Now what? How about get to work solving the problems We the People care about: jobs, infrastructure, health care, education, illegal immigration, invasion of privacy from tech companies, illegal Chinese trade practices and their suppression of citizen rights, unfunded obligations to public service employees, and climate change.
72
@Dr B as someone who spent 6 years living in an autocracy, let me tell you this: a lot of rights and things you take for granted will be eaten away by corruption. Forget free speech; think about food safety. Drug safety. Who the police arrest and when they arrest (middle of the night, no warrant necessary). Think about your right to property - whether the government can knock your house down and tell you “get out,” even if you have the deed. Think about where you can go on the internet. Think about where your passport will let you go without a visa.
These things, that we Americans never consider negotiable, can be taken away, and it is AWFUL to live that way. That is why we should look past all the little issues that we worry about right now and think of the big issue: what democracy gives us is accountability. If you can’t seek recourse for being poisoned by a bad pharma drug, the price of that drug doesn’t matter.
72
@Ashleigh Adams Not sure I understand your point. Charles asked what should we do now given the Mueller testimony, and I answered with multiple issues that are way more important. You added a few more. How does that support Charles opinion?
2
@Dr B a lot of the issues you think are more important are actually issues that we cannot fix without democracy. It is the bedrock of accountability, and allowing Trump to continue to erode our foundations so egregiously misses the big picture. I understand why those issues might seem more immediate. However, allowing a wannabe autocrat to continue to destroy our institutions and rule of law will make all those other changes moot. Had I not lived without those things I might agree with you. However, experiencing life without democracy taught me how critical democracy is to making meaningful progress and protecting the rights of a society.
24
I think the people who went to prison like Cohen Gates Manafort, and Roger Stone proved to be criminals, but not the President. The question was did Russians affect the outcome of the election and I say yes. Not by hacking the DNC. Not by offering dirt on Hillary. Not by meeting with folks in the Trump tower. But in a disinformation campaign waged on Facebook to which President Trump did not participate. I don’t like the president but lying to obstruct justice seems too petty a crime to me. I don’t know?
19
I would have voted for Clinton but my nose is too big to pinch enough to avoid the stench; I voted for Stein and haven’t looked back.
We need better choices.
3
@Jensen Parr Trump's obstructive acts went far beyond lying. Read the report.
29
@Jensen Parr Petty crime? It shows consciousness of guilt for the underlying crime and, even if unsuccessful, hamstrings prosecution by discouraging cooperation, leaving prosecutors not knowing what they don't know. And, failure to prosecute such "petty" crimes encourages obstruction by other targets in other investigations. It's not a petty crime.
29
What’s the high crime or misdemeanor? That Trump grumbled & growled about the now-obvious soft coup against him? That he griped & complained about the investigation? Mr. Mueller himself said the investigation was not impeded or obstructed. President Trump had the authority to dismiss Mueller - he did not. What obstruction? What conspiracy??
There’s no cause for impeachment. Democrats have simply embarrassed themselves and offended much of the nation. The deeper they dig their hole, the worse their losses will be next year. I’m at a loss as to why Democrats seemingly cannot understand this.
59
@Once From Rome
Mueller himself said trump’s actions were intended to obstruct. Why is it so difficult to understand that obstruction doesn’t have to be successful to be a crime?
118
@Once From Rome You are missing the content of the report. Trump engaged in clear acts of illegal obstruction, set forth in exhaustive detail in section II of the report. (you read it, didn't you?) Muller followed the Justice Department policy and did not indict. No underlying crime is necessary for criminal obstruction of justice and the obstruction does not have to be successful. Your comment is nothing more than some Republican talking points, badly stated.
102
@Once From Rome
What part of obstruction don't you understand? It's no wonder we are in the place we are. Even when people are clearly shown their was obstruction, or attempts to obstruct, they stand in your face and claim the earth is flat.
26
Every time Nancy Pelosi asks me for money, I get angry. What's the point of electing people who are always waiting for the right moment, who are always waiting for things to come together?
At some point you have to make things start happening. That is what leadership is about. Passivity in the face of the blatant criminal conduct of Trump and the GOP is inexcusable.
36
Polls show most voters don't support impeachment; Democrats keep talking it up as a way to rile their base. It's too late for it now; the ballot box will decide. Democrats have to stop navel-gazing and come forward with a positive, realistic way forward for America that people believe in; not just confiscating the wealth of successful businessmen, free incomes for all who think they deserve them, open borders; they have to get real, they're not doing that. They're still nursing their bitterness at their 2016 loss; the voters won't buy that as a reason to vote for them. It's the job of the Democrats to care about and serve the needs of the voters, not the other way around. The Democrats are showing us that they're really concerned for themselves, not us. That won't work.
41
@Ronald B. Duke
Nursing bitterness over 2016? I hope I live long enough (though the demographic changes alone might be against me) to see the bitterness from Red America when they lose a presidential election where they have millions more votes but lose the electoral count. The irony in all this is that Trump seems to be the most most bitter about it all. I agree promising an all you can eat buffet is ludicrous. Now as for taking taxes on successful business people. I suppose we could not tax them but rather have them pay out of their own pockets for roads and infrastructure leading to their success. Have them pay for the security and first responder needs. Have them pay for destruction caused by catastrophic storms. Have them pay for our bloated defense budget because we are afraid of three year old kids crossing the border. How about just starting to show how much they love our country by releasing their tax returns.
31
@Ronald B. Duke
What about the questioning of Robert Mueller by the Republicans showed that they are really concerned for us, not themselves?
5
Americans don't deserve democracy. The Republicans don't want it and the Democrats won't defend it.
The best thing that can happen now is that the inevitable collapse of American democracy will happen quickly.
Then we can move on to whatever is next. But the current mess is neither possible to salvage nor worth salvaging.
148
@617to416
A provocative thought, one I've thought also recently.
7
Our democracy recovered after Jackson, Nixon and Bush. Mueller’s report and testimony prove that a President can be investigated deeply. The democracy is still alive and will thrive after Trump.
11
@Daniel Salazar
I believe our democracy has been in slow decline for decades. The fact that Obama had to govern by executive order because for 10 of his 12 years as President Congress was controlled by the obstructionist McConnell should be a warning to us of how systemic our illness is.
46
"I'm not sure how or to what degree Wednesday's theater will sway the public."
Sometimes I find these commentators to be extremely naive.
Blow does continue, perhaps wisely, "I suspect that the impact will be negligible." Brilliant.
Those that already found the Mueller report believable already knew those things about trump and have not changed their minds. (Not rocket science).
Those others who sided with trump and believe nothing of the report still believe nothing in the report.. (Not rocket science).
And the majority just don't care. They are too busy trying to put food on the table and gas in the car.
How much time and my tax payer dollars were wasted on this nonsense?
And all the media spent days trying to predict what the outcome would be. ( Not rocket science either. )
And in the end it won't matter. Trump will win four more years. The deck is stacked against the Democrats.
Religious right want a 6th Supreme Court Justice.
The media wants to sensationalize the election to sell media.
Trump's bullies will get out the vote.
Electoral College will reign supreme.
Voter restriction and gerrymandering and Citizens United will rule the day.
Sad. very sad. Democracy at its best.
53
“Now What”?
Charles if you watched Nancy and Jerry at their post interrogation news conference.
The what happens ???? was answered.
In her halting voice and with her expressively shaky hands and stuttering grammar choices she told the voters ..... we are not going to help you and we are now a Russian satellite and we are going to ignore our concentration camps and the dismantling of safety for the Peoples’ air and water and food.
We heard Mueller and we know he said truth buried in yada yada yada legalese.
We have been occupied by enemies of the people.
Those enemies are the Congress in their intransigence , the courts in their unlawfulness and a president that treats his office like a reality show.
Mcconnell is a criminal. He aided and abetted treason and assisted China and Russia and Israel in demeaning our world leadership.
So Charles where we go is to our local political party caucuses and monitor the legality of votes at the community and county levels. Start getting actively involved. Join as many political clubs as possible. Women call “ The League of Women Voters”
NYTimes do a nice investigative report on the League. Where did they disappear to? They used to run our National and State debates. What changed to take that right away and give it to media giants. Watch the Eisenhower or Kennedy debates. Cut and dry and honest clear positions debated . No glitter.
We are a failed democracy and Lady Liberty was a cruel joke for way too long for immigrants.
1
In a perfect world, populated mostly with angels, we would and should impeach. But we live in another world.
In our violent and dangerous world, populated mostly by short-haired apes, we run in packs, groups, tribes, and races. Survival, symbolized by victory, is our goal, motto, and credo.
Ethics are a garnish dreamed up by some ivory tower intellectuals, which have little or no impact when push comes to shove: Onward, Christian soldiers, to Saigon, Baghdad, and Jerusalem. Us vs. them. Nuke 'em, if you have to.
Politics is war by other means. McTurtle has pushed every nuclear button he has: You see it; you know it; so acknowledge it.
This ain't beanbag; however, if we meet McTurtle and Trump in their swamps, we will necessarily be contaminated, thus perhaps winning a pyrrhic victory, at best.
So do we take the high road or revert to type: endless feuding and biggest dog wins?
The high road, I contend, is to impeach. Let the chips fall where they may; if righteousness fails, at least we tried to make our jungle a little bit better. That should be the goal of all our political efforts, not winning at any cost via cunning political strategies.
Full disclosure: A pragmatist I'm not. I choose to live in that imaginary world contrived in the ivory tower. (Probably psychological detritus from my Christian upbringing, where heaven was the goal. Since that bubble burst, however, all I've got is a desire for an improved Earth, not a hell where the slyest dog wins.)
2
"...I’m not sure how or to what degree Wednesday’s theater will sway the public. I suspect that the impact will be negligible..." [op cit]
--
I agree.
***
I personally thought that Mueller's testimony went over like a lead balloon--partly by design, and also through sheer force of circumstance.
--
Mr. Mueller is no longer in the prime of life. Being in total command of a 400 page "summary," of a two year investigation takes more than a young man's level of energy!
Mr. Mueller looked very tired today, and I don't blame him. I think it would have been much wiser in retrospect, for his right-hand man [Aaron Zebley] to respond to the Committee(s)’ questions.
--
In addition, Mr. Mueller made it very plain, that his mission was to deliver a written "finding of fact," rather than a juicy soap opera narrative. The cooler heads in the media and in Congress should have known this in advance, and could have taken pains to warn the public. But I suppose they just couldn’t resist hoping for fireworks in the Committee Room today.
***
So what's next? [op cit]
I’m afraid the long wait for Election Day begins right now. Trump is secure, the Dems are hesitant and queasy [op cit], and the whole Mueller thing is officially dead, in my opinion. It's up to the voters now.
--
See 'ya at the ballot box, in 2020!
1
I could not agree with you more. By prevaricating over impeachment and publicly fretting over the POLITICS, Nancy Polosi and her fellow Democrats have vindicated Trump's claim that it was all smoke and no fire.
You cannot be the party that stands for the rule of law and dither over whether enforcing the law is politically expedient. You can't be morally superior and venal. You can't be outraged that Trump was willing to engage with our enemies to help his election campaign while publicly fretting if doing your constitutional duty might interfere with yours.
Worse, their oft repeated excuses don't make any sense and give the inescapable stench of hypocrisy and weakness. What difference does it make if the Republicans in the Senate refuse to remove Trump? That will be their political choice. Why shield them from it? Let them justify refusing to stand for the law in the face of compelling evidence and a Congressional vote to impeach?
What do they mean "energize his base"? They ARE energized. How about energizing those who are desperately looking for someone, ANYONE, to restore a sense of lawfulness in our country?
Trump has every right to crow. He HAS won, and will likely be re-elected. The Democrats have shown that it is all a joke, and they are the butts of the joke.
3
Now that Robert Mueller's the long-awaited, anti-climactic testimony before the House Judiciary Committee is over, the DEMS will continue down the same path of "Russian collusion" and "obstruction of justice". So, what else is new under the sun?
What else do you expect them to do? Roll over and play DEAD? Suddenly throw in the towel, make amends and pledge unflinching support for the POTUS? Please...this is all about POLITICS, plain and simple. No matter Mueller said or didn't say, the DEMS have no other choice but to keep the charade going for as long as possible up until the Presidential election in November 2020. Their political base demands it, and their political survival depends on it.
I can picture Jerry Nadler, Nancy Pelosi, Chucky Schumer, et al, behind closed doors...laughing their heads off. They know its all a game. Sadly, that's what being a "sleazy politician" is all about. It's all about conniving, cajoling, posturing, back-stabbing and making the POTUS fail miserably...no matter what. The heck with what's best for the American people and the nation as a whole. To them we're just chips on the poker table or pawns on the chessboard.
2
It's time to call your Congressperson if you want impeachment! Think of the power of the Puerto Rican people! Let them be our inspiration. You don't even need to march in sweltering heat. Just use your phone! Let your voice be heard!
2
Trump wins 2020 - thanks to Democrats' cowardice, corruption and incompetence.
1
GOP Rep. Ken Buck: “Could you charge the President with a crime after he left office?”
Mueller: “Yes.”
Buck: “You believe that...you could charge the President of the United States with obstruction of justice after he left office?”
Mueller: “Yes.”
If that's not grounds for impeachment, what is?
2
You know Mueller could have expressed a teeny tiny bit of annoyance that his “friend” Bill Barr mischaracterized the result of his report thus making this torturous five hour interrogation necessary.
1
If he's beyond our reach, we must impeach!
2
I will tell you “now what”
The Democrats are going to loose.
5
Forget about Impeachment. Democrats should be looking at a way to cut off his Twitter Feed. Donald Trump uses Twitter to lie, bully and threaten people daily. Twitter not Russia is the greatest threat to our Democracy.
I have said for a year, that Nancy Pelosi is in over her head. She is isolated, and insulated from the American body politik.
Her Rubicon, Impeachment and Hearings, she has not crossed. No march on Rome for Democrats... History will revile her.
Her Defining Moment, a wimpering flame, whisping away in the winds of rage and hate. History will revile her.
2
Now the Dems should focus on winning the election. It won’t be easy. But win WI,AZ, MI, PA, and make a go at FL, NC, IA. Stop messing around and win the election.
No. Democrats won't move on impeachment.
1
Dems should keep after Trump through hearings, lawsuits and any and other means to make him as uncomfortable as possible through the remaining months. He has made so many of us uncomfortable with his many lies, nasty appointments and terrible policies He will respond with so many outrageous
lies that it will plain for all to see, who are not part of the cult, what a charlatan he is.
His base doesn’t need further energizing; they’re juiced up on sexism, xenophobia, racism and nationalism.
They are scared that they might upset the white people who voted for Trump’s racism
Clearly racist remarks. Implying anyone who voted Trump, supports Trump or has switched sides to Trump is a nasty racist deplorable white human being. But this is not a surprise coming from the Author of this piece. Indeed it has become the dems rally cry. But it holds no water and will fail. Pelosi‘s plot is easy to see. Run out the clock on this term and see if they can beat him fair and square at the polls, if not then start impeachment in 2020. When they will have nothing left to lose.
The Democratic Party pretty much embraced snivellry as a governing philosophy after Mondale's defeat in 1984 when it didn't adopt the Republican agenda as it did during the Clinton years. For a brief shining moment, some of us felt that 2009 ushered in a new kind of president, only to find that we elected a ditherer-in-chief. Obama was always so terribly disappointed in us.... Today we had the spectacle of Robert Mueller, a legend in the mind of David Axelrod and the Democratic lawyer caste, show all the world that he's little more than a pitiable legal bureaucrat proving once again that a mind is a terrible thing to waste on a two year law degree.
4
“In our new age of terrifying, lethal gadgets, which supplanted so swiftly the old one, the first great aggressive war, if it should come, will be launched by suicidal little madmen pressing an electronic button. Such a war will not last long and none will ever follow it. There will be no conquerors and no conquests, but only the charred bones of the dead on an uninhabited planet.”
http://elibrary.bsu.az/books_400/N_389.pdf
In the mean time why do we wait till this comes true?
1
The Pelosi press conference was as bad as Mueller's performance at the House hearings. A complete disaster. If this is how the Dems hope to win in 2020 it's a forlorn hope. You don't bring a wet noodle to a knife fight, let alone a gun fight.
2
Given the fact that it appears that foreign interference in our national elections is, according to the Republican Party, no big deal, I suggest that the Democrats find their own foreign political ally. I’m sure the Chinese would have no problem breaching the RNC’s computer defenses and planting phony “news” stories on social media. In addition, Trump and his spawn are so stupid as to use private cell phones for official government business (as the hated HRC did). The Democrats wouldn’t need to “collude”, just convince the Chinese that relations between the two nations under a Democratic President would undoubtedly improve. Maybe the newly elected president could build a new casino or resort near Shanghai. I’m sure the Republicans would understand.
Now what? Unfortunately, now nothing. As a nation, we have sunk so low that we are content to leave a criminal demagogue sitting in the White House.
1
Now what? A search for and application of alternative ways to address the concerns that matter from the grass roots level. If we are lucky as a nation and as a species reason will prevail, but if we are waiting for our elected leaders to save us from our own citizen level passivity, greed, stupidity, etc., I think then we are doomed.
Here's the problem, as I see it. Trump has, actually, bought sympathy from enough voters so that impeachment becomes sticky. That is, many people believe this narrative:
"Gosh darned it...he's not a politician...He's unvarnished. He's a truth teller...he told us the truth about the system being rigged...he told us the Iraq war was stupid. which it was...he told us that China and Mexico were stealing our jobs. HE JUST TELLS IT LIKE IT IS. The guy is watching out for me. He's just like me. He doesn't know he broke the law. Give him some slack: he didn't know any better."
"
That's the narrative that Trump has - fairly significantly - been able to create. Of course, it's vile, disgusting, and filled with hypocrisy to admit that. But without recognizing that "he stole the narrative" and this gives him enough support to potentially eke out another election, we could be in trouble. He's great at playing the victim!
17
It is too late. Trump should have been tried and convicted the first time he kissed up to Putin and Un. That's when he showed his true colors. Impeaching him now will divide the country more. Better that we aim for a clean sweep in 2020, wipe out all the crooks and start all over again. And by all means put that wretch of a Trump in jail, fine him for all the Mar al Lago weekends at our expense, wipe the slate clean. Maybe, just maybe we will get our democracy back on track.
4
While the ZING of a Law & Order gotcha moment didn't happen....
...the substance to support impeachment was there.
Corrected spelling
Amazing hypocrisy, ignorance, and blindness on display. In today's Times we can read about Warren Kanders stepping down from the board of the Whitney because his company supplies law enforcement equipment. Bad! Let's have a round of liberal self congratulations. Then let's all praise saintly Adam Schiff, who's sole purpose in life is supporting his militarily contractor constituents, who flagged him to action fearing that Trump might lighten up on the cold war and international invention.
3
Congrats, Comrades! The fat lady's finally sung. Last nail's in the coffin. Game over. Let's hold the next inauguration in Moscow.
“Sniveling tacticians”...good one, Mr. Blow. Instead of standing on principle and proceeding with their constitutional duty, the zDemocratic leadership seems to be standing on the Titanic. I wish I could say I was surprised at the lack of action.
1
Once again Democrats are being called on to "do the right thing" even though it's politically wrong. We're supposed to take satisfaction from knowing, when Donald Trump is declared the winner the morning of November 4, 2020, that they stood on principle and didn't let political calculations deter them from holding him to account. I'm sorry, but we're long past the point where Democrats or anyone else has the luxury of caring about principles. When your house is on fire do you care if the firefighter watches porn or cheats on his taxes? There is one way to save this country, and it means doing everything possible to wrest power back from a would-be dictator and the political party dedicated to enabling him.
