Impeachment has shown that the Democrats are a danger to our democracy and are willing to do anything to take down Trump. They have become the antithesis of what America stands for.
84
Dr. Rice, do you have any Republican friends now...?
5
Seems obvious that one rule overrides:
There are Givers and Takers--
These nonpartisan career Foreign Service officers, civil servants and uniformed military personnel-Rice Mentions-----Givers
Trump and Co.-aka Back Channel-aka Domestic Political Errand Runners----- Takers...
JFK once said "Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You, Ask What You Can Do For Your Country....
This Country wants those willing to answer this call..............
26
Mister, we could use a man like Mitt Romney or John McCain or John Kerry or a woman like Hillary Clinton today.....
We could use anyone who is not a GRU asset managed by and for the Kremlin to degrade the US brand.
The GOP has become a disgraceful racketeer influenced criminal organization run by prevaricators, corrupt self-dealers, cheats, grifters, near-do-wells and sociopaths in search of political relevance and power at any cost.
The crisis in America is not Trump, it is those who blindly support him without question regardless of his misdeeds as such fascistic tribalism is the real cancer on this nation.
When lies become truth when told by Devon Nunez and Rudy Guliani and Fox news hosts, then we are all living in a dystopian Alice in Wonderland reality.
89
The Republican Party is aiding and abetting Russia to destroy the US.
106
Benjamin Franklin 's warning was prescient : "Now we have a Republic....if we can keep it."
We are at a dangerous crossroads...will we preserve and defend our democracy or slide into dictatorship? As old German man said to me recently, with tears in his eyes, "You Americans are where we were in Germany with the rise of Hitler."
81
Can the Republican Party be prosecuted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act?
60
Wow! THANK YOU.
36
As if in a Hollywood movie, the leadership in America are religious Christian zealots with suicidal sense of our shared destiny, the fate of everyone on Earth...
Most of them like Pompeo, McConnel and Pence believe in this being the time of the end of the world, and the president leading them is a deranged psychopath with no ounce of moral Christian merit. - What's there to worry about?
45
World to Susan Rice: it’s over. It’s been over for a while now. Americans don’t care. They wanted a thug in the White House. They got one. We have a major television network serving as state television. They want the thug to remain in office. He will. We have a political party intent on delegitimizing the very idea of an opposition and intent on permanent one-party rule. They’re winning.
Goodnight, U S of A, and good-bye. It was nice knowin’ ya.
39
Nicely written
15
Well said.....
14
Thank you for not writing "thirdly"
9
Bravo!
8
John Stuart Mill in 1867: “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.”
JFK in 1961: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
We have to be vigilant against McCarthyism which, sadly, is a fundamental dark side to human nature.
We must be vocal and stand against its current incarnation abetted by the GOP and loved by Trumpster ilk such as White Nationalists and Neo-Nazis. The last thing this planet needs is another Kristallnacht and subsequent cancerous ideological machinations.
44
Bravo!
15
If Hitler was alive , Trump would of denied the Holocaust and the Republicans would of agreed with him and covered up the atrocities committed. Trump sides with a Chinese dictator over Hong Kong protestors . The Republicans are now isolationists.
They are covering up the testimony of professional government workers with denial. They are believing in false history and events. Trump supports anti Semite far right fascist organizations and the Republicans play along. Ellie Wiesel warned of this and now it is occurring. As long as Hitler was in charge of his own country he could of killed millions as long as all benefited economically. Think about what is occurring. If the stock market is higher they’re happy and refuse to interfere. China has a re education and/or concentration camp currently for over a million individuals. North Korea has had that for years. Trump side’s with Putin. Trump in effect is a political American style of Hitler. Lie, cheat , but makes deals with all as long as that Swiss account is not discovered.
28
Beyond Russia, Americans need to stop “playing themselves.” More than 62 million willingly cast their votes for the fascist fraud in the WH who, by the way, continues to enjoy strong support. Russia can spread misinformation to stoke division from now to kingdom come. Ultimately, behind the curtain, within the confines of the voting booth, it is the individual American who decides for whom to cast a vote. Will they vote for Demogoguery or Democracy?
31
That we, as members of different political parties,in the US,
are at each other’s throats over what is garden variety grift,
is the signal that the Putin disinformation campaign is working
just as designed and being delivered by one of our own.
#divide&...#playingtheirgame#rabbithole
20
What on earth is not depressing about this article?
100
"All roads lead to Russia."
---Nancy Pelosi
58
Why would Trump want Ukraine to "...seek to exonerate Russia and dishonestly implicate Ukraine in interference in the 2016 election"?
Because Putin hopes Trump will be able to convince enough Americans that it was Ukraine that hacked the DNC, which would justify Trump lifting the sanctions that Obama imposed as he was on his way out the door.
Anyone who believes that needs to read these three indictments filed by Mueller:
https://www.justice.gov/file/1035477/download
https://www.justice.gov/file/1080281/download
https://www.justice.gov/sco/page/file/1070326/download
21
“Republicans in Congress are spouting Russian-sponsored conspiracy theories that disparage Ukraine and obscure Russian interference in our democracy.”
Just wait until all eyes are on the Senate, namely on chief conspiracy theory peddler Chuck Grassley, who has been in the Senate since 1978. I suspect that TERM LIMITS will become a popular idea thanks to impeachment. We’ll also get to see just how old and how white the Republicans are... if the Republican side of the House Intel Committee looked like a glorified Southern Baptist deacon’s meeting, the Republican side of the Senate trial is going to look like Ancient Rome minus the togas. Please God, no togas.
Raise your hand if you weren’t even a twinkling in your mother’s eye when Chuck Grassley and Mitch McConnell first got elected to the Senate! (Raises hand) Now raise your hand if you’re tired of these old white dudes not riding off into the sunset when they pass the retirement age! (Raises hand, waves it wildly)
Really, why does anyone want to work into their late 70’s/80’s if they don’t have to? Why don’t they just go to Florida and sip a mai tai, play some golf, and just generally enjoy their old age? Could it be because they are greedy and addicted to power? Yes. Silly me. It just wouldn’t be much fun to peddle their cockamamie Russian conspiracy theories to other old white dudes in a retirement community, would it?
25
Speaking of Putin, any friend of Trump's is a friend of the always trumpers.
7
Asia has always looked to conquer the west; from the Persians, the Hun, the Magyars, the Mongols, the Moors, the Turks to the Soviets.
Putin wants to rule his vast part of Asia from Paris.
Trump thinks he can give him a hand.
6
All Trump roads lead to Moscow.
17
It’s hard to give any credibility to a person that willingly lied to Americans about the cause of the Benghazi attack. Blaming an immigrant who put a video on YouTube, when days before Hillary Clinton emailed her daughter it was a terrorist attack. It couldn’t have been to hide the truth for political reasons now, could it? 7 weeks before Obama was elected to his second term, he abused every political means of government to delay facts being known before the election.
Europe and the IMF don’t set American foreign policy, the president does. It was Obama’s foreign policy that Biden used to blackmail the Ukrainian government to fire a prosecutor. Whether a foreign government or agency agreed or not, it appears to have been illegal for Biden to do under AMERICAN law. Maybe they would be good witnesses if Biden were to go on trial.
8
I was most impressed by the person (forgot which one) who, when asked if he/she was a "NeverTrumper", responded "I consider myself a "Never-Partisan". Well said, we don't need a Trump world, we need a real American world like we used to have, where no one was always "right". When you can only allow one voice, you have admitted you are weak and unable to lead.
12
Representative Elise Stefanik, Republican of New York, before questioning Hill and Holmes: “Not a single Republican member of this committee has said that Russia did not meddle in the 2016 elections."
This defensiveness, after Fiona Hill warned: “I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests.”
What has been confirmed through the impeachment hearing, Ms. Stefanik? The leader of your party, the President of the United States, is overtly and repeatedly peddling Russian propaganda. Your colleagues: the same. Your media channel (Fox): the same.
Care to let that sink in?
Your silence on that matter, not to mention the silence of your colleagues in the House and Senate, is deafening. You might attempt to deflect and exonerate a few colleagues on the House Intelligence Committee, but your credibility is nil when you refuse to stand apart from the President’s shadow.
Thank you for defending Russian interests.
31
All roads lead to quiz pro Joe & Hunter Biden, and dirty Democrats. They never thought Hillary would lose
5
Fox News needs to be impeached! Fox does not sponsor journalism - they are the propaganda machine for the Far Right.
15
What does Putin have on Trump?
15
The U.S.A. has been playing this dance with the Russkies for as long as I have been alive. Something’s gotta give and I don’t mean the bomb bay doors on Col. Kong’s B-52.
2
Feels like our democracy's first eCivil War...
5
The Republican Party has a new name - Putin’s Red Republican Party.
9
"Mr. Putin seeks to dismantle democracy and destroy America’s standing as a global leader. The only question is whether we will allow him to succeed."
Prez P & Prez Trump & Prez T-Supporters seemed to be doing quite well. The real question is now much harm has been done to America's Democracy and how much, if any, might recover.
5
Putin has Trump wrapped around his finger. Will we ever find out how that happened?
9
If it’s up to Trump, we’ll not only allow it, he’ll wrap it with a bow.
3
And, here we have the prosecution's case for impeachment!
3
I absolutely agree with Dr. Rice's eloquent op-ed. However, what the country needs is Dr. Condoleezza Rice, or some other respected Republican, or at least conservative, to be saying these same things in the Wall Street Journal.
1276
@George Rowland
They are all afraid if they do so that it would have dire financial consequences to them. After All most of them are either lobbyists or make millions on the speaking circuit or both.
88
@George Rowland I had the exact same thought. "Great argument, wrong Rice." The collective cowardice on the GOP side is a larger threat to our country than anything Russia currently has going.
117
@George Rowland
It doesn’t seem to matter when they do. They are just ignored or ostracized by elected Repubs.
32
The GOP would say---
Phooey on "2 weeks of compelling testimony"!
Phooey on "intellect, integrity, selflessness and sense of duty"!
Read this Satire On The News from Andy Borowitz in the New Yorker:
"Devin Nunes Accuses Witnesses of Misleading American People with Facts"
By Andy Borowitz10:38 A.M.
"WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In what some observers called his most sarcastic opening statement of the impeachment inquiry, Representative Devin Nunes, on Thursday, accused witnesses of trying to mislead the American people with facts.
“From the beginning of these proceedings, the Democrats’ witnesses have offered facts, more facts, and nothing but facts,” Nunes said. “I, for one, have had enough of their factual games.”
Ramping up his attack, he accused the civil servants who have testified of having “an almost cult-like worship of verifiable information.”
“ ‘Step right up,’ these witnesses seem to be saying,” Nunes added. “ ‘The fact circus is in town.’ ”
Nunes, however, warned his Democratic colleagues that “the American people won’t be fooled by your relentless account of things that actually happened.”
“When the American people see the Democrats building this massive, sky-high tower of facts, they have to ask themselves: Is that all you’ve got?” he said."
Tell it straight, Andy.
12
Trump is a Russian candidate, not a Manchurian candidate; if only this were a move we could walk out on.
5
Thank you Ms. Rice.
3
“First, there is now overwhelming testimony and evidence that affirm the deeply troubling revelation contained in President Trump’s summary of his “perfect” July 25 phone call with the newly elected president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Mr. Trump withheld an important Oval Office meeting and nearly $400 million in urgently needed military assistance from Ukraine to compel Mr. Zelensky to open, or at least announce, two investigations — one that would seek to exonerate Russia and dishonestly implicate Ukraine in interference in the 2016 election, and another that aimed to tar former Vice President Joe Biden with false corruption charges in relation to his work on Ukraine during the Obama administration.”
I’ll help.
‘By unfit methods so insecure Russian and Chinese enemies already know more about what happened than the American public, Mr. Trump secretly saw to it that Ukraine’s president knew that to get the aid congress gave Ukraine to defend itself in its war with Russia and to have a meeting at the White House he had to tell the world the lie that maybe Ukraine and not Russia monkeyed with the Trump election and to also point a finger at the Bidens by telling more lies. Which Republican Senators are ok with. Because they are republicans.’
5
I live in fear of the entire Republican Party, their assault on the Constitution and the people who defend it is reminiscent of the scorched earth Sherman left in his path throughout the South. They are building a road towards a facist dystopia for future generations to live. The America we knew will be no more.
9
Susan Rice omitted the biggest "lesson" to come out of the impeachment hearings, which is:
Joe Biden is corrupt.
Prior to the whistleblower opening up this can of worms, I did not know that Biden met with Ukraine President Poroshenko and demanded the firing of Ukraine prosecutor Victor Shokin, at the threat of withholding $1 billion aid package.
Nor did I know that Shokin was investigating corruption in the Ukraine's largest gas company - Burisma Holdings - and that Burisma paid Hunter Biden (Joe Biden's son) $50,000/MONTH to be on its board of directors.
Connecting 4 dots is pretty easy:
1. Burisma paid Hunter Biden $600,000/year.
2. Victor Shokin was investigating Burisma.
3. VP Joe Biden withheld $1 Billion unless Victor Shokin was fired.
4. Victor Shokin was fired.
But thanks to the impeachment inquiry, I now know that Biden is corrupt. It seems that millions of Americans also realize Biden is corrupt because his poll ratings have dropped.
Nancy Pelosi will take a vote (though I doubt she really wants to) and the house will likely push an impeachment trial over to the senate. Victor Shokin will likely be Witness 1 for the defense, and his testimony will be riveting. He has already released a sworn affidavit: https://www.scribd.com/document/427618359/Shokin-Statement
5
The risks to Russia from this are obvious. When you write a playbook for meddling in another country, that can be used against you. And it will.
Russia: lots of automated bots that spread dis-info in the US. The same is easy to do in Russia, and maybe by China.
Here in the US: we will be rid of Trump soon enough. He is a career criminal as another responder pointed out. Then we will find a way to turn off dis-info bots. Things not human do not have 1st amendment rights.
4
Thank you Susan.
2
I read this because I was tricked by the promise in the headline that "They are not all depressing." Yes, they are and now I'm really depressed. All these fine people we are so lucky to have working for us are being mowed down by a solid wall of Republican Russia-friendly (see the party platform) corrupt liars.
8
What is depressing is the refusal of Trump's Republican defenders to to acknowledge facts, not only conclusive proof that he is guilty of impeachable offenses but also the fact that they are doing the work of Russian agents in parroting Putin's disinformation. What is also depressing is that some 40% of the American populace believe the lies of Trump's propagandists at Fox News. And what is most depressing of all is that Trump is successfully obstructing Congressional oversight by preventing Pence, Pompeo, Mulvaney and Bolton from testifying, and they are too cowardly to defy him.
9
It it shocking and horribly sad to see the attempt to turn myths into reality and the denigration of the Republican party. There is only one answer ... vote Blue in 2020 to clean out the cesspool in Washington.
4
The fifth thing that this enquiry has taught us is that with a right wing news organisation committed to alternate facts, bribery can happen in plane sight with little consequence.
3
I've lost hope that any Republican lawmaker will ever stand up to Trump and vote to impeach. they have all drunk deeply of some awful Kool-Aid cooked up by Putin and Trump, and for them there's no turning back. Since they are beyond shame and any sense of dishonor, we can leave it to history to mark their profiles in cowardice. We need to devote all our efforts to driving them from the halls of congress, and their cultish leader from the White House.
7
The biggest waste of US tax dollars EVER. I am sick of these hearings. So sick that I will vote for Trump in 2020 just out of spite.
5
Susan:
Nice homage to the State Dept. and its employees. It would have helped if you had that same concern regarding Ambassador Stevens in Libya....
Not to mention your whitewashing of a deadly serious episode (Benghazi consulate) for raw political gain in an election (Obama) year.
4
PS: How much did Trump pay Will Hurd? We probably won’t know for awhile - but, over time, we’ll see his feathered nest. He will lack for nothing for the rest of his life. That’s the way it works, folks.
4
Susan is pretty moderate. She is not that left wing. I wonder what Trumpistas want. How do they want liberals to change? To become more intolerant of minority groups? To support family separations and children in camps? To become more respectful towards their dear unhinged Leader who as Miller says must not be questioned? To just agree that caving in to Putin and Kim and Erdogan is a great idea. Once people become broadminded and tolerant and use critical thinking, it is difficult to make them narrow minded, unquestioning and more bigoted.
5
I'm sorry, but what in this column isn't depressing?
2
Here's the one, important lesson you have overlooked.
The American public is bored.
And that does not bode well for 2020.
The Democrats' meticulous declaration and documentation of the "High" Crimes and Misdemeanors of The Trump, ranging from bribery to being a jerk has long ago passed its "Sell By Date" and is beginning to interfere with Friday Night Football.
And "We Americans", outside of the far, far, far left, have had more than enough, long before this spectacle reaches the Senate, after another parade of postulators and perpetrators entertains the House Judiciary Committee.
A nation whose attention span is fixed at 140 characters has had it and we won't take it anymore.
Remember that?
3
Well said Susan Rice... blind faith in Trump is ironically ruining all that his followers profess to love. He cares nothing about them in return. My mother used to tell something that Khrushchev said “"We will take America without firing a shot ... we do not have to invade the United States, we will destroy you from within." I guess he had a dream that someday there’d be Putin and his puppet Trump.
6
Well said. If only you and so many others in the NYT were preaching to an audience beyond the converted.
4
Republicans are nihilists. They are angry old white men who care only for the exercise of raw, unbridled POWER, right here and right now. Reality, truth, and evidence mean nothing to them. If the world were to end tomorrow, they would be fine with it. All that matters to them right now are tax cuts, ultra-conservative judges, and getting rid of "those people" (insert the ethnic slur of your choice). Trump is giving them exactly what they want, so of course they will follow him right over a cliff.
5
While the GOPs may win the debate as to whether Trump's crime is a felony, there is no way it can avoid classification as a cheap, sick little political misdemeanor. Which done in high office meets the explicit Constitutional stricture.
That said, is it smart for Dems to wrap up investigations by New Year and hand the thing over to a Circus in the Senate which smears up the viewing lens?
I would suggest a Lucy with the football strategy.
Fight on to get documents and testimony from insiders. Until mid March, then give up... we'll get him out at the ballot box quicker. I would even begin to highlight other legislative fights,
even allowing a short gov shutdown at Xmas. Refocus on why the GOP can not be allowed to take The Hill again.
& the Senators running for the Dem Prez slot will not be hampered.
Maybe the footballish meme would be better put- run out the clock. Take a knee. The team T is out of time outs...
1
Could President Trump be concerned about his future fortune and his family legacy (the children's fortunes) through dreamed-of and planned properties in Russia? Does he worry that his mentor Putin might turn on him and send those hopes and dreams crashing to the sidewalk? Does President Trump know he needs all the help his 2020 campaign can elicit from Russia and any other foreign country that will boost his vote-getting potential? Has Comrade Putin whispered, "Don't worry, Donald. We'll take care of you" -- whatever that might mean?
Doug Giebel, Big Sandy, Montana
2
The House Impeachment Inquiry has built a clear case for Trump’s removal from office. But nothing sends a clearer message to the entire country than voting him out of office in 2020. Leave the Senate out of it—nothing good for the country will come from a bunch of lickspittle GOP Senators trying to impress he that shall be obeyed. Democrats needs to start focusing on the 2020 election.
2
The incriminating evidence piles up. Through FOIA, American Oversight noted last night:
“On Friday evening, the State Department released nearly 100 pages of records in response to American Oversight’s lawsuit seeking a range of documents related to the Trump administration’s dealings with Ukraine”
“Among other records, the production includes emails that confirm multiple contacts in March of 2019 between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, at least one of which was facilitated by President Trump’s assistant Madeleine Westerhout.”
https://www.americanoversight.org/state-department-releases-ukraine-documents-to-american-oversight
2
Trump and his enablers in Republican party have become nothing but water carriers for Putin and the Russian mob..
Americans need to wake up to the fact that our President the Republican party and much of right wing media have been so co-opted by Russia that we may loose our Democracy if Americans do not act to remove this cancer for our country..
6
THE CANCER ON THE PRESIDENCY Described at the time of Watergate, has been exceeded by the cancer of the body politic, including Trump, his cohort of appointed thugs and lawless accomplices, including Giuliani, who illegally engaged in rogue communications, disrupting US official foreign policy. The cancer on Trump's presidency has metastasized to the entire GOP. The question is whether the life-threatning disease represented by the GOPpers is survivable. Are We The People going to have any democracy after its having been savaged and destroyed by Trump. His complete defiance of the impeachment is tantamount to Hitler's burning of the Reichstag (after which he soon emerged as Germany's chancellor). Dear readers, if you are not horrified by the impending death of our democracy, you must wake up to the mortal peril we each face. (DISCLAIMER The mention of Trump in the context of a Stage 4 cancer on the US body politic, is intended exclusively as an image and hyperbole, to emphasize clear and present dangers to We The People due to his lawlessness. No harm is intended toward the person of the president.)
1
"[The four lessons]... are not all depressing...
1. "Trump abused his power... for personal... gain... "
2. "civil servants...[displayed a]... sense of duty... in the face of harsh... attacks and efforts at witness intimidation orchestrated by the president"
3. "our democracy is not only diminished but also increasingly dysfunctional."
4. "Russia is pitting Americans against one another by fueling extremes on both sides of every divisive issue... Mr. Putin seeks to dismantle democracy and destroy America"
Gosh. It's a good thing the four lessons were not all depressing...
2
What do we do when the table is no longer level - at all? That is the state we are now in. The Republican Party has been degrading consistently since I was a child in the early 60's. Step by step, the Party became the party of the very rich, the very white, and the very malevolent.
Its one of the primary things I fail to understand about the Republican Party. Do they not understand that they breath the same air, and swim in the same oceans as the rest of us?
What Devin Nunes and Jim Jordan cemented this weekend, is the fact that the Republican Party is now, unquestionably , the White Nationalist Fascist Party. There no longer are two parties in this country.
The current Republican Party must be fully destroyed. A new Republican Party can then arise from the right wing of the Democratic Party. Democrats and Republicans can certainly work together at that point to form a new United States devoted to solving the Climate and Environmental crisis and to moderating the gap between rich and poor.
First, however, Fox News needs full destruction (maybe, just maybe, Mike Bloomberg could buy it? ).
The road to a Planet Earth ready for the 21st Century is clear, and it does not include the modern day Republican Party, what Noam Chomsky has referred to as the most dangerous organization on earth.
4
Plainly, Mr. Trump is a Russian agent and his congressional henchmen are functionally aiding and abetting treason. All should be dealt with according to law.
5
Thanks for a thorough review of the process thus far. I would like to see more brought to the impeachment. Namely, the 19 women with sexual assault allegations on Trump; the check written through Michael Cohen to silence porn starts McDougal and Daniels (domestic campaign interference); his separation of children from parents at our border (psychological torture - a crime against humanity); his inciting of domestic terrorism, resulting in deaths across the nation. And finally, his denial of climate change that is part of the destroying of our planet.
3
I am sure this comment will run into a brick wall of censorship, but the First Lesson of the Impeachment hearing is that the only people who care about it are the elites in the political and journalistic establishment. Frankly, Scarlet, the rest of us....
The second point I would make is that it is is positively ludicrous to prattle on about how Putin is dividing us. The United States has been a country profoundly divided since its inception. Whether it manifests as black vs. white, South v. North, urban v. rural, Nixon's "dark side" vs. Kennedy's "bright side" -- the fracture has been constant and consistent. Blaming Putin is about as off the wall as blaming the Tsar for American Nativism.
The last point I will make is that Americans really need to know their own history. I have 1688 in mind, which the Founding Fathers most certainly did when they inserted the Impeachment Clause. Impeachment presupposes (1) a national consensus that (2) the sovereign is subverting the integrity of the state and the viability of the social compact. Both pre-requisites are missing.
Trump has cheapened, besmirched, vulgarized, & disgraced his office. He is an unstable, ignorant narcissist and chronic liar who every once in a while manages to speak the truth about something. Arguably this might rise to the level of a chronic subversion but that is not the case being made. The case being made is one of palace tittle tattle, exciting to the few but boring to the many.
39
This MacCarthyism indeed has to stop. It includes accusations from the left that those who disagree on government policy or cultural norms are racist, haters, etc. who should be fired. I find PC puritanism and the "cancel culture" as disturbing as the reckless Trump presidency. Moderates are getting turned off.
1
"Republicans have abandoned all claim of serving the national interest.” Who is Ms. Rice, a largely discredited Democratic operative, to make such a claim? I stopped reading there.
1
I never thought I would say this but... Well said Susan Rice.
3
If you follow Ms. Rice's outline what she has described is a party of traitors to America, defiling its democracy and our people. The Republicans conspire with Putin and his Communist enablers. These people should be put on trial for treason starting with trump on down. Absent our ability or resolve to do so may we have the strength and resolve to remove them from office in November 2020. America could celebrate the restoration of liberty, freedom, decency and justice for all by staging the biggest "hasta la vista" party for trump, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham and fellow Putin loyalists. Let's send Russia a message, get out of our backyard. We are not Crimea. You are not welcome here.
5
Thank you, Susan E. Rice. "Republican 'leaders' [my quotation marks here] will seemingly stop at nothing..." It is their unmasked white supremacist Social Darwinism, totally against American democratic-republicanism. It is also a revenant of the Confederacy, as Jim Crow subsequently had been and may yet be if not stopped again. A real political fight against it wouldn't be meant to aggravate the conflict already aggressively happening but to end it. Vote non-Republican.
2
Ever wonder why the Russians helped Trump?
I’m sure they did their homework on him. They knew what a narcissistic egotistical person he was, how addicted to conspiracy theories he was.They knew how desperate he would be, with the polls showing he would be badly beaten, that he would welcome their help. And they knew that this would lead to an incriminating investigation and that he would be desperate to thwart the investigation.They knew that his political beliefs would sunder the country, with his hatred of immigration in all forms and support for white nationalists.They knew he would exacerbate decisive issues, like immigration, abortion, the environment, global warming, taxes, health care, gay rights, education.They knew there would be mass shootings which he would do nothing to stop. They knew he would not trust and then undermine the FBI, the CIA, the intelligence services, our diplomatic structure, our treaties and alliances, like NATO.They knew that there would be an unspoken quid pro quo from him when they helped him.They knew that if he got elected, it would demonstrate the flaws in our democratic election process to the whole world and to us.I think that they knew that his actions could eventually lead to impeachment efforts, which would distract and weaken him, undermining the role of the presidency.
