. They are dancing to his tune, and they cannot keep up.
Impeachment at this point is doomed to fail. And it bolsters Trumps chances of winning the election, which right now are considerable. There is no viable opposition to him, despite the fact that every Democrat wants to run for president and then write a book about it.
Welcome to Trumplandia.
16
@Mac
WE THE PEOPLE have one job, and that is voting the GOP out in 2020.
As long as we don't realize that this is a democracy and that WE are the ones responsible for whom is governing us, nothing will ever change.
5
The House Democrat leadership is the most incompetent I've ever seen. Pelosi brags about the hundreds of bills they pass. The hundreds that die immediately in the Senate.
Democratic voters watch in horror as Trump celebrates their ineptitude ay his hate rallies.
The six committees are hard at work? They can't even enforce subpoenas or get answers from administrative witnesses.
So far calls to my rep's office have fallen on deaf ears while crimes are committed daily.
14
@Larry Buchas
While I agree with much that you say, I don't see how the House can be held responsible for the outright criminality of Senate Republicans who care not one bit for working together for the benefit of the country.
8
@ollie Democrats control the House. They have the same power Republicans used when they impeached Clinton.
Susan McDougall was sent to prison for not answering three questions before committee.
Democrats appeared weak in 2010 when Pelosi was speaker. The result was a loss of 63 seats. Her track record speaks for itself.
Many of us were fired up in 2018 and knocked on hundreds of doors. I informed my rep I'm not volunteering this time unless she stands up to Pelosi.
1
I am sickened by Pelosi’s lack of leadership. I am sickened by her fear mongering and refusal to stand up to Trump, thus letting him get away with whatever he wants with impunity. I will be donating to anyone who runs against her in the next election.
6
@Justice4America
Uh ... and what exactly would she have to do before you realize that's she's an outstanding leader?
Any concrete ideas?
1
Now we know that there are only 95 members of the House of Representatives that care about the truth, that care about justice, that are willing to rise above political consideration and vote on what is obvious to any cognizant human being......regardless of whether or not the Senate convicts, WE THE PEOPLE must go on record and impeach this abhorrent person who by nefarious means occupies not only the White House but too much of our time.
10
I am shocked. Surely inciting this behaviour at his rallies is a step too far!!? This behaviour is denigrating America in the world's eyes. Is it not, even now, thought to bringing the role of president into disrepute?
13
Are the Democrats politicians? They shouldn't mention impeachment until they know they can win it.
Instead of blathering on about impeachment and whether Pelosi hurt the feelings of the gang of four, or whose ethnicity or nationality is the best, Dems should grow a spine and be an opposition party. You know, actually do something.
Pass House legislation to solve problems--including especially for red states. Republicans will kill all Dem legislation in the Senate, annoying red-state constituents, and giving the Dems votes. Propose to cut the "defense" budget that is now 60% of U.S. Government spending--and give the savings to solve red state problems. Propose to cap health insurance premiums nationwide at $100 per month.
Or lose, and then go on a post-election "He Shoulda Been Impeached!" tour, bickering all the way.
10
@FR
Democrats in the house are trying to pass legislation to solve problems. All attempts get little if any cooperation from Republicans and when things make it to the Senate, they die there. Republicans will pay no price because of the way districts have been gerrymandered to guarantee Rep seats, because Reps have a strong propaganda arm in Fox and all the right wing radio and because to a lot of people it just feels good to hate others and Trump gives them that opportunity daily.
2
@ollie
You make my point. Democrats have a 235 to 197 majority in the House, but almost all legislation they pass in the House gets killed by the majority-Republican Senate.
So, use Republican recalcitrance to defeat Republicans. Analyze which red state voters could swing to Democrats, and what their issues are, and then pass reasonable legislation in the House to help those voters. Republicans will face the bind of modifying, passing, or killing the legislation. Either way, the Dems win: by having reasonable legislation passed or by swaying red state voters from Republicans who keep killing legislation designed to help red states.
There would be a beneficial side effect: by listening to red state problems, instead of labeling them inane, Dems would understand that some red state voters have legitimate political grievances that are being misdirected into support for Trump and bad public policy.
Alternatively, the Dems can keep on complaining, bickering, criticizing Trump, and moaning about Fox. That gives Trump publicity and alienates red state voters that the Democrats need to sway to win the election, i.e., the Fox audience. That strategy will work as well as Clinton's "basket of deplorables" remark worked.
@FR
I think we’re basically agreeing. I feel there are some Trump voters we can’t reach - the ones who just want someone to hate and to blindly follow but there are some Trump voters who had/have a legitimate complaint with the Democrats and Republicans. I think the 4 women - AOC, Pressley, Omar and Tlaib together with Sanders and Warren are genuinely concerned with the se issues of income inequality, disrespect toward blue collar workers, student debt, environmental degradation, etc...These voters should be able to at least consider voting Democratic but we have to show we can actually deliver and not be so weak kneed and ready to cave at every Trump attack..
Think this through, my fellow citizens:
All it takes to end American democracy is one maniacal person as president, and one Attorney General and 34 Senators aligned with that president. Nothing else.
The Supreme Court have no power over the president if he or she chooses to ignore the court's rulings, and Congress must rely on the Justice Department to enforce its subpoenas and contempt orders, regardless of any victories it may win in court.
Only removal by impeachment conviction can stop a rogue president, and 34 Senators can remove that possibility.
If any president were to chose to ignore our laws and courts that president could do anything whatsoever that a few Executive Branch employees might be willing to carry out. Kids in cages? ICE raids?.... those things could pale if a president decided national security required that all non-white citizens register their whereabouts every two weeks. If a journalist became too outspoken, simply arrest that journalist and declare his paper a terrorist organization.
The only other check on a president is that the Constitution clearly states when a president's term ends. However, reelection should be easy if the FBI were to guard ballot locations in neighborhoods known to be populated by people who hate America, say, for example, NY - 14, and MN - 5.
After two terms, a president could simply throw the power of the incumbency behind a family member, such as a daughter-in-law, and a true dynasty will have been born.
5
Trump is running rings around the Democrats and MSM. It's time for people to stand up. We need a national day of racial co-operation and tolerance. We need to march together with dignity and in silent strength. No chanting, just walking in silence for peace and tolerance. We need to take the high ground. We must be peaceful. Antifa should stay home, being violent angry and destructive plays into Trump's hands. We are better than this.
7
@Linda
Perhaps you have missed the White House events, at which there have been many displays of racial cooperation and tolerance. One that springs to mind is the celebration of the passage of the First Step Act. Another is the celebration of the renewal of the Second Chance Act.
This is why charges of racism fall flat. People overly fixate on a comment and ignore the real progress this White House had made to help inmates.
1
The four are from different countries -- they don't share a "country of origin."
@George
Three of them do. It is the United States.
13
@George. They are all products of our school system. Truly frightening.
2
The only reason the Dems don't want to impeach is so they can cast constant aspersions against our great president. The thinking is if they impeach and WHEN the impeachment is canned in the Senate, then they will have fired their last bullet, but by constantly crying wolf and whimpering (i.e. let's impeach) they can try to wear Trump down. I hope the DEMS go down to severe defeat in 2020.
10
As a Democrat I think it’s best to not be a Democrat and leave pelosis party because they are ineffective.
8
What is a congressman "of color"? What does that mean? Which colors? How do I decide if my congressman is of blue, or of green, or of red, etc.?
11
@Jonathan Katz: Look up the definition of “Person of color”, e.g., in Wikipedia.
Why hasn't Trump been impeached? Why?
To the rest of the normal world looking in at his language and actions it's clear he is not fit for office as president of the United States. He has surrounded himself with those that are willing to be complicit in questionable activity, outright racism and cringe worthy narcism. Appreciating the past history of impeachment hasn't always worked well, but surely it's worth using the impeachment tool as a way have a nationwide conversation about Trump, the potential crimes and his insecure government?
I'm from the UK, and God knows we've got our own problems, Brexit, Boris, the imploding Labour party... The list goes on. But even with all of those problems, the check and balance system of government is still in place. It feels like that check and balance system in the US is broken currently. The US should be a shining beacon of democracy, it's a country I admire in so many ways, the US needs to show that it is capable of challenging bullies like Trump to keep it's standing in the world. Impeachment proceedings need to happen to show the rest of the world that the US is not afraid.
8
The amusing thing: is it likely these 4 women that make up the squad, are only in office directly or indirectly due to Trump.
If he wasn't there would they be there?
6
The problem for the Left, in the UK and US, is that they are far too divided and can't organise themselves to come out with a coherent message. Only last week the 'squad'were gunning for Pelosi (and lucky for the Dems Trump's racist tweet was enough to distract them like kids and glitter). All conservatives have to do to deny the Left any access to power is throw a juicy bone into the pit and watch the Dems/Labour eat themseles in a frothing fury. Trump and the Conservatives in the UK should be the easiest take over for any opposition party int he history of politics, but the Left on either side of the pond continually fail to dent their armour..why? Either a) because the people in general agree with Trump/Cons or b) the disunited Left (or both?)
7
Impeachment means nothing today because it's viewed as a tool of revenge by one disgruntled political party trying to get rid of a president they don't approve of. Look at how desperate the Republicans were to impeach Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Now it's the Democrats turn to play the impeachment card against Donald Trump.
7
If you fail twice and the ground under the issue has not shifted, why waste the House of Representatives time by running the impeachment proposal up the flagpole for a third time?
Representative Green wound up providing aid and comfort to Trump, which was surely not his intention.
Get smart, Democrats.
2
I guess Al Green didn’t get the memo that you’re at least supposed to get a sense of your own constituents’ support before trying to pass something through. This wasn’t defeated by Republicans, it was defeated by Democrats. Shameful and embarrassing, and another major setback for our fragmented party, which is seemingly incapable of bringing down the most obviously corrupt president in modern US history. Of all the myriad and potentially impeachable offenses on Trumps record, including separating mothers from their children at borders (arguably a crime against humanity), Green chooses to file this motion 24 hours after a racist tweet, one of thousands at this point, thereby ignoring the bigger picture and simultaneously setting a precedent of impeachment failure via ill-conceived, unorganized, hasty and emotionally driven negligence. Total misfire. He failed to pass a motion to even pursue impeachment by his own party, in a Democrat majority house, and now any subsequent attempt at impeachment, no matter how valid, will be that much harder to gain traction.
4
Reports such as this one play into Trump's demagogic purposes. They suggest Democrats are in disarray, which is not a fact but simply the reporters' opinion. And because it is in the Times, it becomes a fact, as Trump makes claims he has defeated the Democrats.
3
@S H 100% of the Republicans voted not to impeach Trump while only 95 of the Democrats voted to impeach. I would say the Democrats are in disarray. FYI the Democrats also just voted to kill Obamacare yesterday, I guess you missed that
The way to handle trump is to make clear what a malign person he is, who has no idea how the government works, and just wants to do what suits him.
The one thing that he cannot stomach is criticism and being told he is a failure. His ego can't handle that, and he will react badly (possibly flip out) if he is relentlessly attacked on his incompetence.
As regards trump personally, we need to remind people of his record:
1. failed businessman, with 6 bankruptcies;
2. bigot with a long list of outrageous statements and activities (from the 1970s to today);
3. morally corrupt (Access Hollywood tape, many other examples);
4. terrible negotiator who tears up agreements and has no replacements for them;
5. fiscally irresponsible, with a TRILLION dollar annual deficit;
6. shows utter disregard for the law and the Constitution;
7. cozies up to dictators (Putin, Xi, Kim, Erdogan) and insults leaders of democracies (UK, Germany, France)
8. is unfit to serve as POTUS.
He need to hear, on tv, in the press, in public discussion, all of his failings.
On the rational side, the Democrats need to point out that under trump, no manufacturing jobs are coming back from anywhere, no coal mining jobs have come back, and people who were economically marginalized are still economically marginalized.
They also need to explain that the Republicans are trying, by way of a law suit, to kill the ACA, root and branch, and they have no replacement if they succeed.
4
Impeachment, as immediate action, would accomplish nothing. We already know the Senate will never convict.
Impeachment only has value under the current political reality as a process.
Impeachment hearings, conducted over time, can be used to expose Trump’s crimes, and to change the national discourse from outrage over Trump’s daily tweet to a serious condemnation of criminality and the costs to national security. Then, when the Senate fails to convict, they go on record as supporters of a criminal regime.
Yes, we need to impeach. But the goal isn’t to remove Trump. The goal is the theater that exposes him, and the Republican Party, in bright, unforgiving daylight.
Then, we win the election.
And if we don’t win the election, at least we don’t go down in history as disorganized unfocused cowards obsessed with infighting, who failed to defend our country with every tool at our disposal.