1
Actually, there are at least two more shoes to drop: the IG Horowitz report and the DOJ investigation being conducted by Mr. Durham. You just won’t see them covered by the Times.
3
Zowie. Charles Blow, who ardently supported Hillary Clinton's moderate platform throughout 2016, seems to be waking up and realizing just how ineffective the Democratic Party has become.
2
It's like this; I hope.
The vignettes of video testimony and particularly the exchanges between those respectful of the great man and those who chose to refuse him time to answer (remember he is a methodical 75 year old prosecutorial expert who managed a team of younger lawyers dedicated to the fair outing of facts) these will or ought to be played and replayed over the course of the next 14 months to show the truth of these matters.
I believe there will be a great cleansing effect from the continual review of these encounters with Mr. Mueller.
Anyone with half a head; no I mean brain will understand that Bob allowed himself to be put upon if only to show that he originally had no political agenda against Trump but only went for facts.
Mueller comes off clean. The others not so much.
So the meat is in the grinder and the media ought to grind it well. Because the sausage to be made must be savory to those who will eat.
Disrespect and outright attacks on Mr. Mueller will be reviewed again and again.
It is the man's stature that cannot be diminished; overcoming hateful rejection of an overall plan to subvert the democracy we cherish; leaving no other outcome but the defeat of a nazi criminal POTUS we have over us.
Thank you most admirable Robert Mueller for sticking your neck out. You won the fight by right of your integrity and honor to the code.
Rest well and go into the park to see the trees
You will never be forgotten for your work and contribution to justice.
A mere 24 hours ago, pro-impeachment progressives were insisting that all we needed was Robert Mueller reading the words of his own report. That would light the impeachment fire, they insisted. Well, we didn’t get it.
Everyone who can be reasonably persuaded that Trump is a criminal, knows he’s a criminal. The people who care about those kinds of things, care. *I* care about those things. But I’m not blinded by my emotions. It’s obvious not enough other people care.
Pelosi was right, again. Democrats have to win on kitchen table issues.
We don’t live in the timeline where we find the pee tape, or the one where Mueller saves us all, or the one where the nation rises as one and demands impeachment. We live in the timeline where we donate, volunteer and vote for Democrats. We live and die by the 2020 elections, and the handful of state and special elections prior to that. Donate, volunteer, vote. Wash, rinse, repeat. We bore holes in hard boards. Slowly. Let’s get to work.
1
Nancy is right. Impeachment will not wirk.
Voters, you gave ALL of the information you need to make an informed decision to NOT vote for Trump nir sit this election out. Vote.
You all know what Trump is. You have it in writing and you heard it today. You saw it in Helsinki too.
Vote this bum out.
The ballot box, Mr. Blow, the ballot box.
2
Can we posthumously impeach Ted Kennedy for asking the Soviets for help to defeat Reagan in 1984?
3
Our fellows Americans are marching in the streets of San Juan to remove their governor. Now it’s our turn on the mainland to march in the streets to remove a LYING and CRIMINAL president from the White House.
2
Now what?
Dump Pelosi and get a new Speaker ASAP!
Collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice are obvious and deplorable. But so is taking kids away from their mothers and putting them in cages. So is paying hush money to women to keep them quiet. So is lying to the American people about business in Moscow. So is siding with Putin over our own intelligence agencies. So is fawning over Saudi royalty after they murder a reporter. So is throwing Otto's family under the bus to suck up to Kim. This guy doesn't need impeachment - he needs a Super Max.
3
The one thing that annoys me most is he saying he did not obstruct justice,he did Muller said he did .This POTUS is a disgrace to our country Trump is a liar,thief,conman,racist,bigot ,Democrats are not doing enough IMPEACHMENT Now
1
The President will be allowed to be....above the law...
only if....he is not impeached !!!!
2
No one will do anything about it. Americans are too stupid to care nor do they have the attention span required to look at the evidence. Democracy is dead and it isn't coming back. Apologize profusely to your children.
2
I support Nancy Pelosi 100% for NOT impeaching Trump. Now. The Far Left ,including the nefarious Michael Moore and other malcontents, are pushing Impeachment for one reason: to start a “ revolution”. Impeachment will do three things: suck the energy out of the Democratic presidential race, make Trump the total center of attention for the next year, possible return of the House of Representatives back to the Republicans. THAT will be the Revolution. God help us all.
3
You wish, Mr. Blow.
If Dems have not now exhausted their whining over reach and overspending at this point to try and get us all whipped into hoping "the public really gives a rip" about Trump paying off a hooker (don't they all do that?).. or eeking out some sunlight of dastardly collusion with Russia (HRC had more crimes and misdemeanors,didn't she?)....it would now be a fete accompli. All it's become is a very costly exploding cigar in Democrat faces.
4
Congressional Democrats are damned if they do and damned if they don't. Congressional Republicans are simply damned.
Never before, when it comes to documented criminal activity, have political calculations been so obviously transparent and obfuscatory regarding serious misdeeds by an American president. Even Nixon's impeachment hearings, and Clinton's over one lie and maybe more than one episode of tawdry behavior, were tame compared to the unfolding travesty of justice surrounding Donald Trump's profligate behavior.
We are at a crossroads in American history, when a clear-eyed view of presidential transgressions is called for. Instead, what we are getting is a bunch of elected members of Congress selfishly calculating their own political fortunes and prospects while a rogue president continues to foist his criminal behavior on the nation.
Congress should be ashamed, Americans should be outraged, and Trump should be fired. We have a right to expect and demand better from our government.
1
I ask, which case looks stronger?
1. “The House voted to impeach, but the GOP-controlled Senate acquitted.”
2. “The case against Trump was so weak that not even the Democrat-controlled House tried to impeach him.”
I’d pick option 1.
Impeachment? Trump's chance of re election improved significantly yesterday. I did not vote for him but this ridiculous almost 3 year obsession with all things Trump has now turned out to be as valid as opening John Dillinger's safe on Geraldo. A bunch of Russian names, Flynn and Manafort (short lived marginal characters), nothing. I may not vote for him but would at least consider it which I never would have believed. Rachel, Larry, Don, Anderson and others have been big on Trump and have nothing. Sad but deserved
3
After hearing Mueller stutter snd stammer yesterday, and testifying that he knew nothing about “Steele and his dossier,” it is apparent that Mueller was the Special prosecutor in name only, and the hired guns, all anti-trumpers, held the reins, and wrote the 468 final report. The anti-trump prosecutors couldn’t find any criminal activity against Trump, so they resorted to using “no exoneration” as their final battle cry against their enemy....the illegimate president. Let’s hope this debacle is finally over and congress comes back from their 6 week taxpayer funded global vacations, and tackles the real problems of our country.
3
Now What?
FOLLOW THE MONEY
And Follow these:
Expect news from several prosecutor offices in SDNY, Penn, D.C. Manhattan, and NY State.
Expect investigator journalists to contribute more reports.
Now what?......push the Senate to pass the bill that Mitch refuses to bring to the floor to prevent hacking and interference in our 2020 election. Shame Republicans by educating the public on policies and put the focus on governance. Everyone is tired of watching Democrat’s bicker among themselves and blaming T for everything. It seems the only time the Dems win is after the Rep. have squandered all our $ and the Dems bail them out. Can the Dems focus before that happens?
2
I see all sides of this dilemma, but is is disheartening to think so many clear minded politicians seemingly continue to be out maneuvered by one, delusional, lying man who controls the narrative completely. My sense is that no matter how many we’ll-Intended, morally outraged people in your country speak up only one voice is being heard. If Trump gets a whiff that someone is getting close to the centre of this corrupt centre his bullhorn just gets bigger. I fear now is that he has truly drowned out all voices of reason, and the longer he goes on, the less chance of change.
When you see his crowd of enablers and supporters jump to their feet to defend the indefensible, will they ever accept the reality of only what the other half your country sees? When Trump came out yesterday claiming victory over Mueller's testimony I thought what parallel universe am I living in?
No matter the political scandal, nothing cuts more to my core than the lack of morality of those who continue to prop Trump up.
1
Now what? This is what: Let's get ready for another Trump presidential term. The ridiculous and vindictive strategy of the Pelosi-Schumer-Nadler cabal backfired and US voters have taken notice that in two years the democrats have shown no desire or skill to legislate anything that benefits American citizens. Instead they have embarked on an infantile political vendetta against Trump, thinking this will distract the attention of voters about the democrats' dismal lack of a platform of issues that could help defeat Trump. The best enablers of Tump are the Democrats and their antics.
4
What Pelosi said was that they wanted to get as much evidence to support impeachment as possible. There is some decision, I believe ,in the courts coming up which apparently will set the bar for getting a lot more information as stated by Mr Nadler who does support impeachment. They have been stymied at every turn by Trump and all his sycophants but want a rock solid base to work from to form the basis for moving forward. I completely agree that he must be impeached, his crimes go way beyond what happened in the election. I hope all of his crimes are uncovered and he eventually goes to jail. The Epstein case may add to the body of evidence against him too.
Trump is and always has been a charlatan and a crook, he will not be exonerated.
1
It’s too late to remove Trump by impeachment and trial, but not to open a formal impeachment inquiry into his malfeasance. Yes, there are political risks and benefits to doing so for the Democrats. As Mr. Blow points out, there are moral ones as well. Unless there is a House investigation, the following lessons will be learned.
Trump will have gotten away with his crimes. He may not understand right from wrong, but all those around him do. Their worst instincts will be emboldened.
The GOP will have been rewarded for aiding and abetting a criminal attack on our nation and our Constitution. They will not stop. They will erode our representative form of government to continue to hold power. They will invite foreigners to influence our politics and corrupt our governance.
The Democrats will forfeit their moral compass by effectively enabling a misogynist, racist kleptocrat under the thumb of a foreign power to continue to hold our highest office unchallenged by the Constitution.
The decay will fester until someone with greater skill but equal disdain for democracy uses the corrupted levers of our politics to gain power. We will then see that this is the twilight of democracy, but what follows will be our nightmare.
1
Time for the this form of democracy as an experiment to implode.
"Our political establishment has a moral duty to chastise this president for his corrupt and criminal behavior, even if it doesn’t lead to his removal. "
What if that exercise leads to the Democrats losing the next election?
Playing to win the next election is more important than calling a non game-ending foul.
We KNOW the Senate will not convict. We KNOW Trump won't just take a victory lap; he will put a video clip of the "not guilty" verdict on loop at every campaign event and in every campaign ad. We KNOW he will use it as justification for every cruel and racist and stupid thing he has done, and we KNOW that people will believe it.
I don't like any of those things. Not one little bit. But we have no way to change them as long as the Republicans control the Senate.
I think the most telling, and unfortunately incomplete, exchange is when Rep. Himes asked Mueller "If a campaign receives an offer of dirt from a foreign individual or a government, generally speaking, should that campaign report those contacts?" Mueller responded that it "should be" a crime "depending on the circumstances." Why, for heaven's sake, didn't Himes follow up with the question "Under what circumstances is or should it be a crime?" That is what we need to think hard about. How far can we go, consistent with the First Amendment, in clarifying that it is a crime for a candidate for national office to accept, use, or fail to report, offers of information illegally obtained and disseminated by foreign persons? The failure to report is, in effect, aiding and abetting, because it helps the foreign intervention to continue. Let's push that in Congress and force Republicans to go on record favoring rules-free, ethics-free campaigning.
Impeachment is a political process and therefore political decisions should be the sole consideration.
Pelosi is right about not pursuing this unless there is a reasonable chance at conviction by the Senate.
Gathering evidence of money laundering by aggressively seeking Tumps tax returns and enforcing subpoenas is far more relevant than the impeachment political folly of impeachment process that will clearly look like a witch hunt.
The hearings themselves were weakened by politicians who, on both sides of the aisle, saw this as merely an exercise in posturing and self-bloviation.
Mueller or not, there will be no impeachment as long as Mitch McConnell is on board.
Because the buck stops there.
The Founding Fathers inserted the Article for impeachment for exactly the reasons why Trump should be removed. What an impotent bunch of politicians who would look to saving their reputations and fear of Trump's revenge and not move to the next step? It's a denial of our democratic ideals. The time to impeach is NOW!
What was all that talk about "No one is above the law"?
If you really believe that, it's time to admit it: Donald Trump is above the law.
And if you don't like it, do something about it.
Is a country in which, under these extreme circumstances of overt and arrogant corruption and abuse of power, the 2020 election is remotely in doubt, and in which more than half the citizenry cannot be bothered to vote, or to even pay attention, worth saving? Can it be saved? If so, how?
“While Democrats worry about tearing the country apart, Trump is doing that in real time.” As always, Charles nails it. If we do nothing (because it’s not politically expedient) then democracy means nothing. And we allow our country to further rot from within.
It would be an absolute disgrace for Democrats if they decided to do nothing, put their hopes in the 2020 election to set thing straight in America, only to hear Trump campaign claim that the Democrats wasted two years and millions of dollars over a hoax and witch-hunt. To rub salt in the Democrat wound, Trump then wins the 2020 election with no significant changes in the Senate and Democrat losses in the House. I'd say it's all on the line for the Democrats to lose big-time with their weak and feckless inaction.
Speaker Pelosi clearly decided that the Mueller Report and the Mueller Hearings are just two small steps in a long walk towards educating Americans to the corruption and disloyalty of both Trump and the Republican Party.
Impeaching Trump now would be morally satisfying but futile. Like defiantly chastising a thieving murderer by telling him that he's a very bad person before he stabs you. Would that statement of truth make your death less of a loss? Save the country?
Speaker Pelosi's strategy is to not only rid America of Trump but also Mike Pence, Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, Jim Jordan and the rest of the cast of dishonest and disloyal Republicans polluting America.
By the time Speaker Pelosi has taken us to step 20, America will be ready to vote ALL Republicans out of office and demand court trials to hold them ALL, especially Trump, accountable for their treasonous acts.
Harry Belafonte said that during the Civil Rights movement that “my anger drove my passion”. I’m angry. We all should be. This fake president flaunts the law and gets away with it. His people ignore legal subpoenas while Pelosi and the Dems twiddle. Impeach. Get McGahan and others in front of the world. That will create anger and fuel passion and generate turnout in 2020. Otherwise, what? Worthless oversight meetings where Dems talk to themselves.
I see the GOP, the US Senate, McConnell and his cohorts and Trump himself all holding lit matches and so we can't even think of going near them with our own "gaslighting", Mr. Blow. The only way to get rid of his plague is at the ballot box and today that way looks unmapped.
All of the facts which were revisited during Muller's testimony were already out there. He is not the showman that Democrats needed to move the current reality TV show of this presidency back into prime time.
People who see Trump for what he is already want him gone, and that is hardly surprising. Those who remain willfully ignorant don't care about facts or they wouldn't be supporting him in the first place.
Impeachment is not relevant because Republicans in the Senate have proven that they have no regard for the law or for the Constitution. They will fail to impeach if it comes to that and that will give even greater credence to the claim that he has done nothing wrong.
It American citizens have the intelligence and backbone to vote Trump out of office in 2020 then the country can move on and try to reclaim its democracy. If not then why bother? If all we get are four more years of mismanagement and deceit the country is lost anyway and democracy in the US should be allowed to die the quiet death it deserves.
Weak Pelosi and Sniveling Schumer make me ashamed to call myself a Democrat. And their weakness and calculation will likely ensure a second term of the most dangerous man to occupy the Oval Office.
We The People must take to the streets, march and throw stones if that is what will get their attention before it is too late and tRump is enabled to finish dismantling our Democracy.
God help us.
1
We constantly hear that even if the congress tries to impeach Trump the Senate will not do it's duty and follow through on the Impeachment. If the Democrats do the right thing, win or lose, they will come out the other end looking better. The old saying it's not if you win or lose, but how you play the game that's at stake here. The founding fathers and constitution put the impeachment process in place just for a situation like this. If the Democrats don't use the one thing they have to try and exact some justice against this despicable president then we are making a mockery of the very document that is the backbone of this country. When black folks were fighting for their civil rights they were told not to rock the boat to hard. Go slow they were told, because the public and elected officials aren't ready to go back to their constituents and friends and have to defend an unpopular position and it will get shot down anyway. The Democrats simply need a few ads showing Trump spewing his lies and untruthful claims next to Muellers truthful explanations and then proceed with impeachment. Your'e never wrong doing the right thing.
I agree with you here, and can’t abide a man in office who’s a liar, cheat, grifter, and assaulter, but personally, I’d rather see the Dems go on a “crusade” to stop Russia and others from interfering with our elections. That would make me rest easier. I don’t know what to do or say anymore about Trump. He’s the most terrifying man I’ve encountered in my 50 years of life, because he is harming so many, from children at the border (and adults), to the racist rants that makes others comfortable in their fear and hate of “other”, to the deep deep harm he is doing to our environment. He is evil - and the Republicans are therefore also evil, in my mind, because of their complicity. But it’s dawning on me now that instead of continuing to make the case for impeachment, since it’s become glaringly apparent most Americans don’t want that, Dems do what they must do anyway, come up with solutions to the real problems that will kill us and our democracy in the next short bit of time if we don’t act swiftly. Deal with election interference, come up with tangible answers to immigration, deal with out of control corporate deniability, and most importantly, address the warming climate—now. This is the only home we’ve got. We’re on borrowed time here. Trump and his followers are a distraction. Let’s move on — like he wasn’t even there—2020 is where we must focus.
No citizen with an appropriate love of country really needs to hear any more. The guy needs to be impeached regardless of how the ГОП tries to spin his behavior before and after the election. They are collaborators.
Start the inquiry and write the charging document.
If the Democrats do not start the impeachment process, they will go down in history as the scared, feckless cowards that they are. If Trump either wins or loses the next election, the Democrats will still be stamped as the party that looked at polls instead of doing the right thing. Looking at the polls is what destroyed them and Hillary in 2016. If Pelosi does not start impeachment hearings and lets Trump get away with his criminal activities, it will be on her head forever. If the Democrats decide not to fight tyranny, the Democrats will be forever labeled colossal failures who abdicated their responsibility to protect our country. Pelosi talks about protecting the constitution and laws, but refuses to impeach Trump. She and the Democrats repeated numerous times during the Mueller hearing that "no one is above the law". Put your money where your mouth is Pelosi. Doesn't she see the hypocrisy?
What concerns me is that if the Democrats win the next election, they decide it “wouldn’t look right” to indict trump and his enablers for their crimes. My biggest disappoint with Obama was that he let Wall Street off the hook basically giving them permission to continue to be criminals. That and wasting the two years he had with a Democratic Congress.
2
Impeachment is an exercise in posturing------we need to winnow the field of hundreds of Democrats to a few moderates and try to get one elected.
I have been a life long moderate Democrat, but even I know that you can't bring a knife to a gun fight. You can't win a fistfight if you're to scare to throw a punch. I despise trump, but I have to admit, he fights to win, even if he has to crunch his opponents under his boot. Even if that opponent is his friend or relative. He is relentless and in order to beat him you have to be even more aggressive, determined and relentless. The only candidate with a realistic shot and beating trump is the old Fighting Joe Biden. He did not show up at the last debate. Let's hope he does at this next one because I think this is his last chance.
Counting down the days until the Democrats are completely out of power in the Capital.
2
There is anther shoe to drop. We haven't seen DJT's tax returns yet.
Nothing. It's over.
There was never anything there to begin with. The Democrats have squandered any chance they had to accomplish anything worthwhile. They will likely loose House let alone win the Presidency.
On the plus side, job security for Blow and company!
2
No. But Puerto Rico just showed us the way.
#MassDemonstrations
Get on with it - or- get over it, don't just sit there.