Above all, they knew that if he got elected, it would greatly weaken their main rival, the USA.You don’t think the Russians could be that smart, that devious? I do.
5
Lesson #1 - No president has ever been removed from office.
1
The one lesson of impeachment is that no President of the United States who has been impeached in the House of Representatives has ever been convicted and removed from office by a trial in the Senate.
While the Confederate States of America aka Addison Mitchell McConnell,Jr. and Lindsey Graham have firmly taken over the leadership of the U. S. Senate trying to reverse the outcomes of the Civil War and Civil Rights eras.
And Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin stands strongly behind our Siberian President.
4
how do you know this "Mr. Biden did it openly, transparently and not, as Mr. Trump has falsely claimed, to protect his son Hunter."?
4
Regarding your last line: we already have.
Ambassador Rice, your clear account is truly wind in the sails of our resistance to tyranny, cronyism, incompetence and cynical, self-serving governance. THANK YOU!!
4
"It is clear that Mr. Trump abused his power to extort bogus dirt on his chief rival for personal political gain."
Period.
4
But Ms Rice, we already HAVE allowed Putin to succeed beyond his wildest dreams. If the Russians celebrated Thanksgiving, Putin would be having a great one.
2
Everything Susan says is true.The question for me is why.Why do Trump's supporters refuse to see the obvious?A weird psychosis of a cult mentality I think.It would surely be apparent to them if the president was named Clinton so the facts presented are not the issue.After Hurd's statements I wonder if there is a true statesman in the GOP.Look for a real circus if this moves to the Senate since it has already started with Graham's plan to do Trump's dirty work now that Ukraine is out of the picture.
3
Make no bones about it. Vlad Putin wants to break up the US just as the US broke up the USSR, and Trump is the dynamite to do it.
3
It's pretty simple. The people of this country either want to be ruled by an authoritarian who tells stupid people what to do and imprisons and kills its perceived enemies, or they want a democracy. That's it. from what i can tell, the right wing is winning despite rational argumentation because they are either willingly blind, uneducated or in thrall to Big Daddyist
theocracy. And I fear they will do everything they can -- including deploying their guns -- to keep us from holding free and fair elections because they love Trump.
3
I don't think there's any doubt. 100% "mission accomplished" for the party of Koch, Mercer, and Putin.
4
Can we nominate Susan Rice to be president?
4
It will be a sad spectacle for anyone who really cares about the United States and its Constitution. Senate Republicans dutifully ignoring their consciences, clear evidence, and their places in history to acquit the Dear Leader of the cult that the GOP has been reduced to.
2
Congresswoman Stefanik: after reflecting on these words how can you continue down that path?
To all of you who like Trump and plan on voting for him again, I have a few questions for you.
1. How much are your premiums under Trump's new healthcare plan?
2. Where is the invoice to Mexico for paying for that wall?
3. I'm sure you feel safer knowing that those Iran and North Korea nuclear treaties are securely in place
4. Is your commute to your local gun store quicker because of all those new roads being fixed under Trump's amazing infrastructure program?
5. How much of that astronomical tax cut you received are you giving back to the government to pay down the $1 trillion in debt that the traitor got us into? Not to mention the largest trade deficit in US history.
Thank you.
3
This is all fake news.
They cannot accept Trump is the true sitting president that won the election.
Since the Liberal Left cannot accept his policies and the truth of Jesus, they want to dethrone the truth.
2
An objective observer might well conclude that Trump is a foreign agent. Just not from Manchuria. What shall we call the Devin Nunes, Jim Jordan, etc. group? Traitors? All while McConnell chortles in the background.
3
All true. Does the Republican party care? It seems not. And Fox News is truly a cancer in our country, a purveyor of Russian-inspired disinformation on behalf of Trump. With help from Facebook and ignorance.
5
Are Little Marco, Lyin Ted and Pompous Romney preparing their daggers? Will they follow the hard "bump and set" work the Democrats are doing by bringing Articles of Impeachment to the Senate? All it will take from just a few of these cowards is one "spike" vote and Trump will be sent packing.
Tweets from a formerly "convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors" President won't account for much. Removed ex Presidnt Trump would generate even less attention if after refusing to shut up, he forces the next Attorney General to press criminal charges and send him to his new home behind bars.
1
An urgent request to NY Times editors. Please put a team of reporters together to produce a comprehensive record for history of how Trump became, and is, an “asset” and operative for Putin and Russia. And please include how Trump proved to be the perfect vehicle for advancing Russia’s goal of weakening the US. Regrettably, it is the story of our age.
4
You say:
"President Trump consistently takes actions with respect to NATO, Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere that accrue to Russian rather than American interests"
and:
"..the Republican Party has sacrificed its principles and traditions to preserve its political power — at the expense of our country."
And yet, none dare call it treason!
4
The "Deep State," according to the Justice Department under trump's personal defense attorney William Barr, turned out to be a low-level FBI agent who altered an email in order to renew an existing warrant to surveil Carter Page. There's no lesson in this, however, since we already know that in the moral relativistic world of the Cons, this is the equivalent of bribery, treason, obstruction of justice and 10,000+ lies.
We know, too, that Cons want Americans to unite. That is, they want the majority of Americans, liberals and Democrats, to concede, to stop questioning, to abandon facts and reality and embrace lies and delusions, to blindly adore and profess fealty to our dear leader; to surrender to one-party rule. Then, we will no longer be divided.
5
“Russia is pitting Americans against one another by fueling extremes on both sides of every divisive issue, whether race, immigration or guns.”
This column directly above this one is written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. You don’t need to be Russian to inflame the racial division here in the United States.
2
Thank you. Finally, an analyst who reminds us that the only logic linking most of Trump's foreign policy decisions is the advantage they extend to Russia.
My question is, why did we have to wait for Fiona Hill's testimony to start seeing articles like this attributing the Ukraine conspiracy theory to a Russian disinformation campaign?
227
We didn’t have to wait. Mueller report, Volume One makes these points. The catalyst was the July 25th call that put a verifiable action to long running narratives. Stone was found guilty, that fact unmasked a lot of the redacted grand jury text.
We just would rather summarizations than reading verified reports.
34
As demographic changes favor the Democrats over the long haul, the GOP should be asking themselves, "Do we want to set a precedent now that will haunt us when the other party is sooner or later voted into power?" Sooner may well be November 2020 and certainly will be 2024. The Republican's fecklessness today could easily create an unfettered Democratic presidency, which frankly I would like to see. To turn a phrase in hopes of a woman as Democratic president, what's good for the gander is good for the goose.
92
@Karl H. - "...and certainly will be 2024."
I wish i could be so certain. You catch him at a recent rally, musing about being president (really king if it comes to pass) that he could be president even for 12 years, or 16, or 21? I believe those were his words/#'s but for sure they weren't far from what i've written. With the complicity of the right and far right coalition i wouldn't dismiss the idea of him exceeding the limits The Constitution now places on presidential terms. They show a clear predilection for ignoring The Constitution when it interferes with them doing their jobs the way they are supposed to be, are directed to be, done.
17
"Now we need a breakdown of the reasons that millions of Americans enthusiastically support a president who is tearing down the so-called administrative state"
It's not complicated. Fox News.
310
@Kidcanuck One word: Murdoch.
33
Russia could not stand up to us with military might - witness the collapse of the Soviet state - but has figured out a way to assert soft power to destroy us. I expect Putin wakes up in a good mood every day.
307
@Jimmy Verner Nancy Pelosi was 100% correct when she stood up at that male-heavy conference table, pointed her finger straight at Trump and said “Mr. President, with YOU, all roads lead to Russia.” (paraphrasing)
Every decision and action Trump has made in the last three years is somehow to Russia’s benefit. They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. At our expense. Thanks, Trump.
49
It is time for trump supporters to replace their American flags and lapel pins with Russian flags and lapel pins. It's clear to all that their allegiance is to Putin and his autocracy rather than to the USA and our rule of law democracy.
1151
@OLG Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the new lapel pins are Trump pins, sort of like Chairman Mao badges. Perhaps the Republicans in Congress can collect and trade them like they trade their conspiracy theories. The impeachment process has not only exposed a corrupt President, but a corrupt political party. Absolutely tragic.
146
@OLG Did you see the shirts at a Trump rally emblazoned with “I’d rather be a Russian than a Democrat”? It wouldn’t be such a stretch to go from that to what you suggest, but a sad sight to behold.
49
@OLG, Bob
The reasons that Trump is going to be re-elected in 2020, are summarized succinctly by the smug, contemptuous, self-righteous, and elitist attitudes that underly comments such as this.
Commenters (Yes, - you - Bob) blithely conflate deconstruction of the administrative state with supporting a Russian effort to destroy our democracy, when in fact, it is the progressive left that owe their origin of their underlying philosophy to Soviet style central planning and unitary omnipotent central federal government.
What is striking, is how many lefties cannot think well enough to grasp the irony in such ideas.
Claiming that Trump supporters are implicit supporters of Putin and Russia is equally unsupportable by facts, and is insulting.
The buy-in to left wing media hype is just embarassing.
In the end, this impeachment isn;t going anywhere. It's just another failed attempt to dislodge Trump the the Democratic party, which has failed via the judicial - and - the ballot box routes. So now they're trying the non-judicial route.
Sorry folks. The radical progressive left thought that it had it all.
And then America woke up.
5
The fiction that we're at each others throats fits nicely somewhere. Imagine Trump is a fourteen year girl and perspective returns. Imagine Trump being advised by Bannon and Giuliani, perspective returns. No need to discuss Coach Jordan.
My Trump neighbors know we'll stand shoulder to shoulder in a real emergency. Trump is like one of those emergency warning dingers on the radio. Sanity returns in a second when you find put it's a drill.
3
The case against Trump begins with the assertion that " the long-sought investigations were based on manufactured and discredited allegations" . For millions of Americans who get their news from other (Fox) sources that is by no means a settled issue. To convince America of Trump wrongs more work is needed to show that these allegations against Ukraine in 2016 and the Bidens are False.
16
@Bob
Interestingly, few facts have been offered to actually "debunk" these charges. Opinions citing others who agree about these charges hardly merits this claim.
They were never actually "debunked." More like, "dismissed."
5
@Bob How would you propose to do that? The actual factual evidence from our law enforcement, national security apparatus, and overwhelming testimony by career experts has this narrative as being false and worse yet instigated by the Russians themselves. Democracy depends on an educated public that can look at a variety of sources and make an informed decision. I don't know how you can get a portion of the electorate who only views FOX and other far right news sources which have basically become propaganda machines for the president, and whom don't even actually believe that there are facts to alter their beliefs. The Russians have in fact won the war of disinformation up to this point and we now have a significant portion of the American voting population that have become essentially illiterate.
23
This paper’s political writing is so out of touch with America. Trump has an economy like no other. The people outside NY and Calif, are not buying these hearing as anything more than sour grapes. Accept it, Trump has grown the economy and is on the verge of the largest trade deal in history. Also, N. Korea has been hushed. Bloomberg is a tempting alternative, the rest of the Dems are so out of their minds with socialism and European style economies, they cant topple Trump. Rice and your her fellow anti Trump minions can write until their fingers fall off, America is in super shape and no wars on the horizon. Trump is going to win the popular and Electoral votes by large margins, brace yourself for another four years of non-sensical congressional hearings that take congress away from their work for the actual people that matter.
7
The economy is a huge ship that takes at least two years to reflect policy decisions. You cannot change the economy quickly. Except tariffs, whose consequences show up pretty fast. It is Obama policy decisions that are reflected in today’s economy!
Give it another year. THEN you will see the Trump economic decisions in full bloom. And that is when he will declare a war. THAT will affect the economy.
Yet again, Republicans run the economy into the ground with their policies that favor the rich and corporations. And yet again Democrats have to come in to an economic downturn and clean it up. How many times do voters have to fall for it? Didn’t the Bush administrations, in recent memory, teach anything? How much did Trickle-Down help YOU?
And hopefully we won’t be in full McCarthyism mode in 2020 as the Constitution is ignored by our authoritarian President.
12
@Chris the Times and free press are certainly not out of touch...in fact, quite the opposite. Could not the economic success you tout have been achieved by another RepublIcan leader with admirable dignity and character? If not, maybe it's we and the Republican party that's out of touch.
6
What exactly does the economy have to do with abuse of power, bribery, and obstruction of justice?
What could be more “out of touch” than defending Trump without defending his actions?
9
Ms. Rice,
Please write the next essay. what happens to our country when the frightened Republican Senate stop impeachment?
2
If every cabinet member had her intelligence, America could start it’s recovery from this political disaster.
1
To suggest that poor dysfunctional Ukraine would be advantaged by and capable of interfering in US elections rather than Russia is laughable.....but no Republicans are laughing. Where is Condoleeza Rice? Her Ph,D. is in Russian Studies.
3
We learned that the USA is filled with Russian-Republicans For Trump.
Time for right-wing Americans to turn off the fear-loathing-conspiracy TV channel and hate radio and return to America where facts, reality, evidence and democracy matter.
Trump will only lead this country where he led his businesses.....to bankruptcy....economic, intellectual and moral bankruptcy.
The Russian-Republican party deserves zero votes on November 3 2020.
Thank you, Susan Rice.
9
If I find out that you know that someone broke the law how is it wrong for me to encourage you to report it to law enforcement?
Take this quid pro quo thing. They both did it, Biden and Trump. The difference is that with Biden they were cool. Everything went unsaid, everyone knew what was expected of them, and they all implemented their little scheme. Sneaky.
Trump could have done the same thing. But
Trump, on the other hand is brash, uncouth, can't resist shooting off his mouth. Couldn't resist putting it to Zelensky who probably would have done what was expected of him.
And that is how we wound up where we are.
Trump's best strategy at this point might be to go, "Oops. Sorry. Didn't know we couldn't do that. It won't happen again." Immediately half the nation will forgive him.
4
On this anniversary of the Kennedy assassination it is especially distressing to witness how low in relation to its highest historical national ideals, the office of the presidency has sunk.
5
Just one thing. Thank you!
2
One key failure in the US (and in the UK for that matter) is the continued use of single member districts to elect the House of Reps. This system muffles the voice of democracy, in favor of the two parties, whatever they are and whatever they stand for.
The two party system owns the gerrymandering problem.
The two party system owns the disdain many Americans feel about voting: "It doesn't matter, it just encourages them."
The two party system worships money, not the voice of the people. The dominant minority in each district owns the territory. "Safe districts" is the phrase that identifies the failure of democracy.
The single member districts neuter minorities that are spread over multiple districts. So why vote. THere is no reason to vote if your views are not the views of the dominant minority.
Example: In Pelosi's district in SF CA, there are many Repubs who have never had a Representative and likely never will. The opposite is true in many other districts.
SO the dominant minority, likely around 35-40% owns the seat. The subdominate minority with 25-30% gets nada. The remaining 25-40%, split over a range of concerns, gets nothing and should stay home and watch the TV or go watch a sporting event.
Brexit is bringing out the same result in the UK. A muffled voice, with leaders of the two dominate parties as unpopular goofs. So what to do??? Go with a hybrid system such in Germany. Google for it. If you care....
putin has already succeeded, trump is president.
2
I wish someone like Susan Rice was running for president.
3
They seem pretty depressing to me. The republican cult is in cahoots with the russian leader and will not remove their criminal 400 pound guy on the bed from his position as president. 40% of the US voting public are against colored immigrants and in favor of separating children from their parents. US oligarchs are paying no taxes while hard working citizens are taxed to the point that they cannot meet housing, clothing, food and educational expenses.
The russians continue to work on the 2020 election with the full support of the republican cult.
People like you better get busy educating the American public.
3
Susan Rice, brilliant and lucid as always. She is up there with Fiona Hill. Too bad the braindead and indecent CONS have sold our democracy to Putin cheaply, so that the mobster Trump could hold the Ukraine hostage and siphon off oil money for his greedy donors and fellow money launderers, like Sondland and Perry. It was a bad deal, and definitely not in our national interest.
2
Is this the same Susan Rice who claimed Benghazi was caused by a video? Please. The only lesson learned is the damage of the weaponization of politics (at the colossal waste of time, energy and money). I’ve seen zero evidence of an impeachable offense. But, I’ve seen a lot of opinion, hearsay and “courage” from those who hate Trump. I’ve also seen years of media talking heads proclaiming “bombshells,” “turning points,” and “walls closing in.” The next Dem POTUS will now face the exact same. Pat yourselves on the back.
3
I think POTUS Trump has earned himself the impeachment trifecta. Treason - as Nancy Pelosi says, all roads lead to Putin. Bribery - Zelensky. High Crimes and misdemeanors - just for being his lying, thieving self.
4
Voters must ask: Are you are Republican or are you an American? Then, VOTE!
3
Dare we say "treason"
2
Whatever happened to Lindsay graham! He ordered documents on John Kerry Biden Ukraine blah blah. How can so many people’s brains be hijacked by Trump? Steve Bannon Breitbart alt right white nationalists have all sucked grey cells out of Republican collective brains. Wow what a phenomenon to witness in real time! The world is in bewilderment that so many American minds have become jello.
2
Sadly Putin has succeeded. His disinformation campaign to promote the false story that the Ukrainians, not the Russians,attacked the 2016 election was bought hook line and sinker by the President of the United States.
Never in his wildest dreams did Putin imagine having such a useful idiot in the White House.
4
Have a couple suggestions for the impeachment inquiry people. (1) go after trump's tax returns, (2) go after trump's tax returns, and (3) go after trump's tax returns. Oh, and every time the idiot lying republicans talk about Biden's son (and, yes, he had no business trafficking on his dad's name while his father was VP) read off a list of trump's family and how they are profiting during their father's (horribly destructive) time in the White House.
6
I look at the sky, and I see it’s blue. Yet I’m told by those in power that it’s red, despite knowing, beyond any doubt, that it’s blue. And I’m told, for seeing blue, I’m human scum, a liar, a traitor and that I’m going to go through some very bad things.
Three years of this, and I shouldn’t feel depressed?
On the other hand, I take solace in knowing that I do not base my existence on lies.
Thank you for reading.
4
I agree with all you have written and I’m very depressed. The people I speak with who still support Trump believe all of the smears against the intentions of public employees and civil servants and believe the subpoenaed and voluntary witnesses are merely disgruntled, displaced participants of a “deep state.” They believe that Trump’s self dealing is non-interventionism and they don’t care if US withdrawal & abandonment of allies benefits ruthless authoritarians like Putin. They just don’t care, it’s nihilism, and the propaganda is effective.
136
Trump wants Putin to succeed. Why is an important question that deserves all the investigation possible by the press if not the CIA and also all citizens who care about the American Constitution, our way of life and what we used to call “ the free world”.
4
We are engaged in a war over the identity and very soul of our nation.
The Republicans believe any means necessary are justified because they believe only they are true Americans.
The rest of us, the majority, are “evil” and “enemies of the people”. We are “traitors” because we are not afraid of the logical conclusions of our American experiment. Because we are a mix of colors and religions. The vote must be suppressed and engineered, the courts packed, and the constitution ignored to preserve minority rule.
This is what’s happening. This is what drives the behavior we’re seeing. The Republicans do not care that they’re abandoning principle, because those principles lead to a different America than they want. They believe they’re fighting for a just cause, and that radical measures, ie the effective suspension of democracy, are required.
This is what Trump is channeling and what Putin is supporting. This is why no one breaks from him, why they have no shame, why they exhibit behavior that confounds and enrages the rest of us. In fact, they revel in our anger and confusion. And Putin wants us to mirror to Russia to take us off the board. The Republicans do, in their minds, have legitimate common cause with him because the Russians are more like them than the immoral, multiracial, multifaith American “liberal elites” and the people with whom they find common cause.
This organizing principle is what we must keep in mind if we are to save our country.
6
I find them all depressing--as you say it is clear that the President conditioned necessary military aid on the announcement of the opening of an investigation against the Bidens, but even "rational" Republicans such as Rep. Will Hurd say "so what?" The Republicans are either terrified of Trump or so blinded by him that they cannot think clearly. Either way, I am terrified.
4
The lesson from this impeachment is that it's a purely political process. How can we tell? Democrats keep changing their allegations.
First, the whistleblower claimed Trump committed a campaign violation based on his call with the president of Ukraine. Then, it turned into a quid pro quo involving military aid. Then, bribery, extortion. Now full circle to a quid pro quo for a White House meeting.
No wonders independents no longer support impeachment. Impeachment is a delusion that Trump's critics use to assuage their rage and impotency against this president.
3
How much you are missed, Dr Rice! Speaker Pelosi reported the other day that the House has sent 275 bills to the Senate, none of which have been taken up. When I let that sink in I am sickened and distressed. McConnell's behavior is every bit as treasonous as Trump's. All Republicans at every level must be voted out. Otherwise, the obstruction begun in 2009 will continue until Republicans vote for us to become a satellite of Russia. If you find that far-fetched, think about 275 pieces of legislation ignored by the Senate.
7
Thank you, Ambassador Rice, for pulling all the pieces together into a cogent whole. My question is who amongst the Congressional Republicans is fulfilling their sworn duty. Even seemingly sane moderates like Will Hurd are drinking the Kool-aid. We have a bunch of elephantine Neros fiddling the country to destruction egged on by their cussing, smearing, Fox News guzzling supporters.
2
When I consider Amb. Rice's statement, "Republican leaders will seemingly stop at nothing to destroy public faith in our public servants. This is the very 'deconstruction of the administrative state' that Steve Bannon, the former White House chief strategist, heralded as the administration’s goal," my first thought is Bannon's dream of the deconstruction of the administrative state has been achieved.
My second thought is that Bannon's dream had the unintended consequence of the deconstruction of America - not just the administrative state, but the State, itself - and the empowering of Putin's Russia (and Erdogan's Turkey, and Kim's North Korea, and Xi's China).
The underlying question, then, is who really won the Cold War?
2
We all know Trump is paranoid Can you blame him? Within hours of his election the resistance began Within minutes of this inauguration the calls for Impeachment and coup were heard Investigations and debunked accusations ensued Who would not be paranoid about that?
This is a well written piece, and I wish Susan Rice would run for congress. However, I fail to see how her conclusions are not depressing. Especially since Lindsey Graham has now officially launched a public takedown of Joe Biden in order to fulfill Trump's unfulfilled criminal desires. No matter how dedicated the Democrats and their witnesses are to the principles of this country, the Republicans are determined to take us all down for the sake of the world's biggest loser. They currently hold the power to do so. It is depressing. To say the least.
2
I can’t understand why these stoic, patriotic, honest civic servants, who testified about facts detrimental to the very essence of American democracy , were vilified by this vicious president and his malevolent allies .
I have been honored watching the testimony of these American heroes ,I was emotional about the personal history of most of them , I was so proud of their direct, linear explanation of the events that could have made our democracy vacillate .
The GOP must be ashamed for treating these heroes with disdain and hypocrisy.
I wish that the words of these outstanding witnesses will open the eyes and conscience of many Americans .
2
The four lessons are:
1. The president is indeed corrupt
2. The Republicans will denigrate and demean extraordinary public servants to protect the corrupt president
3. The Republicans are shameless partisans who will put their own political interest above country and in doing so will destroy constitutional checks and balances
4. And Putin is winning, weakening America and driving it into dysfunction and division.
Which of these was not depressing, again? I seem to have missed that.
3
A very well written oped from Ms. Rice. Every day we are compelled to listen, read and understand the way this administration is dismantling our institutions in such a way that it may weaken America for a long time. The hypocrisy of the GOP is mind boggling . Two questions come to mind after watching the powerful testimonies of these career officials: Why did this President do it? Money laundering, tax returns, Moscow tower, who knows but we have to find out. Secondly, despite all the evidence presented to us, why is the GOP so blind, so entrenched in their defense of a corrupt leader? One thing for sure is that the investigative committees have to pursue the truth, lay all the crimes out to the People, so that we can vote the Republicans out of office. That is the just treatment they deserve for cow towing to this president.
2
With the loss of John McCain, I began placing the adjective "fake" before the word "Republican", whether while reading or listening. Until real Republicans recapture the party and no longer remain the puppets of Trump and Putin, I will question the motives and patriotism of "fake Republicans".
3
Great synopsis of the national predicament we are all finding ourselves in. I wonder what it will take for some Republicans to step up, examine their priorities and take a stand to set things back on course to protect our country. The lack of courage to call out the sniveling sycophants,( hello Nunes, Jordan, McCarthy) and their cohorts who continue to deny and deflect the now confirmed and verifiable facts surrounding the Ukraine story (and whatever other potentials are being concealed) is not only shameful, but morally criminal. Who will write the book "Profiles in Cowardice"?
We also learned the biggest lesson: Republicans elected to the House and Senate have completely abandoned any semblance of loyalty to the country or Constitution and are now completely in the service of a corrupt and venal man.
2
The subheading is correct. Only three of the four lessons are depressing.
Are there any Republican official out there ready to stand up against the putinization of their party? Who will be the next John McCain of the party? As it stands, the GOP should change their name to the All-Russia People's Front of America.
2
Is it too late for the GOP Senators and some reps? I have a positive "dream" - a theory about human behavior. Far be it from me to give a way for the GOP to win and emerge as heroes but i will sacrifice my own political preferences for the greater good in terms of holding the democracy together and allowing the nation's true values to rise above the sinking waters. Simply: LEAD. The GOP public is particularly inclined to follow the leader, and adhere to authority. So, if instead of cowering together in fear of an idiot who threatens why no band together against him? He can go after one or two in primaries if he's still in office, but if he's out of office, they will have rendered him if not powerless, substantially less so - especially if he's busy with criminal indictments. I'm not naive about all the political possibilities and reasons my "dream theory" won't work, but just maybe it would. Maybe the whole country deserves more heroism from both sides, not just from those professionals who are non-partisan. We need examples - lots of them -of people who regard the country above themselves and above politics.
2
When will we begin to investigate what Putin holds over this president? It must be something extraordinary. DJT has become his puppet for some reason, we'd have to assume to cover some wrong he has done.
2
"Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party" was a simple typing drill, not so today. Though I would change the word party to country, it should be the cry for all Americans everywhere.
Maybe I'm a hopeless optimist and proud of it, but I see as huge blue tidal wave like we've never seen coming our way.
We are so collectively shocked with the Republicans outrageous behavior that it is igniting our base into action more and more each day. I seeit on the internet and I especially see it on WAPO and NYT's comment sections, the numbers have tripled to my eyes.
There have been silver linings to this nightmare in my life — I write well received political essays for my local paper and my new friends are activists I would have never met.