5
Given the destructiveness the political process has arrived at - will there be elections in 2020?
1
@Thomas H.
Yes, they will be. Despite the best efforts of flamethrowers who keep trying to scare people into believing otherwise.
1
Had the Democrats been 'successful' in its move to impeach Trump because of his hostile comments on the squad, it would be really a joke. Should the move be successful it blights the fact that, it is a normal thing for opposing groups to clash in politics. To bring down a president due to exacerbated retorts represents the inability of (American) politics to 'move on' during challenging times. Particularly when decisions are encumbered by opposing forces. Since the dynamic of the squad is titillating hostile and aggressive, and your president, the same--so this can only be the outcome. They both (squad vs. president) are baying on the tones of gutter politics. They both (squad and president) have lack of class.
7
"toning down the vicious language that led to the impeachment attempt. ".
I have terrible news for you :
There is nothing "vicious" in his language if you quote his whole sentence, which of course you don't do since you have no interest in fair analysis.
And even worse news for you : a majority of Americans agree with his thinking on the matter, as the next poll figures will show ..
6
The thing is, is that his base doesn’t actually expect him to accomplish anything, really. “Lock her up!” “Build the wall!” “Send them back!” and the rest are just community chants. Slogans they all scream in unison. They don’t care whether or not he does them.
his base doesn’t really care about the economy, or whether or not he brings back manufacturing industries and jobs, whether he brings peace (or war), whether or not he cleans up or destroys the environment. None of it matters to them - he can never disappoint them. As trump said, he could go out on Fifth Avenue and shoot someone dead, they wouldn’t care. As long as he continues to spew the hate and fear which they love, he’ll remain their champion.
4
When there is a Donnybrook on the floor of the House, then you will know a semblance of democracy has returned to the United States. Donald Trump is the ultimate democrat, he puts the issues in stark relief!
Epstein, the contents of his safe, and honest prosecutors may be the US’s only hope.
3
This vote was neither a victory for Trump nor Pelosi. She has brushed off the number of House Democrats who want to begin preliminary impeachment hearings... but the vote today was 95 to proceed. That is a message to Ms. Pelosi that she needs to take action for impeachment. Trump threatened retaliation against Republicans if they voted for this and he didn't get a full house in his bet. But Trump's defectors had nothing to lose. We need to proceed toward impeachment!
1
Pelosi has a duty to impeach Trump. She has a duty to lay out the evidence to the American people. Whether or not the Senate decides to convict is irrelevant. What is vital is that the American people be allowed to see if the Senate's decision is just and right in the face of the evidence presented. I think we what the answer will be to that.
1
@FilmMD: So if you want to go from A to B but there is a brick wall in between, you just run headlong into that brick wall. I see...
1
I don't think Nancy Pelosi is against impeachment. She hates Trump as much as anybody on earth. I think she is against impeachment NOW, IMMEDIATELY. There is a time to start these proceedings, and that time will be a few months down the line, just as Trump's is getting his re-election campaign really started up.
There are enough investigations going on against Trump at the moment, and all these investigations are collecting ammo, every day, every week. The Democrats aren't standing still on this matter. They are building their case, a case that will target the hearts and minds of swing voters and moderate (haha) Republicans.
Using impeachment proceedings against Trump to derail his campaign will be a more powerful weapon than doing it now for surely symbolic reasons: in effect - having Mitch McConnell say yes or no to impeachment - i.e. no - and energizing his base and "exonerating" him.
1
I hope this is just the first vote to impeach the President. The current racist tweets are not the worst of his abuses of power.
I'm glad that 95 voted to impeach on this alone. But over time, I hope that the 10 counts of obstruction of justice become the subject of another vote. I know that the number of people who vote to impeach will grow over time.
I don't care how many votes it takes. Keep up the investigations, keep up the pressure, and keep compiling the evidence. I support all the Democrats with their diverse opinions on which way to go forward... We each have to push in our own way....
2
Tactics and strategy-wise, even Nancy seems to be have faltered a bit. So maybe it is Trump next time too.
Or who knows ? The basic decency and fair mindedness that is ingrained in the American citizens may well see to Trump being thrown out of the WH. After all America is not its politicians but its citizens.
Trump is so focused on beating the politicians at their own game, that he has forgotten he got in because he was not a politician and that is why the voters who wanted a change voted for an anti establishment guy.
Now that Trump stands for the establishment, who knows he may have paved the way for his own defeat ?
1
Donald trump is playing the Democrats like a fiddle. They have to be careful and not take the distraction bait. Otherwise he is going to get re elected. Democrats have to speak to the people.
4
Thank God for Nancy Pelosi's steadfast leadership. Otherwise, Trump would have definitely been reelected as President. Impeachment, will not work. Let the American people decide on 2020, keep or kicked?? we will now by the end of 2020.
I understand why the Democrats don’t want to impeach. They are following the wishes of the public.
I don’t understand why a supermajority of the public are ok with not impeaching.
Every day that impeachment is off the table is another day of norm-busting chaos. We can only ignore the fire in kitchen for so long.
Those of us who want to see Donald J. Trump finally brought to Justice will not stand for allowing the Speaker and the so called moderate Democratic leadership in the US House to permanently table the Impeachment Resolution.
So as long as Speaker Pelosi has not abandoned the impeachment resolution entirely she can bide her time and present the resolution when other discovery measures have borne fruit and and provided additional evidence.
However the reality is that Speaker Pelosi cannot allow the criminality of the current occupant of the office of POTUS to ultimately go unchallenged and retain any creditability with the voters.
The argument against having a formal impeachment inquiry is that it will inflame the Republican base?
And, that somehow, the six committee investigations won't?
Seems to me that there's an argument that Pelosi's strategy is designed to avoid strong turnout among Trump's 42%, while taking strong turnout among the other 58% for granted.
But it's more nuanced than that. It focuses on how the impeachment inquiry might affect voter turnout in swing states - compared to the current approach.
On balance, I think the Fox News viewers are going to turn out, no matter what. They can't get significantly angrier. And, the same could be said for the anti Trump vote.
Which means, it's a wash. So, do the right thing and do the formal inquiry.
2
Watched a documentary on John Glenn on PBS tonight. In the part about his days as a Senator, there was footage of people on the Mall in DC, enjoying our Capital. Peaceful scenes. A time of respect for our government and pride in our nation...when we had government that for the most part was for the people. All that seems so foreign to me now.
28
Pelosi's plan to prevent election distraction is morally bankrupt and fails to honor the purpose of impeachment. Much like the democrats bungled the last election by denying Sanders a fair shot, this tactic will fail as he wins re-election with no part of the legislature holding him to account.
Pelosi is wrong. She has to go.
13
@Reasonable
Be reasonable. You have a strong point about the failure to honor the purpose of impeachment, but Sanders was given a fair shot - now he's getting a second one - and though Pelosi is wrong, she doesn't have to "go." She just has to change course. We all do. If Trump doesn't warrant impeachment, it's as empty a provision as it seemed when Clinton was impeached about lying to congress about his sex life.
3
There are things about this country that these women don't like and rather than encourage them to put their complaints in the form of legislation and put it up for a vote Trump wants them to leave the country that they love. Trump wants an end to legislation unless he dictates it. If you happen to have an idea that doesn't fit with his then he would sooner expel you and given another term he may do just that. The logical goal of his presidency is an end to individual freedoms in America. His supporters don't realize that simply attending his rallies will not protect them.
Hey, MAGA crowd if you reelect him you will never be allowed to complain again. He loves dictators and the more violent they are the deeper his praise for them. They are his ideal.
When that day comes that you meet your maker you will be given the thing you most love , a Trump rally that goes on and on for eternity.
15
Much the same thing was said by the Republicans about FDR. Welcome to greatness!
3
It’s those people at his rallies that truly terrify me.
66
@slogan This is the problem!
@slogan They terrify me too. Who are these hate-filled people?
Won’t fizzle next time. This was just the batting cage warm up. Next time they’ll roll this one into the revised articles of impeachment. You go SQUAD!
10
An election defeat is not a mechanism for Presidential justice. Impeachment is the mechanism for holding a President to account. Pelosi is wrong and her actions are negligent. The USA has become a banana republic.
10
President Trump is going to have no end of political advantage in the 2020 election and the Democrats keep giving him fuel for the fire. The Democrats really do not understand how wacko they are--great for the GOP. Remember the Mondale defeat--well the Democrat will lose in 2020 by about the same margin.
17
The failure of impeachment shows both how weak a tool it is as well as how foolish most of the members of congress in the democratic party have become. Not even the impeachment of A.Johnson and Dick Nixon ever approached the possibility of an actual removal. Nixon left office voluntarily-as did Johnson 100 years before. Johnson left the congress to sit on it's thumbs until the GOP gave up on reconstruction and sold it's soul for a continued Presidency at the price of allowing the Southern traitors to reenter the Union on their own terms-obtaining everything they desired but a re-legalization of slavery.
The Democrats need to realize they have been living in a hallucination in the DC area, where few people care or know what ordinary Americans are thinking.
The only way that Trump will be excised from the White House is by a powerful middle of the road coalition, not threatening the money changers and capitalists. The US has far more serious problems now then just Trump-we are about to enter a period of permanent disater-annual 500 year floods throughout the South-fires that rage all over the West all year , every year and heat waves like the Russians and French now suffer.
We need a non threatening , non entity like Biden who can blather on about nothing, scaring no one. Truth hurts sometimes.
6
@meloop Johnson failed conviction by ONE vote in the Senate. I would say that came pretty close to actual removal.
So Rep. Al Greene wanted to impeach the president for his "statements." Not anything in the mueller report, not obstruction of justice, not getting us into a war under false pretenses (oh, wait, that was Bush) -- simply for his speech. For criticizing four members of Congress. What kind of precedent did this set? The executive is a co-equal branch of the government, I would remind Congress, and impeaching a president for speaking words against some members would be the definition of a constitutional crisis. And typical of the third world counties we are constantly being warned by the left that we're descending to.
16
The Democratic Party & The US Media are naively ballooning publicity for Donald Trump by endlessly harping on his provocative tweets. The US Media’s hunger for the ridiculous has drowned every semblance of National Importance in its Reporting. The Democratic Party has too little Value for its own National Priorities to pursue them with energy & drive. Atleast they can learn from Donald Trump how to set the National Agenda & engage the American people’s mindspace.
14
Somewhere in that rally of his tonight, is the next atrocious hate crime waiting to happen.
If I'm tasked with FBI profiling, I'd have files on every attendee...
Yeah, it smacks of Hover 1960s paranoia... but am I wrong?
18
@J - It also smacks of 1930's rallies
3
What is the Democrat's long-game? This is our 73 year old President today:
"“Well there’s a lot of talk [about the fact] that she was married to her brother,” he said. “I know nothing about it, I hear that she was married to her brother, you’re asking me a question about it. I don’t know but I’m sure that somebody would be looking at that.”
He knows nothing of this- but states it is a fact.
What do we do?
14
@Candlewick
Investigate it? Sounds like a crime to me.
1
The press should stop reacting to trump. Pay him no attention. Ask him no questions. Don’t play his game. There are too many important things to get done. Concentrate on the positive, not the negative. The press is playing into trumps hand and he is loving it. Ignore him .. no press conferences. Don’t give him a platform for his bigotry.
12
The Dems must confront Trump and the Republican Party on their hatred of the U.S.
Disagree that their actions reflect hatred?
Acting to destroy what generations of citizens and soldiers built isn’t love, it’s hatred.
Chasing citizens out because they disagree with one’s actions, are female, of color, or a different religion is unconstitutional and violates American values.
Defying the Constitution and demolishing up to 200+ years of precedent, practice, law, and regulation reflects a deep-seated hatred for what this country represents, a majority of its people believe in, and its founders and veterans fought for.
8
So the Democrats, failing to impeach, resort to symbolic politics to govern their own party, instead of actually doing anything of substance.
I'm supposed to vote for THAT?
16
"What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?"
7
Someone has to stand up for this country and we all know the Republicans are too spineless to do it. Dem's no one signs up to be a hero or a martyr the occasion just presents itself. If you don't do something about Trump no one will.
3
@Jennifer: Any suggestions? Within legal limits, that is?
There are 6 House investigations of Trump underway. And more in New York and Washington. The results may be completed next year. In an election year, Trump will be awashed with accusations, all with evidence. Then let the people decide.
Meanwhile, let's see what Barr does, especially when he turns the DOJ into a Dept of Injustice.
2
I honestly believe Trump is in the middle of a full blown psychosis. This is not the behavior of a normal man not even the behavior of a normal Republican.
25
I firmly believe that reports, photos and video showing Trump supporters chanting “go back” and other indisputably vituperative slogans will work against him big time in the next election. For this reason, I sincerely hope that he keeps it up.