Amazing hypocrisy, ignorance, and blindness on display. In today's Times we can read about Warren Kanders stepping down from the board of the Whitney because his company supplies law enforcement equipment. Bad! Let's have a round of liberal self congratulations. Then let's all praise saintly Adam Schiff, who's soul purpose in life is supporting his militarily contractor constituents, who flagged him to action fearing that Trump might lighten up on the cold war and international invention.
'...they look like sniveling tacticians, more concerned with gaming things out that light us up.' Charles M. Blow, in this Opinion, was much too generous to the democrats as quoted above. When will our 'so-called' leaders stop depending on others, such as Mueller, to light their fire. Democrats needed to be more assertive in the protection of this country a long time ago . Trump is not a subtle crook or liar and his inhumane, undemocratic and immoral acts are in plain sight. He is all those things in addition to being an unbalanced, ignorant and despicable white supremacist. Trump showed his horns before announcing his run for the presidency and taking the escalator heading down in The Trump Tower. What better way to stop Trump and to educate the people about his criminal and unpatriotic activities than starting hearings for impeachment? It is shameful that such hearings didn't begin months ago. Charles Blow indicts the democrats, too. The people, as our fellows in Puerto Rico have shown us must lead the way.
If one does the right thing the rest will take care of itself. The worst thing one can do, is do nothing, because even if one does the wrong thing something good usually comes out of it. The Democrats are starting to look like wishy washy cowards who lack the courage of their presumed convictions. Do you think for one minute, if the situations were reversed, and say Hillary Clinton were President and the Democrats controlled the Senate, the Republicans would not be impeaching her and shouting it from the roof tops, of course they would? Trumps greatest asset is he is a fighter, he fights with everybody and everything, that’s all he does. If the Democrats don’t start fighting, they are going to get run over. If you bring a rule book to a rock fight you are going to get stoned to death.
If Americans have a fault - and I don't say they do - it's a desire for instant gratification. Mueller wasn't having any of that.
I thought his testimony was a masterful example of less is more. He bent over backwards to be impartial, which made the bombs he dropped all the more effective.
His delivery was certainly halting at times, but he was always firmly on message and impervious to Republican attempts to distract him. I suspect Trump and Giuliani will live to regret being too quick to take the sucker bait.
"They know that Trump deserves to be impeached, but principle is being made to take a back seat to politics."
Moreover, the political motivation for taking this backseat in suspect. Pelosi supposedly remembers the fallout of the Clinton impeachment, how it hurt Republicans more than Democrats, and does not want to repeat this. But, this is a much different history. With all his faults, Clinton was a more successful president than Trump, respected the world over. The story of his impeachment shows him to stubbornly concede, admit fault, and formally address the nation in disgrace. And the nation forgave him, largely. A Trump impeachment would not play out like this. More details would emerge about Trump's complicit and obstructive behavior, he'd double down in a rage, leaving only his hardcore base in wide-eyed worship. Everyone else would be disgusted, no backlash aimed at Pelosi or the Dems. The fallout would reach the likes of Nunes, Barr, Rosenstein, McConnell, and Graham. So, principle taking a back seat to politics, in this era, is a stupid political move. In this case, principle and the smart political move align; and, I think in the long run, this is always the case.
Well that first day was a load of nothing sandwiches. Not that clear evidence of felony was not presented. More that a group already knew that and the other group find his felonious behavior endearing.
1
I’m going to end my life as an American expatriate in France instead of my native country because the nation has fallen into a moral quagmire by a corrupt president.
Who could have predicted that America would ever stoop so low!
Charles, you have precisely defined the hypocritical limits of liberalism and neoliberalism: rouse the people enough to get them to vote for you, but do no more beyond that.
While it’s true Anything But the Republicans and Trump is our future after the 2020 elections (otherwise — no rhetoric or hyperbole here in making this statement — there will be no future, period), in the meantime, we have the vestiges at least of a democracy to try and reconstruct.
Brave words and grandstanding with no tangible action won’t do it. Our representatives have the responsibility of taking action on these high, treasonous crimes, which includes indictment of everyone that defends them, down to the last member of the Republican Party, which at this point has completely discredited its claims to any role in our country’s future.
Failure to take that action, with both broad and narrow evidence in front of them, is just that: Failure.
The Democratic Party gets an F along with the Republicans, if they do not act now, in a timely fashion.
This dragging things out and kicking the can down the road is not policy; it is cowardice.
Put country above politics, the future above personal greed, truth above mendacity!
Get this corruption out of our system; it’s already almost too late.
After 2020, it will be so, finally and fatally, for our species and for most life on this planet.
1
Now nothing, if you watched Pelosi's pathetic press conference after the hearings. The Dems will continue to dither and dance and pat themselves on the back while Trump tears them apart.
1
This comment thread seems infiltrated by trolls echoing the Republican spin that today was a victory for Trump and a failure for Democrats. When in fact:
1. Mueller clearly stated Trump has not been exonerated.
2. Mueller clearly stated that Russians interfered with our election, and continue to do so to this day -- and Republicans refuse to intervene because they benefit from it.
3. Mueller clearly stated that Trump could be indicted upon leaving office, and that the only reason he was not charged is the DOJ "principle" that a sitting president may not be indicted.
That's a good day for Trump and Republicans????
1
Thank you Charles Blow for spelling out the obvious. I can only conclude that the democrats in the house either really are neoliberals and not cracking the door open on FDR type policies, or that they are incapable of empathy for non-white people. How else can they just stand aside while people (mostly of color) are dieing almost every day because of tRump and the republican politicians.
Nancy Pelosi is setting the Dems up for failure in 2020. I never thought I would see Dems so weak and ineffective. Shameful and quite disheartening.
1
Mr.Blow refuses to accept the fact that the only way to overturn a result at the ballot box is by getting more votes the next time. There are no shortcuts in a Democracy.
3
Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump agree that the Squad aka Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez need to be mocked and marginalized.
Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi also agree that there should be no consequences for either Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel nor Vladimir Putin and Russia hacking and meddling in order to get Trump elected in 2016 nor to prevent their return on Trump's behalf in 2020.
1
Charles, I'm tired of being one of the "goodies" who has to stand up for what's right. I just want to win. Why should Democrats do the dirty work for Republicans. Let trump continue to ruin their "party" with his disgusting behavior. Democrats need to keep working on great plans and make a big deal every time they pass something that will help American families but that ole' Mitch sits on. Now that the debt ceiling will be raised, trump is a lame duck. Dems need do nothing to work with him going forward. They can focus on their own agenda. Going forward we have learned a valuable lesson; sometimess winning is more important than being right. I know that is a hard pill to swallow, but I want to win the war, not just a battle.
Rashida Tlaib (Dem-MIch.) comes from my hometown...boy did she make a statement a while back with an expletive I so admire.
Let's forget the whole charade. With the current leadership in the established Democratic Party, it was already discounted that anything of value would result from Mueller's testimony. The charade ended and nothing happened, the bumbling and milquetoast Democrats came out empty while the Republicans, from Trump down to the last official, came out on top, as they usually do. At this point, it is clear that those of us who are considered liberals do not really have a political party that truly represents us. It almost feels like it is time to give up politics and think about something more pleasant, hoping there is such thing somewhere.
5
"They are scared of unsettling the people who voted for their newly elected moderates. They are scared that they might upset the white people who voted for Trump’s racism but might be open to considering a Democrat."
And with good reason. On what basis should House Democrats --- read "Nancy Pelosi" --- trust that the American electorate would respond positively to an impeachment hearing, and upon hearing the catalog of his high crimes and misdemeanors, gather together in a critical mass and vote Trump out of office? If anything the American electorate has clearly demonstrated that there is no violation of decency, no lie big enough, no evidence irrefutable enough to budge Trump's support numbers. If I were Pelosi I would absolutely be terrified that an impeachment hearing would solidify Trump's chances at re-election, and I would have minimal confidence in the Democratic electorate lining up single file behind one of the roughly 687 people running for president. Or did you forget this is EXACTLY how Trump got elected in the first place: Solid Republican support, fractured, complacent Democrat voters.
You do no one any favors by pounding the table with your shoe over the need to stand on principle. What we need to stand on is our own two feet, in line to vote in November 2020. That, and only that, is the answer to Trump.
1
Charles, if your column was an essay submitted in a political science course, I would give it t a D.
Whether or not to pursue impeachment is a political decision. No-one in the House has any obligation to pursue impeachment. Even if a member of the house believes the president did engage in conduct which falls within the ambit of "high crime and misdemeanors", he/she is free to decline to proceed with impeachment proceedings on any basis, including that they are unlikely to be successful, that the population would will not support it, that it is not in the best interests of the country to remove the president from office despite his conduct, that to do so would harm the chances of his/her party in the next election, whatever.
It is a two-step process, first decide whether or not grounds exist, then decide whether or not to do anything about it. Your approach is to say grounds exist and there is therefore a duty to proceed.
Nancy Pelosi is right Charles, you are wrong, you get a D. You are wasting your platform.
2
Speaker Pelosi will begin impeachment proceedings .
Mueller said very clear when asked; "if trump were not president would he be charged with a crime?" The answer - yes!
Case closed! When he loses in 2020; he will be charged and hopefully spend many years in prison.
Media please wake up. Clinton's main article of impeachment was perjury.
Former U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller said on Wednesday he “generally” agreed with a characterization that Trump’s written answers to investigators probing Russian interference in the U.S. election were not always truthful. “Isn’t it fair to say that the president’s written answers were not only inadequate and incomplete because he didn’t answer many of your questions, but where he did, his answers showed that he wasn’t always being truthful?” Democratic lawmaker Val Demings asked as Mueller testified before the House intelligence panel. “Generally,” Mueller said.
2
First of all, Mr. Blow, the true liberals in this country are not in the camp with the radical leftists. They are with Pelosi.
You argue that "principle is being made to take a back seat to politics."
Well, in yesterday's column by Edsall he presented data that showed what happens when you don't take the long view about principal. Those data showed the number of Sanders voters who did not vote for Clinton "out of principle" and how those numbers could have easily prevented Trump from being President.
If they had voted for "politics" over their immediate needs for gratification of their "principles" then the long term preservation of their "principles" would have been significantly preserved.
In fact, their need for immediate gratification of their "principles" was one of the most significant events during my 71 years. It got us Trump.
Some principle, huh?
2
”The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the president’s corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law” - Mueller
Why on earth did Democrats not focus on this even once in either hearing?
4
I do not understand the oft-stated perspective that "impeachment is too divisive." What is infinitely more divisive, in my mind, is Trump's constant toxic rhetoric, calculated to pit Americans against one another. Trump's continued presidency, and Democratic leadership's refusal to censure him in the most impactful way possible, through impeachment hearings, simply paves the way for increased division and rancor. Trump is not the cause of bigotry in America; rather, he is the natural outgrowth of bigoted thinking that has always seethed beneath the surface and now enjoys full expression. Failure to face this reality head-on gives those who seek to divide us further validation and ammunition. Whereas George Bush described himself as "the Decider," Donald Trump operates as both the Decider as well as the ultimate Divider. This should terrify all people of conscience. Failure to meaningfully confront his purposeful divisiveness allows it to flourish unchecked. It is time for our leaders to take a strong stand in defense of American ideals. Rather than being too divisive, an impeachment inquiry is, in my view, a necessary first step on a long road that will ultimately lead to national healing. If we are serious about protecting the American ideals of liberty, justice, and dignity for all, we have no choice but to traverse this admittedly difficult, but morally necessary path.
2
Let's be honest folks, we have colluded and traded down our privacy for cheap social media distractions. This free personal data has been weaponized by unscrupulous capitalists like Cambridge Analytical for the benefit of the highest political parties bidders. These outfits perfected their personal data manipulation in Iraq, Syria, Iran, and other countries by trying to influence the "enemies" to become friendly to us. With various degrees of success, they moved to offer their services to political parties with the promises that they had enough data on voters and nonvoters to manipulate their political views one way or another by tailoring information, fake or bonafide, to vote or not to vote for a particular candidate or issue. Cambridge Analytical called these voters "persuadable." After using these voters manipulation thecniques in various third world countries elections they moved to the big targets; UK and USA. The perfection of this manipulation was demonstrated in the UK Brexit referendum and in our 2016 presidential election, which the record shows it was decided by (+-)70,000 persuadable votes. Most of the information required for this chicanery was procured and bought from Facebook. As long as we continue to consent and use free social media sites oblivious to the ultimate consequences of our actions, we can entertain ourselves arguing about nothing while democracy dies a slow death. We are all persuadable now.
1
Why do I pray daily when there have been times in my life that it seemed there could have been no one listening?
Devastating times of illness, death, divorce, and loss.
So, why do I pray? And, why, when my days have been darkest, have my prayers come more frequently and more frevently?
Because there is something deep inside me that is an unshakeable belief that someone on the other side I cannot see or hear is listening. Someone who loves me. And, in one of the greater mysteries of a life filled with war, famine, disability, and death, has answers I'll never fully grasp.
Our leaders have lost that faith. In the face of a mountain of objective evidence that should stir within them a deep and abiding resolve to do the right thing, they are paralyzed by subjective feelings of inadequacy, uncertainty, and hesitancy.
Even the most faithful among us have those same feelings, those doubts, even while we pray, but we do it anyway.
A life without faith is empty, and never in my seven decades have I felt so much of its absence in our leaders.
Somewhere in your heart, Speaker Pelosi, is that little girl whose faith in our country stirred you to rise to heights you could never have imagined for yourself.
Humble yourself. Do as we were taught to do. Find a closet. Close the door. And, in the quiet and darkness, pray and find your faith again.
1
Ten Republicans sitting at a conference table were asked a simple question concerning how best to save a dying republic. The loudest and most nihilistic of the ten took a deep breath and bleated out a string of barely comprehensible words that formed only invective rather than sage counsel. The words were seductive in that they were simplistic and easy to repeat without thinking. As one would expect, the 9 other Republicans sitting at the table, when given their individual chance to speak, regurgitated verbatim the cynical blathered admonitions of the first. No one at the table cared to understand the impact their words might have on those they purported to lead; no one at the table even cared what effect their performance might have on the survival of their troubled political union. They all had just had their moment to preen for the cameras. What else could possibly matter?
Ten Democrats then took up space at the same table and were asked the very same question just asked of the Republicans. To no one’s surprise the 10 Democratic leaders came up with 25 different opinions, choosing to speak each of these simultaneously, as if in one voice. No understandable message emerged; but this mattered little. They seemed to be doing their assigned jobs even as they were only fostering chaos.
At the end of this passion play, circumstances were exactly the same as at the beginning. The republic pathetically whimpered, another increment in time closer to its demise. No one cared.
2
If leadership in the House of Representatives does not open an impeachment inquiry, count my support for the Democratic Party out. No money, no canvassing, and no vote. If lying about a stain on a blue dress was enough for impeachment 20 years ago, why not this?
3
While I understand both sides of the impeach / don't impeach argument, I have to wonder what impeachment is for and can it ever be used from this day forward?
We have a President who would have been indicted on federal crimes if he wasn't President, yet we can't impeach him. Is impeachment only for Democrats who have consensual extra-marital affairs and never for Republicans under any circumstance? That seems to be where we are today.
This President needs to be removed from office. Losing an election may be the best way to do that. But we seem to have set a precedent that this President at least is above that law, can do anything he wants and no one can touch him. When the rule of law only matters to some and not others, I'm not sure we really live in a democracy.
10
That the Russian's goal was to help Trump’s electoral prospects seems a pretty far reach. The GRU attempted to hack both the DNC and the RNC and were most successful with hacking the DNC. This might lead a more balanced and thinking person to conclude the Russian's goals were to disrupt and sow discord in the US. If this is correct, they were spectacularly successful, and every opinion peice like this one simply continues to abet their goals.
3
@Jeff
Alone, that argument might make sense. But taken with over 100 contacts by the campaign with Russia which were all lied about, it doesn’t hold water.
3
It's important to recall that before impeachment proceedings against Nixon began, many fewer than the 37% or so now in favor of impeaching Trump were in favor of impeaching Nixon. Carefully conducted public hearings, which produced overwhelming evidence of presidential malfeasance--even before the discovery of the "tapes"--did in fact sway public opinion. The distance between opening an impeachment inquiry in the House and referring a determination to the Senate is and can be very great. McConnell will allow no legislation to come to the Senate floor; Barr will support the lawless president at every turn. The Judiciary Committee can vote for impeachment without bringing it to the full House, thereby "saving" Democrats in swing districts. It's past time to do that.
4
Suppose the real audience for Robert Mueller was the federal judiciary? Speaker Pelosi had to be worried about the failure to uphold the subpoena of critical witnesses like McGahn and Mueller's deputies.
The general public may not understand what they heard. Competent attorneys and judges will.
Friday's hearing on the subpoena of McGahn and the release of grand jury material will be heard with Mueller's testimony front and center.
1
Impeachment is just posturing---the senate would not convict but I am sure it would enlarge his base somewhat -----stop wasting time better spent in paring down the field of hundreds to one or two rational moderates and then get behind them. Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania FOCUS.
2
Very few deny that Russia interfered with the 2016 election and continue to do so. So why aren't Democrats demanding that the Senate Republicans vote for funds to shore up our electoral electronic programs before the 2020 campaigns begin? Because a vulnerable system is to their advantage. Don't let them get away with this.
4
Because they already passed that bill, and McConnell’s been sitting on it for over a month.
Here’s a question: why impeach, when so many Americans can’t be bothered to know the simplest things?
Flash back to the Watergate Hearings in the 1970s. The Republican Party and indeed the entire nation was very different then.
Flash forward to what happened yesterday when Bob Mueller testified for 7 hours. With the exception of Republican Rep. Will Hurd, the Republicans on both committees made it very clear they valued politics over country.
The recipe for undoing the incredible damage the party is doing with Trump leading the charge is to resoundingly defeat him in 2020. That and establishing a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate.
Then - and only then - does the country stand a chance at re-establishing itself as a beacon of Democracy, a world leader, a champion of the huddled masses.
Everything else - from the talking heads on CNN and MSNBC, to editorials like Mr. Blow's - everything else, is sound and fury but signifies nothing.
2
Independents comprise 38% of the voter pool in this country.
Nearly 20% of these independents do not identify with either party (not 7% that MR. Blow wrote which is the percentage of ALL voters).
This specific group of independent voters tend to shrug ideology and vote along moral lines. They will likely decide or at least have a huge impact in 2020, if they get out and vote.
I am one of these voters, and POTUS is not my choice, by far.
But, the challenger better have a clear, moral, and inclusive (not dividing) agenda that keeps this country out of financial, health and environmental trouble.
“Watch what they do, not what they say.” The money establishment that controls both parties doesn’t want impeachment; neither Pelosi nor Biden are calling for impeachment. Indeed, the establishments is hoping for Trump’s re-election. You can see it in the type and slant of press coverage as well as punditry PR campaign to dilute the importance of Russian interference, Trump’s immigration policy that daily violates human rights, the tax cuts, the further deregulation of everything, the threat of war with Iran, the give away of Jerusalem and Golan Heights .
You don’t have to look further than today’s Brett Stephens op-Ed column.
5
I am becoming impatient with people who point out that "impeachment proceedings" are pointless because the GOP Senate would never convict, blah blah blah.
Let's look at the current situation. Right now, Trump has simply said he will not honor any subpoenas or document requests. His refusal is total. The Dems have gone to the courts, whose wheels turn slowly. For all intents and purposes nothing is happening. If a decision goes for the Democrats, it will be appealed, all the way up to the SCOTUS which has two "Trump judges" on it.
There is a preliminary step to impeachment proceedings called an "impeachment inquiry". The legal scholars I have read recommend this step because it would add great weight to subpoenas and document requests that are currently being ignored. Why? Because impeachment inquiries are the prerogative of the House and are covered under the Constitution.