So friends don't be discourage this is a test, and I really hate this saying BTY, but "what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger".
1
Republicans, with their American flag pins in their lapels, is irony of an epic scale. Also, the intellectual dishonesty which is accepted as truth by rabid Trump defenders is staggering.
2
Thanks Susan for your professional insight. Here is the problem as to why Trump and his obsequious sycophants will vote to acquit HIS removal from office.
All of the Republicans in office know one thing for sure: The support base doesn’t really listen to “The News of the so-called Deep State!” They, and you know who “they” are spin everything that is good and honest into doubt! That’s how they make their money! Trumps base is rooting for him, regardless of Truth, Beauty and Goodness!
So–How do we win?
With numbers! Period! We make certain that whomever the Democratic nominee is in ANY race in the U.S. we VOTE for them! I don’t mean forever, but only until we can bring back our Country and never let this happen again.
If this doesn’t work, then maybe it’s time to start looking for another country to move to.
1
Ms Rice. Thank you. I hope these four lessons reach all Americans, and they read it , and it makes them think, whether they believe it or not. To me personally, the evidence this administration is the most corrupt, selfish, and inept in my life span of 75 years. I fear my grandkids, some in college, some in high school, some just starting, will not have the life we have had. Sad
1
The entire republican congressional caucus are co-conspirators with Trump. It is a true cult.
3
It's difficult for me to find the words to express the deep shame and disgust I felt, watching the likes of Jordan, Nunes, Stefanik and other republican inquisitors rudely, disrespectfully shout, insult and toss garbage at the remarkable public servants who testified before them this past week.
Not one of trump's belligerent lickspittles is fit to shine the shoes of a Vindman, Yovanovitch or Hill. Every republican congressperson showed what they were made of with their mean little show and it can't be printed here.
Dr. Fiona Hill - an amazing intellect, American and patriot - presidential material if ever there was such a thing. If only.
But no, we have a geriatric malignant narcissist with the temperament of a rotten eight year old, surrounded by complicit handlers who bow to his every hissy fit and pat him on the head while he wrecks every precious, irreplaceable standard of our democracy.
How far our standards have fallen.
4
On Rice's third point, this is clear. Republicans are cowards and criminals, too. They're not going to come around. There's not a chance that one or two and then more and more will rediscover their moral core. They are frightened little people, and their leaders are in Putin's pocket, too--and maybe more of them than just the leaders. They know Trump is guilty. But we might as well give up the false hope that we're going to convince them to do what's right. They're not going to save the country. Because they're guilty, too.
3
" it is now abundantly apparent that most Republicans in Congress have abandoned all semblance of serving the national interest. Their desperate resort to distortions, discredited conspiracy theories and blatant lies to distract from damning facts that implicate President Trump has replaced any pretense of performing their duties. From attacking the press to smearing witnesses and refusing to engage in congressional oversight responsibilities, the Republican Party has sacrificed its principles and traditions to preserve its political power — at the expense of our country."
Well said, Dr. Rice. It's unfortunate that so many millions of Americans are blind to this, and subscribe entirely to the immaturity of the Apprentice mentality it represents. And it is exactly why each and every Republican needs to be voted out of office. There isn't a single one of them worth retaining.
But our country is strong. This embarrassment of an administration is but a bump in the very long road of democracy. We, too, shall survive. But Trump has been very effective in killing the GOP. Well, they've earned that.
4
It's now clear that Trump's attempted extortion of Ukraine is inseparable from his campaign's culpability for the role Russia played in the 2016 election. His attempt to implicate Ukrainian actors, thereby exonerating the Russians, is an effort to confer legitimacy on his tainted election. The upcoming articles of impeachment should not ignore the malfeasance of 2016.
445
I thought I would never see the day that I would be cheering a Susan Rice editorial, but I am standing here doing just that. I wish congressional Republicans would read this (they probably won't) and heed what she says (they definitely won't).
596
Ms. Rice lost me at "both sides". Her case made perfect sense up to that point, but that "both sides" canard is now a tear in its fabric. She stated all of the reasons why Republican iniquity and complicity with Russia is diminishing our democracy and then inexplicably gives the left a share of the right's blame. There isn't a shred of evidence to indicate that Putin supports the left in this country, and she hasn't been able to even mention any.
Blaming "both sides" when all of the mischief is coming from one side plays perfectly into Russia's hands. Muddying the facts, creating confusion as to who is hero and who is villain, those are de facto tools of diversion, and the Kremlin needs us to keep looking in all the wrong places while it levers us apart from the right.
26
Susan Rice's op-ed is very nice but it needs more focus in my opinion.
The outstanding conclusion is that the President and the Republicans Congressmen and Congresswoman on the House Intelligence Committee are all repeating and repeating a Russian spy narrative, a story that is in the interest of the Russian Government.
9
My take away from the hearings: Utter disfunctionality and incompetence rule this WH.
The longer this lasts the more will government capability decrease due to career people getting fired or disenchanted. Then the republican can claim that as Reagan said "Government is the problem". Perhaps this is the reason all republicans look the the way.
17
@Jzu: They have been running on the promise to prove that government is inherently incompetent for as long as I can remember.
2
@alan brown
We would like to beat him at the polls, but since Trump has shown utter contempt for the laws that govern free and fair elections,including his willingness to illegally invite, and in the case of Ukraine demand, foreign support to serve his election interests and to rebuff Congressional oversight by refusing to provide key witnesses and relevant documents (with the full throated support of Republicans) your challenge strikes me as a tad callow.
You may call this "winning" but when the DOJ promotes the theory that investigations of a crime by the president are not warranted because he cannot be prosecuted while in office and in turn follows his directions to investigate his opponents and shake down foreign governments for his political purposes, and when a president can get away with reusing to comply with an impeachment investigation, I would posit America, as we knew it, is over.
You may believe Trump is good for America. I would suggest, to quote Leonard Cohen--"You want it darker."
33
It is coming much clearer that GOP now stands for Grand Old Putin.
The GOP members of Congress are showing us how putting party over country is their stock and trade. Who stood to benefit the most by denying much needed military aid to Ukraine? Who stood to benefit from withdrawing our troops precipitously from Syria? Who stands to benefit from our leaders denigrating NATO?
29
As trump is a symptom and not a cause, so Russia's glee at having a foothold to do mischief is not the root cause of the assault on our Democracy (although they di it in 2016 and will again 2020). The comment (sorry to not remember name) 'trump and his supporters would all lose in a landslide similar to the win of Lyndon Johnson over a Goldwater in 1964' says that the assault has been brewing for a while...Goldwater espoused the same anti SS, Medicare, public education etc that the 'new' republicans do in their lockstep way.
We must vote them all out, not only 2020, but for several cycles until we get people in office whose morality and true patriotism we can trust in again.
Thank you Susan Rice
32
Putin is merely plowing fertile ground, the problem is America itself at this time in our history. The fear, distrust and divisiveness were here long before Putin came on the scene to take advantage.
Ms. Rice is an institutionalist with the belief that it will be the institutions of government, the Constitution, laws, and established norms that will preserve and protect the country much like John Adams believed that we are a nation of laws, not men.
But, I would argue that institutions, constitutions, laws and established norms are meaningless without the character and courage of an overwhelming majority of the American people willing to place these principles above their own interests and tribe.
And, Ms. Rice, this is not where we are right now in our history, we are entering a terrible period of darkness.
34
@Shend: As soon as credibility is ascribed to anyone's claims to know what any "God" thinks, reason takes a mortal wound.
1
Thanks Susan; good job.
The final point you make has real resonance for me, personally. I have good friends in my hometown who do good things for others every day; they are generous, kind and fun to be with. Some are Democrats and some are Republicans. We had lunch together yesterday and we laughed, kidded one another and discussed politics. At a particularly heated moment, perhaps after I said in response to a Fox inspired screed about how trump was going to win in 2020, that I believe trump and his supporters would all lose in a landslide similar to the win of Lyndon Johnson over a Goldwater in 1964, I looked at each one and said: “the tumult and divisiveness needs to end: none of us has the completely right view about how our country needs to move forward we need to thoughtfully listen to one another. Let that effort begin with each one of us”. I think it helped to take the redness out of our faces a bit and our friendships in tact. People who want to obtain and hang onto power and authority at any cost won’t make an honest effort to listen; they put their winning ahead of any real victory for the people they are ostensibly leading. This is why we Americans who are about to sit down to Thanksgiving Dinners together can also work to end the divisiveness, too. Listen, listen, listen... don’t interrupt. Think about what your friend or family member is really saying. Americans are smart, pragmatic and generous people. Never be afraid to say what you think, too.
28
@KDKulper
Could not agree more... "listen,listen,listen." Truth be known, they have legitimate concerns and most are not "deplorable." Sadly, they're putting their money on, at best, a bunch of bad horses.
2
Ms. Rice has laid out four plausible conclusions in the impeachment inquiry. I believe that the most important conclusion is that the firewall of dedicated, selfless, apolitical, career civil servants, though battered is still holding strong. They are the glue. I applaud them knowing they are watching over us all.
46
Ms. Rice, your editorial is thoughtful, intelligent and truthful. While I and the vast majority of NYT readers wholeheartedly agree with you, we are wondering what it will take to break through the obfuscation of truth so at least 10-15% of Trump supporters will accept the truth and vote for their country? The second question is who will deliver the break through moment that will save our republic?
19
@lmr526 . . .the breakthrough could come by exposing the greed behind Fox News. They are manipulating their followers to make money with hysterical and slanted "opinions" presented as facts and truths. If that spell could be broken, people might start learning to think for themselves again. It feels so powerful to be a part of the "winningest" tribe ever. It is addictive to Fox's followers when they feel so helpless otherwise.
3
Ms. Rice,
Thank you for your excellent summary of the most important implications of the impeachment hearings. Your praise for the integrity and intelligence of the foreign service professionals who have testified is especially appropriate. Their articulate testimonies should make all Americans proud of the their vital contribution to our interests across the globe.
After the hearings, I now have two brilliant role models to suggest for my young granddaughter's future career: Marie Yovanovitch and Fiona Hill.
And I would add you, as well, by virtue of your lucent and consistent writing on the corruption of this administration. Thank you.
26
Trump was Putin's dream candidate, as he was so easy to "play", which we've seen for over 3 years now (Who can forget the debacle in Helskinki? “Putin says it wasn’t Russia. And I don’t see why it would be Russia”). What does it say about Trump's supporters that they were so easily duped by a con man that could be easily played by Russian intelligence? If Trump supporters had any patriotism at all, they'd stay away from political issues altogether, to give time for American democracy to recover from the damage done by Trump.
20
I just cannot understand how it is in the interest of Democrats (or the country for that matter) to rush into a Senate trial which will be used to further obscure the truth with the ridiculous arguments and conspiracy theories we've heard nonstop from Jim Jordan, Sean Hannity, and Devin Nunes. A few weeks of that nonsense would be followed by a certain acquittal and further claims of "total exoneration". We might even get another lecture after the verdict from Bill Barr. Democrats would be much better off to write preliminary articles of impeachment, make them public and then suspend the proceedings until the courts decide whether the White House can be compelled to provide documents and witnesses.
40
@beenthere I'd been somewhat sympathetic to Dems not wanting to have to delay submitting the impeachment articles due to Trump and his minions asking the courts to block the subpoenas requiring they appear at the House hearings. Yet, you make a good case for gathering and voting on those articles, continuing to demand those appearances, but not forwarding them to the Senate until they do so. That way, the public "narrative" is based on what the House has voted to approve. If the Senate complains about not being able to rush through a "trial" and vote against conviction, the House can just say "Then encourage Trump and his minions to obey the subpoenas". So, I think that is a better way to proceed.
24
@beenthere
Well, for one thing it will put the Senate Republicans on record for the upcoming election, and for those not on the ballot, for future elections. It will also give those few GOP senators with a scrap of integrity left an opportunity to break ranks - Romney, for example. And to be the voice in the wilderness of the now lawless, former "law and order" party.
12
@beenthere
Send your comment in a letter to Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi. The dishonest and disingenuous defensive tactics of Nunes, Jordan and Ratcliffe will soon be the dishonest and disingenuous offensive tactics of McConnell and Graham. Trump will only be emboldened for more self dealing because that’s what he does. How many separate impeachment inquiries can we realistically see in the next 5 years?
1
Former NSA Susan Rice is exactly correct. But this was written by Susan Rice, a figure that can easily be dismissed by Trump Loyalists. Now is the time for former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter to endorse Rice's argument. Then Former Secretaries of State John Kerry, Rex Tillerson, Hillary Clinton, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, and James Baker can concur, along with Brent Scowcroft, Sam Nunn, Joe Lieberman, John Kasich, etc. etc. It is quite simple: This is Trump vs. the Rule of Law, Trump vs. The Constitution, and we need to take sides. This is the 1775-76 moment of our time. There are Patriots, like Fiona Hill; Trump Loyalists, like Lindsey Graham; and there are too many people all around the nation that don't care.
Ending Jim Crow and securing voting rights for African Americans required a long hard struggle. Americans had to take sides. Securing voting rights for women involved a long hard struggle. Again, Americans had to take sides. There are so many immediate challenges that need immediate American leadership right now. We need to stop destroying ourselves for Russian interests. We need to move on from an unethical criminal who was always unfit to be President. We did not need the Hanovarian Monarch George III then, we certainly do not need Trump now. In the words of JFK, "Let's get America moving again." And "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
41
It's not all depressing. It's like finding out you have stage 4 cancer but you're still alive.
11
The lessons we learn from the impeachment inquiry in recent weeks are Trump’s damages inflicted on the country and the threat he poses to the whole world.
We also watch how determined he is to fight for his political survival - untill the bitter end.
He will hang onto his office as long as he can, because he enjoys blanket immunity from criminal prosecutions. But he could take the whole country down with him should he feel cornered and see no way out.
The only problem is how to remove him from office without tearing the country further apart.
In 2020 the country needs a presidential candidate who can really convince swing voters that Trump is bad for the country.
Indeed, the whole world knows that Trump's re-election will really mean the end of the America it used to know.
The question is whether his supporters in Congress, in the media and in the electorate learn their lessons and put the country's interests ahead of theirs' before it's too late.
11
Hard to believe the GOP is totally behind such a thing that puts our entire national security and standing in the world at risk because they're afraid of an angry tweet. The rest of the world is watching and will act in kind to produce "dirt" to manipulate our paranoid President. Imagine, it's 2024, Ivanka and Don jr. are the top of GOP ticket. President Biden is actively speaking to Putin and Xi about Trump family business dealings in theirs and other countries, such as India. Lindsey Graham and the GOP are on board with normalizing this behavior? This is a nightmare.
10
"Mr. Putin seeks to dismantle democracy and destroy America's standing as a global leader."
Trump, "the greatest president" has done this to the United States.
Putin obviously has a big part, but could not have done it without having the wimp of "the greatest president" AND the Republican Congress (and Republican Supreme Court) limping along like dogs with their tails between their legs.
"The only question is whether we will allow him (Putin) to succeed".
Putin has succeeded already with the help of
trump,
Congress,
Supreme Court,
a few people
gerrymandering,
voter restriction,
the media, (they gave undeserved attention to trump in 2016 because it sold media)
and the great and almighty electoral college.
So much for one person, one vote.
Our great "democracy" has allowed Putin to win.
14
over the course of the hearings (and even before with the wistleblower's statement) I was impressed with the ability of each of the officers to deliver cogent, well thought out narratives. This was very complex stuff. Their skill by far outshines the loosy gooseyness of those serving private sector - Sondland for example or our president, who seems incapable of forming a complete sentence, or consistent line of reasoning. I admire Ms. Rice for her bold thinking and hope that she continues to contribute to our discourse.
19
What is in doubt is the future of America. The Senate Republicans appear just as unpatriotic as the House Republicans. Trump will be impeached but not removed. We may wake from the nightmare of Donald Trump in the 2020 ekection, but we must still deal with the nightmare of the Republican Party and their MAGAts. And let's be clear, the Fox Nutwork, evangelical Christians and right-wing radio are all MAGAts.
Someday history will deal with the Republican stain on the Constitution. The names of the current field of Republicans in Congress will not fade, they will live on in perpetual shame and infamy.
But only with the passage of generations, a new Fairness Doctrine and a prolonged commitment of resources devoted to improving public education will we eventually wake from the nightmare of MAGAts. Because ultimately, MAGAts are the origin of the horror that has been consuming and threatening America.
19
Putin must be smiling now, marveling at the ease with which he has thrown our political system into chaos. "These Americans, how quickly they sell out their country for the promise of power. Not even in Russia do we show such subservience to authority."
26
What is depressing is how badly Republicans still refuse.to.uphold their oaths to protect and defend the Constitution.
26
Susan Rice, like Fiona Hill, Maria Yovanovich and Jennifer Williams, is a woman of the highest integrity. My wish for the 2020 Democratic ticket is Mayor Pete for his emotional detachment from Trump’s barbs and stellar intellect with Susan Rice for many of the same reasons plus her very knowledgeable experience serving the USA.
16
Please tell us how to win the battle against the awful virus of contemporary Republican violence done against the American ideal. I feel the way the Ukranians must feel as they stare at the bared fangs of Russia. Those destroy-all-that-is-good fangs are now bared here in America, and they are now in the mouths of the Republican party and its Murdoch allies. This cannot stand. But how can we resist their lies and corruption? Participate? Vote? Yes of course. But these feel like inadequate tools when we are up against a corrupted Terminator of a machine bent on destruction and not freedom.
12
"Third, it is now abundantly apparent that most Republicans in Congress have abandoned all semblance of serving the national interest."
Most?!
10
A brilliant distillation of what is happening and why. Thank you, Susan Rice. I would welcome your analysis of how and why those serving in Congress have come to this level of treasonous behavior. 'Dysfunctional' is too benign a descriptor.
18
Thank you for coming forward with this opinion piece.
America needs push back against Republicans who are repeating Putin's false narrative that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 election.
Trump violated election law (52 USC 30121) by asking a foreign nation to investigate the Bidens, his political rival. Full Stop.
The GOP spin machine will go in full deflection mode but they cannot counter that fact. Trump going on Fox to say witnesses lied is laughable. Trump instructed his cabinet members or advisors to ignore House subpeona's wherein they might have offered "other" testimony.... at risk of perjury. Roger Stone knows how lying under oath can be problematic. Trump could have submitted information himself but he did not. What he and Congressional Republicans are doing now is merely political damage control.
We The People appreciate patriots like yourself Ms. Rice when you push back against your fellow Republicans who seem to have adopted Putin's false narrative.
19
Russian leverage and American greed working together make a nearly unstoppable force. Trump does not even try to hide his greed. The question has always been what leverage, what dark power, does Putin have over Trump. Perhaps it’s a most unlikely power, the power of truth. The Trump presidency would be shaken to its core if Putin simply admitted Russian involvement in the 2016 election. Perhaps Putin has “discovered” evidence of some rogue Russian operatives working, without his consent of course, to pervert the American election. Once Trump learns of this, he is literally held hostage. No Republican or clear-thinking Democrat wants the past election to be proven illegitimate. Regardless of how or what level of Russian involvement there is, impeachment would help clear the air and might provide Republican senators a chance to display love of country over love of party.
8
Donald Trump is not going to be removed from office through impeachment and conviction, even though he has committed a laundry list of impeachable offenses, but the fault for that will lie squarely with the Democrats, not the Republicans. They have refused to focus on his massive self-dealing and conflicts of interest, easily provable, dwarfing that of any other President, and of a magnitude the Founding Fathers could have never imagined. Open hearings testimony could have fleshed out those crimes and greatly turned up the political heat on Republicans trying to depict such naked corruption as business as usual.
Instead, continuing their self-destructive Russia obsession despite the Mueller Report debacle, they proceed with charges that are dependent on CIA "whistleblowers" and "deep state" operatives that only feed into Trump campaign tropes. Instead of building consensus, this strategy only divides -- see the 10-point movement of the polls this week AGAINST impeachment among independents -- and actually bolsters Trump's re-election prospects.
Resorting to calling opponents of impeachment along these lines dupes of Putin only demonstrates the utter bankruptcy of this strategy and indicates the Democrats are making a mistake from which they won't be able to recover in 2020. Blaming sinister outside forces for our own failings and divisions is a uniquely American pastime. As the comic strip character Pogo famously observed, "We have met the enemy, and they is us."
5
@Boris Jones You never know, they may bring out something else in the articles of impeachment. The Mueller report may already have everything they need to put forth an article without public hearings since the public already has access to the information. Not likely, but maybe. It does beg the question; Regardless of the impeachment inquiry results, have you seen enough to vote for the democratic candidate in 2020 based on what you know of Trump?
3
I often wonder how the current occupant of the White House has cast a spell over 40% of our population, some of whom I call friends. Some are intelligent, moral people and they just love him. Oh his manners are rough, they say, but he's doing so much good for the country. It's devastating for me to hear what career professionals have said in testimony these last two weeks and hear the Republican responses be little more than school yard insults. Surely some of these people must have a clue that weakening NATO is not in our best interests, kowtowing to Putin, Kim, and Erdogan is not what an American president should do. I feel that we are sowing the seeds of our destruction at a rapid rate and nearly half of the country is cheering it on.
487
@Tankslapper
No intelligent and moral person can support Trump, much less love him, unless they're in the grip of a delusion.
27
@Tankslapper
Do you wonder, with equal intensity, how it is that you could have ever supported a monster like Hillary Clinton ?
My guess: nope.
1
@Tankslapper
Not all Trump voters "love" him. Many vore for him holding their noses. But the Dem alternative(s) are just too insane to swallow, after serious consideration.
Examples:
Predicting men getting pregnant (beto)
100+% taxes on "evil" rich
No borders
Blaming white males for all ills
1
Candidates in both parties Democrats and Republicans, in House and Senate, use corrupt tactics, gerry-mandering is but one example, to keep themselves in power. Fatal flaw of democracy is allowing political players to make election law, yet that is exactly what takes place. Already at a tipping point the US was easily nudged over the cliff. Enjoy the free fall, since the landing will be worse. Race, climate, fetuses, gun rights, press freedom, elections, truth, marriage, god, defense, healthcare, education, policing, national debt, student loans. Putin and oligarchs benefitted from the Soviet Union’s fracture and may have schooled Trump on how to benefit from the Divided States of America.
9
Could Susan Rice please run for President? Everything she has written over the past year is clear, concise summary of our current situation.
9
The firth lesson is urgent and devastating.
Quite simply all of the pillars of our system have held save one. The press has used its platform to uncover evidence of criminal wrong doing and inform the public, the judiciary has upheld standards of rule of law. Lawyers have safeguarded their clients' rights. The House of Representatives has done due diligence and made an inquiry when there was a clear and pressing need for that. Individuals like the whistle blower and everyone who testified have put country before party and self.
What more could one want? Oh, wait...yes...THAT. A functioning, moral, ethical GOP that could even pretend to care for this country's reputation and safety. And THAT we do not have.
The looming crisis is a devastating one. All bets are on that the House will vote to impeach and the Senate will punt. If that happens, then we have allowed a small cabal of people who abused the impeachment process from start to finish (and boldly declared their intent to do that) to upend all of the other branches and safeguards. That is a stunning betrayal of our democratic values, our freedoms, our national standing.
The part that has been left out of the equation is "we, the people." It is time to launch a massive attack on the GOP. Phone, text, email, call, visit their offices and then take to the streets.
These spoiled brats cannot be allowed to overthrow our government. At this point, the GOP role in this needs to be investigated too. They're collaborators.
18
@AhBrightWings: Trump must have pulled the same scam on his entouage as he tried to pull on Zelensky.
3
Nice column, well written.
Two additional thoughts:
1. Every American must vote. When the black, brown, disadvantaged and female populations get involved the GOP will be soundly defeated in the WH and key senate seats.
2. Part of the Democratic win of the WH must include mustering a reasonable plan for removing DJT from the WH. By physical force if needed.
DJT has proven in words and deeds that he is a compromised asset of russia and I do not expect him to leave quietly.
Never has a transition plan from one administration to another been so important.
13
@Is_the_audit_over_yet: Trump was three million votes short of a plurality in an election where nobody won a majority. This system is a crock of what Trump thinks of Ukraine.
(Ms. Rice, you missed one)
The 5th Lesson of Impeachment
President Trump's using the federal courts to limit the power of congressional oversight.
The most significant players in Trump's attempt to bribe a foreign government to investigate a political rival in the upcoming presidential election includes Giuliani, Mulvaney, Pompeo, and Pence. None of these key players will be testifying primarily because of the time it will take for the courts to resolve their challenges to the congressional subpoenas. The omission of the testimony from these key players will leave many unanswered questions and deny the American public the truth necessary to make an informed decision, and through political pressure, ensure that the Republicans in the Senate think twice about acquitting Trump.
Future U.S. Presidents may look to the fifth lesson of the Trump impeachment: how a U.S. President successfuly limited the power of congressional oversight to keep significant evidence from ever being introduced at the Senate trial by using the Judiciary to curb legislative power.
Let's hope Chief Justice Roberts realizes that once the Executive has circumvented congressional oversight power, the courts are next.
24
Regarding the fourth lesson you mentioned, I want to share my personal experience of a lesson I learned as a high school summer employee at the FBI headquarters in the 1950s. During our briefings and debriefings I was warned about the dangers posed by Russian spies who might approach me in the bars where young people met back in those days. We were taught to be especially careful about answering any personal questions or engaging in any activities that could be used to blackmail us later.
The Russians have been at this game for a long time and have only become more and more sophisticated at using whatever tools are available. So we can only imagine the gift they received in 2015 when a man like Donald Trump came on the political scene with his personal baggage and vulnerability to flattery and attention. It is not surprising that Trump has become one of Putin’s and the Russians’ most successful targets. What IS surprising is how the congressional Republicans have gone along with the Russian plot to undermine our democracy.
The best chance we have to defend ourselves against the Russians is to understand them better and publicly uncover their influence. As you suggest, I urge journalists and the media to use Dr. Fiona Hill as a trusted resource in their investigative reporting. We need her on the front lines of this “hot war“ that the Russians are in danger of winning.
14
The one lesson that you and almost everyone else in government seem to ignore is the guardrail inherent in the people. We have neglected the learning needed to sustain this democracy. We have failed to help people learn how democracy works in their lives, how information must function to maintain our freedom and how we must be constantly engaged in our democracy if it is to survive. Instead, we have created fragmentation, mistrust, incoherency, hatred and fear. These are lessons that will not easily be unlearned and you and all politicians need to learn them first if this democracy is to have even a sliver of a chance to survive. None of the other so called guardrails will work without a people who know how and why they must preserve the democracy in this republic.