5
I have long felt that the comparison of Trump to Hitler is facile and misinformed. So too, the all-purpose, knee-jerk cries of "fascism." Trump is a symptom of entirely home-grown and perennial American problem. We don't need to go abroad looking for analogies.
That said, the lynch-mob cries of "send them back" was reminiscent of the mass-hysteria evoked by Goebbels in his "Total War" speech. What counts here are not the words themselves but rather the aroused heedlessness of consequences that the words evoked. "Bring it on!" "Send them back" are simply the articulations of mass brutishness.
That said again, Trump himself *does* have the Nazis in mind. His concluding remarks repeatedly referring to our "movement" (Ger. "Bewegung") was straight from the Nazi lexicon. His evocation of "one movement... one people, one family, one glorious nation under god" was a transparent adaptation of the slogan "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer."
Trump has gone beyond tolerable sloganeering. It is up to privileged, ruling elites of this country in Congress, in the courts, in the press, in academe and among religious denominations to unequivocally repudiate this man. If they do not, history will hold them to account for the consequences -- for the ruination of American civil society and the planet.
37
Yes, I think it's good to keep on our trail of creating and passing good legislation. It's important for the public to know where we stand, and to be prepared to overcome Republican vetoes once we get true lawmakers into office to pass as much as them as possible ASAP.
However, I think it's also good to rack up as many censures and votes on conscience on impeachment as possible all the while pressing investigation and testimony toward impeachment.
Why must these things be mutually exclusive?
14
And while Trump is ripping up our Constitution and our country, twenty Democrats are brawling among themselves. Twenty politicians, some of whom have no chance whatsoever, not by any measure of reality, to win the nomination yet insist on taking up space on the debate stage, siphoning money from more viable candidates, and worst of all, weakening each other by unwarranted name-calling. (Oh, and let's not forget that some of these people have day jobs they're neglecting to pursue personal ambitions.)
The American era of world political leadership may be coming to an end, and if this is the best we can do it deserves to.
11
Al Green says what...?
1
Trump is all the media focuses on. The US public would definitely like to know about the laws that the House is passing related to employment, healthcare, and otherwise, all of which are far more relevant than Trump's latest manipulative tweets. Publishing every nasty thing he says as though it is important and newsworthy gives him exactly what he wants and harms the country as a whole.
13
@TPH
FYI
Enacted
February 15, 2019: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, Pub.L. 116–6, H.J. 31
March 12, 2019: John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, Pub.L. 116–9, S. 47
Proposed
For the People Act of 2019, H.R. 1
Equality Act, H.R. 5
Green New Deal, H.Res. 109
SAFE Banking Act of 2019, H.R. 1595
Taxpayer First Act of 2019, H.R. 1957
Vetoed
March 15, 2019: Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019. (H.J.Res. 46)
April 16, 2019: A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. (S.J.Res. 7
5
@TPH: He's the President of the United States, not some regrettable relative that you can pointedly ignore, or some creepy drunk where we can decide to leave and find a nicer bar. He's not going to simmer down if he isn't criticized, he's just going to crank it up higher. It's disgusting and stupid, but we have to respond, and maybe quicker and louder would be better. It's uncharted territory, and nothing suggests that ignoring him will make things better.
5
It shows how far the Republican Party has degenerated that it is willing to turn a blind eye to language so racist that it exceeds anything George Wallace was saying when he ran as a segregationist in 1968.
It's funny that those who claim to be such strict adherents to Christianity apparently don't believe there will ever be a reckoning for their moral depravity.
26
At the Trump rally in NC, the American-flag-attired crowd chanted a new slogan today: send her back!
How chilling is that ...?
34
@AH
Crude and rude but funny. Reminded me of Speaker Pelosi's "Make America White Again."
1
During Trump's rally he touted a long list of accomplishments, several of which I had not heard previously. For example, I think he may have claimed already to have provided better healthcare than Obama did. I wonder which of these claims are accurate and why I had not heard of them previously.
3
Here's the problem as I see it. Pelosi and other Democrats are treating Trump like he's a career politician He's not. Never has been never will be. He's like a mobster. One of the heads of the 5 families. You gotta take it down to street level with him. He wants a fight you give him one. Fight fire with fire. I would suggest that Pelosi and other Democrats watch The Godfather. From that movie they can learn how to deal with Don Trump.First lesson. Keep your friends close,and your enemies closer. Cardinal rule in the mob. Second, make him an offer he can't refuse. Put a horses head in his bed. Show him you mean business. Thirdly. it's just business not personal. He wants to act like a gangster. Treat him like one.
10
@Charles: All great metaphors, but what are they metaphors for, that's the question. This guy doesn't even have a dog, let alone a horse.
4
@John Bergstrom That may be true. But my point is he acts like a mobster. His mindset and mentality is rooted in the way the mob thinks and deals with people and situations. So,you have get down and fight him on street level. Stop thinking like a politician. Because he's not one and doesn't think or act like one.
Trump and his followers have turned into a mob of women hating frothing racists, hating on Hillary first, then Nancy, and now the four Congressional newbies. Theses sorts of public hate fests usually end up very badly for nations--I'm thinking Germany and Rwanda.
16
Dems, why tabled this if you are not going to pass it? Now it looks like a majority of your party does not want to move against the Racist in Chief. When are you guys going to start learning how to win? Your opponents, the GOPs are not here to play by the rules of the game. If you really want to save the country, learn how to win first.
5
So this is the America we should all express our undying loyalty to? The America of racist, rabid, mobs crying for blood? That's not America; more like AmeriKKKa.
Trump's rallies are right out of 1930's Germany. At this point, there isn't any punishment too great that the Universe can bestow upon Donald Trump for his actions. Same for his enablers.
28
We are with you, Sir Doctor Congressman Albert Green, Esquire the Third (his new formal title). What does Pelosi do with her power? Nothing. She does nothing. But doing nothing is what gives Trump his power. Republicans do nothing, say nothing to abuse after abuse amd it gives Trump, feeds Trump his maniacal power. And Pelosi does the same, OUT OF FEAR, not out of virtue. And we all van see it. There is only one course: put the would-be "king" in check. Check, check, check by holding impeachment hearings. In chess, when you check the king, you gain the initiative. I just can't tell you how idiotic Pelosi is. The Democrats will lose in 2020, they will lose all branches of government again, by being wimps without virtue. I swear by god we will lose again unkess we hold Trump to account by impeachment hearings. Just EXPLORE what he has done and shine a spotlight on it. You don't even need to vote to impeach. Just hold the hearings Nancy.
6
Sometimes I think Congressman Green is working for Trump. I just can't understand why he and some Democrats lack the basic political instincts and smarts. Don't make Trump the victim by winning the impeachment debacle. Vote him out in 2020.
10
The cheers and chants at Trump's rally this evening and his view of the events of the past several days--which he orchestrated via his Twitter rants--reveal harsh realities we need to face if we hope to rid ourselves of this incompetent, vulgar, man and the incivility he fosters. What if we stopped making Trump the center of the daily news cycle and focused instead on crucial issues like health, environment, jobs, equality etc. that really matter and that Trump harms or neglects? Let him wallow with Fox news and his Twitter during his "Executive time" while the adults focus on restoring and renewing our country. He CRAVES our attention; he manufactures conflicts to keep all eyes--and all media "news"--on him. Isolate him. This is eerily similar to the primary season of 2016, which was all Trump, all the time--now we suffer with the results. His supporters and enablers will not change. We need to move forward by isolating the bully and focusing on a positive vision of the future.
11
Last Tuesday, there was a Resolution by the Democrats to condemn Mr. Trump, for his attacks on the four Congresswomen.
This recent Impeachment Resolution, which was defeated, has no weight, and could be seen as a duplication of the previous Resolution.
Ms. Pelosi has a reason for not supporting any impeachment resolution, at this time. It is better for the Democrats to follow the leader. Stay on course with the Agenda - that is what the people will be more concerned about.
4
The Yale study is significantly out of sync with DHS statistics and has been widely criticized.
Relative to the total population, according to the latest DHS numbers, about 3.7 percent of persons in the United States were in the country illegally in 2015-16. The biggest single cause was overstaying visas. Most were here many years.
All elected Democrats in Congress and running for President support secure borders and following the law. Democrats and most Senate Republicans supported comprehensive immigration reform legislation in 2013, but House Republicans refused to vote on it. Trump Republicans controlled Congress for two years and did nothing on immigration.
The law now requires asylum hearings for applicants, which are severely backlogged. This has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis at the border, which has also been the result of recent surge in applicants. An obvious solution is increasing the number of asylum judges to reduce the backlog. Trump has rejected this remedy.
4
I really don't see why this legislative incident should cause much discord among Democrats. The impeachment article filed by Rep. Green was an obvious and understandable protest against a president who has turned to increasingly explicit racial demagoguery to maintain his hold on power. I'm sure nearly all Democrats agree with the eloquent words of Rep. Green's impeachment article. But even he surely knew that it would not be approved by the House and that it alone would not be the basis for Trump's impeachment. So let's just take it as a symbolic cry of despair from the many Americans who feel disparaged by this president, and get back to laying the legal and evidentiary basis for Trump's actual impeachment. Perhaps Rep. Green's article will be incorporated as one of the long list of offenses Trump should, and I believe eventually will, be impeached for.
7
@fbraconi: Absolutely right: people act as if Rep. Green was proposing to stop paying any attention to the upcoming election, and instead to bet all the political capital on his single impeachment bill, which lost, so that's the end of the world. But no, that's not how it works: a vote was taken, and names were recorded, and it didn't take very long. At least it's in the official records that a substantial number of representatives felt that Trump's disgusting words were worth more than just an expression of regret. For the president of the United States to tell people to go back where they came from is more significant than some creep ranting in a bar.
2
Impeach Trump when a majority of Republicans and a super majority of all voters want him to go. Otherwise it will not succeed.
Investigation for possible impeachment is the only sensible move at this point.
Impeachment efforts like this one are counter productive.
2
"Democrats put off — at least for now — a prolonged and divisive debate over whether Mr. Trump’s conduct warrants his expulsion."
Wait a minute! Is there any question among Democrats whether Trump's conduct warrants expulsion from his office? Conduct before and throughout his 2 1/2 years in office?
The only question is Constitutional duty vs. end result of a dysfunctional Senate refusing to convict Trump.
3
I, like many Americans, am continually disheartened and disappointed at the lack of outrage, corrective action, or even signs of concern in the vast majority of Republican members of congress. Except for a handful of people (4) they are unswervingly following their "leader" regardless of how contemptuous and destructive his behaviour is. I doubt this will change. What CAN change is that the Democrats can unite, put their differences aside and provide a united front as never before. If that happens, they can defeat Trump. They HAVE to pull together. If they continue to appear to be in disarray, they won't have a chance, and neither will democracy.
5
Yet Again, With High Stakes, the Dems Fail to See Clearly.
I've wearied of them. I'll show up to vote but do nothing else.
The impeachment crowd is blind or selfish
The impeachment crowd and the crowd that is pushing race talk to the virtual exclusion of good jobs talk, education talk, health care talk and infrastructure talk on cable TV and elsewhere will doom America.
I'm very, very weary of the Dems.
4
Obviously chants of “send her back” about an American citizen are simply beyond the pale. It is an insane caricature of a farce brought to real life. I live in Omar’s district. She is young, inexperienced and not terribly knowledgeable. Her criticism of the US is without solid grounding in the facts, and also without a solid moral foundation. Not only does she denigrate the economy and military that not only saved her family, it saved the world more than once. Including right now. She also denigrates US people. She deserves censure. But it does not mean that joking about throwing her out of her home, the USA, is effective or useful or funny. It is a vulgar notion, a zero value stunt. Does it justify new socialism, no.
4
Impeachment begins at the ballot box. Let's do that. As for his followers, most had never voted before; and, those educated and uneducated will be coming back in 2020. Let's hope that the people with values and goodness vote.
1
The House should vote to impeach on every ground, every time the occupant of the White House does something to warrant it, obstructing justice, emoluments clause, coordinating with foreign power during election, blatant racism and bigotry, inciting violence against members of Congress (in my opinion this just happened at his rally in NC. It will happen again and again. It's the new rallying cry). There is no reason all Dem members of the House should not support the efforts unanimously. It's not about will it ultimately get rid of him. It's about do his actions warrant it? Without a doubt, they do. It's about making a historical record. It's about having a clear message about where we stand. Right now we seem to be standing in whatever corner he has pushed us to.