Nancy Pelosi is fighting the last war, and is losing the present one. At this point, she's useless. Under her leadership, my Democratic Party fights for nothing and stands for nothing. They have no reason to exist.
5
"To me, they look like sniveling tacticians, more concerned with gaming things out that light us up."
The epitaph on the tombstone of our democracy?
3
Only 2020 will determine whether Pelosi and the Democratic leadership’s refusal to impeach Trump is an effective strategy. It is clear to all, however, that the Democrats can impeach but the Republican-majority Senate will never convict. The political calculus therefore should focus on the shaping of public opinion leading up to 2020.
The Republicans have demonstrated time and again that they are equal to their boss in lying, equivocation, and bullying. This behavior was on display in their interrogation of many Congressional witnesses, including Christine Blasey Ford and yet again with Robert Mueller.
The smugly arrogant countenance of Matt Gaetz, as he superciliously questioned a man twice his age and with a much more extensive history of honorable service to the nation, was too much to bear. An impeachment process will likely implode in the Democrats’ faces because of the Republican spin machine.
But with a would-be dictator in the White House and his handpicked minions controlling the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, and the Intelligence agencies, who is going to safeguard the electoral process from foreign meddling and preserve democracy in America? What happened to America’s revered system of checks and balances?
The display of indifference toward the diminution of democracy in America is grotesque. A dupe in the White House is running the country by cutting deals with international strongmen.
3
The law is the law. Trump broke the law. Trump and his campaign team had over 100 contacts with Russians. They lied about their contacts again and again. This is about principle more than action. Voters judge people on what actions they take and why. Do they act on principle or perceived opportunity? You stand for something or you stand for nothing. Then win or lose, you can look yourself in the mirror and say we did the right thing. Republicans impeached Bill Clinton because they thought he deserved it, and because they believe he tarnished the Presidency. It was an opportunity to reduce Democrats chances in the near future. and that succeeded. But Bill deserved it. We should impeach Trump because he broke the law and he has abused power. Whether he is convicted or not is irrelevant. It will show Democrats believe in principle more than maybe opportunity and that is what people will vote for. Doing the right thing not because a positive outcome may arise from it, but because doing the right thing is the only thing we should worry about doing. If the Republican Senate does not convict. so what? They will have failed to do the right thing which is the only thing they have been doing for years. Stand up and fight for democracy or lose it altogether. Let's pin the scarlet letter "I" on Trump's chest. Let's discuss all of this again in the halls of the Senate. Let each Republican Senator defend the indefensible. Let them defend their complicity. Let them defend their treason.
12
I’ve been reading your column for years and usually agree, but you write:
“His base doesn’t need further energizing; they’re juiced up on sexism, xenophobia, racism and nationalism.” I must say I’m upset you think Trump’s base doesn’t need further energizing, because they need it every single day and minute. That’s precisely why they love Trump so much, he keeps re-energizing them constantly with tweets and scandals, fears, grievances and people to hate. They live for their hate of Democrats. Seeing Democrats lose an impeachment (which they will because there is no chance it’ll go in this Trump enabling Senate, even if it “doesn’t wash” with you as you mentioned) is their ultimate fantasy. Painting Democrats as the bad ‘impeachers’ and seeing them lose this battle and then lose in 2020 is their biggest wish. Impeachment is also Trump’s dream and a sure ticket to his re-election. The only way is to have a strong Democratic candidate, but even one who wins the popular vote won’t do it because there’s still the electoral college and gerrymandering. Things are not looking good, and the worst thing is the fact that conservatives are way more passionate.
The benefit of impeachment is the same one that the Republicans got from relentlessly attacking Hillary for Bengazhi for many years even though it went nowhere and it damaged her. They lied and attacked the e-mails which also had no basis but eventually cost her the Presidency. There must be a relentless attack on lying and corruption which impeachment would do. The Republicans never thought about whether it would work out to their favor they just attacked and attacked blindly and with ferocity. It worked.
5
Not conducting impeachment hearings is the best way to help Trump win reelection. Since few are reading the Mueller Report, Trump's argument that no impeachment means complete innocence would attract strong support.
Polls only show less support for impeachment because most follow Pelosi's lead. An inquiry would rapidly increase those numbers. It will not matter that Republicans will likely not remove him; most people by now know the degree of their sycophancy, and will be moved more by the procedure. And Democrats must LEAD, not merely hope for a smoking gun. And I think Pepsi actually misread the 2018 midterm results. Thinking all those "Trump districts" weren't primarily voting against Trump is absurd.
Not making Trump accountable for his many ethical lapses and crimes, from playing footsie with the Russians, obstructing justice, violating emoluments clauses, secretly paying off sexual partners and lying about it, lying about everything, and all the rest, providing an extensive treasure trove of high crimes and misdemeanors, would forever set the precedent that the president IS above the law.
Impeach. Before it is actually too late, if not already.
6
Mr. Blow,
I go back and forth on the question of impeachment.
My instinct is to trust Nancy Pelosi. Some days I want to see him go down in history as only the third president ever to be impeached, other days I want him to be to be so solidly repudiated at the polls that I can look him in the eye when he returns to New York and tell him, "welcome home loser".
And unlike other one term presidents (I'm thinking of Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush), his reputation will only get fouler in his post presidency.
1
"The leadership is conducting a long-term tease as a way of dampening a revolt."
Yes, this, exactly. If you listened to the closing remarks at the intelligence commitee hearing yesterday, you'll notice Democrats have already conceded impeachment to the election. They want anti-Trumpism to nominate and elect a traditional moderate candidate, namely Biden, and extend neo-liberalism aging tenure within Democratic orthodoxy.
Little do they realize, the ship has already left the harbor. I identify as independent. If pressed, I might identify as left-leaning. However, you're a fool to think that means I'm a reliable Democratic voter. If I don't like the Democratic candidate, I'm not going to vote for him or her REGARDLESS of the opposition. That might mean a third party candidate or no vote at all.
Democrats have absolutely botched the Mueller report. Leadership is trying to manipulate me into a position I find repulsive. That reasoning alone is enough to make me walk away from any Democratic candidate. That's not a vote for Trump but it's one less vote for Democrats. Fortunately, I don't live in a state that matters. However, there are voters who feel the same way in states that do.
1
Even if the Republican's fantasy's about the origin of the investigation were accurate why would that make any difference about Trump's crimes?
1
To those who say the dems have to concentrate on winning in 2020: isn’t focusing on winning an election that will almost certainly be tampered with by the Russians AGAIN somewhat futile? By not impeaching Trump, we are communicating that that’s totally ok for Trump to go about running for re-election in the corrupt way that he did in 2016, and Russia should feel free to trample our efforts to defeat him in 2020.
7
Most of the democrat politicians in congress are conservatives who may not like Trump's rhetoric, but they like his policies. They are as sold out to corporations as much as the GOP. There is a minority of democrat politicians who would do the right thing and as well there is a minority of the electorate that would do the right thing. The criminals out number the honest people in the US.
Of course this is what Trump has been working for - a Democratic Party divided, unwilling to impeach because it would supposedly benefit him at the polls while simultaneously not upholding the rule of law and Constitution. Between a rock and a hard place.
Trump doesn't get impeached and uses all of the above against them.
Meanwhile, McConnell and the GOP are welcoming Russian interference, rigging the system and refusing to vote for voter election integrity measures. What's not to love about this plan? So far, it's working.
The Democrats can continue to take the bait and fight amongst themselves OR they can start to focus on the 2020 election from the voter registration drives, securing election security at the State level to go around Mitch, to asserting the Democratic policy goals for 2020 and beyond.
There is great opportunity to form a bond, a coalition of Americans on healthcare, a living wage, education, etc. Take the message back from Trump and work to get out the vote.
4
Making a decision is so, well, final. Until that moment all roads are open. Once you pick a road it may prove longer and offer far more obstacles than originally perceived. Given the way this particular person, our president, is able to constantly escape from any repercussions for his own actions, and given the fact that one of the two political parties is in his capacious and sloppy pocket the decision is especially hard. There is every reason to believe that Trump will be able to turn an impeachment to his advantage. I believe that if our republic/democracy survives this person we need to build some stronger safeguards into our documents. I have been appalled by the ease with which things like separation of powers have been suspended and bypassed.
1
The democratic leadership wasn't hoping for a smoking gun during the Mueller hearings, but a dampening of starting impeachment hearings. Now, the leadership can wait until 2020 election to try and oust Trump, but the liberal base may sit out the election and let Trump and Trump's party destroy the democratic institutions for another four years.
Some have commented that the Democrats don't have enough support from voters to begin the impeachment process. So what? The voters have nothing to do with whether our elected officials have the integrity and courage to do the right thing and use all the tools at their disposal to, as Mr. Blow rightly says, "chastise this president for his corrupt and criminal behavior." It is absolutely the right thing to do, now and for history, and I am sorry to see Ms. Pelosi standing every bit as much in the way of this mandated action as ever Mitch McConnell could do. We are lost, my friends.
6
If the party affiliation of the executive branch is the same as either the house or the senate, then the concept of "separation of power" no longer holds. Which is why a 2 party political setting is problematic. Right now, the democrat-leading house is just limiting the extent of power-abuse, but it is not sufficient to hold the president accountable. We must correct that loop-hole ASAP.
1
Nothing would pump me up more than being able to witness the Democratic Party committing political suicide by launching an sham impeachment campaign. So Trump asked that Mueller be fired. So Trump asked witnesses to lie. While surely these acts speak volumes about Trump as a person, unless these requests were actually carried out, how can it be construed to be "Obstruction of Justice" when the obstructive acts never happened. We all talk about things like wishing something bad would happen to someone that has hurt us deeply, but few of us actually act on these words.
I also want to bring to everyone's attention the desperate attempts to salvage anything meaningful to hurt Trump from yesterday's testimony by Mueller. The big headline is that Mueller did not exonerate Trump. A prosecutor has only two options when investigating a case - Bring charges and go to trial or drop the case.
It is not the responsibility of the prosecutor to "Exonerate" and to my knowledge, never before has a prosecutor actually made a public statement to announce that the suspect was exonerated. It is clear that Mueller has little knowledge of what is in his own report. This raises a critical question regarding how much input he actually had into the report with his name on it. The implications of this are mind-boggling and pervasive. That could mean that the report, especially the comments on "exoneration" were written by one or more politically conflicted, biased members of Mueller team.
1
While respecting the Democratic leadership this reminds me of 2012 and all the Democratic candidates who failed to defend Obamacare. It would be much better to stand on principle and demand justice. While that might mean some short term losses it would likely cause the tide to change as many think that Fox, Trump, and friends are telling the truth. Facts and truth need to be proclaimed without equivocation.
3
Yesterday in the halls of Congress we had Mr. Mueller speaking about his report to the house of representative Chairman Nadler. The performance was the great but there was key information that all Americans should understand as we learn the Russians had a all out effort or attack on our election in 2016. Condoned by Pres. Donald Trump and the Republican Party. But that wasn't the take of the day late last night in the Hall of the Senate bills propose about our nations securities on our elections.
The Republican Senate voted down the security measures to protect our elections in 2020 what hypocrites do we have in the halls of Congress. Is Mitch McConnell in bed with the Russians and the Republican Party to distilled the Democratic votes from the American people this is not our finest moment we need to rise above this and no what the Republican Party is a party of thieves. So elections 2020 vote every Republican out office with the dealing of a foreign government.
2
@Rick Johnson Yes, we're constantly focusing on the squirrel/president when the even greater threat is Mitch McConnell and Republican Party. They readily subvert our government and the well-being of our citizens by enabling a criminal president and Russian assaults.
This is a rhetorical question, right. I think you know the answer already. Not going to happen.
Democrats should spend more time thinking about real issues such as low opportunity for real jobs, the epidemic of drugs sapping the energy from this country, too big of an income difference with commensurate tiny taxes at the high end, that the U S finds itself of the center of every issue in the world. We Don’t need to pay off student debt taken out by kids that already have advantages most other people would love to have. Quit trying to fix an illegal immigrant issue by worrying about allowing drivers licenses, food support, medical care, free college.
Consider helping Americans, yes Americans first and foremost.
@Mike our problems are many. they are complex..... and they will not wait while we fix things for some but not for others. I would suggest that we do need a thoughtful, pragmatic candidate that can clearly explain what they believe in and where they want to go. we know that once they are elected? reality sets in and the compromising begins..... at least in a functioning government.... which we do not have right now.
After all the information that is in the Mueller Report on the Russian hacking into the 2016 election and the evidence of continued hacking by not only Russians but other foreign countries as well, how can we put all our trust in winning a "free and fair" 2020 election. The Senate will not even take up for debate the election security bill passed by the House. McConnell is blocking it and will continue to do so. Why do you think he is doing that? Because Trump and the GOP don't want any tinkering into interference in our elections. They like it that way, thank you very much. They benefited from it in 2016 and plan to do the same in 2020. Impeachment may or may not be the answer, but counting on the 2020 election to solve the Trump problem isn't any more reasonable. Fiddling while DC burns, guarantees that we all lose--our country.
4
Don’t see a political upside to impeachment proceedings where Trump remains in office. Concentrate on getting out the vote and nominating a candidate capable of flipping states that were closely contested which Trump won in 2016. That’s an uphill task at present which is the greatest priority
1
I have long believed that the Democrat’s strategy of waiting for Mueller, actually putting all their chips on this one aspect of Trump’s reign of error, was a mistake. Yes, the nefarious basis of Trump’s Putin bromance had to be investigated, but proof of actual criminal conduct was always going to be difficult to develop for all the reasons Mueller detailed in his report.
Instead of numerous scattershot investigations, a single impeachment inquiry would focus on the numerous violations of Trump’s oath of office. Representative Green was right charge Trump with the impeachable offense of divisiveness by rhetorical racism and bigotry. I would have added to that count the endless lying which undermines competent governance and national unity. Nepotism including improper granting of,security clearances and vesting authority in his utterly unqualified children as a threat to national security is another count. Conflicts of interest of the Trump clan, and the failure to disclose facts and divest of conflicts is another area of official malfeasance. In that regard, the conflicts of interest and rampant corruption of his cabinet and other senior advisors establishes Trump’s undermining of our Democracy.
Would the inquiry result in McConnel’s Senate voting to remove Trump from office . No. But A continuous series of hearings focused on the threats Trump poses to our Democracy would have been a better way to make the political and legal case than merely waiting for Mueller.
4
The impact of the hearings will certainly be negligible if the pundit class keeps saying it will. Watching Rachel Maddow's synopsis of the hearings last night was eye-opening. Prompted by questioners, Mueller enumerated all of the ways that the involvement of Trump and his campaign with the Russians, and all the lying about it, compromised the administration. He volunteered that the cooperation of Trump with the Russians was a crime. He indicated that if this behavior were not called out and punished, it threatened to become the "new normal." But the pundits went into the hearing predicting it to be a worthless snooze, and by gosh if they didn't determine themselves to be correct. It is always sad to see Washington journalists engage in their habitual pack mentality. It's especially so to see Charles Blow do it.
5
It’s true that the Senate will never remove Trump from office, but an impeachment hearing in the House would force witnesses to answer questions or plead the Fifth Amendment.
Yesterday the Democrats allowed the Justice Department to decide which questions could or could not be answered by Mueller. If Congress is truly an equal branch of government then they should set the rules for their hearings. This can really only truly be done if there is an impeachment hearing.
4
Consider the alternative to the mainstream media focusing obsessively over the next year or more on impeachment proceedings. What if instead the talk were all about the details of Democratic legislation that would actually improve people's lives and the fact that it is being blocked by Mitch McConnell? Wouldn't that be infinitely more effective in improving Dem chances of winning in 2020 than a drawn out impeachment effort that is sure to fail in the Senate, possibly very close in time to the election? Would a spectacular loss and Trump's consequent chest-thumping tweets be the right optics in the dimming light of election eve?
1
Trump’s base is as energized as they are ever going to be.
If we Democrats sharpen our claws, bare our teeth, and actually begin fighting as if the life of our nation is at stake, those Trump devotees are not going to get any more rabid than they already are.
Yesterday may not have provided fireworks (except for the stink bombs lobbed by the Republicans) but all of the reasons why The House can no longer avoid opening impeachment hearings were highlighted by Mr. Mueller.
I am proud to be a life long Democrat, proud of my party’s diversity, it’s compassion, and it’s championing of human rights, but I am disappointed in its timidity, especially in the face of Trump, Barr, McConnell, et al who are undermining the very foundations of this nation.
If we do not impeach Donald Trump, then we might as well take the possibility of impeaching anyone out of The Constitution, for it will have become meaningless.
6
Our democracy is in trouble. The moral imperative is obvious.
What is just as important is that the president dominates the media. An ongoing impeachment inquiry is our best offensive tool to co-opt media coverage. We say upfront that we know the Senate won’t convict him, so he won’t be able to declare victory. Also, a televised impeachment inquiry will expose all the president’s high crimes and misdemeanors to the American public, so they can make an informed choice in 2020. It will also force Republican senators up for re-election, especially Collins and Gardner to go on record to convict or not on impeachment.
At this point the politics of impeaching this emboldened president are far better than what the Dems are doing now.
6
Sadly, the Republican attack on "does not exonerate" is logical to me. In our justice system we don't prove innocence, so what was he doing?
Why is "evidence sufficient to indict if that were allowed" too much to say? We still have an assumption of innocence, so how is Trump injured by the fact that but for he would be charged with a crime?
Mueller over adherence to the rules of a game that Trump and Barr have been cheating on from the start means the cheaters win again.
1
Charles, one thing is clear. It is now up to democrats and justice loving people to come together and defeat Trump race baiting he represents. Perhaps we used Mr. Mueller and his report as a crutch thinking that it alone would save us, but now it is on us to do what is right and just. As a patriot and hero Mr. Mueller stood up for the rule of law and the protection of our society.
But while keeping his sometimes halting words in mind warning us that we too could be slaves if we do not step forward to meet the external Russian threats and internal racist ones he has done us a great service.
Mr. Blow you have a powerful voice and we must use ours as well to fight injustice and bigotry. I do not know is impeachment is the correct path, but we must go on to 'find a nw birth of freedom'.
1
Excellent, insightful, commentary as usual from Mr. Blow.
Pelosi is the wrong leader for our times should - MUST - be removed from her position as leader. She is dysfunctional and, worse, I believe she and McConnell are too cozy.
Her public criticisms of Trump and the R's reveal a reluctance to create their enmity. In gratitude, they go out of their way to be nice to her and avoid criticizing her. However, if she were to do her duty under the constitution she would be torn apart by them. Apparently this harsh reality fails to register with her 79-year old mind set.
The failure to impeach the criminal in the White House is a mistake that is inflicting irreparable harm upon our nation. It tells the world that our nation is tolerant of an arch criminal in the White House as long as he produces results for the 1%. That is the wrong message and a violation of our constitutional principles and the rule of law.
Impeaching Trump allows for a wide ranging investigation that has yet to be undertaken at the federal level. It provides an avenue for the results of that investigation to be broadcast into the homes of Americans via impeachment hearings.
The American people deserve to know exactly what Trump has done since taking office that violates the law and the only way for them to know is via an impeachment investigation.
We already know some of what he has done, but we need to know all of what he has done. A thorough impeachment investigation will answer that question.
1
Our democracy is in trouble. The moral imperative is obvious as well.
What is just as important is that the president dominates the media. An ongoing impeachment inquiry is the strongest offensive tool we have to start winning the media game. We say up front that we know the Senate won’t convict, which co-opts his ability to declare victory. It also forces senators especially Gardner and Collins to go on record when they vote to convict on impeachment or not.