15
@Judith MacLaury: The Electoral College has trained people not to bother to vote, and Senate apportionment is heavily distorted to favor the most ignorant and parochial corners of the US, affecting the critical matters of vetting appointees and treaties. This system stinks.
4
Trump, Bannon et al assume foreign relations is hardball, which it is to some extent, but to enlist the common people in their game of mob tactics is tearing apart the civil society built up over many decades.
Kissinger, a hardball expert from way back, is in China trying to undo the problems created when we sent our manufacturing (and huge sums of money) to a country bending all its will to catch up to the developed nations. We tried the hardball of tariffs, but it has hurt the world economy on which we depend. Our withdrawal from the anti-nuclear treaty and the hardball of sanctions has driven Iran to bomb the Saudi oilfields. And this transactional short-sightedness has driven a wedge between us and our closest allies in Europe.
But back to hardball at home. We have progressed from dirty tricks to whipping up race hatred for political advantage. This has got to stop.
10
Should Trump be allowed to use Russian interference to win the U.S. Presidency? Should Trump be allowed to co-opt the Attorney General’s office to suit his needs and bury evidence? Should Trump be allowed to dismiss the U.S. Congress as an equal branch of Government? Should Trump be allowed to generally enrich himself and his family and friends at the expense of U.S. taxpayers, clearly breaking those laws? Should Trump be allowed to throw U.S. allies (Kurds and Ukrainians for now) under the bus, throwing U.S. relations out the window and benefitting Russia? Should Trump be allowed to use Russian propaganda to support his claims of innocence and discredit State Department, CIA and other Government employees investigations that unilaterally do not support him? I would hope not.
Trump, with Russia, has used the Electoral College system to pinpoint voter fears, I.e. fear of loosing their guns, fear of immigrants and anti abortion. The Republican Party has further gerrymandered key districts throughout the United States to promote their platforms in targeted districts. Gerrymandering has been illegal since the beginning of our Republic. Between Trump and the Republican Party, with the help of Fox News, the country is close to be destroyed.
I still have hope. I watched part of Trump’s rant on Fox News yesterday. Even the moderators seemed stunned by his insane rhetoric. To me, it signals the end of Trump however not the end of Putin’s agenda. Baby steps
21
I came to the same to conclusion about separation of powers. They not only cease to function, separation is willfully discarded by the Republican party. Representatives take their orders from the White House so the Republican portion of Congress is in effect an extension of the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the singular victory the Republican Congress has accomplished in the past two years is packing the courts with partisan judges. The expectation these judges while rule on lines favorable to the party is clearly implied.
All of this demonstrates a political apparatus explicitly detached from constitutional governance. The entire Party organization is operating within a top down hierarchy governed independent from the Constitution. Moreover, they are aided and abetted by moneyed interests outside the US government as the revolving door with industry serves to keep active members in line with promises of riches later. One of those contributors now includes the Russian government under Vladimir Putin.
Our democracy is obviously not functioning as the founders intended. Not to seem alarmist. However, our republic is within a hair's breadth of ceasing to exist. The United States will continue to exist. However, the great experiment will be over. Ironic that the Party of Lincoln would be the one to dissolve the Union so thoroughly. Sadly we must admit, we are no longer one country. And yet, Republicans cheer.
21
@Andy: Every government in the world provides legislative, executive and judicial functions.
These lessons learned are exactly on target and well presented. But are there other, extremely important, larger lessons also to be derived from this spectacle that might demand collective corrective action? Some possibilities: Are these events indicative of a national failure in civics education? A national inadequacy of truthful journalism? A defective system of electoral funding by private interests? And perhaps the failure of wealthy parents to instill collective social values among their born-rich offspring? It seems to me that this impeachment should inspire a national dialogue on such failures and what to do about them. Let's start a list.
12
Couldn’t agree more. I think the answer to her question is , half the nation will.
2
Is it clear that what we seem to see is all there is? That President Trump did all this to weaken one of his weaker possible 2020 opponents? One who even he admits is unlikely to be his opponent?
For the skeptical among us, it would be good to expose what has, and what hasn't, been agreed upon between the US and Russia. After all, when one is being invaded, weapons delayed are weapons denied. At least in effect, we are throwing Ukraine under the bus. And to the extent that this conflict will need to be resolved by diplomats, sacking the diplomats makes any diplomatic resolution less likely.
Was there ever any intention to deliver the military aid? Or would we have made ever more demands on Ukraine which they could not possibly satisfy, since nothing they were accused of ever happened.
For much of my life, I have seen the extent to which the cutting edge of US foreign policy is carried out in the shadows, by shady characters. If people wonder where distrust and conspiracy theories come from, they come partly in response to the lies and conspiracies of our own government.
2
President Trump has led his party, and his followers, into an ethical and moral drift to the point that they can no longer tell right from wrong. David Brooks, on the NPR Newshour, thought that the fantastic thing about the President's abuse of power in his actions toward Ukraine was that his cabinet members and appointees didn't know they were doing anything wrong! And now the entire Republican Party is trying to convince the American People that there was nothing wrong with what the President did. At least with Nixon, there were ethical and moral Republicans who understood his misdeeds and confronted him. Will this happen again? I doubt it.
18
The ultimate test of health is the ability to correct or heal itself, when things go wrong. This article incisively identifies the good part and the wrong part of the US, as revealed. The question is whether the good part would be able to cure the wrong part.
With this Impeachment Process, the health of the US democracy is tested. The world is watching whether the US is, as it has been, the beacon of democracy for the world, or whether it is just another banana republic.
12
You are wrong on all three premises so why go further:
Overwhelming evidence and testimony? Are you already convicting in the senate? I don’t believe you have a vote.
Nonpartisan foreign service officers? Where in heaven’s name do you get that? Foreign service officers are largely Democrats and always have been.
Republicans have abandoned the national interest?
You are in effect ignoring the voters who put them in office. They represent a wall against those who do not have the best interest of the nation in mind.
Go back and change your premises before you reach conclusions.
6
This particular posting shows the rot produced by Murdoch and Republicans - the clarity in this person's head that to register to vote as a Democrat or a Republican means one cannot be professionally non-partisan in word and action. "Everyone is suspect. Everyone lies. Everyone needs a gun. Everyone needs to bunch together in ones own racial tribe and fearfully tremble in unison." Thank you Steve Bannon and Republicans for deconstructing our society.
2
Some of us feel that none of these amount to impeachable conduct and overturning an election of, by and for the people. And yes, we know the arguments that it does not cancel anything but we insist that canceling the 4th year of a four year term defined in the Constitution amounts to that. Beat him fair and square next November. Yes there is a difference between threatening Ukraine for American policy and for personal reasons but the distinction is not big enough to impeach. The other reasons given by Ms. Rice are not persuasive. Most of all we see this latest attempt to get Trump as a continuum that began on election night in 2016, ran through investigations by Obama, Mueller and previous House investigations that failed to muster GOP support as this last has. Impeachment MUST be bipartisan and this appears to be a thirst for revenge and fueled by hatred. Beating him at the polls will be the sweetest and least divisive for those who oppose Trump.
3
@alan brown
Alas, it really doesn’t matter that you don’t believe this amounts to impeachable behavior. The facts are clear that it does. It is Congress’s obligation to pursue the truth and perform oversight on the presidency. The sad truth, is that the reason it’s not bipartisan is because Republicans are not doing their duty. I am proud of the Democrats for pursuing this, knowing it was politically risky and still doing the right thing. If anyone is to blame for the division in this country, take a look at Trump’s daily words.
21
@LFK It doesn't really matter what either of us think. Democrats and Republicans are most concerned with re-election. Period. Both of us are entitled to our views. My view is that the debate should be settled by an election which is less than a year away when all eligible voters in the entire country will decide. I'll respect that outcome and whoever wins will be my President. The outcome now is certain: he will be impeached by a Democratic House and acquitted by a Republican Senate.
You say: "Beat him fair and square next November." But how can the next election be fair if he is illegally using his office to get foreign assistance in that election?
2
This is excellent work. Great job, Ms Rice.
The positive part is that it lays out clearly and concisely the unfolding disaster of this presidency and the impeachment process. We all need to “get” this.
This is outweighed by the negative part which shows how Republicans buy into everything trump says and are every bit as much agents for Putin as is our so-called president.
Even if a Democrat is elected next November, it will take a generation to undo the damage trump has done. And if he is reelected America as we know it, for all its flaws, will be gone.
Remember one thing: friends don’t let friends vote republican.
19
In terms of its relationship with the West, current day Russia is little different that the Soviet Union. It's ironic that the GOP, which had proudly proclaimed itself the party that was tough on Russia when its flag was red has become the party that's soft on Russia now that it has reverted back to its red,white and blue flag.
15
Susan Rice's comment that the Republican party is no longer interested in serving the interests of the nation reminded me of a statement by Mitch McConnell at the beginning of the Obama Presidency. He made the statement that the Republican goal was to see the Obama presidency fail; no mention of the welfare of the country or its people! So the Republicans have quit serving the interest of the people and nation for quite some time.
I get the idea that so many voted for the Donald because he was going to shake things up and make America great again for the average American. Yet his presidency has been the greatest con game perpetrated on the American people and no president as self-concerned as the Donald will ever help the average citizen. It seems that the whole Republican party has bought into the Russian style of oligarchy hook, line and sinker and have abandoned any pretense of support for our style of democracy.
70
Yes, I couldn’t agree more. From the hearings and Republicans’ lockstep dissemination of alternative facts I can only conclude that their goal is to create not only party dominance but a corporate, government, and military oligarchy. Is this not the definition of fascism?
8
Let me see if I understand...
1. Trump used his office and bipartisan approved taxpayer funds to imperil an ally and our national security to further advance his political campaign.
2. The dedicated civil servants and military personnel who dedicate themselves to furthering the ideals and interests of our nation, are attacked by the President and his cronies, yet it is only their careers and personal safety that suffer as a result.
3. With Republican Party fully abdicating to the cult of Trump, we no longer have a system of checks and balances.
4. All roads lead to Putin, the one who benefits the most from this debacle.
Which one is not depressing?
94
@Dwifty
And this is one very depressed Democrat who will be knocking on fellow Democrats' doors in 2020 in order to urge them to get to the polls. Let's not let the depression make us catatonic.
I don't understand the part of the headline that says "they are not all depressing." They are. Because it is clear that the entire GOP* is unwilling to do anything about these problems, all of which are amplified by Congress' utter failure to do anything to regulate the disinformation machine that is Facebook, You Tube, and Twitter.
*There seem to have been 2 Republicans in Congress who have taken their oath of office seriously, Will Hurd and Brian Fitzpatrick, and Hurd left that party of two Thursday, with his comments on the Impeachment Inquiry.
35
Perhaps some of Trump’s GOP enablers and sycophants are as compromised by foreign money and kompromat as he obviously is and truly fear being “outed” if they betray Trump. But most are simply selling current integrity and dignity for future profits as “conservative” salesmen in lobbying firms, right wing talk shows, corporate board positions and even future GOP political relevance. There is no other rational explanation for denying the corrupt nature of the current occupant of the White House. Profiles in courage are officially extinct in The Party of Lincoln.
30
@Concerned MD
My guess is that there IS another explanation: They are all investors in Rosneft and stand to lose financially if they oppose Putin's agenda. Hope we can get to the truth! Lost on many during the craziness of the 2016 election is this, from Wikipedia:
"On December 7, 2016, Rosneft signed a deal to sell 19.5% of the outstanding shares, or roughly US$11 billion, to the Anglo-Swiss multinational commodity trader Glencore and the Qatar Investment Authority.[24] Officially, the stake was split 50/50 between Glencore and Qatar, but Glencore contributed only €300 million and claims only a 0.54% stake. The ownership structure includes a Cayman Islands company, QHG Cayman Limited, whose ownership can not be traced.[25] After the transaction, Rosneft's holding company Rosneftegaz retained 50% + 1 share of the company.[26]"
3
@Concerned MD
Lindsey Graham?
Devin Nunes perhaps?
Let's get to the bottom of the story on what Putin holds over these 2 miscreants.
2
Fiona Hill warned the GOP that if they continue to push the narrative that Ukraine was behind the attack on our elections they were supporting Putin’s objective to undermine our democracy. They told her she was lying, they had never said that, (Nunes?). The NEXT DAY Trump is on Fox spouting that exact trope. It’s hopeless when the one person who has all the information to the contrary still insists it’s wrong. Thank goodness we have dedicated professionals like Dr Hill who are keeping their foot on the door. I have a new respect for our diplomatic services and the very difficult job they do.
107
Putin has already succeeded. In Trump's 2nd and subsequent terms (22nd amendment gone or ignored) he'll withdraw from NATO and gladly obey Putin's orders to let Russia rule Europe (and even Canada).
21
Very well said! While Republicans in Congress have abdicated their responsibility to check the power of the President, they do so because Republican citizens support Trump.
We have to better understand why 90% of Americans don't care what Trump does. My theory is it's about immigration/racism (i.e., that Making America White Again is the Republican priority) but until we get 500 Republicans under lie detector we won't know for sure.
It isn't the economy, which for the most part did better at the end of the Obama Administration (e.g., better job creation, better real wage growth, lower deficits, fewer uninsured, same GDP growth, no trade wars, better environmental regulations).
No, something sick at the heart of Republican America was called forth by Trump, and the facts and reasoning don't matter to them.
63
The will of the people needs to, and is clearly leaning moderately left. The two questions we need to ask ourselves and remain vigilant of, are: How much more earth will the GOP scorch in their desperate attempt to stay in power? and Will our democracy survive the ages with the damage already inflicted and that which is to come over the next 11 months?
41
@Always Busy
No, our "democracy" will not survive the ages.
11 months? More like 4 years and 11 months.
Or maybe 8 years and 11 months.
To me, the first and foremost lesson is this: the Americans, by and large, do not give a hoot. The Trump supporters have not heard anything they didn't know. The never Trumpers made up their minds long time ago as well. The House is wasting its time and moral capital, as well as the taxpayers money. If anything, the polls suggest the independents (aka the king makers) support Trump now more than before. So, there.
6
The House is doing its job as written in our constitution, not wasting taxpayer money. To ignore what has been done sets a very dangerous precedent for future presidents. If Trump is allowed to continue to commit crimes while holding office our democracy will no longer exist and we may as will admit we are no better than Russia.
64
So it comes down to this....the Democrats are poised to impeach Trump, or as Republicans view it...take him down. So the Republicans counter with trying to take Biden down. Let's say the Republicans win.....Biden is destroyed and Trump plays Rocky for the cameras. But what, ultimately, will we be left with? If Biden goes down, his career is over and he rides off into the sunset. Trump is left to do whatever he pleases and there will be no one to say no to him. No one. The Republicans will be in no position to control his behavior and all the people who provided the guard rails for the Republicans will be gone. The only people left to do Trump's bidding will be the Don jr. types who are essentially inept but willing to stay in line. So if there is no control of Trump, the the Republicans are in the gift shop with a toddler who has broken not just one valuable piece, but has destroyed everything in the store. And instead of saying they will ignore his behavior because there are adults to keep him from going too far, they have decided to stand on the side lines and cheer him on. Just don't quite understand how they think this will be good for anyone. But I guess when you get a lifetime golf membership to Trump's courses, that doesn't really matter.
43
This piece is an accurate description of our predicament. While this is happening ordinary people go on with their lives because they either do not see or they refuse to see what is happening. This coming election may be the last time and the last chance we will have to save the country we have known, that is fast being dismantled by an administration who has no goal but to follow Putin's goals. All roads actually do lead to Putin,regardless of why, or who, they all benefit Putin.
The great and beautiful America is being gutted by the Trump administrations actions.
This tragedy is invisible to millions of Americans who believe in the conspiracy theories that are turning the truth inside out and backward, with Putin's help and blessings.
Trump is burying the future of America and too many Americans are blind to the consequences.
What exactly is the vision and goal for America under Trumps "rule"? Where do they think we are headed? Is anybody in charge of the direction? Or are we just flailing like a loose cannon?Are we at the mercy of the whims of a dysfunctional man who does not read and does not think past his own enrichment, and supposed glory. Please demand clear answers. (Good luck).
54
Excellent article that, however, fails to pose a pivotal question: Why, exactly, does Putin want to destroy democracy? Fundamentally, democracy, however flawed, is the only system that gives the people any ability to check the unbridled avarice of those members of society whose primary aim is to amass great wealth and power for themselves. Putin, a former KGB agent, on a government salary, is now purported to be one of the richest men on earth. He is surrounded by wealthy oligarchs who use their connections to Putin to further their greed at the expense of the Russian people. Viewed in this light, it is easy for anyone with open eyes to see why Putin supports Donald Trump, and sadly, vice versa.
47
Bad faith actors have gained absolute control of the presidency, the cabinet departments & the U.S. Senate & are endangering our country.
I agree with Dr. Rice on what the House hearings established.
I'm frightened.
President Trump is a Russian asset &, to all appearances, Donald Trump is a traitor. Whether or not Trump is acting with the intention to benefit Vladimir Putin directly, Trump knowingly takes actions which benefit Putin because Trump believes his actions benefit Donald Trump.
Not the United States but Donald Trump himself.
Motivated by a desire to deflect attention from what Trump knows is Russia help that elected him in 2016, his actions & words also benefit Putin. At this point, these outcomes appear interchangeable. Trump helps himself. Trump helping himself increases Putin's power.
Trump is openly &repeatedly - & secretly - taking actions that benefit Russia & Putin. Trump promotes Russia's propaganda agenda. Trump's Ukraine plot also served Putin by withholding U.S. military aid - putting Ukraine at risk on the battlefield against Russia.
So whether Trump's primary intention is to benefit himself or whether Trump clearly intends to benefit Russia/Putin we can't be certain.
But Trump's actions benefit Putin & Donald Trump knows this.
Trump is aiding & abetting Russia & Putin's interests over U.S. national security.
Trump must be impeached & removed from office. Immediately.
Be clear and call this what it is.
Treason.
157
@fast/furious Agree. We need to add "Trump family" to the definition, discussion. Just as dangerous as Donald. I am frightened as well.
7
True, Nancy. I can’t stand Trump’s style. His flow of consciousness and insensitivity to protocol and policy clarity make me cringe. He’s made mockery of the professionals who believe they’re conducting the serious business of foreign affairs that project strength and resolve of America based on its values and alliances.
Clearly, the teams around Ukraine had to deal with Trump’s distortions and disruptions. Everyone seemed to feel annoyed or worse at the hold up of aid and White House meeting for the “favor” of investigations.
Still, I don’t think it’s enough for impeachment. As much as we can’t stand Trump, the bar for impeachment is high. Why? Not because of Trump, but to check the power of Congress to overthrow Presidents they don’t like. We’re seeing an equal—maybe more consequential abuse of power by Shiff & Co. And we’re still not allowed to learn anything more about Burisma or the Bidens, who’s Dad wasn’t a political opponent, he was our nation’s VP. The potential conflict in that case was bigger and lasted longer. While we don’t like Trump’s wheelin’ and dealin’, the act was fuzzy and temporary, not sustained. No where did Trump “order” anything. People around a guy like Trump (like Sondland) just want to make their boss happy. Censure? Maybe. Lose 2nd term? Maybe. Impeachment? Nah.
15
@Alberto Abrizzi
Trump absolutely “ordered” something: the freeze on the aid
voted by Congress. He used that public money for bribery for his own benefit - and would have succeeded had Congress not discovered his deed and released the money.
122
No? But How will you feel about the integrity of the 2020 election isf trump is allowed to use tax payer money and power to effect the results? If he gets away with it he will keep doing it. Im terrified Our democracy can’t withstand that.
45
Your summary couldn't be more wrong. Trump's action was "temporary" only because he got caught. If he's allowed to override Congress on decisions involving human lives for personal gain, where will he stop? This is dismantling of democracy and replacing it with authoritarianism. That he and the entire Republican party have become mouthpieces for Putin is nothing less than treasonous and should be addressed as well. And I don't understand the allegation of Schiff's abuse of power, this is just Fox feeding you lines.
Finally, it's not "Nancy" but Madam Ambassador to you, even if you did know her personally -- I believe you just lamented insensitivity to protocol?
48
Thank you for this clear, concise summary of the import of the hearings. The hypocrisy and gullibility of Trump's defenders is astounding. Our democratic institutions are on trial as never before.
24
Great analysis. I have finally come to the conclusion that, for whatever reason (Fox News, greed, stupidity, mental illness) trump enablers, both elected officials and trump voters, are beyond redemption. We must no longer pay attention to anything they say and concentrate our energies on voter turnout for November. After all the testimony this week, any rational person would have acknowledged the facts and the danger that Russia poses. The GOP representatives could still have taken the view that Trump should not be impeached. But it was frightening to watch them deny reality and facts; try to humiliate honorable, honest witnesses; and respond to expert non partisan views as if NOTHING at all is wrong with trump's dealings with ukraine.
40
"The only question is whether we will allow him to succeed."
Sadly, the answer is "yes". As long as 40% of our electorate is entrenched in watching, listening and reading fake news 24/7 and not getting any insight into what is truly happening in the world, and as long as we have massively gerrymandered states and the electoral college system in place where 40% of the votes can still let Republicans control the Senate and the presidency, Putin and Russia will continue to succeed.
It's incredible how gullible so many people in this country are. Even worse, it's shocking how un-American Republicans are behaving during this time of crisis when we are being attacked by one of our most dangerous enemies. Animal Farm? 1984? As in many tragic situations, the reality is always far worse than what any fiction writer could dream of.
20
I am trying to have faith in the American people, which I hope is not undeserved. The elections earlier this month, along with the 2018 election that returned Democratic control to the house, give me hope that people are growing weary of lies, drama and sleaze. I truly hope most Americans are starting to see Trump and his allies for what they are—not defenders of democracy or the Constitution, but selfish defenders of their own turf.
21
Two takeaways: (1) The evidence of Trump's flagrant attempt of bribery and extortion requires impeachment and removal. (2) The probability that the Republican-controlled Senate will convict Trump is ZERO. The moment we heard from Will Hurd, a moderate representative, that he find's Trump malfeasance inappropriate but not impeachable, there is no way twenty Republican senators will vote to convict.
11
@nzierler Groupthink? I find it so unrealistic that every single republican will buy into this corrupt sham. I agree with "the rest of us" to take our beliefs to the voting booth, but I have not given up on being a voice to my representative and senators. So many R's are holding on to what the economy is doing before they jump ship. However, our 401K's will not stop Putin, save the environment, remedy the climate crisis, get us past the immigration debacle, control guns, save the Kurds, stop NK.... need I continue to list our troubles?
6
Hurd has a big money job waiting for him after his retirement from Congres. I am willing to bet
Blue wave 2020 !
1
Excellent article!
What more evidence is needed that trump is an absolute disaster as president an has repeatedly tried to use his office the way he conducted business in NYC.
Impeachment - the most beautiful word.
8
You forgot the part about obstruction and refusing to testify. Very damaging to our democracy. Perhaps the biggest legacy of the cowardice of the Trump administration and Republican congressional enablers.
23
Yes, yes - sadly yes. The ignorance and know-nothing pomposity of the GOP is frankly dangerous for our nation. I can only hope that in another decade, the peak of this clearly dysfunctional moment will be in the rear view mirror. I have lost friends over this political moment but more tragically, I've lost respect for these people and the GOP more broadly. But I have some hope we aren't totally down the rabbit hole of no return.
12
What’s especially clear, in addition to the wrong-doing of Donald Trump and his cronies in crime, is that some of tjhe finest examples of patriotism, idealism and behavior in line with high ethics and morality, comes from Immigrants.
Which is not surprising. As immigrants are, statistically, less likely to engage in criminal behavior in comparison to our society at large.
I am hugely heartened by the fine public servants who testified, in the face of odious attacks and behavior unbecoming of elected officials. But I worry about the fate of this nation with a criminal in the White House, GOP elected members of congress and the senate, and so many sycophants surrounding a sociopathic lunatic, with desires of despotism.
16
"Mr. Putin seeks to dismantle democracy and destroy America’s standing as a global leader. The only question is whether we will allow him to succeed."
Yet again, a warning of Putin. But isn't warning actually about Trump and his quisling assistance to Russia?
The Dems must ask the professionals like Dr. Fiona Hill what they think of an American President acting so strangely with our foremost adversary.
Ask it. Say it in the hearings. Bring up the question if we should be looking at this president through the eyes of what exactly constitutes treason.
That's how you turn the corner with a sound bite that reverberates with those still able to think, unlike Trump's cult. That's what would deeply threaten the Republican enablers; point out that they are enabling treason.
Though I respect her, Ms. Rice's column is just another ring around the poesy if the responsible establishment doesn't do this.
6
It's very simple. Trump was at best compromised by Russia as they likely own his debt, hence he won't release his taxes. At worst, as we're seeing now, Trump has autocratic, dictatorial aspirations. He's destroying our democracy and the rampant greed and ignorance in our country is allowing it to happen. DTT.
9
"Mr. Putin seeks to dismantle democracy and destroy America’s standing as a global leader. The only question is whether we will allow him to succeed."
Susan Rice has put forth a very clear explanation of what is happening inside this country. Trump works overtime to spread distrust, fear and hate towards the media, our government and anyone who doesn't believe he can do no wrong.
We have Republicans who give up all evidence of honesty to support our lying narcissistic president.
9
Well said. Trump's gall in intimidating witnesses to testify about his 'criminality' is abhorrent, and deeply damaging to these United States, now the laughingstock of Putin's Russia, ready and willing to repeat it's malignant task, remove the trust in this democracy...and make it easier for Trump to re-assault the presidency next year. Can't we see that clueless Trump is already in Putin's pocket, doing his bidding?
2
Thanks Susan Rice.
Yes, we've heard great testimony, saw the wonderful character of our foreign service personnel and have faith in the design of our democracy to protect us from a corrupt administration.
But the Republicans.
I run through the ways that this could all play out, most of them should end positively. But then I remember the Republicans, seeing the same facts and testimony we all have, only double down, and take another wild chop at our democracy. Some how, some way, they are all in for Trump and his corruption and his racism and his hate and his lies. The good-faithed Republicans? Like Rep. Hurd? I guess there are none.
There is no logic that explains the Republican's defense of Trump's criminality, and they are well beyond the point that any sliver of character would cause them to bail on him - so they will not change.