6
Reinforcing bad behavior with (media and political) attention only makes it worse. It's time for Democrats to put Trump in good old "time-out" and and get back the policy changes that matter to the public. If we continue to let his tantrums dominate the American "family" we will suffer for four more years. Can we ignore his meaningless tweets designed only to incite and manipulate? Remember, the one thing narcissistic people cannot stand is lack of attention.
4
The New York Times appears to have softened the headline of this story at about 12:00 a.m., but there is plenty more of their "deep divisions" narrative to make up for it. Many of us appear to have fallen for it. The fact is that the House is drafting and passing important legislation, while the Trump administration continues to dismantle health care, environmental protections, and many other things people care about. I am resisting their narrative, and encourage other supporters of the Democratic party to do the same.
4
Every time I hear more Democratic talk of impeachment, I hear a song from Hamilton: "You don't have the votes, you don't have the votes, you're gonna need Congressional approval and you don't have the votes."
5
If you don’t love the US, you don’t have to leave it. That false dilemma/logical fallacy goes back to at least the Vietnam War.
2
It is painfully clear that our laws and institutions can not protect America from such a blatantly corrupt president and administration.
Indeed, Trump can shoot someone on 5th Ave and get away with it.
Voting him out is our last chance to rid ourselves of this toxic group of human beings.
1
You defeat Trump & Co. by 100% blackout of his twitter account and his sound bytes in all reputable news sources, and then putting up good candidates to take the back the Senate and the White House.
The rest of this only makes him and his cohorts more hateful and destructive to the country.
4
I don't understand. Are you elected Democrats determined to lose the next election? Don't take the bait. Stay focused on the long goal and America's best interests. Remind yourselves hourly that Trump is a distractor and manipulator and improviser who benefits from the chaos he generates. Ignore the idiocy and the racket and the endless contradictions and lies. Ignore him most of all. Stick to the issues. When the noise gets louder like this, it's just Trump trying to distract attention from his own record. Don't let him do it. Stay the course. Aim for the next election.
8
Have those advocating in favor of the impeachment resolution today read it? I just did again. Generally it says that Trump’s tweets and statements against congresspersons and immigrants render him unfit for office. Nothing on Russia, obstruction of justice, perjury, etc. Just the tweets and statements. Disgusting and repugnant as they are, do those tweets and statements rise to the level of “high crimes and misdemeanors”?? Lets get the real scoop on Russia, obstruction, and perjury and impeach Trump for his real crimes.
8
Yes, of course. play up the Democrats' "split" on the front page. No hop for 2020 so long as the NYT and the other members of the "responsible" media continue to play the infuriating game of false equivalency while our Rome burns.
5
The Democratic Party will not return to its former status as a centrist institutional party. We are in the midst of a populist surge on both the left and the right, which responds to a correct public instinct that government is closed to us. Voters from both the right and left are correct on this one point.
The government does protect those of us, including the NYT demographic, who have investments in stocks or housing.
The young and the disenfranchised were let down when Bernie Sanders was sabotaged by the DNC. They still talk about it. They sent the new members to Congress, including the Squad. Don't lecture them.
No candidate who focuses on some kind of vague centrist position can defeat Trump. Only a visionary can. The Party needs to negotiate with and adopt the positions of the progressives in order to have a unity candidate who will promote an economic bill of rights…aggressively. Focus on security. This is a non-divisive issue.
14
Wise words. Very wise words.
And I like "an economic bill of rights"—more inclusive than "an economic New Deal".
Sounds fundamental and tectonic—an Economic Bill of Rights. Let's go with it.
3
@srwdm
Tectonic is a beautiful word for change that is beneath the radar of institutions.
1
Don't waste your time on futile impeachment proceedings. Spend all your energy and focus on winning in 2020, the House, the Senate, and the White House. Then you can have the new attorney general pursue Trump and his entourage for their crimes, and send them from the White House to the Big House.
15
@Laurence Hauben
The problem is the Senate. And we've got too many Senators running for president and not enough attention to the un-democratic institution known as the Senate.
No control of the Senate = logjam.
And impeachment proceedings are not "futile" in galvanizing and drawing attention to what we are having to deal with right now.
1
Racism and racist comments, and bigotry and bigoted comments are horrible and grotesque and no model for any of our or the world's people. Unless, however, they are intentionally uttered in order to incite physical violence or other criminality, or are uttered with gross negligence to the imminent risk of sparking the same, do they truly constitute the type of high crimes and
misdemeanors that impeachment was/is meant to mitigate against?
What Trump said and all that it implied are despicable; but to my mind he already has done far worse and promises to do far worse in the future. This particular type of trumpian verbal diarrhea soils not only him but also our dear nation, but it doesn't strike me as the impeachment sword on which Dems or other non-trumpians would or should fall on.
6
I hope that this refusal to impeach trump by the 145 congresspersons means that they are taking up criminal charges against him. If it is anything short of this, we better start relying on our junior statespersons to act according to the rule of law rather then policial angling. Out with the party liners and in with representatives of the people for the people.
6
Maybe the Second Amendment people could do something, I don't know.
1
@HXB They are freshman Congresspersons - in office 6 months. A little too soon for their aggressiveness in that we have an election coming up. Wonder if they realize they do as well.
3
What makes people think that if Trump is NOT impeached he will lose the election? Can't the Democrats pursue policies and impeach Trump at the same time? If not, that's very pathetic. Impeaching Trump is the right, just thing to do after all of his alleged criminal behavior. Letting him slide sends a dangerous message that in the end the president is above the law. Is that what we want?
8
Trump’s rallies have gone from thousands of angry white men screaming “Lock Her Up” to thousands screeching tonight “Send Her Back.” Think of it, thousands of men screaming their hatred and threats and intimidation at individual women. The brave hearts of MAGA never screech their hatred at men. Think of it. Are we become a nation of low lifes to harbor such a thing on such a scale? To see this as anything but cowardly physical intimidation? To see thousands of big, strong, patriotic men bruting on a single woman?
13
Was this impeachment article focused only Trump's recent comments? There is a long list of offenses. Violations of the emoluments clause, openly inviting interference of a hostile foreign power, obstruction of justice, abuse of power that resulted in the abuse of children and adults at the border, illegal campaign contributions, attempts to threaten, intimidate, and silence the 1st amendment rights of the press, etc.
Any resolution needs to be complete and focused on what he has done in violation of Federal laws, the Constitution, and international laws. Basing it only on his comments would be foolish and not even touch on his incompetence, corruption and abuse of power, which are the real issues.
5
@Luci. Yes it was.
2
DNC Politburo: Losers. Can't even get a vote to condemn Trump for "inflammatory" free speech to pass. Can't wait for the next DNC debate. More self-inflicted wounds coming?
5
@Alices Restaurant
Perhaps you missed this part of another current NYT article: "House Holds Barr and Ross in Contempt"
Read it and weep.
3
@Alice’s. It did pass.
3
The 2020 election is the Democrats' to lose. And they're going to...
12
Why is this and most other NYT articles half reporting and half Op Ed?
“But in recent days, thanks to Mr. Trump’s penchant for stirring up the hottest of political controversies and simmering divisions within their own ranks, House Democrats have not seemed to be able to get out of their own way.”
That is pure opinion!
14
I agree. "It seems" is an indicator that the article contains he author's opinion, as does, I think, the florid language.
7
@KJ the NYT struggles to attain basic college newspaper journalistic standards. NYT is best read as literature, interesting stories that may bear a resemblance to things we see in our world.
3
@rjs7777
One wonders the age of its writers. Sometimes it feels as though they are still in college.
1
Trump knows the way he can lose.
It's his tax returns.
Embarrass him and he'll lose it.
He'll go nuts.
And don't stop at him.
Expose them all for the profiteering lairs they are.
30
Oh, do the Democrats need (a person like) Al Franken, perhaps one of a few that at least I can think of who can counter t's outrageous, nasty behavior. It is virtually impossible to deal with someone who knows no shame whatsoever, especially when that person occupies such a powerful position as t. The Democrats made a huge mistake by letting Al Franken go, without giving him a chance, to defend himself over what I think a delayed pubescent misdemeanor. Now I think it is time to, apologize, and hire Franken as prime spokesperson for the Democrats, as he one of very few (perhaps alone) in the higher party echelon who may able to push t in a corner using his virulent humor and wit combined with being very sharp.
10
@Bert. Agreed. You can thank Sen Gillibrand for that one.
13
I know dear KJ, but also, alas, not enough others stood up to forcefully counter her thus pushing Franken in a corner. And now they have to stand up to a much more forceful adversary thus far seemingly unable to find the right tone.
5
@Bert. Al for Chair of DNC?
3
Once again. big media, including the NY Times, is focusing on any minor infighting in the Democratic party, and not the massive GOP defense of Trump's dismantling of civil society. Shameful and indefensible professional malfeasance.
20
Democratic split? I thought diversity of opinion was a good thing.
12
How long will it be before President Pinocchio invites ALL DEMOCRATS to "go back where you came from" ?
I believe we're next !
9
@bill hubbard Agreed. IMO Trump is always trashing dems and not at all building unity.
1
If the Democrats cannot impeach Trump over this, they truly are a bunch of bumbling idiots. The Dems are like Keystone cops in charge of the house.
7
You cannot impeach anyone because of something they said in a country of free speech, no matter how despicable. What he has accomplished however is just to continue to split the Democrats… who fall for everything he pitches... the dems sure know how to play the suckers...and lose.
3
The assumption is that if the democrats can win the presidency all will be well. That is just not true. Even if the democrats win control of the entire government, including the senate, they will do nothing to improve the lives of regular people. They have way to many moderates who are like the GOP in that they will protect the wealthy and corporations. What we will get from a democratically controlled government is more congressional resolutions, some pats on the back and a big old nothing else. The DFL is full of conservatives, called moderates who are really just like the GOP except that they will pass a resolution and say they don't like something. So, moderate democrats feel your pain, but stop short of actually doing something about it, because, you know, the corporations might get mad or something.
1
Thank goodness for Pelosi! We are in tough times indeed, but I trust her instincts. I DO think that we have enough for impeachment, but let's build up the arsenal with all of the committee results first. Anyone that thought it would be a walk in the park to topple this monster better start working on strategy, because he is a political genius.
1
If you impeach Trump now, and he survives, which he will, you take away energy from the Democratic base. It will make Trump look stronger. As much as people are energized by thoughts and talk of impeachment, they will be underwhelmed and deflated when it actually happens. Because nothing will change.
4
DJT has the dems tied in knots. That is more than enough for his base. They've been ridiculed, mocked and demeaned by the know-it-all left for long enough. Trump knows that any attack on him is perceived by his base as an attack on them. Pelosi knows it too. The result? She has no cards to play. Say what you want about Trump as POTUS...but NO ONE has scrambled the pollical deck as effectively as he has. No one.
5
Those who try to control history wind up being left in its dustbin. The longer Pelosi dissembles and refuses to initiate impeachment hearings for the much more imperative and impeachable offenses committed by Trump - cooperating with a foreign power to influence the elections; obstruction of justice; abuse of power - the more the Democrats are going to set themselves up to fight between themselves instead of against their common enemy, Trump and the Republicans.
This action, doomed to failure, happened because Nancy is not pursuing the right, just, and Constitutional course that's clearly warranted. "Lead, follow, or get out of the way" is advice that Mrs. Pelosi should heed.
2
The Republicans impeached Clinton and the blowback on the Republicans was so devastating the electoral college put Republican delinquent George W Bush in the presidency. I wonder if the same blowback would happen to the Democrats if they did the same to Trump.
2
Thank you, Congressman Green. I have heard your impassioned pleas about impeaching Trump for at least a year now. It is the constitutional duty and responsibility of the House to impeach the president if he is a threat to the stability of the nation. How much more can Trump do to the detriment of the nation before it becomes clear that he is 1) unfit for office; 2) does not hold true American values and 3) is a national security threat. Our enemy is inside our government. It's Trump. He is bringing out the worst in Americans. The longer he remains in office unchecked, the worse it will become for America's standing in the world and the safety of our cities, communities and neighborhoods. He attacks any criticism. He thinks protesting is unpatriotic. He acts out of ego reading the words of speech-makers because he can't stay on message. He doesn't have a message. All he has is a tale of woe and controversy to spread. He told us so much about him during the campaign: he "likes to fight." No principle; just fighting, smearing and messing stuff up. He is a presidential disaster.
5
Time marches on. 2020 is just around the corner and democrats are wasting time in charades that ultimately benefit Trump. He makes an outrageous comment and all democrats and the media get into a feeding frenzy. He loves that, thrives on it and gets political mileage among many Americans still undecided about continuing a prosperous economy, or getting in the morass of a pseudo-socialist government. We Independents want to see real, concrete policy proposals from the 20-odd hopefuls, not childish games.