The politics of impeaching this emboldened president are far better than the politics of what the Dems are doing now.
1
The "now what" is whatever their constituents tell Congress members to do, in large numbers. If the phone lines aren't jammed and their mailboxes full demanding impeachment, it's more of the same slow slog of committee investigations, subpoenas and document requests ignored and sent to the courts, running out the clock and making voters' eyes glaze over. Bottom line, unless there's a huge bombshell, most Americans have already closed the case and factored in Trump's corruption and criminality along with his lying, indecency, and racism. It really is up to "we, the people" to make those phones ring and mailboxes overflow if we don't like corruption and obstruction of justice.
2
I’ve been for impeachment all along. Strangely, yesterday’s hearing may have changed my mind. It reinforced everything we know already, that Trump is profoundly corrupt,immoral, and incompetent. But the division in this country is palpable. Republicans at the hearings ignored the facts, Trumps supporters called yesterday a victory (how bizarre). The senate will not convict. I guess I was hoping for a dramatic moment that would wake people up. That moment is not going to come.
Maybe we should just put all our energy into the election.
2
The biggest issue is one of timing. An impeachment inquiry now would spill over into an election year. This would distract from the task at hand of getting elected or re-elected. Few other than Trump's base don't doubt that he's done enough to warrant impeachment, but the process is a long and arduous one. As it should be. A more viable and less politically risky move might be a motion of censure condemning Trump's actions. This way Congress can go on record as having done something, instead of this drawn-out, politically calculation weighted decision to impeach or not impeach, that is the question, and at the rate being decided we will have the election come first.
1
My concern is that the Democrats will lose the house again in 2020 simply because they have not accomplished what they ran on in 2018: policing trump and lower drug prices. Maybe I missed something here in Northern France, but I can't remember hearing anything recently about lower drug prices. If Mr. Muller's testimony yesterday (I watched some on CNN) doesn't move Ms. Pelosi toward impeachment I don't know what more it takes. Democrats are ready. I believe this time Ms. Pelosi is horribly wrong.
2
I suspect I am like quite a number of readers: furious with the GOP, disgusted with Trumpco, yet still ambivalent about undertaking impeachment. Granted, leaning more on the side of "just get on with it." Because this is like having a rotting tooth and avoiding the dentist because it is going to fall out someday . . .
We know that the House will not be able to remove him from office: there is one unbreachable wall in the US right now, and it's around the US Senate.
SO the bottom line is will the process weaken Trump , or weaken the Democrats?
The Democrats are still in need of a vibrant message and messenger to carry the elections in 2020. Will the combined effect of the giant field of would-bes and dealing with impeachment demands cripple the party? Or show us it's strengths?
1
Democrats can do the right thing by opening an impeachment and further polarize our country, which might very well give us another four years of Trump. Or, they can do the smart thing by forgetting any impeachment action and concentrate on winning the next election. I opt for the latter.
2 of the last 3 Republican presidents were reelected for a second term. 4 of the last 5 presidents were reelected for a second term. Based on that, Trump has a 67% to 80% chance of being reelected.
Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are overthinking this. They ought to be aware that it is better for the country (and for Democrats) if Trump is impeached and he wins in 2020, than not impeached and he wins again. It is obvious that Trump will not be impeached; and the Democrats will live to regret that.
6
“Maybe history may judge this political calculation to have been a savvy one. Maybe. Or maybe, history will judge the anemic response to Trump’s steamrolling our laws, rules and conventions as setting the most dangerous of precedents for the future of the country, all out of fear.
Which of those historical judgments would look most devastating when committed to the page and entered into the record?”
Indeed that is the question. The tactical versus the duty to uphold the rule of law. Without an economic slow down or judicial dismantling of the ACA, Trump will claim exoneration, economic success and defense of America against immigrants and socialists. What will the Democratic congress and candidates offer the voters in 2020? A lot of bills sitting in limbo. Wake up and do the right thing! There will be many witnesses other than Mueller who will have to testify. Get the congressmen and Senators who vote against impeachment on record. Congress can pursue the impeachment hearings and legislation at the same time. Time to fight hard and create maximum pressure.
4
After watching Mueller testify and hearing the thoughtful responses by the four Democratic leaders, I'm starting to think that the House should start impeachment, whether the Senate convicts Trump, or not.
If I was the only person on a jury with clear proof of guilt willing to vote guilty to convict a community leader that others would not convict because of his or her role in the community, I would still vote guilty.
Sometimes, we just have to do the right thing no matter what.
3
Now what? Mr. Blow.
Have the House continue hearings re Trump's obstruction and prepare a legal case for impeachment.
When done (assuming it is before the election), see if thru polls a majority of Americans support impeachment.
If not, don't impeach, because it will harm the following:
1-Nominate a moderate progressive candidate for president. Right now it is Biden but it could be anybody white, black, young, old, man, female.
2-Don't identity obsessed, social engineer, see race and/or gender in every decision made like Hillary did.
3=Do offer moderate/progressive policies to issues that Trump demagogued like blue collar job loses, getting into wars, reigning in Wall Street etc.
This is the best way to get rid of Trump. If the democrats do it like you do, ie see race in every issue on the table, you will all but be giving Trump another term.
2
How exactly are the voters supposed to be angry enough to turn out in droves after the democratic leadership didn’t think the sins were enough to impeach?
As my Cuban friend used to say, “They have milk in their veins, not blood.” We were attacked by a hostile foreign power and the president helped. For the Love of God, what more do you need?
If it’s not strategic, you don’t have to send the impeachment articles over to the Senate. But for the House to endlessly wring its hands is an abandonment of duty. After Mueller’s testimony I am losing all respect for those who, by their actions, are saying this is no big deal. If you love our country, fight to save it!
13
@Bamagirl
What more do we need?
How about some actual proof that doesn't involve meme Facebook posts seen only by a handful of people, and literally changed nobody's vote?
How about not taking the word of the DNC that they were hacked by the Russians, when they refused to allow the FBI to examine their hacked server?
If you're going to pretend to respect the rule of law, then abide by it.
Removing an elected official because you disagree with his policies and his boorish manner is the stuff of dictatorships. Democracies do it at the voting booth and in a court of law, with demonstrable evidence not Facebook memes.
3
A very interesting idea: the Democratic leadership "think that there is a way to acquiesce their way into acceptance. They think that if Democrats are simply quiet and don’t make a fuss, that this fever will break and voters will be relieved of Trump’s corruption." Democrats always hem and haw, and ask themselves, "What should we do?" Meanwhile, they fail to see the Republical steamroller heading straight for them. Take the 2000 vote recount in Florida. Or the GOP's determination to stymie President Obama, from the stimulus package and healthcare to the nomination of Merrick Garland. And now, Democrats fiddle while President Trump burns down our republic.
9
That the Senate would side with Trump and not vote for his removal from office in spite of all evidence brought against him in a far-reaching inquiry can be the best result for this country. It may work to dislodge support from those who vote Republican on the local level. That the Democrat leadership is subjecting its base to that awful feeling in the gut that that Dems will do nothing reminds me of the timidity of the UFT under Randi Weingarten and Bloomberg sought a third term in spite of term limits. NYC teachers were upset that the union did not represent them and Bloomberg did even more damage to the Department of Education. Democratic leadership, stand for what's right. Do your job.
3
The House has the Constitutional duty to impeach and the Mueller testimony supports it. I am on the fence because I think Pelosi knows what is best for the country and unlike most politicians wants to do what is best for Americans. There is plenty that goes on that is not Constitutional, yet is best for the country. This might be one of those situations. Dems should follow the seasoned public servant that unlike her GOP contemporaries, actually wants to help people.
I yield to no one when it comes to the contempt I have for Trump. When it comes to the issue of impeachment I will side with the Speaker. In my view American voters put this misfit in office and American voters ought to be the ones to take him out. I want to know if the American electorate comprehends the mistake it made in 2016. If not, then we all get what we deserve, another four years of Trump. The goal should not be impeachment but a landslide victory in 2020.
3
Thank you, Mr. Blow, for staying with Director Mueller's testimony rather than muddying the waters with trash-talk from those who wanted Trump-like histrionics from this substantial man of honor.
4
While I have been in support of an impeachment hearing to lay out the truth about trump's high crimes and misdemeanors, regardless of conviction in the Senate, at this point I have to ask:
How would that hearing be substantially different from what transpired in the Mueller hearings?
Despite the lack of drama on Mueller's part (which for some reason is a requirement?), the now-familiar charges were laid out, point by point.
Apparently, this failed to move the needle on trump's presidency.
How would a House impeachment inquiry be any different? Or have a different result?
5
Congress has a constitutional duty to impeach. House Dems must move forward on this. Their excuse that the Senate would not vote to convict is just that. They need to show courage and take the risk. Most citizens understand what this is about. Trump's base will not change regardless of what he has done and is doing, so forget them.
4
Time’s up.
I will not support, financially or with my vote, our moderate freshman Democratic representative, Andy Kim, unless he votes to begin impeachment hearings.
3
While Democrats worry about tearing the country apart, Trump is doing just that in real time.
Perhaps we have reached the point where each of us who is committed to voting on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 or before that if that option is available should make a pledge of the following form:
No matter which two people are chosen to be the Democratic Party's choice for President and Vice President of the United States of America, I will vote for that pair and I will do whatever possible to find someone who expresses a wish to end the reign of President X but is not sure about voting, help that person to register if not registered, and help that person to cast his or her vote - before the election day if feasible.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
5
@Larry Lundgren-I had and have my reservations about Biden, for example, and at one point wrote "Warren or no one" but that won't work. I will vote from afar, that is from Sweden, and will vote in New York State so any effort I might make will not have any practical effect.
Anyone who reads this who lives in a state that should have gone to Clinton but did not may have something to say to me about supporting efforts to get out the vote in that state.
3
"People were told that opening an impeachment inquiry would be a mistake because that's what Trump wants to energize his base-...."
Frankly, I don't think Trump's "base" could be any more energized---or delusional. I offer the most recent Trump rally in NC in support of this argument.
8
There's ample evidence the President violated the ethics of the office and illegally. Whether it be obstruction or taking part in an illegal hush money scheme to pay off an adult film star, he broke laws.
If these aren't impeachable offenses, what are?
Democrats keep telling Americans to "guard this moment" and that American democracy is at stake. Yet they take no meaningful action.
6
It is important to remember that President Clinton was in his second term when he was impeached and the Senate failed to convict, so he could not run for reelection. If you think the conduct of this malignant narcissist is bad now, imagine if he were impeached, the Senate failed to convict, and he won reelection.
The wise course is for Americans to donate to campaigns that will improve our chances of flipping the Senate. And for Congress to challenge the Constitutionality of the OLC's policy. That way our full governmental system is forced to work, to go on record, in a situation that will be written in the history books.
2
Charles, when the Constitution was framed, as Madison makes clear in the Federalist papers, political parties were not considered likely to form in America (despite the fact that they had formed in the UK 100 years earlier).
Madison was concerned with unhealthy alliances based on faction, not political parties.
The Framers could not conceive of a situation like that which we face today - one in which one party has become degenerate, utterly devoted to nothing but the retention of political power at any cost, and thus subservient to those who manipulate the passions of a segment of the American electorate in an effort promote a personal business agenda (Fox, Murdoch, etc.).
Many Senate Republicans likely understand that Donald Trump is an abomination, and everything that the Framers of the Constitution would have feared. But they have become so attached to their political status and privilege that they will not stand up to the mob that conservative media utterly manipulates and controls - for fear of losing that status and privilege.
That's why impeachment is not a feasible option in 2019.
Only a resounding political victory in 2020 is an option - and to achieve that victory Democrats must assemble as wide and broad an alliance as possible.
And once we achieve that victory, we must do something about Fox and the rabid conservative media that has impelled the devolution of a once defensible political party.
5
@Matthew Carnicelli The way to deal with Fox is to take away their broadcasting licence.
1
Since when is the political establishment concerned with morality? The political establishment reminds me of the Titanic after the iceberg--it's every man for himself.
1
What happened was really clear.
Step 1
The hearings PROVED obstruction of justice.
Step 2
In Pelosi's press conference, she said they are investigating DT's finances to find out WHY he is obstructing justice.
Once they can present the WHY....that is a better case...and one maybe even the Senate cannot deny.
2
The Dems seemed to be out for a soundbite, and Mueller wanted no part of that. He already said he wasn't going to say more than what was already in the report.
3
Congress must assess the fact that the president is in the position to start a discretionary war, and take it very seriously.
Mueller said that the president is a compromised man who protects himself by taking illegal acts. He has continued to do so, post Mueller report.
First, no president should be able to start a war outside of an immediate emergency, and only then, according to very special guidelines.
Second, a president who has violated laws and continues to violate them, and who would be charged for his illegal behavior were he an ordinary citizen, should especially not have this power.
There is still time to draw attention to war powers and for congress to make sure Trump doesn't use abuse them. Impeachment might be the public mechanism which would hamper him from acting out, and also, to create a functioning congress, that recognizes what a serious duty it is to finally take up this issue of war powers and fix it, not just for Trump but any president who follows him.
4
When Boris Johnson became Prime Minister The Guardian front page listed a number of possible scenarios. Although the word Kakistocracy first appeared in 1644 government of the most incompetent and most corrupt has never before been seen in a modern technological global nation.
My preferred scenario is that we in Canada use the next five years developing trade and commerce with countries that share our ethics and values. Successful globalism for Canadians requires a belief that all trade is a win/win and I am skeptical the USA is ready to abandon the attitude even a minor perception that someone may gain a little more makes for a win/lose.
I think Duterte of The Philippines best expressed what the new order would look like when after the Pacific Summit Duterte admonished Canada for insisting on basic human rights before ratifying trade treaties. Duterte claimed this violated Philippine sovereignty and Duterte said President Trump was in his corner.
I see no future in sharing our economy with the USA we are too small to enjoy justice in a world of might makes right. I am liking walls more and more. As Robert Frost wrote Good fences make good neighbours.
For myself in 2019 despite being much wealthier the USA resembles Russia far more that it resembles Europe or Canada.
It's about values and ethics and we are already at war with America's most trusted ally the Saudis.
7
Where is the moral position in these debates? I’ve heard (am inundated with) political calculations and strategies from rational, pragmatic voices that drown out the voice of conscience.
“Do the right thing” alludes to action based on deeply held principles.
If I stand opposed to the leadership, policies and actions of Donald J. Trump and the Republican Party on MORAL grounds, I will not vote for Trump or any Republican in 2020.
But, as things stand, Dems under Ms. Pelosi are placating a tyrant, which in effect aids and enables the immorality I oppose.
Unless Dems do the right thing, I will not vote for a Democrat in 2020 either.
The political strategists have projected the number of voters gained in 2020 through inaction on impeachment. But have they factored the number of people, like myself, who will reject the Democratic Party in 2020 for failure to act?
1
Reading this column, I am reminded of an old saying, "He would rather be right than to be president". It is true that Trump has broken the law, a most important law if justice is to be served. He obviously tried to obstruct the investigation into crimes, his and many other people's. That qualifies as a high crime and misdemeanor in almost anyone's book unless it is a political hack's like AG William Barr. It is also true that only the House at this point can obtain justice through an impeachment of Trump. It is the right thing to do. But the risk of promoting anything which would result in another term for Trump is too high. I would rather the Democrats put all their energy into defeating him by offering up a powerful program dealing with 40 years of growing income inequality, growing deficit spending and its solution through taxing the super wealthy who have benefitted most from very low taxes over the past 40 years, and a secure health care insurance program for our citizens, and paid maternal leave and good child care, and lower educational costs.
3
Impeachment will only allow whiner Trump to paint himself as a VICTIM.
The most predictable thing that will happen.
1
@Darkler...
Ms. Pelosi has only two choices... she can do the Constitutionally right thing and hold the most corrupt President in American history accountable for his corruption... or she can fail to do the Constitutionally right thing... thereby making it possible for future Presidents to engage in Trump's level of corruption... and then take it even further.
It will be a pity if Ms. Pelosi's highly accomplished political career is remembered by history simply for failing to do the Constitutionally right thing... thereby setting a precedent for Presidential corruption which will be available to all future American Presidents... regardless of whether they were elected by a major foreign adversary or not.
"None of this washes with me." Mr. Blow, I understand your frustration. I feel it, too. But we both need to face reality. If the House impeaches Trump, the Senate will acquit him. Period. Full stop. End of story.
Yes, Trump has committed impeachable crimes. The Republicans don't care. They never will. Trump could quite literally shoot someone on 5th Avenue in broad daylight, and the GOP would shrug their shoulders. As long as Trump nominates the alt-right federal judges they want, and as long as he signs their regressive legislation, they will support him to the bitter end.
"Our political establishment has a moral duty to chastise this president for his corrupt and criminal behavior..." To which Trump would reply, "Who cares? In case you haven't noticed, I'm WINNING!" Trump is a man beyond shame, beyond embarrassment, beyond chastisement. HE DOESN'T CARE.
Trump knows that if he is impeached and acquitted, he would become politically invincible. He would wrap himself in the flag, proclaim total vindication, and then cruise to re-election in 2020. If impeachment and acquittal were to happen after the election, Trump would do a victory lap around the White House and start making noises about NOT leaving office in 2025. Worst of all--his base would back him up.
Trump wants to be a dictator. The GOP want him to be a dictator. His base wants him to be a dictator. The only solution is to vote him out of office--or wait for a heart attack to punch his ticket.
4
Mark my words. If the Democrats fail to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump and he is re-elected, the Democrats will be tagged as cowards who were more concerned about their political prospects than they were with doing their duty as legislators. They will lose the House and become a regional rump party. God help us then.
6
Mueller’s warning must be taken seriously. Trump is a danger to our democracy, our liberties, and our futures. Begin impeachment hearings now!
6
SCENARIO 1
Impeachment is not attempted.
In a year..... the General election campaign in full swing....
....and Trump is pulling all the same moves.
Then even the Democrats would not deserve my vote.
SCENARIO 2
If impeachment goes forward now....and Republicans block it....
.....and Trump pulls all the same moves in the General election....
....then the demise of America will forever be on them.
1
Trump believes that no one with real power actually takes the separation of powers, checks and balances, and the rule of law seriously. All these things are really fake news that people throw at each other to hustle the losers who actually believe in it. He believes this because he has used the law and lawsuits to his own advantage and succeeded in it. If powerful people actually believed in the rule of law, they would have stopped his decades of abuse of it.
His followers believe that what is going on is a power struggle: those who pretend to believe in high principles on the one hand, and on the other their hero, who mocks and deflates these pretenders and is destroying their power. Impeaching him, even if he will not be removed from office, is maintaining that our principles are real by trying to give them reality. Putting this struggle aside and just trying to remove him from office is admitting that he is right, the principles do not matter, and what we have is just the latest power struggle between rich and poor, winners and losers.
2
I agree with your thoughts. Even if Mueller couldn’t act, we could. Mueller isn’t the only judge of evil and Trump’s corrupt intent, his selfish use of our government to enrich himself, his vicious assault on four members of Congress, his proud cruelty toward people seeking help and safety and so much more deserves condemnation. I fear his increasing dictatorship. But let’s also think about the many people who protect Trump and realize that the Mueller hearing showcased the perfidy of most of the Republicans. It is obviously a Trump party now. We cannot pretend otherwise. They embraced his governance. And what about Barr? Please keep writing, Mr. Blow.
4
Golly, Mr. Blow, I think it’s game, set and match.
Nancy Pelosi is shivering with fright over the dreaded “white flight” from the thinning ranks of blue collar whites in the Democratic Party. She knows that the president is counting on their fears of a minority-white America in another two generations or so; they are the president’s foot soldiers.