So we can applaud Ms. Hill, Ambassador Yovanovitch and Alex Vindman, our brilliant founding fathers and others - as we should, but will they matter? Because, you know, the Republicans.
6
Policy interests vs personal. Obvious.
Imagine the sequence, and the possible results for our country:
The House does a complete investigation with evidence-based witnesses, then votes to impeach. Our Senate then blocks it and acquits a president who has colluded with a foreign enemy for profit and power.
The takeaway for history is that no matter what evidence put before the public, America's Senate prioritized GOP power over basic ethical standards and rule of law----while they pretend to exalt the Constitution.
They'll put forth creative, unconvincing excuses to support our worst president. This will further prove the GOP is a scam, and only pretends to work for our democracy.
The Dems will live in history. The GOP will live in infamy.
Future students of history, here and abroad, will at least know that 1 party respected the rule of law, no matter what GOP voters think.
If the Dem House were to hold back from impeachment, it would increase our cynicism, and throw the country into turmoil for generations. Future swamp creatures would swim to the surface to try for power.
The Atlantic: "Democrats Know Trump Won’t Be Removed. They’re Still Amped About Impeachment.
They see the process as good for American democracy—and for their party’s chances in 2020."
6
When Trump got the Republican nomination and secured the Presidency losing the popular vote by 3 million votes in an election interfered by Russia, America was already losing its democracy and its electoral integrity. The Republican Party for years have abandoned the civility necessary for a functioning democracy. They have used their propaganda networks, voter suppression, smears and demonization of political opponents, appeals to tribal racism and religious fundamentalism , and now discredited conspiracy theories to hold onto power.
Trump is the crudest result of these political methods.
It is beyond any reasonable doubt that Trump abused his Presidential power in attempting to extort and bribe a vulnerable and dependent ally Ukraine and its new President to give him personal and political
favors by investigating his opponents and thus also jeopardizing our national security.
Yet the Republican leaders in Congress and their voters are not outraged by this violation of the Constitution and his oath of office. They feel they have no duty and no obligation to protect the rule of law. Instead it is all a hoax as they use the same talking points of discredited Ukrainian conspiracy theories invented by Russia. They have no Patriotism and honor and in their defense of the indefensible they reveal themselves as shameless and as unworthy of holding their public positions. Will the voters wake up or are they so brainwashed that they are blind to the destruction of our Republic?
7
@IN
A Yale political scientist pointed out the decline of party power in the post cold war era. It has shifted to activists and donors, far from median voters interests.
The parties these days occupy adjacent middle positions that fail to deliver timely legislation that reasonable people might approve; voters are ok but money talks louder even than activism.
Elected officials are targets for primaries instigated by political warriors; lots of vulnerables around.
Opportunity knocks for all these avid government control interests; the average person probably can't always muster the energy to vote.
We might be able to hold on to a country as good as its people; they can be good in other ways.
1
I agree with this thoughtful piece. The Republicans in Congress who shamelessly defend the absolutely abhorrent, treasonous and subversive actions of the self-serving President have forsaken our country and are accomplices in his treason. A silver lining has indeed been the courage and forthrightness of key House Intel Committee witnesses. Equally heartening have been the capabilities of the Democrats on the Committee who have caused the facts relating to Trump’s directives to blame Ukraine for Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and demand an investigation of the Bidens to unfold.
What is beyond depressing is that impeachment charges, once transferred to the Senate, will not get fair treatment, and Trump will be defended by his traitorous allies and justice denied.
The NYT’s coverage of the events that necessitate impeachment is stellar. More digging into Trump’s slavish obedience to Putin is more important than ever.
10
Where’s the nondepressing part? I’m depressed. The testimony was exhilarating - so what? Where are we? Do we even have a country any more?
7
This impeachment is clearly political - everyone knows that Trump is defective, but that has nothing to do with anything.
Republicans, as a whole, have never liked Trump - they have always understood that he is a crook - the thing is, it doesn't matter to them.
Trump is not going to be knocked out by this process; in fact, it will end up hurting the Democratic party.
The only people who will end up be helped by "impeachment", are the media outlets - to use an old fashioned, and very outmoded, term, "it sells papers".
We are going to be walking into polls empty in 2020, because so many of us fell for the impeachment pipe dream. The Senate votes are not there - Pelosi knew that before she started. What happened?
No doubt, many readers are sure I'm wrong - why don't you respond with a list of the Republican Senators you think will be voting to dump Trump?
1
If we DON'T impeach, then that sends the message that whoever is president is above the law and American citizens can't hold their leaders accountable.
Is that what you want? You want to allow the President of the United States to act like a criminal like we're some 3rd world country?
3
Thank you, Ms. Rice!
I am appalled the Republicans in the senate have already made it known that they will vote no on impeachment.
What gall! To refuse to consider the evidence is to refuse the rule of law.
I also have read the GOP are "strategizing" how long they will allow the impeachment trial/hearing to last in the Senate. Again, what gall!
Who do they think they are??
They are insulting every person they are supposed to represent in Congress.
Every one of these pretenders should be held up to public scrutiny for this.
If this isn't illegal, it ought to be.
This is a total political fix. It stinks of corruption.
Senators, do your jobs!
8
The Senate will handle the trial of the president the same way they handled the one week FBI investigation of Brett (I like beer) Kavanaugh.
The motto of Senate Republicans should be ‘I have already made up my mind, don’t confuse me with the facts’
‘Move on, nothing to see here’
2
So intelligently written and insightful, and yet, I fear, to no avail. I am increasingly of the mind that we simply no longer deserve to hold the mantle as the experiment in freedom that we used to. Yes, we have always had very serious contamination to that thought, from slavery to genocide, to intolerance of marginalized groups for the entirety of the duration of our nation. Yet, until Trump became president, I had firmly believed that our system of government allowed us to explore ever deeper questions of justice and humanity. That time in our history may actually be coming to an end. We can say it is the Republican Party, but they are just the worst symptom of a longstanding disease: the fear of those who once had complete power, that now have a last grasp on power, and who will see our nation go down in flames rather than share that power: and by this I mean white people, and mostly, but not entirely, white men (and I say this as a white man ashamed of those who look like, but do not think like, me).
7
This is a brilliantly clear exposition of what is going on with the Trump-Putin relationship, and how it is driving a knife at the heart of US interests. All of the Trump sycophants and congressional enablers, who seem to be incapable of placing US interests over their own venal political survival agendas, should read it over and over to understand the harm that Trump (and they) are doing as Trump works to service Putin's agenda.
5
Yes, the republicans are like lemmings. Lemmings without any idea beyond maintaining their grip on power. It's all sort of an unfortunate insult to lemmings.
But I want to force the republicans Senators to vote. After a televised trial that will almost be without a good defense by Trump: Is he going to testify? No, because he would have to take the Fifth. Or lie at the trial. Same goes for Pence and Pompeo, and Giuliani.
7
Ms Rice is entirely correct as far as she goes, but she misses the real issue, which is that this country managed to elect an amoral, self-involved cretin as president in the first place. Whatever has happened since, including the wholesale moral capitulation of the Republican party, are simply symptoms of a much greater malady. Abraham Lincoln put it well all the way back in 1838; "As nation of free men, we shall live forever, or die by suicide". Trump is an agent of that impending suicide, and his political and legislative enablers have become his myrmidons. But we, the electorate are the primary culprits. In our ignorance. parochialism, and folly, we have brought this upon ourselves, and we should not be depending on this impeachment business to do our work for us. Come the 2020 election, we will have a second chance to redefine the United States as more the nation we were designed to be. We will only have ourselves to blame if we fail.
7
Do the Republicans simply not care whether Russia is a threat to our democracy? Do they not care about the country?
And why exactly does Steve Bannon want to destroy the workings of the federal government? No one who has paid any attention to the Trump administration can seriously think that Trump is anything but wildly incompetent. Surely Bannon has to see that, if for no other reason that Trump fired/forced him out.
The administration is a continuous revolving door. We're left with Stephen Miller, Javanka, and a twitter account with spell check turned off.
So what is the end game of the Trump supporters: destroy the federal government and replace it with an unhinged malignant narcissist?
I am so sick of the apologists for the Trump voters saying we should understand that they want "change." How is change better if you are changing for the worse?
I am beginning to think that they just want the entire country destroyed because it will not forever be a majority white-European-descent-only country. They would rather hand it over to Putin than be accepting of brown and black and mixed race people.
How can the Republicans look at themselves in the mirror?
11
They care about $$$$$$$$$$ (and saving the white race). Nothing more.
1
Lesson #5
Several of these stellar, patriotic witnesses are foreign-born. I am so proud of them. I agree with Dr. Hill that America is great due to, not despite our diversity. How fitting that these courageous heroes present such a stark contrast to our corrupt, immoral president and his cowardly enablers in the Republican party.
9
I agree with this thoughtful piece. The Republicans in Congress who shamelessly defend the absolutely abhorrent, treasonous and subversive actions of the self-serving President have forsaken our country and are accomplices in his treason. A silver lining has indeed been the courage and forthrightness of key House Intel Committee witnesses. Equally heartening have been the capabilities of the Democrats on the Committee who have caused the facts relating to Trump’s directives to blame Ukraine for Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and demand an investigation of the Bidens to unfold.
What is beyond depressing is that impeachment charges, once transferred to the Senate, will not get fair treatment, and Trump will be defended by his traitorous allies and justice denied.
The NYT’s coverage of the events that necessitate impeachment is stellar. More digging into Trump’s slavish obedience to Putin is more important than ever.
6
Trump should be humiliated and embarrassed by impeachment but he's not. Impeachment to him is like everything that has happened to him over his lifetime. He was sent to a military school for juvenile delinquents and stayed there until the end of high school. He was never embarrassed about that. He went into business and failed time after time, cheated on corporate and personal taxes, giving false and fraudulent information to lenders and he never turned a hair. He assaulted women and he's proud of it. It's their fault if they didn't like it, nothing to do with him. Bankruptcy never phased him in the least. A little thing like impeachment means nothing to him, it's the cost of doing business as the "King of America." Ignoring his oath which he thinks was for suckers and a Constitution he would love to tear up is okay to do because they get in the way of his plans. What are those plans? Whatever comes into his head at any hour of any day.
6
Jim Jordan and others stated in televised coverage during the hearings that Russian meddling was never contested.
The contested items were (1) that the GOP and its candidate were accused, unfairly, of colluding (2) that at least one other nation - Ukraine - made similar attempts but were not investigated.
As obnoxious as Jim Jordan is, I tried to listen and that is what I heard. Just like Fiona Hill had an aha moment when she listened carefully to Sondland the day before her own testimony, it was an aha moment for me to force myself to listen. What I dismissed as pure lunatic ignorance made a lot more sense. I'm guessing that fighting impeachment is to some extent about not being heard - rather than about the facts of immoral criminal conduct by Trump et al.
Despite being a die hard lifelong social justice progressive, I am regularly scandalized regarding the many times "You are not hearing us" is a valid claim about progressive tactics.
Agenda-pushing. "Enemy" bashing. Bullying. That's what "they" do. "We" uphold honor, goodness, and personal dignity.
Which side sees that? Oh! both sides, inosfar as sight is possible with a log in the eye.
Abject failure to genuinely listen to the cries of the heart from millions of lovely people of good will -who know when life begins and recoil at the taking of life - that, imo,is what drove all those moderates to vote Trump. They just got fed up with not being heard.
1
I think that Republicans lack all faith in the US. They discredit immigrants who have political power. They demonize women when they run for offices. They consistently vote against Civil Rights issues. Based on their political record, past and present, it's abundantly clear that the Republican Party values white nationalism, and will stop at nothing to keep white men in power. A good example is occurring right now in San Juan County, Utah. For the first time in 150 years, Navajos have control over the county, but Republicans are now threatening to split it.
Where does this leave us? With a Republican Party that views Democrats as a party of immigrants, women and minorities who have usurped power from under their self-righteous feet. They believe they have the right to lie because they don't respect us enough to acknowledge the truth. They believe they can cheat because they don't think we're smart enough to catch them. They've put themselves on a pedestal so they can look down upon the rest of us and justify their outrageous behavior.
This isn't about true American values to them. Their American values revolve around the country being controlled by white people.
6
"They are not all depressing."
I can only think that a harried copywriter came up with that sub-headline, because this entire column is depressing.
Yes, some people still put country before party and power and greed, but none of those people are Congressional Republicans. And precious few of them are Republicans of any kind.
Lying, smearing, slandering, distorting, back-stabbing -- that's what Gopers are doing, with almost half the country gleefully cheering them on.
Not depressing? Not on your life.
2
My biggest takeaways from the hearings are firstly the integrity and honor of the non partisan Foreign Service officers and secondly (in stark contrast) the dishonest disgraceful and gutless showing of all the Republicans lackeys.Have they no shame?
5
"While Americans spew venom at one another, Russia is working overtime to pour salt into our wounds."
There may be no better person to remind us to pursue civility even in the face of disgusting and evil behavior. Ms. Rice was personally and viciously attacked by many of those now defending the president's right to act like a mad king. If she can remain clear-headed despite the abuse she withstood, I suppose the rest of us have no excuse but to rise above our own anger.
1
Can you imagine how emboldened and invincible Trump will feel when/if he dodges impeachment and gets re-elected ?
1
Here is the worst of it. Polls show that only half of Americans support impeachment and removal. When asked why they respond by saying that it does not affect them. I think this response is the most dangerous because it reflects the hyperindividualism and atomism that is the disease of modernity, especially in the US.
The implosion of democracy results from attacks on two fronts: Russia and our own selfish, tribal indifference.
9
Delusion is the key to trump’s success. It is the only way you can continue to support/enable this “man”. Decent people like Fiona Hill, Col. Vindman and Marie Yovanovitch have made it clear how bad trump’s administration is. We have the words of the republicans themselves, pre-trump, that trump was a dangerous candidate and would be a terrible president. Delusion has created the zombie Congress.
Shame on every member of Congress who continue to support the unsupportable. Remove the zombies from our government. America deserves a chance to recover from the abuse inflicted by the very unqualified, soulless trump.
1
Trump should be impeached if for no other reason than to stamp that disgrace on his record in history. If Bill Clinton has to bear it for lying about a tawdry sexual encounter that did no harm to the nation's security, its credibility in foreign affairs, the morale of all our foreign service officers, our commitment to emerging democracies, and our standing as the pre-eminent democracy in the world and a bulwark against Russian expansion in Europe, then so should Donald John Trump.
5
Biden having his son hired at a hight salary by a Ukrainian firn, a job he would likely not have gotten if his father had not been VP with a lot of influence over American policy on Ukraine, is corrupt. It was probably not illegal, but it was morally wrong.
2
Jennifer Wolf,
VP Biden did not arrange the Burisma position for Hunter Biden. Hunter made that mistake on his own. VP Biden worked to get the corrupt Urkainian prosecutor Lutsenko ousted, because he would not investigate Burisma. The exact opposite of helping Hunter. Don't make stuff up.
2
"Mr. Putin seeks to dismantle democracy and destroy America’s standing as a global leader."
When half the republican country thinks that democrats are illegitimate, then you don't need to blame Putin for our woes.
Things will get worse before they get better.
1
As long as those who are subpoenaed can just flout the rule of law (I'm looking at you Bolton, Mulvaney, Giuliani), how can we ever ensure this won't happen again? This whole impeachment preceding has laid bare the fact that the entirety of the GOP is beholden only to itself and their own special interests, and the hack that leads them. May they all get their just desserts, in due time.
3
Republicans have always been about seizing and maintaining power, by whatever means necessary.
2
The Republicans are willing to allow Putin to overwhelm us. The majority of Americans are not, but with Republican gerrymandering, culling of voting lists, and raising barriers to voting in (such irony in the name!) Democratic districts, it may not be possible to stop them.
Devin Nunes said that Trump was "not a Russian agent." That truth hardly matters, when Trump is, instead, a Russian stooge, patsy, or chump. Regrettably, in a perversion of individual freedom, so are far too many thoughtless Americans!
4
Thank you, Ms. Rice, for your service to our nation, and your very clear analysis of the events of these last two weeks.
Vote!!!
4
The Republicans kept pushing a narrative of “they’ve tried to persecute him from day one of his Presidency!”
I can only say that if he would quit breaking the law all of us might get a break. But he cannot. The only reason he wasn’t impeached sooner is that his staff refused to carry out unlawful requests.
7
I think we could spend the rest of the weekend parsing & unpacking the testimony of Fiona Hill.
To wit: a solid case can be made that Trump, by regurgitating the made-in-Moscow disinformation about Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election, could reasonably be accused of treason in an Article of Impeachment.
To wit: when Dr. Hill spoke of the made-in-Moscow disinformation campaign as being akin to a "SuperPAC," I think she may have been indirectly referring to Russian oligarch money, laundered through the Bank of Cyprus and elsewhere, finding its way into US-based right-wing PACs, the National Rifle Association (itself a PAC in many respects), and the political campaign coffers of numerous Republican politicians.
4
In the eyes of many allies, the United States is rapidly deteriorating towards being a Democracy in Name Only (DINO).
The presidency and the craven and compromised motive so senators and representatives of the GOP is on full display.
Putin is laughing. Lincoln is crying.
4
Unhappily, Ambassador Rice, I truly believe that “we will allow the hollowing-out” of our country, to the great—and, perhaps, permanent—benefit of Russia.
I no longer believe that “Mother Russia” holds markers on Donald Trump; that’s an easy explanation. No; I think that the president is driven to hand over America to foreign considerations because he’s an ignoramus of the first water and his Republican spear-carriers on The Hill wish to follow his lead in creating an a fetid oligarchy, one buttressed by the hard-right evangelical bloc whose soldiery are animated by divisive culture war ornaments on which Americans of good faith can find no purchase.
The Republican Congressional delegation, this week, publicly abandoned any pretense to patriotism with their withering attacks upon government servants of incomparable merit. Decorated military heroes; long-respected experts in the fields diplomacy; career officials whose only purpose was furthering the national interest were tarred and feathered, strung up in public as traitors for not bending the knee to a president who has less of a call on his title than the local garbage collector. To Republicans, the only service worth the name is “What does Donald Trump desire, and at whose expense shall it be delivered?”
They, none of them, care about the role of an American presence around the world. It’s only rank ideology now; they cannot now wholly abandon who and what they are: menacing instruments of a hostile foreign power.
5
So Susan Rice, one of the Obama administration never Trump collaborators, gets a chance to take another swipe at President Trump.
Boy that was really unexpected.
I just took one lesson out:
Our constitution is archaic. It has to go.
With such overwhelming evidence, we are still in the hands of the GOP senators, who are abettors of the criminal and have zero incentive to cut the branch they are standing on, being criminals themselves.
The House will impeach, the Senate will absolve.
Ms. Rice, you see the problem?
Impasse by definition.
Caused by?
Our archaic constitution written by slave owners. Rings a bell? You were talking about your admirable father and his lessons.
1
Depraved hypocrisy.
Depraved = morally corrupt
Hypocrisy = claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform
This is the state of today's Republican Party. Trumpism will be seen in history as the equivalent, or worse, of McCarthyism because of its widespread assault on truth and decency.
Now Lindsay Graham is opening an investigation into Biden and Chuck Grassly is opening an investigation into the "Ukraine meddling."
The sad truth is that Republicans have reached a new low in United States politics. But sadder, still, is that they are going to go even lower.
5
“...it is now abundantly apparent that most Republicans in Congress have abandoned all semblance of serving the national interest.”
Agreed. I’ve been paying attention to politics and current events since the 1960’s, so I have clear ideas how the deplorable quoted fact came to be.
There were two cornerstones in the foundation of Sigmund Freud’s groundbreaking studies in behavioral psychology; subconscious motivation and psychic determinism. Psychic determinism — all behavior has meaning. In simple terms, people do what they do for a reason or for reasons.
When we make choices, when we act, there are always reasons.
I don’t mean to be tiresome. I point out these facts from Behavioral Psychology 100, for a REASON.
As I already said, I have some idea how the alarming situation in the quotation at the top of this comment came to be.
On the other hand, I have no idea why a third of the American electorate are pleased by this development.
What do Trumpist Republicans gain from the corruption of their party’s federal legislators?
All behavior has meaning. What’s in it for the average Trumpist? How do they benefit from the lack of truth and logic in Jim Jordan’s tirades, Devin Nunes’s absurd summations?
Trumpists are gaining something. They perceive a reward for their loyalty to unAmerican liars, cheats and violators of law and constitution. WHAT?
2
The truth of this grave matter is... Trump does not want to admit Russia helped him get elected, or Trump does not want to admit Russia was employed by Trump to get Trump elected.
3
I agree, but do honest public servants stand a chance against a president and a major media outlet (Fox) determined to promote lies and unfounded conspiracies? I really wonder how this will end.
3
Many of you may remember the 80’s movie, “Red Dawn.” When will any of us be brave enough to get up off the couch, put down the pizza, take up arms, shout “Wolverines!,” and take back our country from lobbyists, dark money, and craven politicians who gerrymandered themselves into office? You can do it with a ballot, but sadly, bullets may also be involved. The Founders Hamilton and Madison very clearly expressed in Federalist Papers 29 and 46, respectively, what the 2nd Amendment really meant. It is up to us to take them at their word.
2
Ms. Rice, you were spot-on right up to the point when you asserted "Mr. Putin seeks to dismantle democracy and destroy America’s standing as a global leader."
That's simply paranoid nonsense. Putin is seeking to cement Russia's standing as a resurgent regional power and to drive a wedge between the US and its NATO allies. That much is certain. But given that he sees democracy as _inherently_ weak, why seek to dismantle it?
It also begs the question of how Russia's manipulation and interference in the politics of the middle-east and the former Eastern bloc is profoundly different from America's manipulation and interference in the politics of central
america, south america, the middle-east, and SE Asia.
You should stick to placing blame where blame is most due--namely on Trump, his allies, his abetters, and the FOX news pundits that put party and ideology ahead of ethics and country.
1
You state the case so clearly. Now I want to know how we can get through to people who believe the conspiracy theories? How can we reacquaint the populace with actual facts? The carnival barker con artist in the white house has taught the immoral congressional republicans how to do it too. They don't support democracy at all and are actually actively undermining it - 'fake news' claims, conspiracy theories, gerrymandering, voting away the power of governors when they lose, voter suppression, court packing - if we don't take our democracy back now, we may well lose our last chance. What can/should we be doing right now??
1
What should we be doing right now?
Packing our bags and looking how to legally emigrate to a new country where there is still honesty and honor. Can we claim asylum?
If Trump wins re-election, you will want to move away to avoid living in a dictatorship, because America will be just another banana republic ruled by corrupt oligarchs.
1
Thank you Miss Rice. As you served in the last sane administration this must be as disheartening for you as most of the country. Perhaps there are some republicans left who have integrity, ethics and honesty. We just don't see any now!
2
It's quite a sobering thought that Trump, the sycophants in his administration, and the Republican leadership, are so desperate to hold onto power that they will become willing stooges of Vladimir Putin. It's a low point in our democracy -- with no bottom in sight.
1
It's absolutely stunning to me that after all trump's public antics, the Mueller report, and the events of the last few weeks there's not more than enough (or as an earlier NYT story said, there are "loose ends" that need to be addressed) to impeach this guy.
Keep in mind that Clinton was impeached merely for lying under oath about a sex act (after Starr unsuccessfully digging up scandals over Whitewater, Travelgate, Vince Foster, and one or two other dead ends).
4
We have also learned that the American public has been inoculated against thought and activism. Incredibly passive. That’s why Republicans can ignore law
When impeachment fails in the Senate Trump will once again declare himself exonerated and with no restraints whatsoever god help us.
Dear Ms Susan I love you Rice,
Warren Rice would be nice!
So, Trump and company held back the $400 Million and the Oval Office meeting, until the Ukraine President would make an announcement of an investigation? A little announcement from Ukraine, that's it? Why would that be worth so much to Trump? Geez, most Americans wouldn't even know what that was about if they saw the Ukrainian President make such an announcement, in one ear and out the other.
So, why would it become so important? Why did Trump and his goons interfere with bipartisan approved aid to Ukraine and the well established policy? So that Trump could immediately blast out tweets that Biden and son were being investigated for corruption in Ukraine - a bombshell dropped on Biden's head, the one political opponent Trump fears the most.
Just a little announcement. Unimportant. About corruption.
3
Unfortunately, America has long been a country with lazy, poorly-educated and self-indulgent citizens who can barely be bothered with civic engagement.
We’ve been ripe for Putin’s picking for years.
1
Yes, will we dare Putin to take us over? He knows Trump is a puppet. The countries of the world knows Trump is a puppet. Trump’s family knows Trump is a puppet.
But, why oh why do Trump’s followers think this is not a danger? It’s their country, too. Do they just throw it into the Russian garbage truck?
4
Other good results of the Hearing: 1) the Democrats are capable of virtue and patriotism despite previous misgivings about all politicians; 2) the GOP is dead meat; 3) while Trump may not finally be removed from office by impeachment his life and reputations will properly have been sullied for ever. Not bad at all.
4
Even as the US Senate has been briefed in the last week concerning the false allegations that Ukraine interfered in our election, two GOP senators, Johson and Grassley, have petitioned the National Archives for information on the Bidens and Ukraine. The intelligence briefing that all senators recieved, made it clear that this supposed Ukrainian interference never happened, that as Fiona Hill asserted, it is a Russian narrative, meant to sow more discord.
The Republicans are not interested in truth, they are only concerned with keeping power. We are at a very dangerous point in our history. I fear that our country, as we know it, is facing the distinct possibility of the total dismantling of our democracy. If Trump gets through this impeachment process, still in power, then I think it is very likely that he'll be reelected. Think of another 4 years of this man and his enablers controlling the presidency, the courts and the US Senate.
10
"Mr. Putin seeks to dismantle democracy and destroy America’s standing as a global leader. The only question is whether WE will allow him to succeed" (my emphasis).
As you've already said, Ms. Rice, the 'we' is divided along the lines separating Prump plus McConnel against Pelosi. Our house is divided--how can it not fall?
2
"...the Republican Party has sacrificed its principles and traditions to preserve its political power — at the expense of our country."
The problem is Ms. Rice, this is not new; we're just at the apex.
Trump has managed to scare the few GOPs, who haven't died in office, who placed America first rather than party and easy power.
2020 might be our only way out of this mess, another 4 years might as well be 400.
5
Another op-ed about how proud we should be, and are of our public servants. I agree, they truly fight the good fight.