5
Ugh, don't impeach him for the tweets, impeach him for the CRIMES! Huge error letting this go to vote now; should've saved it until after Mueller testifies. That would've been the better chance even if (especially if) Mueller just rehashed the report.
3
Wait until after Mueller's testimony on 7/24. If he's totally truthful and not speaking in lawyer equivocation, it may tip the balance. Also watch for the evidence being laid ope in NY from Cohen's conviction. The judge says it's "of national importance." Pelosi will support impeachment with compelling and truly criminal evidence.
5
@MCV207 I agree - Pelosi is not again impeachment - just impeachment right now without ALL the evidence they are able to gather.
2
For the naysayers on impeachment who insist on voting Trump out of office, I would ask this.
What if the electoral college carries Trump to another 'victory'?
The numbers appear to be on his side.
Will you wish then that you'd supported impeachment? Isn't it better to take a stand than to take a seat?
8
Since when is an off color tweet a high crime calling for impeachment? These people have truly lost all perspective.
6
How about what been Trump tweets his crass tweets everyone just ignores them completely. That's the only way to defeat him. No coverage. No publicity.
3
Eventually, trump will end up where he was always intended to go: jail.
1
Actually, re-elected...as the dems continue to get split by playing the suckers
1
This headline is repeat NYT’s favorite narrative of Democratic split. There is certainly disagreement, but I think it’s a matter of tactics. House just voted to hold Bill Barr in contempt. Some firebrands want to jump the gun and vote on impeachment, but that’s wasting the opportunity to shine some sunlight on the malfeasance inside the Trump administration by collecting evidence through hearings. The Republican-controlled Senate won’t vote to convict anyway, so why waste the chance to expose the ugly facts to public?
And there are ugly facts. Considering how much Trump loves to gloat, if he were squeaky clean then he would be eager to print every word of the Mueller report then re-tweet it for good measure. He would revel in 6 months of hearings proving what a good guy he is.
2
The House is spineless and the Senate corrupt. It falls to patriotic citizens to save our Republic. Send the Man gift cards for bacon cheeseburgers, milk shakes, french fries, onion rings, fish and chips, cheesecake, and pie a la mode.
‘What’s the sense of wrestling with a pig? You both get all over muddy . . . and the pig likes it.'” --variously attributed
1
The real problem is that the Democratic Party has gotten out of touch with he people we were once proud to represent.
Trump is totally in touch with them, and successfully twists that connection to his advantage.
Please! No more shrill voices screaming Racist! in everyone's face.
Please! Shut up about taking away people's guns.
Please! You can't constantly complain about Russia, and then stand up and sing "The International" on every issue.
We must win back America - complaining about it, is super non-productive.
This failure and ineptitude reminds me of Bernie’s cowardly endorsement of hilldog, and I’ve had enough with this impotent use of power. The Democrats are not worthy of my vote.
1
I am personally tired of Nancy Pelosi running interference for Donald Trump. Al Green is correct, put that stain of impeachment on his permanent record.
5
Trump would be proud of the stain, though. He would campaign on it. The guy who won’t release his school transcripts could not care less about his “permanent record.”
4
Move on to health care, climate change, addressing income disparity, repealing the unlimited money in politics (Citizens United - 2010 SCOTUS ruling creating a corporate owned nation state), and diplomacy that addresses the crisis in Central America. The GOP has nothing to show for except political theater that attempts to blind the public with rivalry. The King is naked! And a cowardly GOP owned by lobbyists is vulnerable as it tries to hide behind his "dairy air."
7
Oh come on. You dont get? The United States IS their country! Three were born here! One is a naturalized citizen. The US is as much “her country” as it is yours.
5
It was the words "six week summer recess" that made me most angry when I read this article.
4
This article is intended to KEEP Democrats squabbling.
Don't fall for it. If the GOP can survive Roy Moore, Dems will survive this.
4
.. I think when we start trying to impeach people because of a Tweet.. we've perhaps lost some deeper perspective of things..
5
So the Time’s criticizes the Republicans for being lock step lackeys behind Trump and then talks of congressional votes showing the Dems are split and polarized. Can’t have it both ways. Maybe the Times would better serve it’s readers with straight reporting and leaving it’s snarky criticism and Monday morning quarterbacking for the Op Ed pages.
6
Crazy. The Democrats had better get a better act together when it comes impeaching the President. Even if they had the votes to impeach, which legally is the equivalent of an indictment, they are not close to a two-thirds majority required in the Senate to find the guy guilty. The guy's behavior as President warrants removal from office, but right now the only way that is possible is at the next election. Dems would do well to focus their efforts on 2020, with the goal of nominating a viable--VIABLE--candidate who can help us get rid of this monster!
2
@richardb62 Impeachment tactics takes years to put together. Only 2 have been impeached and never left office - Clinton and Andrew Jackson.
Pelosi is doing the right thing lining up her ducks for the future. 6 month freshwomen should not be stalling her and causing this chaos. They need to learn and bid their time.
Which, is just 1 1/2 years from now.
1
I’m pleased to see that cooler Democratic heads prevailed in this instance. Being a “racist”, while despicable, does not rise to the Constitution’s “high crimes & misdemeanours” and impeachment on that charge alone would never have been upheld by the Senate sitting as jury.
6
What clowns. More fools’ errands like this and we can say hello to another 4 years of Trump.
12
I read an article at the Atlantic recently entitled - Can’t Impeach Trump? Go After His Cabinet.
It helped me to understand Speaker Pelosi's thinking. It brought me back to Churchill's strategy against the 3rd Reich during World War II.
To win, we must attack what Churchill referred to as "the soft underbelly" of the Third Reich. To attempt a direct assault on Germany in 1943 would have been a losing strategy.
Churchill convinced the allies to instead focus on attacking the Reich at its periphery in the Middle East opening the way to the long bloody battle in Italy against the fascists forces there.
Perhaps Speaker Pelosi is to Trump what Churchill was to the leader of the 3rd Reich.
I hope "the Squad" and "the Centrists" will listen to each other, strategize and get their messaging about returning dignity to our nation and going after people like Trump's many criminal and immoral/amoral cabinet members and to not be distracted by Trump's deflection tactics.
The major lesson of this week is that the horrible revelations of the way children are being treated at the board and that Alexander Acosta let Trump's fellow billionaire rapist off the hook without informing his accusers was lost in the noise of our response to Trump's ever more outrageous Tweets.
Let's go after his cabinet, and everyone else who believes they are above the law and give Trump all the rope he needs. Beyond that, we must pray that some of the GOP humans are actually moral.
6
All the Democrats need to do stay low and let Trump kill has own re-election hopes. But, they just have to take the bait every single time. When Trump wins the next election, they'll only have themselves to blame.
5
I don’t get this kind of reporting. Just because Dems are not lock step with pelosi they are polarized? Why shouldn’t they think for themselves? Isn’t that a good thing? The press has focused on partisan politics for years. Here’s a case where it’s not a party line vote, and now that’s a problem too.
And, oh, Trump is dominating the news cycle. Is that because he’s so good at manipulating the news establishment or is that because the news establishment prints everything thing he wines about as if that’s news (and probably because it sells)?
11
“We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.” - Konstantin Josef Jireček
1
How much progress has the move to render the Electoral College irrelevant by having states pledge to give all their electoral votes to the winner of the popular election?
The problem with impeachment is that Pence will be president, even worse than Trump because he is more intelligent and articulate.
No one is worse than Trump. Especially Pence. Smart? No - He’s a stiff and won’t stand a chance at election. Without Trump he has no constituency. Was about to get thrown out of Indiana - a very conservative state. Don’t worry bout Pence. Pelosi will bury him until the Republicans dump him.
3
@Barry Borella
That's no different than an election by popular vote. Why would states choose to become irrelevant?
That means California would decide every presidential election. I doubt the majority of the states would agree to that.
1
Well, so much for the United States of America. Thank you all who contributed.
Rest In Peace.
Back to the "separate but equal" MAGA nonsense.
Every day Trump gets up ready to start another dust up so we can't focus on how much he is not getting accomplished. Get ready for four more years of this while he swans around the globe in that grand Air force One.
1
@cactusneedle And his daughter for photo opts.
I feel intellectually and morally superior to Donald Trump and the few thousands of people who swear undying allegiance to him.
But I won’t tell them this. I will simply exercise my right to vote next year and pray to God that enough right-thinking Americans will act in a similar fashion to get this boorish, disgusting human being out of the White House and back to his gilded Manhattan bungalow where he belongs.
God bless America and God bless the people who see Trump for what he is: a low-class ignoramus who has no ethics or concern for anyone but himself.
We’re better than this—aren’t we?
2
Tonight Trump held a 1984-inspired two hour hate at a rally in NC, directing his lies and hate at the four junior congresswomen. Now that he doesn’t have “Lock her up,” as an anti-Hillary chant to rally his mob, he has his followers chanting, “Send her back,” about Rep. Omar of Minnesota. Rep. Omar is receiving death threats as a result of Trump’s racist, xenophobic rants.
This has to stop. It is now time for impeachment given that he is inciting people to violence with hate speech. His actions and words are Un-American and will result in tragedy. Blood will be on his hands and of every person who continues to enable him. To those who say, if “those people” don’t like it here, they need to leave, I would respond that their ideas may be different from yours, but each of them loves this country as much as you say you do. America is all about debating ideas, hearing different, even objectionable, ideas, and then voting. That is why we have elections. When you vented your hatred of President Obama and Democratic policy, no one told you to leave this country because you didn’t like him or his ideas.
To the Republican Party: Have you no sense of decency, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?
6
Impeachment is a total waste of time because it will never get through the Senate. Also it will make Trump a martyr and
his base will close behind him. Dumb idea which will go
nowhere, except to satisfy the egos of a few Democrats.
4
The trouble is... the Times does not understand how its reportage normalizes Trump. Please enroll in subtlety class.
9
If Democrats want to entertain any hope of winning in 2020, they had better get started calling for stringent border security and an end to the brazen exploitation of our citizenry by illegal aliens...now numbering over 20 million according to a recent Yale study.
Incentivizing and enticing foreign migrants by the hundreds of thousands with the promise of asylum, free health insurance, drivers licenses, sanctuary from immigration law enforcement, and birthright citizenship for their offspring AIN’T going to cut it!
19
Good Start--Next Up--Make Electoral College release grip it has on Nation's Throat.....
8
That won’t happen. HRC didn’t win popular vote absent CA. She would have lost by a million votes
3
@Becky
Exactly!
Hillary won California by 4 million votes. She won the national popular vote by 3 million.
How long will this country last if California decided every election?
6
The lies of the GOP over the last fifty years and the lies of Fox News over the last 20 years have brainwashed millions of Americans. An impeachment vote would just be another rallying cry for the brainwashed, which Pelosi knows full well. The question at this point: what is more dangerous for the country, four more years of Trump or a basic impeachment vote in the House that has no hope of passing the Senate. Furthermore, Pelosi knows that the Dems only have to flip a couple of states in the general election to win in 2020.
Before today I was all for impeachment, given that it is the House's Constitutional duty, but it is also the Constitutional duty of electors to not allow a crazy person in the White House, and that certainly fell through. At this point, perhaps we just need to save the nation and follow Pelosi.
1020
@Anthony
Lies of the GOP? Look at this one quote from Ted Kennedy. Tell me this wasn’t the lie of the century and the main cause of our division today.
"First, our cities will not be flooded with a million immigrants annually. Under the proposed bill, the present level of immigration remains substantially the same ... Secondly, the ethnic mix of this country will not be upset ... Contrary to the charges in some quarters, [the bill] will not inundate America with immigrants from any one country or area, or the most populated and deprived nations of Africa and Asia
34
@Anthony So you're saying yesterday you were for impeachment and today you're not?
Such a flip-flop and so soon?
They haven't even began the real impeachment proceedings.
Don't you want to wait and see all the evidence Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler want to present as evidence and listen to the riveting testimony by Bob Mueller?
29
@Joe Nappo I live in Toronto - often called the most diverse city in the world. (This is probably not actually true - London and NYC are likely the same). As a WASP born in an outpost of the British Empire in 1955 I can confidently say that the Toronto of Today is a much better place. What's more, Toronto residents have reached a state where we don't notice where people are from - they are just friends and neighbours.
Immigrants have made my life and my country a fuller, richer place. If you cannot appreciate this benefit to the world, you are missing out.
321
Too bad. Sounds like tabling the impeachment article was politics as usual with the Dems going every which way instead of presenting a united front [as if that was possible]. As to the substance of the measure, of course our Evil Liar-In-Chief has brought ridicule, disgrace and disrepute to the Presidency, since Day #1.
4
In New York, hate speech is a crime.