Robert Mueller told us all what time it is—as they say on the street. Russia is closer to colonizing us than we ever would have thought possible when Nikita Khruschchev, late in 1956, told the world that, of the United States, “We will bury you.”
The menace of the current president could not be clearer but patriotism is now whatever Republicans say it is—and their definition shifts as the situation—or the shadow donors—dictate.
Donald Trump is no patriot—he’s a parasite. Once, it might have been possible to to give the GOP a pass on certain threads in the political tapestry, but there’s no misinterpreting the incalculable damage that they are doing to the country.
Democratic leadership recognizes this, of course, but, as the cliche goes, they’ve brought “a knife to a gunfight.” The Republicans have mercilessly outplayed them.
And all that Ms. Pelosi can do is hope that our better angels will somehow recapture the momentum and take the great day next year, which she seeks to preserve by turning away from impeachment.
The president is rushing us toward the cliff; but Ms. Pelosi is behind him—pushing him along.
2
Trump is a visible fugitive of obvious malignant intent. To see and watch him escape justice is unbearable to decent humans with a conscience and any sense of morality. Impeachment is not an option- it should be mandatory. America’s Biggest Fugitive needs to be captured and brought to justice.
4
Now what? Well, the ball is in our court - that is, we voters.
It is more than likely that, as the Mueller report strongly hinted, Trump can’t be exonerated. But absent a smoking gun and a different political atmosphere, the prospects for impeachment were nil.
But we can have no doubt that Trump does not belong in our highest office. His gross irresponsibility and deep ignorance are on full display. And it will fall to us and us alone to remove him.
The Democrats lost. President Trump won. The end. But the Democrats will not let this be the end. They will continue investigation after investigation with no new results and it will be to their demise. They will lose the 2020 election but this is less important to them than trying to get a guilty verdict on President Trump. Like today they will continue to fail and the people will never support them at the ballot box. They are so foolish. Their stubbornness will bring them down.
4
If the Democratic strategy of delay until the 2020 election fails to pan out and results in another Trump victory (achieved no doubt with a minority of the popular vote), impeachment can still be pursued -- provided Democrats maintain the house. Justice does not necessarily have to be achieved immediately as long as it is ultimately reached. And if Trump is defeated in 2020, yet another scenario can unfold: Election defeat in November, impeachment in December, and indictments in January 2021.
1
Prosecutors love to prosecute. They live for it. Mueller didn't indict the President. He openly said to Congress that it's not that he would've indicted, if only his hands weren't tied by DOJ protocols. He had ample opportunity in his report, and at today's hearing, to say that he would've loved to indict the President if given the chance. He was asked about it directly. He didn't declare the President an unindicted co-conspirator. He said he didn't make a determination about the President's guilt. That's face saving balderdash. That was Mueller's only job. He made no determination because there is nothing there to charge the President with and Trump rubs a company man like Mueller the wrong way. Prosecutors prosecute or they don't. Mueller didn't and isn't even in the ballpark of prosecution. Thus, the President is functionally exonerated. Now it's up to the Dems and Trump to make their case to the voters in 2020. My money is on the President being reelected.
4
What does it mean? Nothing. It means nothing. We just have to beat Trump in 2020.
4
Not starting an impeachment inquiry may be politically astute. There are times however when politics need to be laid aside and even congressional representatives need to act on the courage of their convictions. History is seldom kind to those who place expediency, fear and politics ahead of what is right, moral or ethical. Yes, 100 years from now many of your names will be in the history books, but your descendants may not like what they say.
1
I think two things stand out about the Mueller investigation. Neither one has anything to do with Trump or Russia.
1. Muellers personal take on the meaning of the assertion that the sitting president cannot be charged includes the idea that if he found evidence that is chargeable he could not say so and could not file a sealed indictment. To his mind the public knowledge of the existence of that evidence is somehow does the same harm to the presidency they allege in that memo as the reason why he cannot be charged. This is why Mueller chose not to choose. I do not think that point has been driven home hard enough to the people.
2. The 9-24-1973 OLC memo does not support the conclusion Dixon draws at the end of it and that is the basis for why Mueller chose not to decide. That same OLC memo also lays out several facts that support impeaching Trump in the first pages of it the first known instance of an impeachable offense according to a founding father and former president is his firing of Sally Yates. https://fas.org/irp/agency/doj/olc/092473.pdf
I find it very odd that no one asked Mueller if he read that OLC memo.
I think it would be very revealing if he had simply chosen to accept the assertion of that memo as being what's the legal term? valid? without evaluating it for veracity.
It has never been tested in the courts and the idea that the president defending himself in court is any harder than dealing with the press and the job itself is just plain stupid.
Charles Blow has described the current state of 'Democratic Politics' with an exactitude that must be taken very seriously. Our Democratic Republic is on the brink of destruction and the feeling of helplessness is overbearing. The Congress is given the responsibility of protecting us from a rogue actor in OUR White House. It is their job! I truly expect them to perform their Constitutional duty to protect us from this tyrant.
4
Now what" You ask? Here's what: Every co-conspirator in the senate headed by McConnell will say "so what if we have a criminal operating out in the open violating multiple aspects of the US Constitution? We Do Not Care. We endorse it. We are subservient to it."
5
"They are scared of unsettling the people who voted for their newly elected moderates. They are scared that they might upset the white people who voted for Trump’s racism but might be open to considering a Democrat."
Hello? Mr Blow? Do you want to win or be right? Of course they are concerned about white people who voted for Trump and also voted for Obama, but now might be considering voting against Trump! Since that group will determine the outcome of the upcoming election, Ms. Pelosi and her comrades would be completely irresponsible if they were not concerned about what that group of determinative swing voters think and feel.
Consider the emotional impact and timing of an effort to impeach Trump, but not remove him. Our side will be demoralized and many will give up hope, while Trump's base will feel vindicated and energized. If that were to happen a couple of months before the election, it would be a disaster.
2
There is one thing we all need to agree on in order to clarify the impeachment debate: Trump will not be removed from office through impeachment. Nobody can possibly believe that there is any further evidence that will shame the Republican Senate into abandoning him. So everyone, whether they argue for an impeachment inquiry or against it, must understand that he will only be removed at the ballot box.
The question then has two parts. First, will conducting an impeachment inquiry, with all the gravity that involves, increase or decrease the chance that Trump is re-elected? The conventional wisdom that an impeachment proceeding will benefit Trump is based on a superficial comparison to the Clinton impeachment. Sure, there may be some wavering voters who will grow more sympathetic to the president if they think the Democrats are misusing their impeachment powers. But there will also be voters who will become aware of his fraud and abuses and motivated to vote him out. I have yet to see a serious, quantitative analysis of how those groups balance.
So we are left with the second part of the question: what is the right thing to do? Mueller couldn't have been clearer on that point. The only way to hold a president accountable to the ethical and legal standards we should demand is for Congress to utilize its constitutional impeachment powers. The voters will then have their say. If Trump is re-elected, we will know for sure what the new rules of our democracy are.
3
@fbraconi "Trump will not be removed from office through impeachment. Nobody can possibly believe that there is any further evidence that will shame the Republican Senate into abandoning him."
That clarifies the situation: we face TWO massive issues - the first being the McConnell/Repub lockstep party. Too often that gets conflated with the more visible problem (a criminal president) and we/media/etc. forget that we wouldn't have this president if McConnell didn't want him. Impeachment proceedings - even a successful impeachment that removed the president -- are unlikely to resolve McConnell's grip on the federal government. So I can understand reluctance to devote huge assets necessary for impeachment. However, my bottom line is that impeachment efforts by the house would NOT likely convince anyone to support president/Repubs who isn't already one of the echo-chambered base. But it MAY help change some minds and WILL help galvanize those of us who value their country, its people, and the integrity of our government. Sometimes you just have to fight because it's the right thing to do.
Dear Charles Blow, I've said it before and I'll say it again for the last time:
The Democratic leadership is lazy, ossified in their thinking and want to preserve their once again new found leadership jobs. They will not do anything to jeopardize that.
In that laziness if they expected Mueller to explode an impeachment bombshell whereby some shamed GOP Congresspeople would ask for impeachment they are smoking something that I want.
If this is left to the 2020 elections the country needs to decide not only on the next President but whether the Democratic leadership in the House is prepared to do its constitutional duty. As of today they are not doing their jobs.
We need a more dynamic and younger group of leaders with an eye to the future of the Party to show these people the door and give them their gold watches or plaques.
13
While the Senate would never vote for impeachment, Nixon was brought down by a mere impeachment *investigation,* and he had been elected in a *landslide* only two years previously.
Unlike the Orange Menace, he was popular with a wide range of people and respected by foreign leaders, and yet, he resigned when he realized that his misdeeds had been uncovered.
Of course, Nixon was actually intelligent, so he knew when his situation was hopeless. There is a danger that Trump would call on his cultists to defend him with violence, but that would only convince the non-brainwashed majority that Trump was a wannabe dictator.
5
Nixon was declared an unindicted co-conspirator by a Watergate Grand Jury. Mueller directly told Congress that he couldn't come up with a decision on whether the President even committed a crime. It's apples and oranges. Trump is functionally exonerated.
3
“Maybe history may judge this political calculation to have been a savvy one. Maybe. Or maybe, history will judge the anemic response to Trump’s steamrolling our laws, rules and conventions as setting the most dangerous of precedents for the future of the country, all out of fear.
Which of those historical judgments would look most devastating when committed to the page and entered into the record?”
Wow. Frankly, that’s it, right? Never seen it articulated quite that way but that IS the quantification is it not? I am a staunch “vote the bum out” person and of course if the country will not mobilize to get rid of this grifter-who-would-be-king, to the literal existential detriment of the entire world, then I must truly consider whether I live in the right country. I don’t write that lightly in any way shape or form but morality dictates one examines what one is ultimately complicit in and this is becoming too much.
To wit, Mr. Blow is correct. We are in a struggle for the very soul of our nation and any and every means of legitimate censure must be deployed.
At this point— and, as stated, I say this as an individual who never, ever, thought about even the remote possibility of living anywhere but this country and thinks that 4 more years of the abomination that is our president might actually end us and maybe even the world (with American leadership gone, who knows), I say we must now ALWAYS take the moral path. At this point it may be our only defense.
2
Watching the hearings today, one could see how the Republican Party members in the House Committee were behaving and reacting, They all seem to think the Special Counsel investigation is all about attacking and getting at the President.
Assuming the Democrats in the House go ahead and initiate an impeachment resolution, what makes them think Mitch McConnell and his team in the Senate, are going to go along to support an impeachment vote?
In the meantime there is the Court of Public Opinion. Millions watched TV today. Possibly, there is more support here for the Democrats than in the Senate. That is where the Democrats should concentrate, and build momentum, and importantly, develop their policy proposals and Agenda. If the Democrats know what helped them in 2018, there should be an improved strategy for 2020.
My bet is still that Trump gets re-elected unless Democrats take big chances and do something bold to defeat him. Exactly what I'm not sure.
1
The Democrats are scared of unsettling the people who voted for their newly elected moderates.
Hanging onto the the seats of those newly elected moderates at all costs tends to fly in the face of LBJ's comment along the lines What good is power if it isn't used to do the right thing? upon being warned the Democrats would lose the south for a generation if he insisted on passing the civil rights act of 1964.
2
Let's face it. If enough of this country's voters were actually interested in finding out the truth, if they cared enough to read at least the pertinent parts of Mr. Mueller's report, and if we had politicians who were not afraid to do their job, there would have been no need for Mr. Mueller to testify about his report. The report really did speak for itself, notwithstanding the efforts of Trump and Republicans to distort its findings and flat out lie about them. The 920-page Warren Commission Report, not including more than 20 volumes of testimony, about the assassination of President Kennedy did not require live testimony by its authors to "bring it to life" or "explain' it to the voters. If today's voters are going to be this lazy and disinterested they deserve the sorry excuse for a President and Republican Party leadership they have, and will deserve the dictatorship they will eventually end up with.
1
Now what? Let Congress do what its members are
elected, paid, and expected to do: get to work on
bills that address and solve the real problems that
face the country. And more now what, stop wasting
the many millions of dollars and time on a matter
which was settled some time ago.
Are readers of this paper really content to have
Congress immersed in this dereliction of duty to
perpetuity?
Mr. Blow would be making a great point if it were not for the fact that investigations into this "president" are continuing and WILL continue. There are cases that are still going forward in the State of New York. There are still subpoenas out for Trump's tax returns among other things. If Trump were impeached right now, he would not be convicted. It's possible, albeit not likely, that Trump may be reelected in 2020 but that the senate may end up in the hands of Democrats- meaning that impeachment followed by conviction and removal might then be possible. Or, best of all, that Trump may lose at the ballot box- which would thereupon preclude the succession of his mild-mannered stooge, Mike Pence, to the highest office in the land. Better by far to kill two vultures with one stone.
1
Think of impeachment by the House as a grand jury indictment, which leads to charges in a jury setting, the Senate. If the Democrats are scared to impeach because it will fail in the Senate, then what is the point of any of the thousands of grand jury indictments, that may or may not succeed at trial? The point is you indict based on evidence, and then submit to trial, whether in a political or legal venue. There is more than sufficient evidence for a political indictment (impeachment) of Trump, which will actually energize the Democrats and Democratic leaning Independent voters in the nation.
2
Perhaps Mr. Blow watched different hearings than I did, or perhaps he understands words differently than I do as a former prosecutor, who is currently a federal appellate attorney.
In response to Rep. Ted Lieu, D-CA, asking why Mueller didn't indict Donald Trump for the various obstructive acts he laid out in Volume II of the Mueller report, Mueller said that he didn't indict because he couldn't. Then, in his opening statement on Wednesday afternoon before the House Intelligence Committee, Mueller quickly took it all back.
We are left with Mueller refusing to read the words of his own report and repeatedly stating that the report was basically "correct". (I've never heard a prosecutor before this debacle classify his own report similarly). Mueller even resisted anyone's attempt to clarify any legal elements of, say, obstruction.
Mueller gave us the worst sort of legalese along with the most extreme form of "Unitary Executive Theory" under which neither Congress nor the federal courts can tell a President what to do or how to do it. Mueller, like Barr and the five right-wing Supreme Court Justices, hails from the Federalist Society which has long sought to impose this doctrine of unfettered Executive power.
You cannot credibly argue for impeachment. We've all just seen that ours is a thoroughly corrupted system. Trump was not properly investigated, because he was never going to be properly investigated. The process is entirely rigged so that Trump cannot possibly lose.
4
Exactly so. This sums it up precisely. I do not find it heartening.
3
"They told us that there was such a thing as a “failed impeachment,” meaning that if the Senate was unlikely to convict and remove, an impeachment vote in the House was meaningless"
This is not just one of the factors. It is the single overwhelming concern of Democratic party leaders. It's at least 90% or even as high as 99% of why they are holding off. They would, in essence, be "picking a battle they can not win"
4
For several years I've been angry at Trump. The lies, the pointless cruelty, the abuse of the institutions that we absolutely need to keep what democracy we have. When he was first elected, I had a sliver of hope that the Republicans would do the right thing now and then and at least attempt to uphold the rule of law.
Nope.
If the Republicans have decided that their party is more important than the good of the country, that didn't come as a huge surprise.
For the last several decades, I saw the Democrats as the ones who governed more for the good of the country, not just for themselves. By failing to impeach, they're putting their own party above the good of the nation. I can't abide that, even if it's the one I belong to.
As angry as I've been at Trump, I'm now even more angry with the Democrats in Washington, including my own representative.
I never expected anything from Trump. I expected so much more Pelosi.
5
There is no question that Trump is guilty of impeachable offenses. Most Democrats and many other people know that. He should certainly be removed from office. The question is how that might be attempted with the greatest likelihood of success. Impeachment is virtually certain to fail. But Democrats could win the election. The election is more important than impeachment, but the most important goal of impeachment can be realized by voting Trump out. He can then be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
8
If they Democratic leadership punts to the American voters, they shouldn’t be surprised if Trump gets elected again. By their inaction they are saying that Barr’s assessment was right, that Trump’s constant cries of “witch hunt” were right. How is the public supposed to understand that a crime occurred if the Democrats stood by helplessly?
Impeachment hearings could have an educational purpose. They could go well beyond the bounds of Mueller’s constrained mission. We need to hear from those around Trump and we need to hear about Trump’s finances and how he was compromised. We need to hear Rep. Schiff explain again about how lies open you up to becoming a pawn of a foreign power.
I am a teacher and I can’t afford the level of cynicism I hear from the Democrats. Voters can be educated—despite Fox News and despite the echo chambers. But you have to be willing to try, and you have to be willing to act from duty and principles. You have to inspire, and you have to care.
1
The Democratic leadership has settled on Joe Biden to either serve out Obama's third tepid term or Hillary's lost term, depending on how you look at it. He's the "safe" candidate, because he's safe for the bank accounts of the large donors, not because he's the safest choice in the primaries or general election. I can't see how people keep thinking Pelosi is playing 11 dimensional chess when she's really just trying to smooth the runway for a Biden landing. How ironic that both she AND Trump are trying to run out the clock on impeachment.
10
I agree with you that impeachment is imperative to label this president for what he is. Having watched Nixon go down, it is difficult to predict at the outset what the outcome will be, but if one thinks this man is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, then he should be held accountable. Your column says it well. The Democrats will not win either the White House or the Senate by maintaining their recent history of wishy-washy politics. They must be bold in offering programs that make America better than before and they must be courageous in calling Trump what he is. He does not deserve a pass on these crimes. And if the Republicans defend him in the Senate it will go down as a shameful moment in US history with all those protecting him with their votes being remembered 100 years from now for their infamy.
6
Oh, bushwah, Charles. The last thing we need is Trump exonerated by the Senate -- which he will be.
What exactly is the benefit of impeachment? He won't be removed from office before the election -- and if by some miracle he was, then we'd have Pence, running in his stead and eligible to run twice more.
Information will not sway Trump's supporters. Nor his enablers in the Senate (and House, but they are in the minority there). Senate exoneration will likely give him a leg up with some segments of the population that otherwise might, might, think twice about voting for him.
What we need to do is win in 2020 -- not just the presidency, but the Senate, and keep the House. That's the only way we are going to get him out of office, and the only way to replenish democracy in the US.
That's the goal. Focus.
303
@Lisa
Indeed. Senate exoneration is exactly what he would use to do "whatever he wants". Impeachment is extremely dangerous. It is the beginning of open tyranny. Within his grasp.
But to be incredibly naive about 2020 and the ability of hackers on his payroll to steal it is to be....incredibly naive. He is counting on that.
We have to start thinking about other options.
20
@Matthew
What would those other options be?
11
You’re assuming he won’t win with Russian assistance in 2020, the same way he won before I take it.
12
If Pelosi continues to do nothing, she should at least keep quiet. To hold. News conference after today’s hearings and to still insist that there’s not enough evidence to impeach Trump I say just handing him a a quote that he can tweet only and over again. By Pelosi’s standards, nothing Trump days or does will ever be cause for impeachment.
She and the other Democrat party leaders just appear weak or uninterested in anyone but the right of center Democrats and swing voter and every other Democratic voter just doesn’t matter. Yet somehow we should all turn out in droves to vote in 2020. If we don’t we’ll be blamed if Trump win should again whereas the loss wouldn’t rightfully fall on Pelosi’s shoulders for refusing to take any action whatsoever against our corrupt immoral racist president. That lack of action may actually even cost them the house.
156
Pelosi values her speakership more than democracy; it was “her turn” and she intends to keep it; too late to impeach now.