But sadly, the fact remains our institutions, and our constitution are failing us; or more accurately, we are failing them. Under attack by a two-bit grifter, our system has shown its fragility. Can we survive this attack? What will we look like if we do, or if we don't?
6
@John E. Mangan It's not that our Constitution is failing us, it's that we -- and the GOP in particular -- are failing it. The Constitution has no volition without people, it is a set of words on paper. We the People, and our elected officials, are responsible for carrying out it's mandate, not the other way around. And as Ms. Rice so aptly points out, the GOP Senators have decided that the rule of law, as laid out in our founding document, doesn't apply to them.
And as for your question: we will no longer look like a Democracy, we will be a totalitarian state.
8
@John E. Mangan
Undivided two lane roads only work when drivers agree not to cross the yellow line into oncoming traffic. It's now obvious that the US Presidency is a lot like a two lane road, depending on parties to voluntarily do the right thing. We now have someone that freely crosses that yellow line any time it pleases him.
9
@Ambroisine
Just like Bill Clinton failed the Americans people by allowing American Companies to “offshore” manufacturing jobs, giving away our Intellectual Property, American “know how” on mass producing clothing, machinery, high tech robotics, and medicine.
The result +25 years later is a weaker America and stronger China.
The America people is now failed by the Democrats failed polices.
Clinton was impeached for sex and for abusing his power. But, for some foresaken reason he remained in office to do more damage to America.
Thanks Ms. Rice for this hard-hitting piece. It is mind-blowing to me that the Republican party, always so quick in the past to raise the anti-American behavior alarm, is now defending some of the most blatant examples of disloyalty to the state ever witnessed in modern U.S. history.
29
Thank you, Ms Rice for your thoughtful and well-reasoned Op Ed.
All should pause for a moment, while observing Thanksgiving this week, to thank those who under oath have risked or left their jobs at the State Department for the sake of truth and justice.
In these cynical times, when the partisan divide puts democracy in danger, honor true patriots willing to stand up against Russian aggression to protect our national security.
Let patriots like Yovanovitch, Taylor, Hill and Holmes, know how much we appreciate their service in the face of a compromised ruthless American despot, who would not hesitate to use his awesome power to unjustly threaten and denigrate them.
41
@Joel Z. Silver
Add Vindman to my list of those deserving special recognition.
4
@Joel Z. Silver
Joel Silver, in Thanksgiving the true thanks to give is to God, your health, your family and the people in the front lines in the military, the police and civil servants keeping us all safe from harms way.
Not some traitors undermining American Leadership and order.
1
Thank you, Ms. Rice; an excellent synopsis. Yet, Mr. Trump’s myriad assaults upon the rule of law are not so easily fenced in. Their depth, breadth and consistency is tantamount to what federal law codifies as a “CCE”, or “continuing criminal enterprise.” The penalty for heading one up may be life in prison - no gold toilets to be sure.
There’s a concept among many cops that the scales balance out - career criminals like Trump are always “guilty of something.” While that runs afoul of the presumption of innocence there are simply outliers - people whose never- ending abuses of the law merit like treatment from the legal system. I submit that Trump is such an outlier and that no hand-wringing that “we’re better than that “ need, or should, attach.
Sadly for our nation, the Republican Party’s willful ignorance of Trump’s ongoing criminality - and their ongoing enablement of him, amounts to a CCE - as a conspiracy is, by definition, required to charge a CCE.
The Founders believed that the Congress would do the right thing - they were 1/2 right as they neglected to account for the Mitch McConnell’s of the world.
30
After binge watching the impeachment inquiry hearings, I was left for the first time in too long, with a great sense of pride and dare I say optimism for my home country.
The unequivocally compelling evidence brought forth by the Democrats, brilliantly highlighted by Chairman Schiff's summations and the many brave career public servant witnesses, brought me to tears as I remembered what America stands for, or at least used to.
Now I'm crossing my finger Lincoln was right: You cannot fool all the people all the time.
60
@Concerned American
I agree with Lincoln.
President Lincoln is turning in his grave from these false accusations and this appalling witch-hunt.
Recently the focus of a criminal impeachment trial in the senate, trump, has met several times with GOP senators. The senators will be jurors in the coming trial
They have announced how long the trial would last and what would be the intended outcome.
WE LIVE IN A BANANA REPUBLIC.
Thank you
37
This is a fairly elementary column but it makes an important point: the GOP wants to destroy American for the sake of its own enrichment. How anyone can vote for the national GOP is beyond me.
62
Excellent article but will any Republicans even care to read it?
Most of the country think this whole inquiry is a bout corruption by the Bidens. Rice explains how our diplomatic corps and national security experts have been ignored by political operatives with only one goal- satisfying Trump.
So what? Do any of the Republicans even care?
24
@LVG It is the diplomatic services and security experts that should have one goal, to execute the foreign policies of Trump. They were not elected. They can voice their opinion, do as told, or quit. Their only agenda is to ececute Trumps agenda. There opinions mean nothing. That’s why there shouldn’t be career positions. Execute Presidential policies, or EXIT.
@Jay
Is getting dirt ona political opponent or substantiating an unsubstantiated theory to exonerate Russia a proper foreign policy or abuse of the oath and treason?
2
Not only is Putin destabilizing and hurting the US but also Europe. I find Trumps defence regarding the financial leverage towards the EU disturbing. He wants Europe to participate more to support Ukraine. This is completely misleading. Trump is again lying and destroying the weight and balance of facts. Since 2014 the EU pumped 14 Billion EU into the Ukraine. They are designated to fight corruption, support the administration and for education and infrastructure.
Not one witness in the hearings and also Adam Schiff does not declare that correctly. When Trumps defenders come up with this misleading topic it stands in the room like an actual fact. And no one contradicts. POTUS is wrong about that and has an extreme, unbalanced point of view.
I like Adam Schiff. But I personally was hurt when he says Ukraine does not want to rely on Europe because Europe has its own problems. No, Mr Schiff. This is not true. The EU supports it's neighbor big time. And the EU and the US are in the same boat. Our two country's share exactly the same problem, which is Russian desinformation and meddling to destabilize our democracy's. Please set this straight Mr. Schiff. Concerning ng direct military aid the support could be bigger I agree. But you have to see the whole picture.
55
@Bernd. What percentage of Germany’s GDP is spent on NATO defense? Pay up, or shut up.
It's too late for Ms Rice to jump into the presidential race but whoever wins the presidential nomination needs to seriously consider her for VP.
21
@JerryV I agree she would be an ideal President or VP but I suspect that her commitment to objective, non-partisan service means she would prefer a different type of service. Secretary of State?
23
@DC She can never explain why she willing lied about the Benghazi attacks until after Obama was re-elected. She has no principles.
Is the case really overwhelming? Trump has a possible defense. His acts were incredibly sloppy. Countless witnesses. Called off because one of these witnesses predictably went public. Much of the the misconduct delegated to Giuliani, who is widely viewed as a joke. The main purpose of the whole scheme was to smear Biden with false information that countless people knew to be false.
A bad crime is still a crime. But the defense can argue Trump was doing so much else at the same time that it wasn't that big a deal to him, and hence the sloppiness. This raises two issues -- whether the scam was "material" (a big deal) and whether it is is grave enough to warrant impeachment. And raisingthe defense is not unlikely -- he has already argued that the Democrats are overreacting.
The response to this defense is to muster every last detail and argue that Trump was plenty involved and sufficiently consumed that he's got to go. Most here are certain that the cases is extremely strong. But most want Trump to go down and are not neutral.
This defense focuses on facts the Democrats consider false. But the "no big deal defense"could make would require much mustering. Moreover, when you look at all Trump's misdeeds, there are a lot of outrages where people have died and suffered, harm of monumental proportion has resulted, and hatred has ruled. A transparent smear of Biden is way down the list. The issue is how big a deal it really is.
8
@michjas
The impeachment’s focus is much like a court case where a defendant has committed many crimes, but only the more serious are prosecuted.
16
@michjas Trump solicited a bribe. That's what all this business about "quid pro quo" is about: an illicit exchange. This was the illicit exchange Trump demanded: Performance of official acts (Trump's release of $400 million in already appropriated military aid and public displays of support) in return for something of value (Zelensky's announcement of a criminal investigation of Biden so Trump could, throughout the 2020 campaign, declare Biden "under criminal investigation"). This is textbook bribery: sale of a public office in return for something of value. Bribery 1) violates the EXPLICIT language of the Constitution's impeachment clause (this clause has the word "bribery" smack dab in the middle of it, right after "treason"); and 2) violates the Hobbs Act, the federal anti-bribery law, which is a felony. Is that serious enough for you? Material enough?
4
@Susan The impeachment’s focus will be whatever McConnell lets it be. Republicans can not permit witnesses to testify, or evidence to be submitted. Impeachment is nothing like a court case. The judge and jury are the senators, and a simple majority can approve or deny a motion. Roberts role is ceremonial. A motion to dismiss all charges could be voted on before a witness is called. I suspect they will want to slime up both Biden’s really good before the Republicans vote to acquit though.
2
Americans are optimists. What do they think? That Trump is a temporary phenomenon that will right itself - collapse under its own weight - if we just let it run its course like a bad cold?
Do they think that post-Trump, things will get back to normal? Do they believe that nothing has really been lost in America, that nothing is so broke that it can't be fixed?
Optimists. The best of all worlds. Divine providence. How about free will? And, cause and effect?
It's a cultural thing I touch on here. I'm a minority and a part of an ancient minority culture here in America. I admit it. I can't escape it even though I was born in America, grew up in San Francisco, went to college across the bay at Berkeley. And we Cantonese are not optimists.
We believe that evil spirits - "yien" - are lurking around every comer, hovering above in the mist, just waiting to snatch away our good fortune.
And in my personal opinion, Trump and his Republican enablers have snatched away something precious from America - our democracy, our rule of law, our leadership role in the international community - and the "yien" may never give it back in the same way that it existed before, if they give it back at all.
Before Trump...before the nightmare...
83
@Victor Chung Toy Perfectly expressed! The narrow focus has been on Trump's criminal conduct. However, as you state, the damage to our democracy may be irreparable.
25
@Victor Chung Toy
IF, along with 'cancelling' Trump, his lackeys in Congress are ejected, we have some room to hope things can and will get better.
This country has faced extremely serious political situations before and survived somehow, so I hope we can yet again.
However, I cannot claim to be much of an optimist. Sometimes situations turn out very badly even if you do everything right. Well, those of us who can see what a disaster Trump is had better do everything right, and not let our guard down again.
5
@Victor Chung Toy
Trump wants America strong again, especially regain and maintain it’s Intellectually Property before it is “snatched” by the evil spirits controling the thieves in Main Land China who run the policies of taking away American jobs, America Intelectual Property and soon in a few years or a generation away, American lives once China becomes militarily ambitious.
Does any NY Times readers see this in the tea leaves? Please respond with your thoughts on the looming Chinese Govt and their future military might and endeavors to overthrow America...
And here I thought the Republicans were the leadership from the top party. Alas, no. Treasonous Fox News spins/amplifies fairy tales for their viewers solely for the sake of higher ratings and more profit (does anyone think that beyond a handful of anarchists there, they really care about the substance?), who then influence their electeds. I come from an old Republican family, and I just don't understand what happened. This week, the naked truth has emerged.
21
Putin uses Trump as puppet, part of a grand machine, including our "social media", which becomes antisocial media, intending to divide us.
Some Republican advertisements such as Fox News have been creating disinformative angles on the truth for years, but at least this was paid for by private funds.
As a Putin beneficiary, Trump has created an additional team within the official government to promote division and disinformation, paid for by your taxes.
A national emergency brings people together towards a common good, even while the event itself is abhorrent. (911, WWII). Putin does not present a clear front to which the American public would react. This seasoned KGB spy presents in shadows as subterfuge, lies, or innuendoes about others. Many of us aren't skilled in reacting, and anger is the result. At each other, in our own country.
The effect of Putin's grand operation is startling, because of its disguised presentation which gradually arises from the deep, and carries what appears to be power beyond my prior belief as an American. And this is backed up by many Putin dollars fed indirectly into our own country and congress, creating Putin supporters within our own government. The Disinformation Machine of 2084 is here Today.
Mr. Trump's goal is money, and his behavior is elementary. Mr. Putin's behavior is complicated, while his goal is simple:
United (States) they Stand, and Divided They Will Fall.
18
The GOP had abandoned allegiance to the constitution (especially with its 4th, 5th, 6th, 14th and 15th amendments) long before Trump was even a Republican, let alone President. The Republicans are now a regime, not a party; and they want dominion not democracy.
38
Nice article. But it ends with a warning about our global leadership.
The lethal combination of Putin's disinformation campaign, republican corrupt adherence to raw power at any cost (which goes longer than just the trump era), and their more recent complete abdication of national interest, again in the interest of maintaining raw power, have already debased the US as a global leader.
The fight now is not about our global leadership. It is about maintaining our nation's status as a functioning, non-corrupt, law-abiding, fact-based democracy.
When that fight is won, and there is no guarantee that it will be won, we may be able to pay attention to restoring US global leadership.
36
"Mr. Putin seeks to dismantle democracy and destroy America’s standing as a global leader. The only question is whether we will allow him to succeed."
Well - yes. We have allowed Putin to succeed. I think it was over when Trump was "elected" in the first place due to Russian interference. The Democrats in Congress might be making a last stand to save this Democracy. But they are playing by the rules. And the Republicans are not - they will lie and detract and spread disinformation and propaganda. Under them, black has become white. And white has become black.
Congratulations Putin.
33
John Bolton would certainly be a compelling witness after listening to testimony of his awareness of what President Trump was up to. To suggest that Bolton would not testify if called, even though the president is telling him and other he cannot testify, would be absurd if he knows the president committed impeachable offences.
6
We as a society have failed to consider another possible reason the GOP leaders are so disinterested in punishing Trump for colluding with Russians, abuse of power, and bribery. They too may be guilty of the same.
How many GOP members of Congress benefited from Russian assistance in recent elections?
How many GOP members of Congress were involved in pushing the false narrative that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 election at the direction or encouragement of the Russians?
How many GOP members of Congress, like Rep Nunes, also used their influence to pressure the Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden and smear Joe Biden?
The answers? History will tell. My prediction - more than a few. NYTs - investigate it and report.
31
@Edwin gets it wrong in his first sentence: What I think he means is they not disinterested, ie impartial; they are uninterested in punishing Trump for colluding with the Russians, abuse of power and bribery.
I think we could spend the rest of the weekend parsing & unpacking the testimony of Fiona Hill.
To wit: a solid case can be made that Trump, by regurgitating the made-in-Moscow disinformation about Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election, could reasonably be accused of treason in an Article of Impeachment.
To wit: when Dr. Hill spoke of the made-in-Moscow disinformation campaign as being akin to a "SuperPAC," I think she may have been indirectly referring to Russian oligarch money, laundered through the Bank of Cyprus and elsewhere, finding its way into US-based right-wing PACs, the National Rifle Association (itself a PAC in many respects), and the political campaign coffers of numerous Republican politicians (as originally reported in the Dallas Morning News a year ago).
To wit: When Dr. Hill, uncomfortably, elaborated about the accusations against Lt. Col. Vindman's "judgment" did she not answer by indicating that she & Morrison perceived limitations on Vindman's suitability for advancement within the national-security-policy-making establishment? She couched it in terms of further promotion in military rank as, of course, a _U.S. Army_ decision. But I got the distinct impression that Vindman can now kiss any hope of a merit-based promotion to full colonel goodbye, and that achieving even one-star brigadier general rank (which requires Congressional approval, if I'm not mistaken) is all but out of the question.
5
The gop has for decades sought to gut our federal government, in part by destroying our faith that it can or will act in our interests. And, they have also consistently and deliberately exploited cultural and racial divisions to gain and maintain power.
The gop is abetting and even amplifying Russia's disinformation campaigns because doing so advances their own interests, and Putin's only secondarily.
19
It looks as if the GOP really does support Putin.
Is it possible that John Bolton will man up and speak out?
Of course Trump, Fox, and the GOP will brand him if he does,
but he should state what he knows about the Ukraine bribery scandal - and stop playing coy on Twitter.
Enough of the reality show motif that Trump loves.
Speak up like an adult.
24
@SCZ I honestly don't understand why so many people seem to place hope in John Bolton. His agenda all along, as Susan Rice points out, has been to tear down the institutions of American government. Why would he defend them, if that is his aim? He may have been speaking out against Trump's stupidity in the "drug deal", but he has the same long-term goal of ending democracy.
2
The question that will be asked in history is was doing the right thing the best thing.We all know ,even the Republicans, that what Trump did was really sleazy.There can be no defending Trump's actions on no levels no matter how you look at it. Does addressing the clear and present danger of Trump outweigh the danger of Trump winning again? Knowing the outcome of Trump's misdeeds in the Senate should give us a moment to pause.When Trump is acquitted in the Senate it is going to make him think he has unbridled power. If his acquittal helps him win in 2020 we are headed for dire times.We can't let our utter dislike of Trump blind us in efforts to send him packing. We may win the battle but lose the War. There must be ways to censure Trump short of a kangaroo trial in the Senate that will only embolden him.
1
It is clear that Republicans have closed ranks against impeachment, hoping to win the battleground states and thus the presidential election in 2020 by whatever means necessary. Russia, are you listening?
8
It's times like this that you would hope for a stellar all sides statesman to run for President. Someone like Adam Schiff.
There are others that are wonderful and would be part of the team. But we could hope for the perfect candidate leader to lead them and heal this nation. After the worst civil war of discord and high-level lawlessness has happened to tear us apart.
I Adam Schiff 2020 I A Turn for the Better I
We would be so lucky and so honored if we could vote for Sensible Shrewd Steady Schiff.
I am aware of how silly word slogans can get, and how powerful they can be.
It will take a minimum of 4-8 years or more to fix our society for the better.
The 2020 election, less than a year away, will be a turn for the worse or the better.
11/22/2019
9
@Anne Democrats never want to hear this, but like Bloomberg, Schiff is unelectable in the middle of the country, including the swing states, because of his vocal support for more gun control. No matter you much you may hate firearms, no matter how fervently you demand more 'common sense' laws, for a great many of the 100 million gun owners this is the single issue when they enter the polling booth.
Coming from a rural state, Sanders is the only candidate who understands this.
For the record, my opinion, America is much tougher than Trump. We can survive him and the corrupt Republican Senate and this badly needed impeachment hearing.
No, the American experiment is not over. It's just beginning.
6
As a young adult during Watergate, watching Senate hearings gave me a renewed appreciation for our Constitution, the Separation of Powers, and the System of Checks and Balances.
The “violent and turbulent” 1960’s had taken a toll on the trust I had once held for elected officials and government. I viewed each political party with disdain. Most Senators, though, behaved with the dignity and integrity I had been brought up to expect. Their dedication to our Founding ideas and values, the honor they displayed in carrying out their duties and to their Oaths of Office turned my thinking around. I felt I could trust them to act as responsible and serious jurors in any impeachment trial that might be coming.
I do not see much integrity, dignity, or dedication in the Senate Republican majority today, nor of the Republican minority in the House. I do not trust them to perform honestly for the American people. They are not being honest with themselves.
The fact witnesses before the House Intelligence Committee did, indeed, provide compelling evidence of a President who betrayed the sovereignty of our nation’s elections for his own political gain. A President involving a foreign country in our elections is a serious abuse of power. If elected officials in Congress refuse to understand their responsibilities are to all the American people, and not to a President, then there is not much to appreciate any longer.
31
One of the great mysteries is the nature of the relationship between Trump and Russia. The extent of financial relationship is striking and so is Trump's behavior in the presence of Putin. It seems impossible to determine whether Trump's actions seem to benefit Russia so often because Trump and Putin are basically on the same page with their views on society and foreign policy or whether Putin has some control over Trump. One thing that stands out is that Putin was a KGB agent and skilled in identifying people who could be compromised and in finding a way to compromise them. It certainly seems likely that this is central to the relationship between Putin and Trump but since Putin is very skilled at hiding his tracks if Trump was compromised by Putin the details may never be revealed.
42
The "for personal political gain and not national interest" part other presidents could be accused of, e.g. did Bill Clinton order a bombing to distract from impeachment hearings? "National interest" is ill-defined, and arguably the president is elected to decide what it is.
It's the "use of office directly against a rival for the office" part that no other president has done. Focus on that.
11
I'm glad the sourcing of the true corruption around Ukraine and conspiracy theories about election interference are finally being associated directly with Putin's Russia.
Freedom-loving patriotic Americans should be straining to support Ukraine in its difficult battle to end corruption. Instead, Trump and Republicans are doing their damnedest to promote corruption and reinstate corrupt authorities.
In addition to being a fine ally, Ukraine deserves a chance to follow up on its choice to remove corruption. It's been an arduous effort, and Trump helping Putin put his thumb on the scale to impose profit-taking by his oligarch allies is exactly backwards from any American principles we claim to support.
13
Superb analysis Ms. Rice. As your words make clear, the biggest winner in this Trump political debacle is Vladimir Putin and Russia, not Trump as his supporters believe. Thank you for setting the record straight about former Vice-President Joe Biden. Your sacrifice and service to this country as President Obama's national security advisor is appreciated. Your integrity and honesty are greatly missed. God how I long for that paragon of virtue again in the White House.
40
Follow the money ... from Russian oligarchs to Trump via purchases of property at prices far above fair market value. Does Trump get to keep all the money or is he laundering it and returning some to the Russians?
Remember what Trump's son Eric said back in 2014: “We don’t rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia.”
Pelosi is right that all roads lead to Putin. It is a mistake for the House to write off the Mueller report UNLESS they are keeping it in reserve for another round of impeachment hearings should Trump be re-elected.
43
@SCL
“Follow the money.”
1
Maybe if Obama hadn’t warned Trump about the Russians during the transition, our vain new president may not have been so resistant to the concept of Russian interference. In all likelihood, the Russians had sized up Trump years earlier, but that extra nudge couldn’t have helped.
8
Trump serves the interests of owners and operators of extractive industries by his disinformation campaign on the climate crisis and his destruction of safeguards for air, water, and soil. In doing so he endangers the health and the lives of all Americans.
In Ukraine and Syria he serves the interests of Russia, not the United States. Every day during these hearings he has lied about what he was doing in Ukraine, followed each day by credible witnesses who contradicted those lies.
By his addiction to lying and his attacks on a free press, he undermines democracy, which depends on citizens having access to accurate information about the environment, the economy, and national security.
If these aren't "high crimes", what is?
118
Thank you Susan Rice, please continue to hold up the beacon of truth for all to see. I am grateful for your dedication and service to our country.
185
@Tim Tait You can really see how far the US has dropped under trump by reading Miss Rice. No one of her intellect has ever worked for trump in his circus administration.
2
Great summary and article.
Here it is in its most simplest form: a vote for Trump and the Republicans is a vote for Putin.
The Democrats need to repeat this on a daily if not hourly basis.
339
@Dogs are the best A vote for Trump and any Republican is a vote to destroy our country.
3
In answer to your last sentence. Will we allow Putin to succeed? Unfortunately, I think we already have. And if Donald J Trump wins the 2020 election and has four more years to dismantle a 240 plus year democracy, it may be very difficult to put the genie back in the bottle.
101
Agreed. Those who vote for and support the resident of the White House know what they are doing. In their rabid, unshakable support for that person, they have made it clear that they support Putin’s efforts to dismantle the institutions that compromise the country they claim to love.
3
Please, let’s not forget the power of Fox News’ role in peddling falsehoods amplified by social media. These are dark days indeed despite the gifted professional competency and morality our public servants who testified displayed.
179
Thank you for this clear summary of where we are.
It’s a challenging time, but I’m thankful for clear-minded, talented, and extremely knowledgeable public servants who speak out, come forward, and tell the truth.
49
The best solution to all four issues, Trump’s bribery and extortion of Ukraine, his persecution of the “deep state,” Republican politicians putting loyalty to Trump above the national interest, and Russian influence on Trump is to not just expose crimes but obtain justice—charge Trump’s staff with federal prison to get them to testify and betray Trump. Congress has the power to issue citations of contempt of Congress as well as bring criminal charges of obstruction of justice and bribery to a federal grand jury or prosecutor. Warrants of arrest can be issued to Barr, Mulvaney, Pompeo, and lower staff members involved in the Ukraine affair. Someone is going to do a Michael Cohen and talk, breaking the bond of personal loyalty Trump wields to keep his regime in line. The courts take time, but Americans don’t want exposures of crimes—we want justice and for Trump to stop violating the Constitution. Trump’s abuse of power, lawbreaking, and personal politics like his connection with Putin depend on his hold over the Executive Branch. Getting staffers to betray him, resign, or demand written orders to cover themselves when breaking the law weakens him. Reportedly Mulvaney is willing to testify and Pompeo is troubled by the Ukraine affair. Give them the legal compulsion to testify to lower their sentences.
81
@Bruce Shigeura Nice ideas but Mulvaney has already been subpoenaed but refuses to comply and Pompeo received a subpeona weeks ago for documents but has stonewalled it. Unfortunately, defiance of such subpoenas would be stuck moving through the courts for months if not years, as occurred when Eric Holder was charged with contempt of Congress because he sent only 99% of documents related to the Fast and Furious debacle. Congress would be wasting it's time pursuing enforcement of the subpeonas and the leadership wisely has decided to move forward with the process of impeachment w/o input from Trump's lackeys. Whether they can be forced to testify in the Senate trial is apparently still unclear.
15
@sleepdoc Watergate took 2 years but Nixon resigned and his minions went to prison. Failure to impose arrests and convictions of Trump’s staff to force some of them to testify will empower him when the Senate fails to convict, and render the House Democrats a powerless debate society.
11
As discouraging as our situation is right now, the knowledge that there are principled, intelligent and qualified people like Susan Rice ready to serve in the next administration provides hope. Hopefully the Republicans have gone so far over the edge this time that even the most shallow of American voters will see them for what they are.
72
@Frank Roseavelt Or not.
A formidable thinker. I look forward to reading more of her work.
37
It was tremendously refreshing to see this article by Susan Rice coming so closely on the heels of the testimony of the dedicated and tremendously knowledgeable Fiona Hill, David Holmes, and Marie Yovanovitch. Like these witnesses, Rice is a powerful example of the best in American government. We should all listen to what she says!
185
When the GOP no longer sees anyone outside the own party as having a legitimate right to govern and they’re are transfixed by the cult of Trump we see ourselves upon this precipice.
Will our posterity inherit a functioning democratic-constitutional-republic or will we bequeath to them an autocratic one party system?