It’s very beautiful to behold that it is seen as normal in the District of Columbia.
Keep ‘Merica Great!
14
Actually it’s not. The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that hate speech is protected by the first amendment and there’s no exception for hate speech. Just in 2017 the Supreme Court unanimously agreed about this.
I’m completely against hate speech and those who use it, but there’s no denying that the law considers it protected speech. Hate crimes are a different story, but racist rhetoric sadly is very legal. Although it can’t be punished through the legal system, society itself tends to find a way to hold racists accountable.
11
@Opinioned!
Hate speech is not a crime in New York. Where did you get that?
We have a First Amendment, remember?
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Best thing I learned in elementary school.
Perhaps the squad can be taught that...
7
Trump will brag that this is a win and exonerates him. That is far from the truth. He can't win. Protecting our democracy is too important for people to ignore his lies, illegal activities and mean-spirited policies. Wait for the New York state information to come out. Wait for Mueller's testimony. Pay attention to the facts, not the man hiding behind his executive privilege and obstruction.
442
@Doug ''He can't win.''
Said most everyone in 2016.
20
@Doug
Well, he brags about everything and calls everything a win.
7
@Doug
I’d say let’s wait to hear the connections with Epstein
10
What is a "congressman of color"? I know what a congressman of the X-th district is. Do we have congressmen of blue, green and red?
8
Wow.
Blatant wrong-doing laid out in the Mueller investigation.
Nothing happens to Trump.
Blatant wrong-doing in hush-money payments, (with one person in jail).
Nothing happens to Trump.
Trump was right: he could shoot someone on 5th Ave and get away with it.
5
Why does this impeachment malarkey keep going? The Senate will not agree to it and Donald Trump will say "I won". Speaker Pelosi has tried to point this out countlesss times. Move on Dems, Donald Trump will get his Armageddon.
4
It's time for Pelosi to retire. She's just another fat cat, wearing blue instead of red.
For Democrats across the country: it's time to pick a new leader.
2
@jalexander Nope.
FEAR. The middle-of-the-road democrats are afraid. Of Trump. Of losing. Of the base. Of their shadows.
Mrs. Pelosi is running on her long experience. In this case, it is of no use at all. Boldness is required of great leaders and fearlessness. She has neither. You don't win a war by making sure you have a way to retreat. You don't win a battle by coming to the front quaking in your shoes.
Many commenters say, "we want to avoid impeachment." By so doing, they empower Trump to continue to flaunt the law, to continue to do as he pleases. He WILL go to war with Iran on some charge and that will knock out whomever runs against him, no matter who it is. He will stand on a battleship hugging the flag and brag about saving the USA from the nasty people over there. They will buy it.
If they impeach him now, if they let the people who eat, drink and sleep the nonsense they imbibe from FOX to hear something else, even if the Senate won't go along, they might stop him from getting worse. The young people want a Green future with fairness and the old people are hiding behind "stay together" when together isn't yet a recognizable entity.
I think Represntative Al Green. I wish the rest of the democrats cared about the Constitution as much as he does.
4
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
Martin Neimoller
Doesn't anyone remember this ???
8
Your sentiments are well-intentioned. But you need to realize: that quote is not a cautionary tale for Trump supporters. It is what they *want.*
No question Trump doesn’t belong in the White House. He shouldn’t have been put there in the first place but he was. Something like this, as well intentioned as it may or may not have been, signifies nothing. It only makes democrats look weak and indecisive. There are a number of ways to make a statement. Every subpoena that’s ignored and every request for documents that is denied, with no resulting consequences only strengthens the perception that Trump is winning. Every,”nobody is above the law”, makes a mockery of the law. The only public congressional hearing involved the testimony of John Dean. Mueller is scheduled to testify publicly...maybe. Impeachment in the absence of the ability to enforce a simple subpoena doesn’t say much for the Democratic House. If Trump is going to be sent packing our best hope is 2020...and that’s assuming a lot.
1
No one cares if they impeach Trump anymore. In fact Trump is begging for it.
It will be a obvious exercise in gutter bipartisanship
The fact they cant even get half the Democratic house to vote for it makes it all the more laughable
And after it all Trump has tied Nancy Pelosi, who was called a racist by AOC, with AOC, who wants to have every building in the country rebuilt to green code
8
If being racist isn't an impeachable offense in 2019 for the President who is supposed to be every American's President, then I really don't know what we think we're fighting over. We might as well just pack up the whole idea of American freedom and equality, admit it's all a big fat lie, and stop pretending we are better than we are.
7
It's not that it's not impeachable, but that impeaching is a bad idea. The Senate would acquit and Trump would take it as proof of his rightness. Better to slog publicly through all the sordid details in the Mueller report, so Americans will know what was found, and if that builds enough public support for impeachment that some Republican senators will vote to convict, then the House should impeach. If that public support never materializes, perhaps they should impeach anyway, just to get it on the record. Or maybe not -- Bill Clinton's approval rating increased after he was impeached, so there is a risk that impeaching could help Trump get re-elected.
The most important thing if you want to send a message that his behavior is unacceptable is to vote him out in 2020. The statute of limitations will not have expired on his obstruction and he can then be prosecuted.
2
At least we have adults in the Senate. The juveniles in the House of Reps reflexively overreact to Trump’s Sunday tweets. Impeach him based on a tweet? Really? Complete lunacy. Trump is a true puppet master. Hey Dems and the media.....you’re getting played. And overusing the racist card and ‘of color’ descriptive.
8
All of this tantamount to congressional malpractice.
Since the Democrats regained majority status in the House, no credible business of the people has been transacted, no issues that affect the lives of the citizenry or national security has been enacted into law and no new ideas on energy, environment or world peace emerged from this august body.
What has transpired is a barrage of balderdash not only from the Squad but also from the senior leadership. Meaningless motions, discussions, hearings, monologues and other public pronouncements have all been singularly rooted against the President, his cabinet, his nominees and his family.
It is obvious that the congressional democrats are wasting time on the public dime. Adam Schiff deserves an Emmy for the most vapid hours spent on television. The expansive presence of Gerald Nadler on TV screens leaves no room for anyone else. Maxine Waters and Elijah Cummings hardly complete a correct or thoughtful sentence let alone enact any sensible ideas into law. All of this has become tiresome to say the least. Where is Tip O’Neill when we need him?
Unfortunately, there is no known legal remedy for congressional malpractice. Americans should, and I am confident that they will, vote most of these thespians out in 2020 and usher in new members (Democrats or Republican) who are thinkers, resourceful, practical and above all dedicated to the business of the people rather than engage in perpetual squabbles or personal aggrandizement.
11
White privilege is not having to feel that your safety and your families' safety is threatened by the president's racist comments and therefore deciding that it would be ridiculous to impeach the president for making those comments.
5
This doesn't make sense. Do you feel threatened by the Presidents comments? And if not, that means you're "privleged."
Non sequitur.
1
@CJ
White privilege is also not having to understand that when the president leads a racist mob in chants of "send her back" people who aren't white might actually be frightened and might therefore legitimately conclude that it is necessary to impeach such a president for using the highest office in the land to incite hatred against a group of Americans.
Trump is a fascist and so are the majority of Trump's base whether they know it or not. This is something the moderate (more like comfortable) Democrats had better learn quickly. Independents? Nothing more than opportunists or libertarians (the me, myself and I gals and guys). A moderate Democratic president would become an even more bitter joke than Obama who tried to be moderate. Do you remember him wanting to put 'entitlements' (Social Security and Medicare) on the table? And failed - the GOP wanted it all. And Pelosi backing him up? I do.
5
Impeachment is a waste of time given that it will hit the wall in the Senate. Focus on a message for the middle class swing voters, and deprive Trump of oxygen by refusing his racist, sexist and obnoxious bait.
2
I would love to impeach the President, except that it's a waste of time. I agree with Pelosi that we should focus on the 2020 election. Problem is that Democrats have gone completely astray from their original intension to provide a truly viable candidate. Instead, we have chaos and division (exactly what the Russians wanted).
As awful as it was the Trump got into his racist/tweet message this weekend, but why did anyone bother? Everyone is allowed Free Speech, including the President. But getting upset by his latest rants is exactly what Trump wants. Stop reacting! We KNOW he's a racist.
Memo to Democrats: This was a bad idea.
If you had it to do over again, you might have gone for the censure. At least that would've had a better chance of sticking.
1
Seems that the "true color(s)" of many politicians of both flavors are beginning to show thru the Red, White, and Blue.
Vote early and often in 2020 !
1
Now drop this. He’s eating it up. It’s time to starve him of oxygen. We’ve established he’s a racist. - we’ve known that all along. Let’s move on.
5
I don't believe this vote deserves a *Democrats in Disarray* story. The Articles of Impeachment were, as I understand it, for Trumps racist tweets. Representatives on the judiciary committee have studied many of the Trump crimes that would rise to the level of impeachable. They didn't believe these *Articles* which were not brought by the judiciary committee were the right way to go. That's why many of the representatives voted against it.
5
It's up to Congress to decide what's an impeachable offence. Personally, I think blatant racism from the President should be impeachable. It's highly damaging to the country. White people may not think it's so bad. Minorities, I'm sure, feel differently.
Personally, I'm getting pretty tired of White people in America having no ability at all to understand how threatening these racist statements from the President are to people who aren't White.
6
Trump the person is utterly obnoxious. Trump the politician is a master at his game. You can argue whether he is a racist or not, but you cannot argue his Machiavellian tactic in splitting the Democratic Party at its seams.
5
The very fact that this vote occurred was wrong, wrong, wrong. The Dems need to be a black box to Trump. FOMO will put him on his heels quickly.
1
Why the Democrats are stooping at the same level as Trump and even lower? He is destroying the party. The Democratic Congress is obsessed with Trump. In 2020 all they can show are resolutions. Like many resolutions we make, the are not followed through.
3
Weak, pathetic attempt. Silly waste of time, sound and fury signifying nothing. Being a cretin is not an impeachable offense. Perhaps the Congress might do the people's business instead and let the voters decide on our worthless president's fate. Confronted with a low rent bumpkin like Donald Trump, ignore him, make laws, do your job, and rise above. No one is fooled by the president.
4
The defensive crouch doesn't work. Offense is the best form of defense. The Democrats should force Trump to acknowledge that he lied about President Obama's place of birth. Do not let that go. Do not let that go. That is a provable lie, and it should be used to cudgel him into submission.
2
Democrats, get over your derangement. Please. By continuing with this sorry ‘Trump-is-a-racist’ story, you will even convince this life-long NY Democrat to vote for Trump. And why? Because I am just fed up with your complaint.
13
The Times needs to explain clearly the parliamentary meaning of “table” at the outset, before citing Trump’s response. There was not an overwhelming vote against impeachment, any more than Mueller “found no collusion.” The motion was killed, but not voted down, and may later be reintroduced.
5
The Democrats have gone off the deep end and the American people are going to vote them out of office. Why can't they just get things done for the people and stop with the sideshow.
6
Congress finally did something the majority of Americans support.
2
Impeach or imprison. Trump has gone too far.
4
Some people wrap themselves in The Flag.
Others Fight for what it Means.
3
I agree with impeachment of President* Trump; I disagree with this rationale for impeachment. I don't think racist comments elevate to the level of "high crimes and misdemeanors." Let's wait until after Robert Mueller testifies, then write articles of impeachment based on his testimony and the special counsel report, which does show actual crimes. The impeachment debate isn't over, it just needs the right reason.
Trump, will win. Why? Becasue he captured the anti-immingant movement. Hispanics have taken over construction. Construction is the biggest employer in the U.S., (it’s not Walmart). They have driven wages and basic project prices down into the cellar. There are Spanish radio stations in every state of the country. They have tons of children as if it was the turn of the last century. Lastly, it’s the sheer numbers, tens of millions. Trump, will accuse who ever is his opponant of wanting,"open boarders.” He will call them socialists, weak on defense, tax and spend liberals, in favor of Canadian healthcare. Game, set, match! People hate change, and want something for nothing. The Republicans, the last thrity years have impoverashed sixty percent of the population, these people can’t afford expermenting with any of the basics, it’s take what they can, right now.
2
With this choice among others, if not impeachment some vehemence at least, the Democratic Party is appealing to moderates or left light with complicity in racism.
This learning moment won’t necessarily return, and I don’t think we’re living up to the Trump lesson either.
He has violated his oath to uphold the Constitution with no consequences because our politicians are cowards afraid of losing their own offices. Or is it because of the inalienable rights that they do not seem to understand Trump is trashing for so many of us because of racism?