6
@Miriam
The way to take down Trump is to vote him out of office, which will be no mean feat given that most Democratic candidates are competing to make the most woke and socialist promises:
Free college tuition. Medicare for all, including illegal immigrants. College loan forgiveness. Reparations for blacks and gays. Guaranteed basic income. Federal job guarantees. Federally mandated school busing to achieve integration. Green New Deal (eco-socialism). Voting and early release for prisoners. Open borders.
All the fabulously wealthy US individuals and corporations together do not have the many trillions of dollars needed to pay for these goodies year after year after year; and even Bernie Sanders admitted that taxes would have to be raised on the middle class to pay for Medicare for All, not to mention the additional trillions needed for the other items. (For perspective, the current US budget is about $4.4 trillion, with a deficit of about $1 trillion.)
As Margaret Thatcher aptly noted, the problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people’s money.
If even a few of these progressive (socialist) promises are planks in the 2020 Democratic platform we are doomed to a second term of Trump as president.
2
As much as I hate to agree with anything you've written, Ed, my position splits yours and Miriam's. You're right, "It's over." I couldn't be angrier with Pelosi, who had a plausible opportunity to impeach after the release of the Mueller report. But to do so at this point would invite calamity.
1
I get the frustration. But the author is misguided. And I would be bothered by the insistence that Nancy Pelosi is too weak kneed to take bold action except that the notion is laughable.
The idea is to succeed, not fail demonstrating high mindedness to a President that obviously doesn’t care. Instead, Democrats should use their resources wisely to focus on those that are persuadable (rather than those who clearly aren’t). A doomed, feel good impeachment vote doesn’t qualify as this.
76
@PMG
I agree. We can debate the merits of whether or not to impeach without unfairly maligning pelosi as being weak, when there is no proof of that other than our opinion.
We need our leaders to fight our battles for us, and if we cripple them in this fashion, how are we going to support them in other battles.
1
@PMG
Wrong PMG. The idea is to do the right thing, win or lose.
1
Leadership in the House seems to be saying "the President is an existential threat to our democracy" and "we're not going to do a blasted thing about it." The dissonance is driving this citizen to despair.
275
@teach Right?!?! I feel like the democrats are playing by a rule book that just doesn't apply any more. Very frustrating.
5
Mueller gave the distinct impression he either does not really know what is in the report or cannot recall what is in it. Either way, it is now obvious he was but a figurehead for the investigation. What an embarrassment all the way around.
42
@Thomas Smith
I think he utterly tattered the president and names him as a criminal and a scoundrel. The reason we need impeachment is to that what he has already said echoes across the country. The president has done extremely distasteful and criminal things.
Adam Shiff closed by remarking upon how Mueller had told us that during the campaign the president and his family were negotiating with Russia for a private real estate deal while publicly denying it in full force. This alone, were it heard, were it understood, would violate what even his supporters believe is expected of a president.
That is why there's a need to go public, to educate.
2
The report reads like a complication of many writers...there is no there, there.
Today's hearing was a disaster for Democrats. Nevertheless, the only way to remove Trump is through impeachment. If they give up on impeachment, it assures victory for Trump in 2020 because he will continue to proclaim exoneration. Dropping impeachment also assures victory for the GOP efforts to retake the majority in the house and keep the Senate. Its going to be so sad. Trump will be there another 4 years, will fill 2 more Supreme court seats, and get his agenda passed through congress. Call your representatives and tell them to rediscover their spines and begin impeachment proceedings now.
5
Impeach Trump, and call out McConnell relentlessly, persistently (Jon Stewart showed us the way on the latter, and the results it leads to).
5
Thank you Charles. You and Stephen Colbert are helping me stay sane in this dark time.
6
Nancy Pelosi looked at her uncomplicated oath of office to uphold and defend the Constitution.... She then shoved it aside as quaint and unnecessary given Trump and the politics of the moment. Pelosi dissed the notion of an impeachment inquiry consistently. To what end? Dampening enthusiasm among the caucus and broader public. Her theory inflicting paper cuts by the hundreds on Trump bore no political risk. An impeachment inquiry handing him a victory. Pelosi failed lead, then pointed to lack of public support for action. Laying out the case for impeachment might have turned public opinion in favor of impeachment.
Any political calculation however can prove problematic. Rather than an impeachment hearing saddle up Mueller and have him win the day in Congressional Hearings. Shameless as ever Trump and the flock find him innocent and the hoax a proven fact. Trump far from being held accountable for his actions snubbed Congress ruining the paper cut theory.
Pelosi never intended to endorse an impeachment inquiry. Now with the Mueller hearings on the super spin cycle, no basis to change course. Accountability, particularly with Trump, an absolute necessity. Giving him a Pelosi pass means he will campaign on hoax and witch hunt, deep state rants unchastened by the experience, unhindered by the Democrats in Congress.
Pelosi said I don't want to see him impeached I want to see him in jail. Shorthand for saying he is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors. Sad!
1
Mueller finally done. In more ways than one. Next up? Impeachment inquiry hearings will be just another false promise to taint Trump so much that he'll be voted out. Won't work.
Tarnishing the Petulant Adolescent President in Congress only makes Dems feel better. It does nothing to get voters to actually replace him. Only a charismatic candidate with a positive message will accomplish that.
You nailed it. I would add that being lectured by the 20 plus is like a visit to the dentist. They have less charisma than HRC if you can believe that was possible.
1
"In truth, this is precisely where they want us to be: riled up but not in full revolt..."
The hearings were 'actually not-bad good'. If there had been a bombshell explode, the next explosions would be from Trump bomb throwing into the FBI. As long as he is President, there is great potential for terrible damage to various institutions.
2
I had great hopes for my party (Dem) that it would finally find their backbone particularly with the election of representatives in the vein of 'The Squad'. But, Rep Polosi & others reluctance to open an impeachment inquiry is really taking the air out of Democrats sails...it's demoralizing. Lead the fight; stop squawking from behind.
After this election, if Democrats prevail, I want new House leadership.
7
As long as we're prognosticating about "what's next", my response is: nothing.
Maybe the House will begin impeachment proceedings soon, or maybe not. Either way, the following will happen.
1. Trump will continue to defy their subpoenas and order his toadies to do likewise.
2. Trump will continue to lie and claim that he is "completely exonerated."
3. The Supreme Court will rule his favor, in a tortuous effort to extend "executive privilege" beyond the breaking point.
4. Because of the Court's action in 3, the American people will never learn the entire extent of Trump's criminal activity.
Oh, but a few more things are sure to happen before November 2020. Trump has seen how easy it was to intern brown-skinned children, and he'll begin targeting those of us who are brown-skinned Americans and who disagree with him. After all, he's already told us that "we should go back to our countries".
Then he will see the poll numbers tightening in the middle of 2020, and manufacture a "national emergency" that exists only in his mind, as a pretext to exercise his powers to declare martial law, and cancel the election. Once again the Supreme Court will kowtow to him.
His base will be thrilled to see him intern brown-skinned citizens. Anyone who has attended any of his rallies knows that he is one beer hall putsch away from rounding us up.
And for the first time in our history, we will never know whether we will ever have a "democratically elected" government again.
7
One question I don't hear being asked in this comments section: What if Mr. Trump is not impeached, and still re-elected?
2
> His base doesn’t need further energizing; they’re juiced up on sexism, xenophobia, racism and nationalism.
I am in favor for impeachment of Trump. However, I'd like to call to attention that the Left and the subsequent media that toots this tune that I've highlighted.
There exists a reality between the one being portrayed by Fox News and the one by the Left that defines people that supports Trump. Yes, the local minority that supports Trump are all of those -isms. However, the problems that the Left has failed to address time and time again, across nations even, is that uncontrolled and unregulated ILLEGAL immigrantion does not bode well for the populations with low skills in the labor market. We have seen it in Germany, Italy, Poland, and definitely the United States of America. You cannot open the gates to a house and invite every person you see on the street who says they're hungry. Eventually, the people in your house will run out of food. And there will be diacord, rightfully.
This is not nationalism. This is simple economics and folks who have low education and capacity cannot compete with the influx of illegal immigrants. They will suffer. Not all immigrants are thugs, but some of them are. Not all Americans are law abiding citizens, but some of them are. You cannot possibly open the gates to ILLEGAL immigrants and expect Americans, and LEGAL immigrants to accept it with open arms.
2
Trump is guilty of obstruction of justice. There were many examples from today’s testimony of Robert Mueller about Mueller’s report.
Impeachment would force Republican Senators to side with the guilty to let Trump off. If/when Senate Republicans vote not to convict Trump, their vote would show they have been corrupted. Circling the wagons around Trump exposes them to fire.
Would they risk their seat for Trump? Trump has angered the Republicans, too, e.g., in his veto which permitted arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Also, many Republicans, particularly moderate ones, should be sickened by Trump’s border cruelties from separating children from their parents to slowing the asylum process down to a crawl to trying to force asylees to wait in a dangerous country while awaiting their hearings.
Many Republicans would choose to throw Trump under the bus rather than being run over themselves.
1
The latest version of the Democratic Hail Mary lands with a thud. The right-wing march to oligarchy, authoritarianism and militarism is full steam ahead. Bye bye, America.
2
In about 20 years, if America is still around, this will make quite the movie.
1
Impeachment is now a dead parrot. Nadler and Schiff are pining for the fjords. It’s time for the Democrats to start focussing more on policies.
2
When will the Democrats stop being the party of no spine? When will a leading Democrat step up and say what is undeniable: That Trump welcomed - if not directly asked for and cooperated - Russian interference in the election that benefited himself? That is not only impeachable. but treasonous. And further, when will a leading Democrat call out those who support this treason as traitors themselves?
Of course the answers to those questions are: Never.
While Trump and leading Republicans and spokespeople do not hesitate to call Democrats traitors and anti-American for pursuing an inquiry into Trump's possible treason, Democrats are too scared to respond in kind, apparently afraid that they'll alienate voters. News Flash Dems! Any voter who supports Trump will NEVER vote for a Democrat, EVER! So with that in mind who exactly are you afraid to alienate? "Swing voters"? You mean the handful of voters who actually haven't decided yet whether they support Trump or oppose him? Why bother?
Instead, take a page from Trump's own playbook and go on the offensive. Publicly call him and his supporters out for the treasonous behavior he has openly engaged in. He publicly welcomed the attack upon our democracy in 2016, and future attacks! Is this not "giving aid and comfort to the enemy"? How can it not be? And so, Democrats need to grow a spine and call it what it is: treasonous and un-American, But unlike Trump's invective, this actually is rooted in facts.
5
Thank you for challenging what seems to be increasingly assumed as common sense: that the choice is to either lose the 2020 election to Trump or to remain silent in the face of a sexist, racist, and apparently-criminal President, thus abdicating the responsibility to hold him to account and honor the office and constitution via initiating Impeachment.
Who knows what could happen. Maybe Trump will win either way. Maybe Impeachment hearings, even if unsuccessful, would help defeat Trump’s racist presidential campaign. Or maybe some future President would be dissuaded from acting so abhorrently while undermining institutions we might improve rather than let decline into lies, mush, and worse. Or maybe a future Congress would act more bravely.
1
Nancy Pelosi just answered your question, Charles. She announced that today's hearing has not changed her position that the Democrats need to get more of their ducks in a row before they pursue impeachment.
2
Charles, this is about the future of DEMOCRACY, period.
Trump is taking use to a US of Trump, dictatorship.
This is a post-democracy insane, nightmare from the Right.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unfortunately, Trump dominates the media with his DRAMA.
Democrats, intellectualize, with not drama and get forgotten.
Consider dramatic democracy ideas, such the "Democracy"song.
Leonard Cohen sang, "Democracy is coming to the USA" (1992).
Please, NY Times, focus in the drama of democracy and this song.
Trump will keep dominating the media and win, if we don't focus.
"Democracy is coming to the USA"
-------------------------------------------
As someone who thinks Trump is grotesque, Russiagate has been an embarrassment from day one. Cooked up by John Podesta and Robbie Mook as the ultimate "the dog ate my homework" excuse to explain how they lost an unlosable election and blew $1.2 billion of their donors' money, it has reignited McCarthyism and only helped Trump (and, for that matter, Putin).
I like Charles Blow but saying "Our 2016 election came under massive attack by the Russians" is ludicrous. Some Russians made some clickbait that no-one much saw. And there's unsubstantiated claims from US Intelligence they were behind DNC and Podesta email release.
The Democrats have leaned on Russiagate because they didn't want to face reality: to win in 2020 they must upset all their donors by supporting Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, more equitable distribution of wealth, dismantling the prison industrial complex and the military industrial complex.
Get to work Democrats, and stop giving us baseless conspiracy theories. The planet needs you to beat Trump in 2020.
1
It is difficult to believe that 40% of our citizens are " juiced up on sexism, xenophobia, racism and nationalism " Perhaps they just have different opinions about certain subjects than do the Progressives. But, then again, why not just call them deplorable.
2
Democrats must unite and win the presidency! Mueller's words will then become reality; Trump will be charged with a host of crimes and eventually will end up in jail!
Trump is the last wall, our last hope before the insanity of the Democrats takes over.
House Democrats should be looking for courage rather than looking for cover.
3
Ho hum. Among the people that matter, nobody cares.
I thought that if you didn’t think trump committed a crime, it was made painfully clear that he did.
Not exonerated.
But trump declared victory and vindication. He and his pals are making their alternative reality into the real thing. They don’t believe their words are lies. And their minions buy into it.
Maybe a lot of people have something that might be called verbal dyslexia- hearing something differently than the way it was said. (No offense or joke intended regarding dyslexia.)
I don’t get it.
He’ll have to be voted out and probably removed from the White House by force.
1
This is NOT about getting rid of Trump. He's just the worst symptom of the Red state disease.
This is about getting rid of Red states.
They've been trending more xenophobic, more bigoted, and more intolerant for decades. The economic gap and human development index between them and Blue states is getting larger.
They are a drain on the country's moral, ethical, and financial resources.
3
"There are a sizable group of people who identify as independent but in fact are not.
Most independents lean right or left, consistently so, and vote that way."
Independent is taken as meaning nor formally identified with or belonging to a party or being a member of a party,
There is no such thing as center, except in mathematics. People lean; there is no human political center.
2
Mr. Blow is correct in that we know all we will ever know about Russian interference in our election and Trump's attempts to obstruct the Mueller investigation. And we know that if Trump is to be held accountable, it must be through impeachment, not the legal system.
So it boils down to a political calculation by the Democrats. Do we impeach and force a trial in the Senate?
The downside: the Senate is highly unlikely to vote to remove him. The Democrats fear they could pay a price in 2020.
The upside: 1) Ongoing negative PR over the President's obstruction. The story won't get dropped in the heat of the election. 2) Plus you put all the Republican senators on the hot seat. If they vote to acquit, they're on the record as having blessed Trump's obstruction. 3) Democrats can say that they stood for the rule of law and the Constitution.
From my point of view: the Trump faithful will never be persuaded to vote against him. Impeachment may sway some swing voters, enough to lose the White House. And it may flip a couple senate seats. I'd vote for the rule of law over fear of voter backlash. Stand up for the Constitution and be proud of it. Own it.
29
@Ken L Yes, I agree with your assessment! Stand up for the Constitution, do your job, regardless of political outcomes.
2
Here is what I cannot understand, the purpose of impeachment is to remove someone from office. The purpose is not to humiliate or punish, there is no prison sentence or fine. If there is no chance of conviction and removal from office what would the purpose of impeachment be? How is it a moral issue as it would in many people's minds clear Trump of the charges by acquittal in the sentence.
4
I disagree that Trump's base can't be more energized. There are 100 million people in this country who didn't vote in 2016. I suspect a majority are more likely to be Trump supporters. If impeachment proceedings begin, Trump will play the victim and martyr, Fox News will back him up on that as will Republican politicians and he won't be impeached by the Senate anyway.
Emotionally, I would love to see Trump impeached. But the reality is that it won't happen anyway and it could put him in the White House for four more years, which I don't think this country could survive. The FBI and the ADL recently released statistics on the massive increase in White Supremacy hate crimes since Trump was elected. Can you imagine how much power and freedom to act they will think they have if Trump is elected again?
I find it hard to believe that today's hearings changed the mind of a single Trump supporter (or Democrat for that matter).
Unfortunately, I think Pelosi has it right. The Democrats should introduce legislation after legislation to help the American people. While it will never get voted on in the Senate, Democrats can hold up those bills to the TV cameras to demonstrate that Democrats want to help the American people and Republicans want to help the rich and the corporations. That's the only way the Dems can win in 2020.
8
@Martin Brooks
If you think it a good thing to introduce legislation that won't make it through the Senate, why isn't it all right to have one of those be an impeachment? The Trump base shouldn't care if it doesn't remove the President from office. What it will accomplish is: 1) put a stain of record on Trump, 2) signify to all 2020 voters the seriousness and reality of what actually took place, 3) demonstrate the propriety of upholding the principle that no one is above the law, for now and the precedence it would set for the future.
4
@Martin Brooks
Impeachment? Another exercise in futility and my tax payer dollars. The Senate who actually tries trump is Republican and will not vote to dump trump.
1
The impeachment of Nixon almost didn’t happen and both house and senate were in democratic hands. Now the senate is the fiefdom in Mitch McConnell’s hands. Nixon knew even the republicans wouldn’t even block the senate confirming his crimes by 74. Are we at the same stage with Trump?
5
It's just more reality TV, Charles. It stimulates water cooler conversation much like American Idol or, if I may use a profanity, The Apprentice.
Neil Postman was right. Aldous Huxley was right. George Orwell was right.
Soon enough, in cosmic time, there will be no one left to claim otherwise.
3
Wouldn’t the commencement of a lengthy and thorough impeachment inquiry cause the Russians to actually back off its early and ongoing meddling with the 2020 election in ways to favor Trump? Any evidence of this unlawful interference, which is certain to surface and be publicly exposed by law enforcement, or leaked, will only assure the prospects of his being impeached and even convicted in the Senate, while crippling his chances for re-election if not convicted.
3
We wont be the first country to fall because of internal strife, as opposed to outside forces, but America may be the first country to fail due to cowardice alone. Not a shot fired so far and we have lost our international standing, our standards of conduct, our rule of law, our checks and balances and our reputation for honesty, integrity and fairness. The media was a pushover because they are all about the money, the Republican Party, for the same reason, followed suit. Neither would push back on the bully because that would push back the profits. The DOJ and justice in general has gone from strict enforcement of the laws to considering them as gentle reminders of times gone by. But the Dems. are the opposition party, they are, literally, the last option and if they don't do something the capitulation will be complete. My biggest fear is that, while the Democratic leadership is trying to get the impeachment timing right, we may run out of time.
30
Well said Mr Blow. Refusal to even contemplate impeachment puts the more callow members of the house in the same camp as those who would game the system, and ignore rule of law principles; if we’re honest of course, the rampant militarism and illegal wars of past administrations were less-public manifestations of the same core issue: rule of law is not something the US aspires to anymore, if it ever did. But now it’s out in the open, and even large swathes of Democrats don’t appear ready to step up on principle when it counts.
7
Impeachment isn't a close call. Trump sought and received aid from a hostile foreign power to steal the election, and then consistently obstructed the inquiry into his crimes.
Nor should the Dems refrain from impeaching Trump because they fear the political backlash that the Republicans received when they impeached Clinton. Everyone knew that impeachment was unjustified; now, it's an imperative.
So while Speaker Pelosi and her team may worry about a political backlash if they pursue impeachment, I believe it's time for them to start worrying about the backlash if they don't. As you say, Charles, they look like opportunists, refusing to do their duty because it will advance their own political interests.
I'm not going to support a submissive, inactive, complicit Democrat regime any more than I'm going support a police chief who refuses to arrest certain criminals because he fears for his office.
Impeach now, Democrats, or risk your future with me.