I am deeply concerned that we will not see the results from the impeachment that should occur under a healthy functioning republic.
These are indeed sad and concerning times for any who value the US Constitution.
85
We who love our country and appreciate our rights and privileges are not going to just stand by and do nothing! Let's stay informed, speak up and Vote BLUE and never again elect a Republican for any office again. We must beat this evil administration and we can. Let's stay full of hope and courage!
3
From my comments here, it is more than clear that a devil’s advocate argument regarding a possible mole in the case is perceived as support for Trump. That is a shame because most prosecutors welcome the challenge. Tell me what holes there may be and I can decide whether they need fixing.
Most defense attorneys can come up with at least one argument for acquittal in any case. They are better at that than anyone else. Readers would have a better understanding if they said “Bring it on”. Ms Rice argues that the case is complete and seemingly indefensible. But she hasn’t tested it. She has just decided to close the door. An editorial by a good defense attorney would be valuable if people responded rationally rather than emotionally
I try to poke holes in my comments and some replies are good and some are nonsensical. Both kinds quickly become popular whether or not they make sense. The worse time to learn that a hole is a problem is during trial. Now is the for an open mind.
7
@michjas It is possible that Republicans are sitting on their best defense arguments to unveil them at a trial in the Senate. But it's impossible for me to believe that they haven't had the assistance of some pretty high-priced defense lawyers in developing their arguments.
Of course, it complicates argument to have to address legal charges and public opinion at the same time. But corporate lawyers do that all the time.
All cases have holes (I assume that's what you meant)--information is never complete. But those holes are not always sufficient to create reasonable doubt. Thorough analysis of those holes, as you suggest, is simply good practice.
But If what we've seen is the best defense that Republicans can come up with, I don't think they would have a chance in front of a fair jury. In the Senate, however, it might work.
23
@michjas
In this case, wouldn't a defense attorney's main problem be that the accused (Donald Trump) has already confessed to the crime - to reporters on the White House lawn?
2
Power of the Press! I understood that properly placed positive words could help us buy or like something, but missed the awesome power to get us to hate!
Here an author who was front and center in the 2016 campaign against the election of the President continues her hatred of the President and the political party not her own. And we are supposed to treat the attack on the President, even though it is labeled "opinion" as objective analysis.
But my favorite is claiming that only Republicans have abandoned their Congressional jobs and morals, when the truth is that BOTH parties have abandoned any semblance of work ethic and morality in this most vicious of political battles.
Shame on our Congress and shame on us for electing them!
8
Since when is blind obedience and fawning praise on any president, even if he helps to divide and weaken our nation and serve our adversaries’ interests at the expense of our national security all while weakening or destroying our institutions and laws, a mark of patriotism or service to our country and its republic?
10
@Tom Mariner sorry, but nope. The “both sides” argument just don’t exist in this particular case. At all.
8
@Tom Mariner Sorry, Tom, but the onus of denial and deflect for the president subverting the constitution by using his position to bribe a foreign leader sits squarely with Trump and his enablers. There is no false-equivalency here.
7
Whenever the POTUS speaks he speaks for the US Government. He speaks for the Pentagon and all military personnel, foreign policy, economic policy, and all who are employed by the executive branch. When Trump elevates someone whom the military views as a murderer to the level of national hero, he speaks for us all. Are we really comfortable with that?
32
Here are the real 4 lessons of impeachment:
1. The Senate won't remove Trump.
2. The Senate won't remove Trump.
3. The Senate won't remove Trump; and
4. The Senate won't remove Trump.
Oh, and a fifth: Trump could win reelection.
24
@BT
I hope the Senate doesn't convict and we can toss him in a landslide next year.
Regardless, trump will go down in history F-O-R-E-V-E-R as being only the 3rd potus in history as being impeached. And I'll bet historians record it as being the ONLY impeachment for legitimate cause.
I predict he'll take the Nixon off-ramp.
3
@BT "bothsidesism" only works if both sides are doing something.
2
That could happen anyway. Better to impeach him and expose his crimes, and the disrespect of our nation’s laws and Constitution to boot in the Senate.
2
The most overwhelming (in a positive way) aspect of the impeachment hearings to me is how immigrants are portraying "American" values in ways that "native" born Americans are not.
124
@Bville Grl - Yes! And not immigrating from Switzerland, Quebec, Australia, etc. either. Each brilliant young mind had been traumatized, quite an indelible common denominator. And motivator, thank goodness.
17
Here is ratification that the "impeachment" and Russia-gate programs are indeed special interest, DNC operations. Rice is the de jure partisan servant of her master's 8-year campaign--and its annuity.
7
@Matt Andersson This is an ad hominem argument against a woman who has been a powerful and dedicated servant of American democratic interests. The politics of personal destruction are exactly what Putin wants to see in this country.
77
@Matt Andersson So, the DNC did a secret, corrupt operation to steal and leak its own server information, to undermine Hillary's campaign?
2
@Matt Andersson
Oh dear - I'll have a slice of pizza gate and wine.
2
Please let’s qualify Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
It was more interference in the minds of social media users than in the actual mechanics of the elections. They effectively got many, many people to stay away, leading to one of the lowest turnouts of a Presidential election,
Many states, including Minnesota, have stated that there was no interference in the actual mechanics of the elections or the results.
3
@Melvyn Magree Yes, most of the interference was just free speech and targeted advertising of American's favorite pastime: conspiracy thinking.
1
@Melvyn Magree It was so much more than that and as a citizen you should know what was involved. Read the Mueller report or do a simple google search - https://www.wired.com/story/did-russia-affect-the-2016-election-its-now-undeniable/
2
In my not so humble opinion here is what I think the Dems should do. Hang the Repubs by their own petard. Declare they don't have the support in the Senate to go forward with a trial yet. They need Giuliani, Bolton, Pompeo and Mulvaney to testify plus all the documents the WH is withholding to get the whole story. They plan to subpoena those people and documents and go through the court process to get their testimony no matter how long it takes so they can do the job of impeachment properly. This way they have done right thing, but don't have to face certain defeat in the Senate that Trump can use as a claim of innocence. If they succeed getting those witnesses to testify, so much the better. If not, they've stalled until the clock runs out on Trump's term and he has no way to claim vindication. What do you think?
382
@Erica Manfred
I certainly believe that impeachment should be done out of a desire to seek the full truth and act on it if required. In that sense, they should take as long as they need to get testimony and documents from all relevant parties.
However, with regards to Trump claiming vindication, he's going to make something up no matter what. Perhaps the best outcome here, assuming the Senate will not vote to convict him (which would be ideal), is that they vote to censure him. It will be a very public slap on the wrist. It might be enough to prevent his reelection if the censure declaration gets repeated in political ads over and over again.
24
@Erica Manfred
YOur plan make political sense, but there's more at stake here... the affirmation of principles and law that will be necessary far beyon the era of Trump. That's why he needs to be tatpped in history forever with the mark of impeachment. Donald I (for Impeached) Trump
7
@MJ No. “Censure” is definitely not enough. Not for what he’s done for the entire last three years. The Ukraine issue is simply the icing on the mile-high cake of malfeasance and illegalities. Trump and his entire family spitting on our Constitution, day in and day out.
The Republican Party is shrinking at what should be an alarming rate. So when you see the pundits say that Trump “enjoys a 90% approval in the GOP,” we’re talking about a LOT less people in that party than there were 4 years ago.
We need to engineer a complete landslide next year if we’re going to save our country.
26
Stellar article! A brilliant and principled public servant. What a contrast to the current cast of characters that the President has assembled to do the business of the nation.
113
‘The only question is whether WE will allow it.’ What is our freedom worth? Will WE demand better? Will we?
45
I am sad to say that I was at the airport when Sondland was testifying and I saw only one person among several dozen tuning in. On such a momentous day, it seemed to reflect our lack of civic engagement.
27
@Karen
Our democratic mettle (a person's or group's ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way.) will be tested in far more dire ways in the not to distant future. Self serving, sycophantic republicans will stop at nothing, even violence to other Americans, to insure that our amoral, vicious, lying, cowardly bully of a president remains in power. This impeachment hearing is nothing compared to what's coming. Buckle up! As an 71 year old adult, I have lived through the Kent State murders committed by our own National Guard, The brutal horseback beatings of protesters at San Francisco State, Nixon & Kissinger prolonging the Vietnam War (22,000 additional American boys and girls died unnecessarily) and Nixon and Watergate, Iran Contra, & Bill Clinton. And now the unmitigated evil we are witnessing with the current administration and the worst is yet to come. I hope I am wrong.
4
It should be mentioned as well that all the testimonies are consistent with each other, notwithstanding efforts by President Trump and Republican Party members to discredit each individual deposition. Collectively, they provide overwhelming and corroborative evidence of President Trump's corrupt intent.
65
Hunter Biden's involvement has had tragic consequences for America and it is not true he did nothing wrong. That can't be true because he was pulling down a huge remuneration from a Ukrainian company and his father was VP. None of this exonerates Trump, but it is also crucial to admit wrong doing on the Democratic side. It simply is not true, cannot be true, that the Bidens did nothing wrong. Unfortunately it muddies the waters and helps to obscure Trump's profound corruption.
10
@David
With all due respect, nepotism is not illegal. It may not be fair but the old adage, “it’s not what you know, but who you know” is hard to disavow. After all charity begins at home, right, and after all what would Trump kids do if it weren’t for daddy? In fact, would we even have a President Trump in the first place if it weren’t for the nepotism practiced by his father. Practicing nepotism may not be fair but it is not illegal. Illegal is withholding crucial national security monies in an effort to cheat on your upcoming national election.
44
@David Except, Joe Biden was veep, he cannot and would not have been able to decide things unilaterally unlike trump. Joe was enacting the policy consensus of Congress, the Whitehouse, and the International Monetary Fund when he asked for the resignation of Poroshenko.
38
@David
Really?
How can it not be true? Because if they did, they certainly wouldn't have gotten away with it.
7
Ambassador, I think your question is already answered. Putin has extensively succeeded in weakening American standing in the world. The true winners now are China and Russia who continue to expand their influence globally.
66
Fiona Hill was a revelation. Before her testimony this week I had no idea she even existed. After watching her for only a few hours it is clear that her character and political skills far outshine most on both sides of the aisle. As a boy I thought all top officials behaved as she did.
I am puzzled by two statements which continue to be resurrected on different news programs. One is the old question of do the Russians have anything on President Trump given his clear desire to put Russia's priorities over those of our nation? The other question is can the Democrats make a strong case that Trump's actions regarding Ukraine were impeachable and not just misguided?
With regards to the first assertion, those of us who believe Trump conspired with the Russians and not just colluded, it's clear that the Russians have at least one guillotine hanging over Trump's head- they have irrefutable evidence Trump conspired with Russia and Wikileaks.
With regards to the second puzzlement, as much as I despise Trump on many levels I try to be fair. I think the evidence and the Constitution are 90% + clear that Trump committed an impeachable act. But there is a reason why Al Capone was convicted of tax fraud. Mob bosses speak and act in vague terms. There may be a crack in this part of the impeachment.
But there is no crack in obstruction of justice to subvert Congress as an article of impeachment. Trump maliciously tried to keep them from fulfilling their constitutional oversight duty.
129
@Joe oh dont worry we can definitely get trump on tax fraud there is so much evidence out there haha.
The breadth and depth of Donald Trump’s corruption might warrant a boundless investigation and Articles of Impeachment, but the following is the best strategy.
First, return Articles for abuse of power, bribery, and contempt/obstruction of Congress relative to the Ukraine scandal.
Second, return Articles relative to the President’s status as an unindicted co-conspirator in the hush-money payments to his mistresses during and after the 2016 election.
These “bookends” would tie together a number of things.
First, it supports the narrative that “Trump cheated to win in 2016,” “Trump tried to cheat and will cheat to win in 2020,” and cheating in elections is acceptable to Republicans.
Second, it supports the narrative that Trump is the product of Republicans who have rigged the system with gerrymandering, voter suppression, Citizens United, dark money, Fox News, and social media propaganda so a minority can reign over the majority.
Third, it furthers the argument that the Electoral College is being used by Republicans to decide elections even though their Republican candidates receive millions of fewer votes.
Finally, it ties the President’s use of Russian propaganda to undermine the integrity of the 2020 election with his use of Russian propaganda to win the 2016 election.
As Republican Senators cast their votes, it is essential that the message is broadened beyond Trump to how a small minority of Americans are rigging the system to deprive the majority of their rights.
83
What we now and will continue to see is that our system of checks and balances is only as good as the individuals who are part of it. House Republicans, although a minority, have uniformly supported Trump. And although Senate Republicans have not yet had their word, there is no doubt that they will speak as one voice, defending Donald. Just this week, Trump had a private meeting with a few Republican Senators, including Mitt Romney - not a big Trump fan - and there’s little mystery about what was discussed, and how things will proceed.
No doubt, Putin wants, and will do anything, to undermine the premise of our democracy. But the truth is, he doesn’t have to. The GOP is a bigger threat to our governance than Russia and any propaganda.
113
@NM
Cicero always warned that the enemy within was of far greater danger.
1
While what is written is obvious to some of us, there are those who support Trump who manage to spin this to their advantage. After Sondland's testimony, which in the media, was touted as more or less proving that Trump was guilty as charged, Trump was out on the lawn of the WH claiming it proved he was innocent. His favorite fake news channel, Fox, echoed those sentiments. There is nothing anyone can say that will convince Trumpeteers that he is guilty. The GOP are complaining, at every turn, that the proceedings are not fair. They were the ones who made the rules while trying to impeach Clinton. They are without honor.
48
@S.L. It is shameful too how they categorize the witnesses as "cherry picked" by the Democrats when the president is the one who has prevented testimony by his minions. It is not a good look.
2
One can only wish that the GOP and their supporters would learn from these lessons - even maybe just one or two or them.
Instead they are learning they can ignore reality and chalk it up to fake news, or in the case of the Republican politicians just take advantage of the system and their loyal flock.
They have no shame and it’s amazing they can get away with this.
22
Wait! "They" haven't gotten away with anything yet other than waking Americans up to just how much the GOP worships DJT. Let's not give up and give in; we have too much at stake! Stay informed.Vote BLUE!
2
"Ask not what your Country can do for you, Ask what can you do for your Country" is proven timeless..Does this Country want Givers or Takers to Serve-- former is Congruent, not the latter.
6
These words echo those of Lincoln in his inaugural speech and at Gettysburg.
America is divided against itself
Mr Trump is levering the constitution from our country, and holding us apart, along with virtually all his party.
Mr Putin recognizes the political fulcrum swung his way.
Each day, America is tipped closer to failing and falling...with Mr Trump invariably pushing us towards that edge.
43
All the more reason to fix our electoral structures. It's projected that 18% of the country will control the Senate by 2030. In other words, our Senate no longer serves the people but themselves and only care about the minority that can elect them, not the nation.
Let alone.......the money that keeps politicians in power and unresponsive to their constituents.
2 out of the past 5 elections have gone to the minority of voters. Our Supreme Court is now a minority court if they follow their politics, not their oaths of office.
If we can resolve the disaster that Trump and his minions have wrought, we can use Trump as a fault tester.
26
@Susan The Senate exists to represent the States and State interests. Unfortunately that fact was lost with the passage of the 17th Amendment. The Electoral College works as it was intended and to not drown out non-city voters. As for the Supreme Court, it has been used by certain elements to approve items not addressed by the Constitution and not written into law by our do-nothing Congress. The Supreme Court does us all a disservice when they approve laws that Congress "meant to say when writing it, but did not.
8
I agree with what Susan Rice wrote, except one thing: Russia, while is trying to pit American neighbors against each other, is not to blame: It is us Americans who allow it.
We are not mindless addicts to conspiracy theories or other influences as written by pundits ad naseum: The election of 2016 and its consequences is a result of a revolt by half the country that the political and business elites rather seek profits on investments in corrupt anti-democratic regimes (like China) than support an industrial policy that benefits the US.
16
@Linus
" The election of 2016 and its consequences is a result of a revolt by half the country that the political and business elites rather seek profits on investments in corrupt anti-democratic regimes (like China) than support an industrial policy that benefits the US."
Some revolt. Look what we got. Even more horrible business and political elites seeking top profit.
Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.
7
@Linus Does that mean they have the right to take it out on their neighbors that have nothing to do with that? Does it mean they should allow trump to tear the WH down? He is part of what they supposedly hate. He's the one giving the hand shakes to the already wealthy and moving his OWN businesses abroad. They are siding with the enemy because they can't think for themselves. They picked trump because they hated Black Obama but will someone like Mayor Pete become prez as a way to get back at the self proclaimed Christians? The hate filled Christians wanted to enslave human beings and the hate filled today want to enslave utilizing religion as a means. This is between right and wrong evil and good just like back then. We are fighting for justice and the greater good. But we can't fight by not doing anything. We can't just accept what they dish out. Hong Kong, Puerto Rico.. We need to take cues.
If Trump could arrest those in the Administration who testified against his instructions, he would. Which is all the more reason Congress should hold the holdouts - Bolton, Mulvaney, Pompeo and Guiliani - in Contempt of Congress and use its arrest powers to bring them to justice.
108
@Mark
They could probably even rent prison cells from the District of Columbia.
1
Writing about the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson in the Smithsonian magazine, Annette Gordon-Reed says, "The confrontation between Johnson and the men who wanted to remove him from office, the so-called Radical Republicans, was a fight over the future direction of the United States; a fight with implications that reverberate to this day. "
Readers take heart: we've been here before. And despite all the differences from then to now (social media, Putin propaganda machines, a corrupt and morally as well as politically confused Attorney general...), the Republic will survive, the Constitution will abide, the balance of powers will sustain us, and our union will be strengthened. I say all this, and believe it, even knowing that Trump will not be impeached, despite running what everyone knows was an extortion racket out of the oval office. (Even my kids can see that. One may not be able to prove it, but plausible deniability isn't a new game in D.C.)
In their hearts, even the rabid Trumpets love liberty more than tyranny and they may not bail on the Donald, but they will awaken to the way we are being played by the master global chess player, Vlad.
My most fervent hope at this moment is that they awaken from the dogmatic slumber sooner rather than later.
23
Trump may not be convicted in the Senate, but he most assuredly will be impeached by the House.
Language matters, even if many Americans have forgotten their junior high school civics lessons.
I recommend an earlier commenter’s suggestion that Trump be repeatedly impeached. As more malfeasance and crimes come to light, vote more Articles out. Keep the Senate busy.
3
@Michael If you feel hopeful it's because you're not paying attention.
1
It is interesting that they accuse the Democrats of engaging in a Soviet-style show trial while they aid and abet a leader who, during the Soviet Union, was a member of the KGB. I cannot think of any greater symbol of the oppression that Russians and other members of the former Soviet Union lived under.
Communism may be dead in Russia, but authoritarianism certainly is not. As someone who studied a bit of Russian in college, I had the great fortune to spend two and a half years living there from March 1996 to October 1998. It was a very difficult time for ordinary Russians, and we cannot diminish the crime and corruption of the time, but the press was free, and there was real opposition in the government. That is certainly no longer the case, as the murder of Boris Nemtsov, once a possible successor to Yeltsin, so chillingly demostrated.
Perhaps I am one of those naive idealists who truly believes that Communism needed to be defeated because it was oppressive to human rights and antithetical to a free society. Did we win the battle of the Cold War only to lose the grand war against democracy and open society?
35
You may be an idealist, but you are naive if you do not see that unrestrained, unregulated corporate capitalism is just as bad a system as communism. It too must be destroyed and replaced by a Social Democracy.
Both communism and corporate capitalism make a few people obscenely wealthy at the expense of the rest of society.
Both are systems where the actual power to govern and make laws is in the hands of a small elite.
Both are systems that believe the ends justify the means.
Both are systems that abhor real competition in favor of monopoly.
Capitalism has no morality in its pursuit of profits unless restrained by a functioning democratic government that expresses the wishes of a the real majority.
America today is a rich country full of poor people. Unrestrained corporate capitalism will destroy anything in its path to maximizing profits, including the destruction of the middle class.
So far, a Capitalistic Social Democracy is the only system proven to improve the quality of life of all citizens by making sure corporations serve the needs of the people so the people are not slaves to the corporations.
4
Just a bit of history, despite overthrowing the Czar, the Russian Foreign Ministry/Service remained consistent it its attempts to subvert and control Europe as a whole. The former "Soviet bloc" as is was known, consisted of countries whose economy was decimated in order to serve the beast.
Attempts against Soviet rule were crushed: Hungary in 1956, Czechoslovakia in 1968. Soviets supported radical groups during the period of terror in Europe. They also started infiltrating and supporting different groups in the Middle East, and they were always friendly with Iran.
So what to do?
Write, e-mail, twitter to your elected officials and let them know what you want, vote every time there is any kind election city, county, state or school board.
All of our lives depend on it.
18
The four lessons of Impeachment.
1) Washington continues to be partisan since the unnecessary impeachment of a very able president bill Clinton.
2) The US tax payers support a very large redundant bureaucracy.
3) The US tax payers support a large amount of military aid to members of the former Soviet Union minus Russia.
4) Witnesses without first hand credible information or direct contact with the accused president should never be brought before the committee. It is a colossal waste of time and resources
7
@Girish Kotwal is there any credible evidence of a "large redundant bureaucracy"? If so, please provide a reference. Also, perhaps you are unaware that the president has ordered those with the most direct contact with him in this affair to remain silent. I suspect they have something to hide, otherwise they would come forward to clear him.
26
@Girish Kotwal
Agree with #1. #2 possibly, #3 and #4 shows you have no clue to what makes America an exceptional and necessary nation for world democracy.
1
@Girish Kotwal
There were 4 people who testified this week who had FIRST HAND knowledge of Donald Trump's crimes, Perhaps you were napping when they testified under oath:
National Security Counsil expert on Ukraine, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, was listening to Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukraine's President Zelensky.
VP Mike Pence's aide, Jennifer Williams, was listening to Trump's July 25 phone call.
Former senior official with the National Security Council, Tim Morrison, was listening to Trump's July 25 phone call.
Trump's hand-picked Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, testified that he was given direct orders by President Trump to tell Zelensky that American military aid was dependent on Zelensky announcing an investigation into "the Bidens".
3
This cogent treatise is must reading for everyone who cares about America. That would exclude most Republicans.
26
The sad thing is this: There were no lessons learned. Those capable of critical thinking knew, or highly suspected all this already. Those who support trump refuse to know it. At least it records the facts and the Republican response to facts for posterity.
20
Any reasonable person would agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of the hearings and the situation trump has created with his lies and criminal activity. But we are dealing with a country whose citizens and politicians prefer to ignore the facts and the truth, blinded by some kind of indescribable, cultish idolatry of a very deranged man. The world has seen this before and it does not end well. I have lost all hope that good will win over evil this time.
40
I'm trying to take something positive away from your analysis.
1. Our President has exploited his power for personal gain by manipulating our diplomats and leaders of other countries. Bad, but he'll be gone soon.
2. Our "career" administrators, diplomats, and technocrats are competent but they are being driven out of government to be replaced by know-nothing sycophants. Very Bad as it will take a long time to ferret out the Trump'sters and replace them.
3. One of the two dominant political parties are entirely under the sway of a lying, power-abusing president. Bad, they've sold their souls to the devil and the payment will be a long-lived purgatory for the GOP.
4. Putin choreographed everything, according to a Russian script, and nearly half of the country have performed "prevoskhodno" (admirably). Very Bad, as it will take a long time for those 40million people to learn and then believe the truth.
I'm trying, but I can not.
41
@JFR The most positive thing I noted, and it is positive indeed, is that our government contains many dedicated, non-partisan, and patriotic public servants who are unafraid to speak truth to power.
23
@Gordon
agreed, but they're leaving in droves!
4
The dispositive issue for American society is how long can we tolerate the degenerate essence of the Republican party before our system of government collapses. The mendacious rants of Devin Nunez and Jim Jordan symbolize a political party where truth has been replaced by rancid falsehood, and the resultant stench permeates our political system. The formerly Grand Old Party has been superseded by a political crime family whose ultimate goal is naked power. Ethics and integrity are endangered species and are approaching extinction.
81
@Don Shipp.
We can only hope that jordan and nunez are put in siberia when the russians come to fully take us over.
1
It's now abundantly clear that the so called "deep state" is open, transparent, and collaborative across agencies and across political parties. OTOH, Mr. Trump's activities, like Mr. Reagan's Sandinista activities, are deeply dark and hidden from the light of day.
22
Not a single witness testified that President Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine "to compel President Zelensky to open, or at least announce, investigations." Of the three U.S. officials directly involved in talks with the Ukrainians, two (Volker and Morrison) testified there was no quid pro quo, bribery or extortion.
Ambassador Sondland testified there was no quid pro quo attached to military assistance, but that there was a quid pro quo attached to a presidential phone call and a presidential meeting. But Sondland wavered under questioning. When Rep. Mike Turner asked Sondland: "No one on this planet told you that this aid was tied to investigations. Yes or no?” Sondland answered: “Yes.”
Sondland then explained: “The way it was expressed to me was that the Ukrainians had a long history of committing to things privately and then never following through, so President Trump, presumably—again communicated through Mr. Giuliani—wanted the Ukrainians on record publicly that they were going to do these investigations. That’s the reason that was given to me.”
Giuliani has disputed Sondland testimony. And all the Ukrainians deny there was any pressure or blackmail.
6
Wrong. Volker recanted the stance that he took in his closed-door deposition (“no quid pro quo”) and acknowledged that, in fact, the plan was to withhold both the meeting with President tRump and the approved military aid until the “investigations” were publicly announced. His personal dodge, which vastly strains credulity, was to claim that he did not recognize that those investigations were aimed at the Bidens. Nice try, but that dog don’t hunt.
30
@William Case
"Not a single witness testified that President Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine "to compel President Zelensky to open, or at least announce, investigations."
You must have been watching the alternative impeachment hearings.
Because during the ones I watched they did indeed testify to that.
26
@Wild O
That's not true. Sondland explained: “The way it was expressed to me was that the Ukrainians had a long history of committing to things privately and then never following through, so President Trump, presumably—again communicated through Mr. Giuliani—wanted the Ukrainians on record publicly that they were going to do these investigations. That’s the reason that was given to me.” It was a presumption/
1
Thank you so much for this clear and well written piece.
I cannot understand what is keeping the more principled Republican Senators quiet. Is it the fear of losing their next election? The loss of our Democracy will be the result of their cowardice.
26
@AB what is keeping them is not only fear of losing but lack of trust in basic American values and decency.