Every Democrat who didn't vote in favor of impeachment cast a vote in favor of racism, sexual assault, child abuse, and the permanent erosion of our democracy. They are now complicit in Trump's crimes and share his guilt. They chose political expedience over fulfilling their Constitutionally mandated duties of oversight over the executive branch. History will view them as the enablers of this administration and cowards who had an opportunity to take a stand and declined to do so.
It is absurd that we are staking everything on the 2020 election and assuming that will save us and redeem the country. Neither party has lifted a finger to prevent the various factors that corrupted the results of the 2016 election from being repeated. We're still putting our faith in poll numbers even though they failed to predict Trump's victory. And we're trying to figure out which candidate is "safest" even though "safe" candidates never win elections (just ask Romney, Kerry, Dole, Mondale, etc.) The DNC is so afraid of repeating 1972 that it may well repeat 2016. They are repeating their mistakes because apparently they'd rather lose than be accused of granting any legitimacy to progressives.
For that matter there might not even be a next election, or Trump may ignore the results and stay in office and his appointees on the DOJ and SCOTUS will let him. He might take a cue from his fellow strongmen and unplug the Internet for "national security."
We have to take back our country NOW.
1
Pelosi is a weak woman and is damaging democracy with her cowardice . Democrats should just FORMALLY label Trump for what he really is: A criminal, a traitor, and a racist. They should formally start impeachment procedures and force the Republicans protect a crook. And then let the American people decide if they want to reelect someone like that for President and if the Americans do, then that says a lot about the moral of the American people.
3
"Impeachment Resolution Fails, but Reveals Extent of Democratic Split"
I would rather have seen the House approve impeachment proceedings. However, I understand arguments for the other side, even though I disagree with them. Besides, things could change fast.
Fine, so the Democrats are "split"on this matter. Big deal. The Dems can talk about their differences on policy and politics in the open. I prefer that by far to the Republicans' united front, with only a handful of exceptions, in support of trump egging on his racist base. Either they all agree with him or, if they don't, they are so scared of him that they sacrifice their beliefs.
21:30 EDT, 7/17
3
@mancuroc
I think you give the Republicans too much credit. I don't think they are sacrificing their beliefs. I think they are racists just like Trump. Trump has given them the liberty he's given to other racists—to express their racism without shame.
7
@617to416
Maybe it would have been clearer if I had written:
"Either they all agree with him, or the ones that don't are so scared of him that they sacrifice their beliefs." I doubt if there are very many of them.
21:45 EDT, 7/17
2
@mancuroc
Ah. Maybe I should have read more carefully. Now I see what you mean. And I completely agree.
2
"At one point, Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan, one of the party’s messaging leaders, popped out of the meeting, stopped before a bank of television cameras and pleaded to talk about anything but impeachment.
“You know what I think? I wish that all of you would ask me about prescription drugs,” Mrs. Dingell said, before ultimately giving up."
Democrats this is where your at
13
"May you live in interesting times" is, reputedly, an old Chinese curse.
Now I understand why it's a curse even though it sounds at first like a blessing.
3
Trump tells the Squad to go home. THe Democrats vote that this was racist. Then they vote on whether to impeach.
Treatment of immigrants, relations with Iran and the future of the economy all weigh in the balance, but none are attended to because third graders are in charge.
6
Yep, I he one party system pretending to be two,
How much more evidence do the American people need, hellllllooooooo
6
Once again the dems have shown their cowardice and continued support for our useless senate. Failing to formally challenge the Emperor is unconscionable. In future I’ll be voting and donating Libertarian.
2
You mean you intend to vote for Trump; don’t deluded yourself, because that’s what u are doing;
3
@Indy1 - So far all the "libertarians" have accomplished is learning more than one verse of "Gum-Ba-Ya" !
3
Why are the four freshmen congressmen always mentioned of color? Why can’t they just be congressmen? Why is the media always bringing up their color? And their sex? I used to look at them as just congressmen now they are women of color.
9
@Jim actually Gayle King literally just interviewed the squad and they said Nancy Pelosi needs to remember we are women of color
4
@Jim
Because they’re race and gender hustlers. For some reason, they deem that to be a winning strategy...while the rest of us are simply nauseated.
5
Unfortunately Green overstepped, no matter how disgusted with 45 he must be, no more than 50% of this country. For all his steadfast work in Houston politics he managed to divide the Democratic party. Brother Al, you messed up.
4
Racism and "pigotry" are not high crimes and misdemeanors. Despite having one of the best political strategists as Speaker, the Democrats again prove that they aren't fit to govern themselves much less the country. They have contempt citations against Cabinet secretaries on which to follow up, they have major labor and health legislation with which to deal, and instead spend their time pandering to the emotions of outraged constituents.
Someone please tell Rep. Green that even if the house voted to impeach, the Senate would not convict and Trump will go around saying he is "innocent" - just as he did with the Mueller Report. OK, Green got his 15 minutes of attention, but it did nothing to advance the alleged Democratic Party agenda, presuming there is one. Rather, it gave trump even more attention. Great move!
7
I'd be curious to know what Kevin McCarthy has ever done for 99.99% of his constituents besides let them think they're sticking it to the libs, while he carries out the plutocrat's wish list? Same with Mitch McConnell. An increasingly sweltering Earth sure isn't going to make these folks any smarter.
2
Policy achievements? "Democratic leaders coached lawmakers to stay focused on policy achievements that they could tout when the return home for a six-week summer recess . . . ."
The Democrats craft and pass bills in the House that then go to the Senate to quietly and anonymously die on Mitch McConnell's desk. Those bills are not "policy achievements", and to pretend otherwise is insulting.
I am coming to think of Nancy Pelosi as Donald Trump's very best friend. I could not be more disgusted with her.
7
You blame Speaker Pelosi for Mitch McConnell’s trademark refusal to allow Senate votes on House legislation that serves ordinary people - which McConnell does just because this legislation might pass and thus help Democrats? The blame for legislative impasses lies squarely with McConnell.
4
Given that McConnell and the Republicans control the Senate, what exactly do you propose Pelosi and Co. do?
4
I am a big fan of Rep. Green.
5
Let me urge all of you, every American, to read "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election" (commonly referred to as "The Mueller Report"). Until you do, you have no idea how bad Trump is or how deep in the mire of misconduct he is. Mr. Greene seems the only representative with the courage to stand and be heard in a forum where Republicans stand and lie in defense of an indefensible man in our White House. Trump's daring the good people of America and we're falling down on the job. Where there is right, however, there is strength. We say we know that, but do we really?
7
There is no doubt in my mind that our U.S. Senate would vote to impeach this president
and remove him from office if that body found him guilty of impeachable offenses. The U.S. House
of Representatives, on the other hand, is a more political body that shoots itself in the foot a lot
when some members pull ill-advised, poorly planned stunts as they tried today. By doing so,
the House members pushing for impeachment based on comments from a Twitter show themselves
to be rank amateurs.
6
I know where I’d be telling Trump to go if I were one of these four women, but my guess is they've already decided he’ll get there soon enough on his own.
4
Pelosi needs to be much more forceful in leading the Democrats to stop the destruction of our democracy. She needs to employ more vicious smash mouth Machivellian action. Lock some of these lawless heathens up for flouting Congressional authority. Put them in chain link cages out front of the capital. We need raw action now to fight this scourge on our freedom. I'm very fearful the 2020 elections will not happen or be severely disrupted/attacked by republican/Russian cells.
3
How do you feel if you're a minority in this country and you realize that white Republicans want to "send you back" and white Democrats think you just need to sit tight so they can win more white votes?
I'm a white guy, but I think we white people are asking minorities to accept a lot of abuse, anxiety, and fear for their own and their families' safety so we white people can feel comfortable that our lives won't be disrupted too much by "the left."
Personally, I think we white people are being despicable. I'm not very happy with what I see from my race. We are very selfish.
7
This is a joke, right? The guy has committed actual crimes but they want to impeach him for offensive tweets?
This is why so many people have so little faith in the Democratic party.
10
Theodore Roosevelt’s ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.
“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American … There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
Anyone who hyphenates in front of America can go back to that hyphenate, thats how the majority of Trump voters see it sorry
12
Very few people "hyphenate" by choice, it is usually imposed on them, as in only this color of American can use a bathroom or water fountain, or only white Americans can play Superman or George Washington. And with due respect to Roosevelt, the Italian, Irish, Slavic, German, Jewish etc. -Americans he was referring to have proven him wrong: they could assimilate and still celebrate the culture and language of their backgrounds, and do to this day.
1
@akeptwatchoverthewatcher
Guess loyalty to Russia doesn’t pass muster as ‘treason’ for the rank and file Republicans and their Dictator-in-Chief or their supporters?
But Congresswomen of colour with their ‘newfangled’ ideas about the ‘same loyalty to the US only’ and not to a foreign ally get labeled as ‘treasonous’ by the media and the Republicans for having the tenacity to question the status quo (esp. the nexus between PAC, foreign governments and big corporations).
Don’t think these women could be any more American than they already are by doing the job that the fine folks of MI, MN, MA and NY elected them to do.
Long live the Constitution of these United States of America.
1
@NCox national black agenda, Jesse Jackson announced that members preferred to be called "African- American."
It wasn't till late 1980s I believe it was 1988 Jesse Jackson moved to change black to African-American along with the rainbow coalition. After the 1980s people began to hyphenate.
1
Friendly reminder that Clinton was impeached over one charge of perjury and one charge of obstruction of justice.
Related to lying about an extramarital affair.
I never thought I’d look back on those times fondly, but at least Republicans had some agency. They did something. Pelosi is about as useful as a perforated umbrella.
2
This was before the GOP boycotted the Dept of Justice and the Constitution, and subsequently became a branch of the Russian intelligence service.
1
Should the president be impeached. Totally. Should he be impeached first and foremost for being a racist, not a president for all people? No. Of 45 presidents, how many were not racist? A handful of the most modern ones, I'd bet. Nope. Trump should be impeached because he's incompetent, corrupt, malignant, narcissistic, crude, and most of all, treasonous.
3
The only thing more chaotic and ineffective than Trump are the Democrats. Trying to pass this proves it. Trump can't govern, and neither can they.
10
There’s a saying about children running the Devil bow-legged. That’s what the trump party and its voters are, children who are emulating their leader’s best quality: he learned at some point he could set a small animal on fire and it’ll scream, and he’ll get attention. Now it’s what they’re doing.
They’ll chant at their rallies, “Send ‘em back,” they’ll scream at us in public, “Go back to where you came from,” their “leaders” will get on the talk shows and send out fund-raisers calling us “deranged Socialists who hate America,” and I think we have to accept that’s who they are, and their feelings are meaningless. That’s not to say we need to do what they want: shut up and know our place. Just know, they are what they are, and ignore them when they whine and try to gaslight us when we state the obvious.
The Resolution was a good symbolic step; the contempt charge against Barr and Ross is an even better substantive step. This is what our Democratic leaders need to do. Do what counts, otherwise, we’ll all end up “bow-legged,” exhausted and depressed.
5
I agree with many of the previous posts. If the Democrats would like to win the election, it would be a good idea to get a strong candidate and have the party unite behind that person.
Just took a vacation back to my home state of Wisconsin.
Almost every business had help wanted signs. Many businesses are cutting back hours as they cannot find workers.
Democrats: Going to be tough to beat prosperity. Stop trashing the President as your way to win the White House .
And, show some respect for the office. Figure out how you will expand on what is lifting up people who have not been helped in a long, long time. Up with hope down with dope, and we have hope is a pretty old story.
8
The Democrats and the Left need to provide a compelling rationale for governing.
Or get out of the way.
Being against Trump is getting old, bordering on juvenile.
16
So there are only 95 Congresspersons opposed to the Trump regime. Most Congressional Democrats support Trump as President. That's even scarier than Trump himself.
2
We rage. We gnash our teeth. We are helpless. Only Congress can act. The House is inhabited by cautious, nail biting cowards.
7
Expect the EEOC to be decimated tomorrow.
Can’t have long established civil rights regulations that claim “go back to where you came from” is a slur.
Even if this could be used as a basis to impeach the Senate will say he was just kidding, no pervasive or trying to intimidate.
Clearly they don’t care that Trump is creating an intimidating, hostile and offensive country.
EEOC
Ethnic slurs and other verbal or physical conduct because of nationality are illegal if they are severe or pervasive and create an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment, interfere with work performance, or negatively affect job opportunities. Examples of potentially unlawful conduct include insults, taunting, or ethnic epithets, such as making fun of a person's foreign accent or comments like, "Go back to where you came from, " whether made by supervisors or by co-workers.
9
Judging from so many comments, the new chant among the McResistance is: "we will have everything we need to impeach him after 2020."