20
@Todd
So, does that mean you wouldn't vote against Trump and for Democrats? Sad. More than sad for our country.
2
@Suzanne
Sorry Suzanne, I agree with Todd. The establishment Democratic Party doesn't deserve my vote if they don't do their duty and impeach Trump. Let the Senate make their decision one way or the other and the voters will decide if that decision is correct. To do nothing is to make Pelosi complicit with Trump.
It reminds me of what happened with Merrick Garland. The so called Democratic leadership said wait until Hillary Clinton wins and we'll seat Garland or someone like him. That worked out fine, didn't it?
If Trump wins another term, the Statute of Limitations will expire and he'll never pay for his crimes. The Supreme Court will be filled with right wing conservatives for at least a generation, if not longer. Gerrymandering will be enshrined in law and we'll truly be a one party (Communist) sate.
If the Democratic Party runs a candidate that doesn't support Trump's impeachment, I will not vote for that candidate. Additionally, I'm sure those poor minority voters will not show either, if another establishment do nothing democrat is the standard bearer in the upcoming election.
After all Criminal Justice Reform is for the poor, not the rich and influential.
@Hal Skinner
So just go out and vote for trump anyways. Your stance is tantamount to a vote for trump.
And the Russians can use your post for their propaganda machine because ones like it works so well in the past to bring us the destructive presidency of trump. If he wins again, we can partly thank the type of thinking just expressed here.
Adam Schiff was inspirational in his opening and closing statements for the House Intelligence Committee, clearly outlining the crimes committed by a man greedy to one his pockets with Russian rubles and to shred our country’s lasting values of a democracy in which we the people determine who will be president, not Putin and his trolls. Robert Mueller looked enthralled as Schiff spoke because he was using language of shared values, commitment and love of his country. If Mueller looked tired at times, it is truly understandable after giving a lifetime of service to be treated by the GOP as a leader of a “witch-hunt.” What a travesty to treat such an honorable man with high standards and moral and ethical beliefs to such petty conspiracy theories. When some of these GOP members look in the mirror, all they can see is a grinning Putin looking back, having fulfilled his plot against our country.
I thank Director Mueller, Congressional chairs Nadler and Schiff for their commitment to their country. And I truly hope Speaker Pelosi will honor her Constitutional duties and begin impeachment hearings without delay because each hour that passes Trump endangers our nation. Mueller set the path, now Congress must follow.
50
@Ichabod Aikem
Do you have any idea who Adam Schiff is? Some people would sell their soul if they though it would ding Trump.
@Ichabod Aikem Thank you! My take exactly! After devoting his life to serving this country, how tragic to see up close how rapidly it is rotting from within, as his own (former?) party takes us down.
1
Politicians who consult the political calculus ahead of their moral compass endanger our democracy, which only works if morality and justice are a baseline value from which to proceed.
Saying that means elected officials who put politics ahead of the rule of law should not be leading this country.
I wont fall in behind a weathervane “leaders” who worry more about optics than justice. We’re way past preserving petty privilege. The republic is in danger, and the Democrats are still watching reruns of “West Wing”.
18
Well said. I’m right there with you.
If Congress is not going to hold Trump accountable, then maybe we need to look to Puerto Rico for an example of what to do. If we do nothing maybe we do not deserve our democracy.
28
@Todd Hart
From one Hart to another, I completely agree with you.
1
Impeachment is difficult in the present political environment because Trump has in effect created a fascist following which does not support the rule of law. Laws are seen as impediments. It is easy to see that the Republicans in Congress are not acting like typical American politicians in that they are not concerned the Trump is breaking laws. They know their voters. The Constitution was really not designed for the present situation. The Republican Party has gone so for right that it is operating outside of the Constitution. The only thing that no matters for Republicans is what Trump says. Everything else they oppose. The Republican politicians could not go along but that would be the end of their political careers as Republicans and they will be replaced by someone more to the right.
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@Bob Republicans may not be ready to impeach him now, but may have no choice after impeachment hearing show us even more. Those who dislike Trump out number Trump's base now and those numbers would surely get worse for him as impeachment proceedings go forward.
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I see little risk in impeachment now. The process could be concluded in a few months, at least by the end of the year. And it would keep the media focus on Congress and Trumps misdeeds. That would hurt him with the focus on all his lying cronies, and his direct involvement in hindering the investigation.
And the Democratic Candidates would have lots to say about Trumps collusion and purring himself before country.
Impeach him.
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@cherrylog754
And perhaps it would keep him too busy to conduct his incessant supporter hate-fests at taxpayer expense.
Prosecutors aren't in the exoneration business, never have been. And politicians are seldom in the moral duty business unless it helps their election chances.
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Trump and Mitch McConnell are also practicing conspiracy as we speak. By not funding every possible way to stymie Russia prior to the 2020, they are currently performing ongoing cooperation and conspiracy with Putin.
Why are we not framing the current position of the two most powerful men in government properly?
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All of this impeachment talk is a dead end.
While House Democrats may be inclined to impeach, there is absolutely no chance of conviction in the Senate, where the Republicans are in the majority, and even DINO Joe Manchin would probably join them. One wonders if the Senate would even convict if Trump was proven to have committed a felony. There are no Watergate Republicans in the Senate.
So, we are stuck with Trump for the remainder of his current term, and likely a second term
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Charles, the votes will never exist in the Senate to remove Trump. Fox and the conservative mean media machine will not allow it - and these GOP Senator quake in fear of a primary challenge.
Thus, impeachment makes no sense unless Democrats can figure out some way to weaponize a Senate referral so it becomes a dirty bomb that contaminates Trump's Senate enablers, and materially compromises their chances for reelection in 2020 and 2022.
Everything else amounts to "sound and fury, signifying nothing". We can huff and puff all we like, but Trump will not be removed - as least based on what the Mueller investigation was able to come up with.
If we defeat Trump in 2020, we can prosecute him later. Unless he chooses to flee to Russia, he will have no escape.
Hence, the goal must be to defeat Trump in November 2020, using any means necessary.
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That's not what the Q&A afterwards sounded like. Sounds like they're pushing forward to get more information from Trump. And if he continues to stonewall, that might be an issue in itself.
But I don't think they have to start this week. Waiting till fall is probably better timing in a lot of ways.
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Speaker Pelosi continues to be extremely clear about leadership’s intentions. Is she shouting in the wind? They are creating an unimpeachable case for impeachment, one that republicans would take immense risk in denying. More importantly, the American people very much need to be disabused of Barr’s and Trump’s outright lies that Trump was exonerated. Justin Amash’s constituents were recently shocked to learn that the Mueller report said the opposite. I agree that public sentiment is everything. Let’s get there.
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"Maybe history may judge this political calculation to have been a savvy one. Maybe. Or maybe, history will judge the anemic response to Trump’s steamrolling our laws, rules and conventions as setting the most dangerous of precedents for the future of the country, all out of fear."
Charles is right: timidity is not the way to go when it comes to fighting for this nation's future.
History shows that Democratic appeasement and delay--teasing, not acting, hinting but shirking--never ends well. Those of us who believe in the rule of law, justice, and American values would rather go down fighting than to suffer defeat out of an abundance of caution.
Sure Mueller didn't look great or perform particularly well, but nobody can now conclude the president and his minions are innocent.
There's only one moral response to that--and we know what it is.
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Charles Blow is exactly right. The Democratic leadership wants the base “riled up but not in full revolt.” Unfortunately, there is the very real possibility that the base stays home, just as it did in 2016 after the DNC was charged with rigging the system against Bernie Sanders and blacks started to remember Bill Clinton’s crime bill and white women recoiled against Hillary and remember Bill’s sins more than Trump’s.
Nancy Pelosi needs to understand that most teams that play not to lose usually don’t win.
So for the sake of the country, Pelosi should just do what is right. Hoping not to offend the middle will be meaningless if the base stays home.
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@Tell the Truth
The presumption that the Democratic Party's "base" is represented by its left flank is wrong: its base is in the middle. Yes, there is risk in disaffecting the left flank through moderate behavior, but numerically there is greater risk to disaffecting the middle through inflammatory behavior. Why assume that moderate Democrats would have voted for Bernie Sanders in 2016, or will in 2020, were he to be nominated? The middle can stay home just as well as the left.
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@Tell the Truth
Are you admitting that the Sanders base stayed home rather than vote against trump?
This column has inspired the same type of faulty logic that helped get trump elected. Sure, trump is awful, but democrats are nearly as awful, so what’s the difference. I think I’ll stay home today.
The goal is to remove Trump. That can not be accomplished through impeachment because Senate Republicans will never vote to convict him. The only way to oust him is to beat him in the next election. All the rest is symbolic huffing and puffing, something that the Democrats cornered the market on long ago.
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@Ncsdad
The goal should be justice, not "to remove Trump." Failing to pursue impeachment because of perceived political outcomes will never reach that goal.
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@Matt Impeachment is a political exercise and not a judicial or legal one. Political outcome is the only thing that matters when it comes to impeachment.
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@Msmcmotown
Congressional jurisdiction as prescribed by the Constitution does not make impeachment a political exercise. It is the process by which a legislative body levels charges against a government official, akin to an indictment in criminal law.
House Democrats should open impeachment hearings because they swore and oath to protect the constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic. Trump fits the bill.
Then the Democratic Presidential candidates should issue a statement of support and, to the extent possible, stop talking about it. Focus on their vision for America and let the House Democrats do their job.
There is still room for Pelosian politics in the timing -- how close to the election do you want the hearings to be held? Do you want a peek at the Tax Returns first?Removal is not possible -- Senate Republicans would vote to lock up 3 generations of Muellers before even hinting at a mild rebuke of their Dear Leader.
But having a group of GOP Senators defending the indefensible with their full-tilt crazy conspiracy theories in the lead-up to the election might just help put Trump's senatorial co-conspirators back in the Senate minority.
Not exactly justice. But hope for the future.
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Enough already. He is not worth any more time. The only path to removing him from office is electoral defeat in 11/2020. Even finally publishing his tax returns, which will show a dangerous dependence on the loans of Russian oligarchs, ridiculous exaggerations of his wealth, and expertise in exploiting every loophole, will make no difference to his loyal 45%. It is time to choose a responsible liberal to carry the Democrats to victory and hope for the best while working harder than ever to demonstrate to the electorate that their House and Senate choices must be progressives who can deliver legislation that incrementally moves us forward.
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The democratic leadership, Pelosi and Schumer of course in primis given their roles, do not want to stir the republican base...instead of stirring the democratic base. This is the classic centrist-moving-to-the-right politics that brought trump in power. Do not move otherwise the other will win, and doing so they lose, as usual.
Pelosi must go, she lost all the elections of the last ten or so years with the exception of the last thanks to the people on the left but she clings to the chair like a piece of scotch tape. She need to go.
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If and only if an impeachment process would COMPEL McGahn , Hicks and others to testify is this matter worth pursuing further. The only way this works is for the witnesses being forced into silence to be made to talk.
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America cannot claim:
1. No one is above the law, and,
2. America is a democracy.
Trump broke laws with impunity and with no consequences or costs. He is certainly above the law.
Trump would not have been elected in a democracy. He was 3 million votes shy of winning. It is certain that he would lose and be no threat for 2020 if we were a democracy. Unfortunately, the senate is ruled by the Dakotas and the presidency by Wisconsin.
Republicans are not concerned that their candidate is the person chosen by Russians to most harm America. Since that is not convincing there is nothing else to argue.
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@JT Technically, the United States is not a democracy and was never intended to be one. We're a republic or more accurately a democratic republic in which citizens elect legislators to make the decisions for us. It also protects minority groups from the tyranny of the majority that often comes with pure democracy.
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@J Finn
Forgive me, but where are these "pure" democracies, in time or space, of which you (and others often) speak of?
Certainly not in parliamentary systems: elected members can ignore the popular will of the people (as has happened a few times here in Canada).
How would that work, anyway? The logistics of every citizen deciding/voting on every issue and law would be too onerous.
You mention "tyranny of the majority". Well, the USA has had a tyranny of the minority not infrequently (just compare some of your presidential and congressional "lawmaking" with their corresponding popular polling). I'd bet that a majority of people would prefer a "tyranny" of the majority over the minority if it came to that choice.
Minority rights are protected by your constitution (our Charter Of Rights) and the courts.
But I'm open-minded (and certainly not a political expert), so please give me, if you would, some examples of what you're talking about.
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@ACBrown
It has become popular recently for conservatives to claim that America is not a democracy but a republic. This comes from a superficial reading of Federalist 10 in which James Madison makes the distinction between a pure democracy (which he refers to as "democracy") and representative democracy (which he refers to as "a republic"). Specifically, Madison writes: ". . . a pure democracy, by which I mean a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person, can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. . . . A republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking."
Madison was interested in preventing government by "faction"—and he clearly specified that a faction could be either a minority or majority that put its own interests above the national interest:
"By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community."
The Constitution was intended to protect against tyranny of any faction, whether majority or minority. The evidence, however, suggests the Constitution has failed as there is no effective check or balance on the power of the Trump-McConnell faction.
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The fact is that most people have long had their minds made up about Trump/Russian collusion/obstruction of justice matters. To assume that Mueller's testimony was going to transform public thinking was naive and disingenuous at best.
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@InfinteObserver
People's minds change with the economy. Let's see.
I emailed our representative in the House, Carolyn Maloney, today to step up and push for an impeachment inquiry immediately. I urge all readers to do the same with their representative. No more political considerations, it is time to just do what is right.
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@John Thanks for taking action. I totally agree. Focus on what's right. And I get how Democratic leaders in the House "are scared of unsettling the people who voted for their newly elected moderates." But those moderates were elected to provide a check and balance on this lawless president. What are they going to tell their constituents that they did to check him? An impeachment inquiry gives them something to show their voters. (Meanwhile, my Trump-toady republican Congressman will get a call today, inspired by you, to stand up for what's right, even though I know he won't.)
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@John 100% agree. I called Joe Neguse’s office for weeks and he ended up being one of the first in the House to back impeachment. Use the August recess, people!
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Speaker Pelosi has made it clear over and over again that she will not be bringing a vote of impeachment to the floor.
It is inaccurate to say that the intention of the hearing was to convince people to support impeachment.
The point was to clarify exactly what is in the report. That's clear now.
1 - the Trump campaign actively sought Russian intervention in the election to benefit Trump
2 - 7 aides and advisors were indicted and convicted of lying to investigators in order to cover up their involvement with a foreign government's attempt to interfere in the election.
3 - Trump himself engaged in repeated acts of obstruction to prevent the investigation from linking him or his campaign to Russian operatives.
4 - Trump's actions rise to the level of criminal activity but he cannot be indicted as a sitting president. However, once he has left office, he can be indicted.
Those 4 points were made crystal clear by Mueller's testimony, and according to Mueller himself, are backed up by the report.
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@rlschles
so it's past time to impeach with all of it's added power to compel witnesses and subpoena such documents as his taxes and other hidden financial affairs.
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Impeachment, despite all the lectures why the Democrats must do it, has never worked. That is, twice it was tried and twice it failed, failure meaning the president wasn’t convicted. The threat of a conviction persuaded Nixon to resign, but it took a Goldwater to deliver the ultimatum. There is no Sen. Goldwater among Republicans now. Probably never will be again. If anyone believes that a failed conviction in the Senate won’t be spun with devastating effect by Trump and the Republicans, what can I say? We’d end up with Trump for four more years. That should finish us off for good.
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@Jack Archer
I must say, I'm tiring of this constant repetition by progressives of how impeachment "has never worked".
What do you mean by "hasn't worked?" What is supposed to "work"?
When a criminal is jailed for a crime, is there talk of the jailing "not working"? I suppose if recidivism is the topic, then it is pertinent, but an impeachment is not meant to "work" or "not work". It's meant to punish an elected official, in this case this president, in the only way the Legislative branch is capable of punishing a sitting president. Just like an indictment, this too is a legislative indictment of the president.
Should the future measure of impeachments be whether or not the Senate will convict? Imagine if criminals weren't indicted because judges seemed likely not to convict. What insanity is this?
Perhaps an impeachment might even assist in a civil case against trump following his term.
Impeach trump. NOW.
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@Jack Archer
Everything you can imagine and more is "spun with [intended] devastating effect by Trump and the Republicans". Regarding nasty spin, it doesn't matter what we do. On the other hand, standing on principle, or appearing to, has a positive effect in itself compared with appearing to have no or limited principle. And it has a long-term effect whether we do or don't decide to let major corruption of the Constitution and the political system go unchallenged.
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@Jack Archer Impeachment would take over a year to begin and complete. At that point he would be leaving the WH anyway.
We know that the Republicans in congress have sold their souls. The only hope we have is that all the Trump voters in the midwest have not all sold their souls, and that the Democrats will turn out to vote in 2020.
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@Joe Runciter If our only hope is that all the Trump voters in the midwest have not all sold their souls, well... there is no hope. And the notion that Democrats will unite after this primary season - I don't see that happening. Heck, in these parts the Hillaryites and Berniebots are still fighting each other furiously and are likely to turn blue areas of the State red because of it.
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I am a naturalized immigrant and one of the questions listed for the civics exam that is part of the process of applying for citizenship is "What is the Rule of Law?".
The official answer is that No One is above the law. In that case why is it that an Office of Legal Council opinion states that a sitting president cannot be indicted? Doesn't that make the President above the law?
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@Sally M
I think the answer is a president is not above the law because of the impeachment process. According to the Constitution he can be removed from office for high crimes and misdemeanors by Congress. And therefore it gets political. And after removal from office he can be indicted. Nixon, who resigned before he impeached, was pardoned by Ford after Nixon left office. The problem with Trump, who is a demagogue, is that he has a very loyal following of about a third of the US who will apparently support him no matter what he did or does. Nixon never had that type of loyal support.
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@Sally M
You question raises the correct issue. By point of fact the president is above the law. The policy that sets this out is also lawless, not to be found in the Constitution or statute, but in an memo outlining and legal opinion that dates back 40 years.
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@Sally M
Your question raises the correct issue. By point of fact the president is above the law. The policy that sets this out is also lawless, not to be found in the Constitution or statute, but in an memo outlining and legal opinion that dates back 40 years.
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The Democratic leadership will only pursue impeachment if post-hearing polls show that a majority of the voters now support it. If the poll results haven't changed, neither will the Democratic leadership's current intent not to pursue impeachment.
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@Jay Orchard Which is the problem in a nutshell. Leaders don't read polls; leaders change the way people think. If Dem leadership would educate the public on the value of an impeachment inquiry, and then demonstrate it by proceeding, people's opinions will change.
Mueller was supposed to the white knight who would uncover the information that would lead to Trump’s impeachment.
After more than 2 years of effort and $20 million to $30 million in cost, the Mueller investigation could not find any evidence that Trump colluded with the Russians, obstructed justice or did anything else remotely approaching an impeachable offense.
That’s why it’s time to move on and focus on winning the 2020 election.
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@Mon Ray
Oh, but he did on all counts. No conspiracy (a legal term), plenty of collusion - accepting help, exchanging polling information, and 5-10 instances of obstruction of justice. To refuse this evidence is laziness. There is good foundation and it should be used to both impeach and win the 2020 election.
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@Mon Ray
The Mueller investigation took in $42 million from Paul Manafort in forfeited assets. That is not counting any other forfeitures from anyone else. If the Mueller investigation cost $20-$30 million the Justice Department came out way ahead.
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@Mon Ray, The fine that Paul Manafort paid more than covers the cost of the investigation. Mr. Mueller stated over and over this was NOT a witch hunt, and that he did NOT say there was no collusion and there are investigations still ongoing. After your statement, I can tell you did not watch the hearing today; it's a shame, you may have heard some things of interest.
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