As good old Hickey showed, it's impossible to rid people of their pipe-dreams. I find this side-show hilarious.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
6
Pelosi is quoted as giving Trump credit for being a “great distractor”. The Congress-Twitter officials must be “hard at work on their Twitter following” and Trump is a great distractor only if Congress is willing to be distracted by him - which it is per Pelosi. Pelosi got attention away from her (for now) thanks to Trump. The press is having a field day and the public and our country are suffering. Social media and our “selfless” elected officials are wreaking havoc on priorities. Can’t the destructive rhetoric end and can’t the press help out?
2
I dont understand how the President was racist, he told them if they dont like the USA they can leave. Was he racist when he told all those celebrities to go to Canada or Europe. The race card is getting old
17
@akeptwatchoverthewatcher My friends and I thought he was talking to the socialist from Europe to.
1
@akeptwatchoverthewatcher When self-interests take over the basic moral values and humanity, one cannot see racist as is.
3
@jnl when one is so blinded by race they cant see the beauty that is America. The United States is still the freest and best country in the world
3
It's ironic that Ilhan Omar (with the support of Tlaib, AOC, and Pressley)
loudly denounces the power of the Israeli lobby and just hours ago introduced a bill that would protect the right to disciminate against Israel saying this bill was to make sure people's 1st Amendment right to free speech was respected. Now the Dems are trying to impeach the President for offending her. The hypocrisy is amazing as is the constantly reminding us (as this headline does) that he insulted "four women of color". This makes it clear that their gender and race is a large part of his offense. If he insulted 4 white males, especially if they were Republicans, there would have been no move to impeach.
The blatant favoritism and coddling will hopefully bring about some scrutiny over the power wielded inappropriately by these four due to race, gender, and in one case, religion. I know few Dems have the backbone to do it. That's why the Dems are losing voters like mad.
The Dems failed to pass a resolution condemning anti-Semitism.
There was no resolution or consequences for Omar's anti-Jewish
remarks and referring to 9-11 as "somebody did something". So
of course Trump shouldn't have been condemned or impeached over
equally insensitive remarks. They are all out of line.
13
Omar apologized. Big difference!
5
Thank you, Lisa. These four women did convince me to vote for Mr. Trump. I just sent money to his campaign.
5
@Susan After each apology Omar followed that with dozens of retweets claiming she did nothing wrong and was being targeted for being black and/or
Muslim. She also stated many times she didn't think there was anything offensive about what she said.
2
the problem here, I think, is that too many people are make a lot of money from regressive rules that Trump is putting into action--destroying safeguards to our environment, rules of law, and our humanity, but creating huge profits. Nothing new here, I guess....
4
No president in history has deserved impeachment as much as Trump. Forget the politics, forget corrupt Mitch and his crooks and just do the right the thing. If an impeachment inquiry is not opened the day after Mueller testifies, I give up on this gov't and country.
11
Establishment Dems holding back any progessive energy despite losing to Trump and continuing to lose ground.
Fear and Loathing in the Democratic Party.
Rudderless, hopeless and on the road to defeat.
Pelosi, Schumer, and Biden an out of touch bunch of Wall Street baggage carriers that have delivered Trump to the the US and are complicit in destroying our Democracy.
5
“We’re not having him set our agenda; we’re setting our own agenda.” - Nancy Pelosi
Well, Madam Speaker - Mainstream/Heartland America wants to know:
where does ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION fit on your agenda?
You're so busy kissing up to Cortez -n- Gang and their "racism tweet" battle and pushing the Fake Russian Collusion Hoax that you have dealt with neither Border Security nor the humanitarian crisis that has evolved because you won't build the wall/fence.
9
Hmm seem to recall that republicans had control of Congress for two years and no wall. Exactly how is that the dems fault? Sounds a lot like republicans fault.
3
Pelosi is playing chess and Trump is playing checkers.
Do you honestly think DJT is a better politician than Nancy Pelosi? She will drain him slowly and impeachment we all know is inevitable for the worse US President since Andrew Johnson.
7
@fdc
Ah but your checkers/chess distinction is a nice conclusory soundbite. Time will tell.
@fdc
Checkers takes a lot less time to win than chess.
2
@fdc - Do I think Trump is a better politician than Pelosi? Yes, he runs circles around her. If she was any good at all at politics, perhaps the Dems would not have lost both the House and the Senate in 2010 and most recently, the Oval Office. She can't come up with a party platform or unify her own party.
She has done nothing to drain him at all. She has let him get more and more powerful with every day that passes. And she has no plan at all to stop or hinder him between now and 2020 when Trump will win again unless there is a miracle.
Now, we are all waiting for Mueller to testify. Why? His report spelled it out quite clearly but the Dems don't want to risk anything so they are going to try and force Mueller to do their job for them. Beyond pathetic.
What was the point of the Blue Wave this past election if not to impeach? Oh, just wait longer, send us some more campaign money, wait till the next election...or the one after that.
I'm not going to vote for more of this nonsense. And you can't scare me with fear of Trump winning because he already is while the Dems sit on their hands doing nothing.
4
By all means, grandstand with unhelpful forced votes against leadership, and deny Democrats any media about doing the people’s business.
3
I have geared myself for 4 or more years of Trump. The Democratic Party is now dead. And what does it really matter? The sun will rule as it always has. Get ready for warfare at the border. People will be surrounding our beautiful fresh water lakes all wanting the last drop. A lovely future to look forward to. Coming, i do believe, in less than five years.
8
whoa ! ... 16 months ... perhaps the pundits and commentators and NYT are itching to write the story ... make the reservations; the primaries are happening, just leave the name blank, to be filled in later ... I am not a fan of division for it's own sake but these debates have shown us the various nuances within the party: every one of them is 20x better than the criminal in the wh and dems will vote for any of them ... Trump will have his hardcore base of 35% and perhaps a few more .. . As far s the 'debates' count on Trump to lie and squirm and after stalking Hilary I'm sure the next one will be ready: whip around, point at his podium and ask him if he's lost. My only concern is voter suppression and false numbers from states with republican governors & secretaries of state ... The policy announcement they announced today makes it clear they are willing to cheat and steal; imitation is the best flattery, and Trump loves to be flattered. My favorite is 'socialism vs freedom' are the American people that stupid ? We have 1 1/2 years to educate them about the issues and the reality.
A Serious question for those who say that impeachment proceedings would be a political “gift” to Trump: what do you call refusing to impeach him no matter what?
11
@Keef In cucamonga...great sum up. To refuse to impeach no matter what is the biggest gift to Trump and all the authoritarian swamp critters who come after him. So instead of curing the political infection destroying our democracy, we'll have to adapt to it.
1
"It's time to get back to work," he says, on his way to a re-election rally. Duly noted.
4
95 Democrats voted for impeachment, but Pelosi and her gang, tabled it. And, Trump, divides the country even further, and stands behind his tweets in total defiance.
There are a few ticking time bombs:
1. Trump doe something so terrible that it puts this country in danger.
2. The Democrat splintering gets to the point that it can no longer function.
3. The Democrat nominee is so badly damaged by the Democrat primary process.
As typical with government, they are reactive. Sometimes real damage occurs, but it may be too late to act.
Let's hope Mueller's testimony, on the 27th, is enough to convince people that the right thing to do, for the good of the country, is to impeach. As opposed to doing the political safe alternative, is hope that Trump loses in 2020, and he voluntarily leaves office in January, 2021; this is not a certainty.
By the way, that torch on the Statue of Liberty continues to get dimmer each day.
3
Be patient.
1
@Nick Metrowsky
Muller has already said that he has nothing to say not already in his report.
@Nick Metrowsky - Mueller is over, done, period. Nothing he is going to say or do will change anything. His report was more than enough but the Dems don't want the responsibility so they hope maybe Bob will do their work for them. Look how long the Dems dragged their feet just getting the report.
1
Impeachment’s, contempt of Congress and calling everyone a racist, has finally led to the point where even calling someone a motherfxxker means nothing anymore. Thank you USA Congress, great job.
3
Impeach him for what, a tweet? The Dems are going off the deep end.
10
Did you not notice the Dems voted down opening an impeachment investigation on that basis?
4
Ah yes... the impeachment pipe-dream. Thanks once again, democrats, for making Trump even stronger with the failure of this inane move. If he wins in 2020, it will be with your help.
Hissy fits and cheap stunts like this just serve to show that you don't understand the Constitution. You are the best gift Trump ever got - and you clearly don't care about the country. Thanks. For nothing.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
8
Impeach now
7
Good to see that you are allowed to disagree in the Democratic party. In the GOP unless you grovel to the ignorant tyrant you get chased out of the party.
Split or healthy disagreement?
The over-riding issue is not the Dems having a disagreement (allowed in a western democracy); it is Trump's outrageous obstruction of justice as specified repeatedly in Mueller's report. Americans should do their civic duty and read the report. Here is a bit that should be dominating the discourse:
"Our investigation found multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations, including the Russian-interference and obstruction investigations. The incidents were often carried out through one-on-one meetings in which the President sought to use his official power outside of usual channels. These actions ranged from efforts to remove the Special Counsel and to reverse the effect of the Attorney General's recusal; to the attempted use of official power to limit the scope of the investigation; to direct and indirect contacts with witnesses with the potential to influence their testimony."
Long live democracy and healthy open disagreements as the Dems are having. Its not a scandal to have an open disagreement. It is a scandal to obstruct investigation into the Russian attack. God bless America and God bless world democracy that needs American democracy to shine that beacon.
5
Tweets by themselves are not a crime, let alone a high one. First Amendment, remember? Those who voted to impeach for tweets have lost their minds.
8
I agree with you to a certain degree. I don’t think the 95 who voted for this did so because of Trumps tweet. I think they probably support impeachment for obstruction. However Rep Green cited the Tweet as HIS reasoning to bring articles of impeachment. I believe the democrats have justification for impeachment if it’s based on obstruction of justice, there is more than enough evidence in the mueller report. However I t’s ridiculous to cite only a tweet as justification. Yes the tweet was racist, but sadly the Supreme Court has ruled hate speech is protected by the first amendment and so I don’t believe the tweet meets the definition of “high crimes and misdemeanors” since Trumps racist tweet didn’t break any laws. Even the republicans who impeached Clinton were able to find a legal justification (perjury). I really wish the Democratic Party wasn’t so good at self-sabotage
2
I do not think that there is a "right" way here. President Trump will continue his disregard for the rule of law. The violations of norms will keep ratcheting up. At some point, Democrats and the silent majority will speak out. The candidates need to lead on this as candidates, each in his or her own way. This must become the number one issue and it will.
What remains to be seen is how far Trump will attack democracy before the scales move.
2
With respect, House Dems seem to be confused about impeachment, its mechanism, and its politics.
4
Trump has been playing this game longer than the squad. He baited them and they fell for it.
3
Green in his anger played into the hands of Trump. Count votes. Losing symbolic votes is insane. This sorry story shows how right Pelosi is.
3
Ah, there is the problem right there in the second paragraph: "underscoring the divisions within the party over whether they should use their majority to charge Mr. Trump and try to remove him from office"- "Try and remove him from Office"??? Are they aware that impeachment trials take place in the Senate? you know, the one with a GOP majority and controlled by Mitch McConnell? It's not going to happen in this current Congress. So, really this is all just about grandstanding and focusing on how Trump is a bad president, rather than focusing on legislation that Democrats want.
3
Please Democrats try to be smart!! Introduce a non-radical agenda and have Trump reject it. Then run on that and thereby remove the man from office. And, you have to have a presidential candidate who is not on the far, far left which is the case of every Democrat candidate so far. The people of this country will not elect anyone with the Democrat's radical left wing agenda. Democrats you are wasting your time with attempted impeachment. Mueller did not find a conspiracy and your attempted "Mulligan" will not be credible. Listen to Ms. Pelosi and not AOC et al. You just might save us all.
4
@Bian
He did not find enough evidence to prosecute for criminal conspiracy, but he did find collusion. He also found overwhelming evidence of obstruction. But what was Donald obstructing? Answer: Investigation into the Russian attack on America. Why obstruct unless there is consciousness of guilt? He was not indicted for Obstruction ONLY because Mueller had the opinion that a sitting president could not be indicted, NOT because he thought he was innocent. As Mueller said, if he could have said he was innocent Bob would have said so. As the report says
"The President reacted to the news stories by directing White House officials to tell McGahn to dispute the story and create a record stating he had not been ordered to have the Special Counsel removed. McGahn told those officials that the media reports were accurate in stating that the President had directed McGahn to have the Special Counsel removed." Page 5
Another time I will include the many quotes in the report indicating collusion (but not to the level of provable conspiracy). I can't believe so many of you guys can't be bothered reading the report.
2
If the Republicans had any brains, they would have supported the resolution. It would ultimately go nowhere, and end up being a Trump victory.
1