8
The Republicans in Congress are now doing Putin's work too. As with Trump, their minds have been poisoned by KGB talking points.
I can't believe where the Republicans have taken this democracy.
We must vote straight Democratic in 2020.
39
I want a Dem White House, a Dem Senate, and a Dem House. Is the path to this goal removing Trump from office? Or would backlash over his acquittal win us back both Senate and White House?
18
"...it is now abundantly apparent that most Republicans in Congress have abandoned all semblance of serving the national interest..."
This has been apparent for years. The GOP is a crime syndicate posing as a political party. What alarms me is that so many Democratic politicians and media pundits still play the game, pretend that the Republicans are acting in good faith, and that Trump is an aberration. We have to face this demon or it will destroy us.
31
I'm afraid Putin has already succeeded in dismantling our democracy, and Trump is busy destroying our standing as a global leader. Our democracy is no longer.
15
@Steve Horn
Don't agree. It is under attack, but we have seen worse in the past. And what we saw this week were dedicated Americans doing their jobs. Remember that while there is a hard-core segment of the population that is willing to go down the rabbit hole with Trump, the majority of Americans do *not* support the guy. Furthermore, there is virtually zero support for Trump among younger voters, and that is our future. All of the demographic groups that support Trump are the ones in decline. In my view, this is why they are so hard-core; they want "their" country back -- but in the long run there are more of us, and its our country too.
11
There is really one ONE lesson from the impeachment hearings and that is that a substantial minority of Americans are abysmally ignorant and are unable to evaluate any complex information beyond the three-word mantras fed to them by Fox news and Trump. If your message is any longer than "build the wall" or "lock her up" you can't penetrate that wall of ignorance.
This is not to say that Democrats weren't obligated to try and I am not criticizing their effort. They did the best they could. I am proud to call myself a Democrat because the impeachment effort was never in their interests, yet they had no choice but to defend our democracy from the criminal in the White House.
48
Bolton, AWOL; Pompeo AWOL; Barr, AWOL; etc.
Until and unless witnesses testify, the United States Constitution is at risk, as is our democracy.
Mr. Bolton, have you left no sense of decency??
Mr. Pompeo, have you left no sense of decency??
Mr. Barr, have you left no sense of decency??
The nation is waiting.
43
It is difficult to comprehend an entire political party all gathered willingly under the same tin-foil tent, parroting one excuse after another as the prior excuse (or debunked theory) withers away when exposed to the light of day or the testimony of a no-nonsense foreign service officer. Where are the independent thinkers? Where is the mirror that reveals how ridiculously naive and cowardly they appear to the rest of us?
18
Very well put. Now we need a breakdown of the reasons that millions of Americans enthusiastically support a president who is tearing down the so-called administrative state and in effect supporting the efforts of Russia to take down American democracy. It would seem like a president who is in effect working to further the interests of Russia rather than the US would be easy to beat in an election yet the Democrats aren't sure they can defeat Trump. Why aren't more American flocking to the support a party that works for American foreign policy interest? Have we reached the point that Americans have just thrown in the towel on this country and don't really care what happens as long that personal agenda is taken care of such as white supremacy, breakdown of the wall between church and state, making abortion illegal, stopping all gun control legislation, etc. Does democratic government no longer really matter to tens of millions of Americans?
985
@Bob
Easy come, easy go.
Compared to so many other parts of the world, overall (all things are relative), Americans lead a pretty good life. When things are handed to you - such as being born in the USA and just assuming the things will go OK-enough (e. g. you will not be automatically jailed and shot for protesting action of any administration) you just don't think about all the issues and privileges we have, simply by being born here
We assume our system is as constant as the air we breathe and we don't have to do anything to breath the air - it's just there . It's often the case that people only appreciate something that they've had to work hard for.
Perhaps, if our entire democratic system breaks down, thanks to trump, Republican officials, and the trump base, and someday we have to work Really Hard to bring back a democratic way of life, we will appreciate it - for a while anyway - until, once again, it's all taken for granted.
156
@Susan
This is why it is important for more North Americans to travel to third world counties and witness first hand how the majority of the world's population lives. I did that in my early twenties and spent 10 months in North West Africa visiting and living in numerous countries. This is when I learned being born a white male in North America I had already won the lottery in life. I have passed this insight on to my two daughters who have traveled and had their own eyes opened.
When you have visited another land and enjoyed their music, food and culture it is much easier to see the world as one big family with diverse members.
119
@Bob
For a few too many their government takes a back seat to pizza, beer and football. It is our democracy to lose and we just may do so.
138
This excellent clear summary of impeachment takeaways fails to address the true challenge: how to reopen the minds of Republicans to these 4 lessons. Those I speak with willfully ignore abuse of power, as they are convinced Democrats did the same; they do not see honest witnesses and support efforts to tear down the administrative system; they applaud aggressive lies as more palatable than hard truths; and they regard Russia as less an enemy than Democrats. How do we move millions of fellow citizens to see more of this reality, which those of my acquaintance clearly don't want to see?
19
There will never be an impeachment vote in the House.
Doing so immediately opens up not just the winesses banned by certain ego-driven impersonators of leaders, but those leaders themselves who had contact months ago with leakers/whistleblowers are certain to be called as witnesses.
An ounce of truth applied to such people will end their political careers.
Since the Senate is far too patriotic to vote to convict a fellow patriot and job-creator, the Senate will never have the chance to respond in kind to the grossly-misled House.
Thanks to the NYT for helping lock in the Prez for re-election.
2
@L osservatore I would love to see the "real" testimony under oath in the House or Senate of those you you feel have the truth. But we won't see Trump, Pence, Pompeo , Perry etc. testify. It will be curious to see what kind of kangaroo court the senate will conduct. They can't call the above people for fear of the truth. They can't call the Democrats "cherry picked" witnesses (people of integrity that were willing to testify no matter the cost to their personal careers and even safety. ) I don't think the senate has thought this through yet, but it won't look good if they don't have any testimony at all.
9
@L osservatore
Obviously you listened to Fox TV rather than the hearings. If Trump is innocent, why has he prohibited all possibly exculpatory testimony by Mulvaney, Pompeo, Pence, Perry and their staff? The only conclusion is that there are no exculpatory facts and Trump is guilty as evidenced in his own transcript of the damning call.
2
One point in this article bears repeating: those who complied with Congressional subpoenas and testified not only stuck up for the rule of law but put their careers and possibly personal safety on the line. Trump, Fox News, and the entire gang of craven, know-nothing Republicans who serve at his beck and call are not only willing to sacrifice the safety and security of Ukrainians for their own personal gain but of actual Americans. They are willing to lie not just to save their Dear Leader but to bring down any who would shed light upon his malfeasance.
23
Excuse me but they are all very depressing indeed!
How can these “lessons” be regarded in any light other than the Republicans see nothing at all?
What, exactly, is not depressing here?
13
I'm sharing this brilliant summary with those of my friends who voted for Trump, wayward though they were. Then I want an apology from them and a promise that they'll never do it again, should he get to run again. A fond wish perhaps but worth a try.
10
My wish is that the politicians (and the public) forget the trees and look at the health of the forest. This impeachment process is NOT about Donald J. Trump. The same is true for Clinton and Nixon. The sitting President is merely the vehicle. The issue is defining the Office of the President, the Executive Branch. We have established that it is not OK for the President to have an affair with an underling working in his/her office and then to commit perjury when testifying. We have established that it is not OK for the President to obstruct Justice, to hold Congress in contempt, and to abuse his power in his attempt to illegally obtain information that would benefit his campaign.
You see, the impeachment process certainly felt like a personal attach on the individual to Nixon and Clinton, but the process was about what future presidents could or could not do while holding the Office of the President.
So Trump has provide an opportunity to tell future Presidents that soliciting assistance from a foreign government domestic, political information that is compromising is NOT OK. He has provided an opportunity to tell future Presidents that stonewalling in a constitutionally mandated congressional effort and obstruction of justice is not OK.
So this is not about President Trump. This is about a thousand future Presidents.
23
@Paul Loeffleri Wouldn't it be ironic if a foreign power helped a Democrat win the election in 2020! What would the GOP say then?
@Paul Loeffleri well reasoned and correct. Thank you.
1
I agree with everything Susan Rice states here, but what is depressing is that the upside down GOP narrative resonates with so many of my fellow Americans- the conservative politicians are simply doing what their constituents demand of them and they are collectively behaving like lawyers glibly defending a client they know is guilty.
I've long since given up on such politicians to behave via motivations beyond their personal interests after seeing how they've promoted global warming denial for the last 15 years.
However, if the American people are unable to see through all of this by a large enough percentage to overcome even the undemocratic structure of our constitution that's given us presidential leadership contrary to the will of the people for most of the 21st century, then we will continue to have the government we deserve.
Men like Trump have always been among us- he is not the primary issue, he is a symptom of our failure as a people and our nation.
18
Putin, The (1%), and the big corporations have pretty much already succeeded. Follow the money. Putin wants power and the corporations want all the money they can get by buying politicians votes with Super Pac donations. Any GOP senator that goes against Trump or the GOP will be illuminated in the primaries by a lack of donations and a flood of donations to their competition. Party/Trump first, Re-election next, and the people of america last. The Citizens United law needs to be Amended out of use, all election seasons shortened, and political donations limited to as small of an amount as possible or eliminated all together.
16
While describing the Presidents foreign policy with derision we must remember the continuous failures and inaction of the one she worked for.From Libya to Syria and Ukraine to Russia ,no action or failed policy was the reputation gained by the former President and administration.The failures and undecided motives being too numerous to begin to cite here the results were millions of times more devastating to the country.In Libya a coup against Quadaffi and secret weapons shipments to terrorists without authorization from congress caused the brutal murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens and eventual development of the Islamist state.Reluctance by Rices boss to enter into the fray very early in Syria could of ,again,after Libya ,saved millions of lives of civilians and refugees.Without touching upon dozens of moves around congress and the Biden money from Ukraine ,which amounts to millions and not only the few cents Rice perpetuates to describe as innocent childs' play,the only remark is ,exclamation,Please.
6
@Alan Einstoss Thank you Alan. Finally a voice that is not in the echo chamber of all the other comments. Yes, Susan Rice has an agenda and fails to acknowledge the same behavior during her tenure: Using the IRS to target conservative and pro-Israeli organizations. Eric Holder and Lois Lerner ignoring subpoenas. Loretta Lynch sabotaging the Hillary Clinton investigation. A red line in Syria??
1
A clear statement.
It is very likely that the USSR began installing handlers into the US over fifty years ago to buy people to become members of Congress. Perhaps they used the evangelicals. Now Republicans in the employ of Putin are afraid of certain personal damage should they not obey orders.
Too possible. Too likely.
Makes it really tough to root it out.
But discovering the truth of it can only begin if we allow our minds to imagine the possibility that it is true.
18
@Laurence Countering Trump’s conspiracy theories with equally unfounded ones aimed against him is worse than useless. Fiona Hill meticulously laid out what the Russians are doing. It’s a bad idea to muddy those waters. Besides, they’ve figured out that they don’t need to buy politicians. They can weaken America very effectively by sowing misinformation and discord on Facebook and other social media platforms. Insidiousness comes cheap these days.
3
Republicans in the senate will not vote to impeach Trump unless they view it as in their self-interest to do so. They don't, and unless something dramatic happens, they won't.
15
We need an amendment to the constitution making the Attorney General an independent elected official. This way Presidents will not be able to commit crimes with impunity. Nor will the elected Attorney General be forced to have a policy of not indicting a president.
22
IMHO, there is only thing lacking from this incisive and powerful analysis: why is Trump doing all these things which benefit Putin? It is admittedly speculative and sounds conspiratorial but I have wondered for some time what kind of info Putin has on Trump which has compromised Trump’s ability to confront Putin for all of the destructive things he has done. Trump’s tax returns may provide this missing link. Or they may not. In either case it seems clear Trump must be removed for the safety of our country.
44
Too many articles have been published that tell of how Trump has been rescued many times by real-estate deals. He has been bought and paid for by Putin for a long time now, and he learned obedience in the process.
11
One half of the country might find overwhelming evidence of a crime from these hearings but the other half sees this in a completely different way. This was made clear to me when I listened to callers on C-SPAN (I think in-between Sondland's testimony). On the Republican line, callers complained of hearsay, lack of evidence, a giant farce etc. This is a different time from before when people were able to see red for red and not call it green. Hard to understand how we are going to change that.
34
I suspect FOX is also an arm of the Putin machine. Bought and paid for right out of Russia. If not then there is too much insanity loose in the world.
We have been too complacent for many decades. It needs to be acknowledged and addressed.
9
The truth is we need Trump and his Republican enablers out, and people like the ones who testified against him (and them), and of course Susan Rice, back in the United States government.
17
Best, most concise analysis I've seen this week. Bravo.
How educational for the American public to witness that "civil servants" appear to have more integrity, intelligence, work ethic, and maturity/self-control than politicians.
44
@Teri Chace
Perhaps partly because civil servants are not elected but rather are appointed by competent people.
10
I hope that young people are paying attention. We have been struggling with this situation in various forms for a long time. (Anti Immigration Hoover in the 19-teens to Joseph McCarthy to Reagan, etc...) encompassing homophobia, racial bias, anti-immigrant. I know that the younger generation is super smart so I want new insight here. In the end it's peace we want, not to inflame more and more.
13
The plain truth, as we are reminded by Ms. Rice is that Donald Trump and his Republican enablers have abandoned patriotism and principle for the sake of personal gain.
Donald Trump has worked to the benefit of Russia in debunking what should be accepted truth about Russia's efforts to subterfuge our democracy. But he has also sold out the Ukrainians, the Kurds, the Syrians to appease his personal demons. What sort of person would do this?
All Americans must continue to examine events and narratives analytically, and to speak truth to power, must have naive faith in the power of truth.
37
Putting the party before country and integrity should be a game-changer. But when voters in states with enough electoral votes are willing to ignore misogyny, racism, homophobia, opacity with regard to his taxes, a Steven Seagal attitude toward the law, and general indecency, it’s hard to believe those same people will care about “institutions.”
The Senate isn’t going to vote this guy out. Even if they were willing to convict, it’s more important that We, the People, vote this guy out.
26
This is a phenomenal piece. The Republican members of Congress are the polar opposite of the brave and selfless professionals who publicly testified these past two weeks.
169
@Jordan
The professionals are also highly intelligent as well as extremely competent, these too are the polar opposites of the Repub Congressmen & the handful of Congresswomen.
3
Excellent insights by Ambassador Rice.
That said, I suggest a FIFTH lesson of impeachment:
Add an amendment to the Constitution that prudently Restricts the President's powers, including:
1. Limit Executive Privileges
2. Require a simple majority (rather than 2/3) to impeach
3. Require a simple majority (rather than 2/3) to remove
4. Empower Congress to indict a sitting president
24
@Ken Trust me, you do NOT want a simple majority to be sufficient to impeach, remove or indict a sitting President. With a simple majority threshold you'd see these proceedings happen every single time a midterm election swung Congress to the opposing party.
14
@Flaminia
We are in exceptional danger right now. Placing such a high bar in the Senate means that a bad actor president controlling his political party which also controls the Senate can basically do anything he/she wants without consequence. This is also true of bad actors in the Senate themselves- witness the obstruction of the nomination of Merrick Garland. If you have a solution that does not allow the present situation to continue and threaten our democracy, we need to know what it is. Otherwise, we're stuck now. Nobody foresaw a crazy cult of personality taking over our government. But it's here.
3
It is a simple majority to impeach now.
2
As eloquent as Ms. Rice's article is, it is still missing out in regard to messaging. Given all the malfeasance this administration has taken part in, this latest affair seems small. It just happens to be the only one that is possibly impeachable. Even if this is a bigger deal than what Nixon did with Watergate, it doesn't resonate with people. Trump will not be removed from office until the people at home feel that he has crossed a real line, like breaking into the DNC offices. Those who want him out have to tell America why, in very basic terms, this is so bad. I think many average voters (for those in Congress) are saying "meh."
8
@Jim It's simple. We establish laws designed to govern the activities our public servants must follow lest they fall to temptation & use the power of government for their personal needs. Trump broke those laws. The penalty is removal from office. The republicans who fail their duty are complicit in the crime. They are no different than the driver of the robbery getaway car. He gets equal jail time to the holdup guys
Is that simple enough?
22
@Jim yes, breaking into offices provides an easy to understand spectacle.
The other thing that could tip the scale is a recession.
3
@reid To think that some people don't understand the ramifications of foreign interference in our elections is thoroughly depressing. The "meh" over it is astounding. Even Trump understood it. Why else would he have trumpeted all that nonsense about Obama being born in Kenya? (Why else?)
10
Do not engage with the Republican disinformation propagation in the service of the Kremlin. Rather have sympathy for their confusion and their being abused by their political leaders. Americans must embrace other Americans with malice towards none. If any resistance is justified, it is resistance against untruths, putting personality aside.
12
@Soquelly
The Republican disinformation propaganda campaign being carried out by Republican representatives in the House and the Senate "in the service of the Kremlin" isn't an innocent mistake in which these elected representatives are foolish confused victims.
Mitch McConnell has refused to introduce legislation which protects our election from foreign interference because it suits his goals and the Republicans are going along with this.
This isn't innocent or confused.
This is hardball by McConnell and the Republicans. None of the Republicans are standing up to McConnell or speaking up and saying this endangers our country.
Because McConnell and Republicans get the tax returns and judicial appointments they want and continue to hold power, they chose to throw in with the Russian propaganda campaign which benefits Russian interests through Donald Trump.
Malice towards none?
Think again.
No U.S. soldiers fought & died in our wars so that a foreign enemy could gain control over our government.
But it's happening.
9
This scandal has highlighted multiple flaws in America’s political & legal systems:
1. That the Executive Branch is much stronger than the Legislative Branch. The Legislature needs more mechanisms to balance the Executive.
2. Congressional subpoenas are quite weak as anyone refusing to comply is not punished. It should be a crime not to comply and the Sergeant-at-Arms should have a small police unit to enforce them.
3. That impeachment should not be the mechanism to indict a President as it is done by politicians whose careers depend on the success or failure of the President, but should be done by an independent Prosecutor-General like in Israel or Ukraine.
4. In life as in politics, if you deeply support someone or depend on them and they then commit wrongdoings, you’ll must likely look the over way if the wrongdoings don’t harm you.
5. Both sides in America’s politics live in literally alternate worlds and cannot agree on basic facts. This is extremely dangerous.
138
@Dan Don't forget Part B of Rule #1: ''This change goes away when a progressive Democrat sits in the White House, of course.''
Your Idea #4 can be re-titled, ''the Biden rule.''
1
@Dan "Both sides in America’s politics live in literally alternate worlds and cannot agree on basic facts. This is extremely dangerous."
No there are not fine people on both sides. The Republicans are no longer interested in facts at all of any fashion. In this, they follow the man who took a sharpie to a weather map and then threatened to fire the scientist who disagreed. That is alternate reality! (And really there were so many examples to choose from but that one just sprung to mind first.)
33
@Dan
on 3. The problem is, that our judiciary was supposed to be independent and above party politics. It is not anymore. And thus any independent P-G would be accused of harboring secret partisan leanings, not matter how earnest s/he is.
6
In some ways, Donald Trumps "perfect" phone call was actually perfect-for him. He never came right out and said that US aid was dependent on the political investigations that he sought, but he was speaking to someone who knew very well that the fate of his country was largely in Trump's hands. Sure, Zelensky could have resisted Trump's request for a "favor", but really, would you have done so if you were in his position? Trumps one great talent is that he knows how to manipulate insecure and weak-minded people into doing what he wants them to do without directly implicating himself in any criminal activity.
30
@Leo and while under Obama's leadership we permitted Crimea to be invaded and annexed by Russia while denying much needed military equipment to Ukraine. And of course, it was just fine when Biden withheld monies until the prosecutor looking into Hunter Biden's and Burisma's activities was fired.
2
@MikeG Are you arguing that it's OK for Trump to withhold aid in exchange for an investigation into a political rival if a Democrat did something similar? Or, are you arguing that Trump is bad but so are Democrats? I personally don't see bad behavior in relative terms-bad behavior is bad behavior. And note, I'm not even challenging your accusation that Biden did something wrong by removing a prosecutor that was was widely viewed (including by Republicans) as corrupt.
1
Thank you for saying what needs to be said. In their abandonment of decency and betrayal of their oaths of office, the Republicans in the Executive and Legislative branches of the Federal Government have shown themselves to be totally unfit for the offices they hold. That a geographically critically placed 40% of the American voting public may be able to keep them in office is not just lamentable, but the stuff of Greek tragedy.
56
@beaujames
Why not turn the stuff of Greek tragedy into a sitcom?
Premise: A handful of big tech companies open satellite offices in a few "geographically critical" states, moving a few million coastal types smack into the middle of "the heartland." Culture Collision Comedy -- and Electoral College hijinks -- ensue.
2
Which America should the American people aspire to uphold and support?
The current administration and Republican-led version, which purports to foster economic growth, combat foreign corruption, and protect American interests while implementing policies to destroy our ( as well as the global) environment, questioning/demeaning/lambasting Americans whose careers are devoted to protecting, defending, and advancing American interests domestically and abroad, and ultimately breaking our economy for all Americans for the sake of the few wealthy enough to prosper under such policies?
Or another America that fosters mutual respect and tolerance of ideas to improve the lives of all Americans ( and the world) instead of divisive methods to keep the populace in check and under heel? One that resolves to study the problems facing us in healthcare, education, foreign relations, and the like and come up with workable solutions for the betterment of all, as opposed to the current government morass that cannot compromise and cannot offer meaningful policies to this end?
Which America do YOU want?
13
Which America should the American people aspire to uphold and support?
The current administration and Republican-led version, which purports to foster economic growth, combat foreign corruption, and protect American interests while implementing policies to destroy our ( as well as the global) environment, questioning/demeaning/lambasting Americans whose careers are devoted to protecting, defending, and advancing American interests domestically and abroad, and ultimately breaking our economy for all Americans for the sake of the few wealthy enough to prosper under such policies?
Or another America that fosters mutual respect and tolerance of ideas to improve the lives of all Americans ( and the world) instead of divisive methods to keep the populace in check and under heel? One that resolves to study the problems facing us in healthcare, education, foreign relations, and the like and come up with workable solutions for the betterment of all, as opposed to the current government morass that cannot compromise and cannot offer meaningful policies to this end?
Which America do YOU want?
7
This is a wonderful summing up of some important truths, but it leaves out an important part of the Republican legacy of the last forty years. When Ronald Reagan said "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'" and when Michelle Bachmann derided those who "take light rail to their government jobs," both were seeking to vilify the civil servants who are devoted to trying to make government a force for good. As with so many issues, Trump and his ilk have taken this standard-issue GOP derision to the Nth degree, but they did not invent it. As we learn in Hosea 8:7: "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up."
30
Trump deserves impeachment much more than Bill Clinton did. But the Republicans are more interested in a personal affair than they are of the selling of our democracy by a man who only recently claimed to be a Republican. These are the times that try men's souls. It will get worse before it gets better. And get the Nuclear Code away from Trump. You may also want to take his Twitter account. No, on second thought, don't. He is hanging himself. I only hope we don't hang with him.
49
@Sharon Conway
Sadly his polling numbers are going UP. He won't hang at all but the little people like us will when he turns our democracy into a totalitarian government. When everything is lost will the stupefied waken? Maybe, but by then it will be too late.
2
Spot on assessment of the "Four Lessons" to be learned from these impeachment hearings.
But in order for us not to be depressed from what we've seen and heard; let's while a minute on the Second point made here, namely the "extraordinary caliber and character of our non-partisan Foreign Service officers, civil servants and uniformed military personnel" -- because quite frankly, they were the only glimmer of hope throughout the entire procedure.
In fact, after watching the testimonies of Lt. Col. Vindman, Fiona Hill and Former Ambassador Yovanovich, whom all had to withstand a barrage of defamatory remarks and shameful accusations, and yet who all maintained their dignity and composure, I was certain that this country would be safe and in good hands no matter what transpired.
And for the first time in a long time -- I felt proud to be an AMERICAN.
156
I have no doubt that Trump is in thrall to Vladimir Putin, but the question remains, how does he receive his instructions? The Russians know that he is too incompetent and undisciplined to actually formulate, much less see through a plan, so there must also be minders in the White House keeping him on track. Who are they?
1408
@stan continople According to a Washington Post article from October 4, Putin and Trump have spoken privately 16 times since 2017. As is well known, Trump objects to having transcripts made of these encounters. Like Putin, Trump is highly skilled at producing disinformation; it seems to come naturally to him. Trump may be incompetent and undisciplined in many ways, but he's a master of disinformation.
444
@stan continople FOX news
147
@stan continople
Who are they? Just follow the money. There are some very vociferous supporters. Perhaps there are some promises yet to be paid out?
63
Well said, Susan Rice. I listened to opening statements at 6 am over morning coffee. I was riveted by the comportment, intelligence, open-hearted honesty and passion for service exhibited by our diplomats and officials serving in the administration in DC and abroad.
No matter the outcome, I hope young people have a chance to listen to these statements and personal stories as they will provide an impetus for them to choose similar career paths representing the USA and the best of our values.
47
A brilliant and incisive summary of all the events of the last several weeks. Dr. Rice sees the forest. The four points help clarify not only what has emerged with respect to the impeachment inquiry, but also the landscape of dysfunction and vulnerability in our republic. Should be required reading in the Senate.
198
These four conclusions need to be made into soundbites. When we talk about how the president and his cronies have and continue to diminish our institutions, people I've spoken with fail to grasp the significance.
85
Lets not underestimate adversaries of America. We are seeing all of these conspiracy theories (floated by Moscow to sow discord) become mainstream in Republican party and on Fox news. Don't you think rest of the world is watching this and learning from this.
Its now known that an adversary can manipulate a good percentage of US population and even members of congress. Whats stopping China/Iran/North Korea/Israel or really any other country with some sophistication of running misinformation and hacking campaigns from targeting and influencing US ?
What if a democrat now seeks help from China (in exchange for favorable trade policies) to gain the highest office ? What if a Democrat makes inroads with Putin and seeks his help in digging dirt on Trump/McConnel/Graham in exchange for removing sanctions and withdrawing aid from Ukraine ? Republicans, in their blind loyalty for Trump and to keep power, have unfortunately not realized the long term impact of this. US democracy, as we know it, is in shambles.
62
@Ahunt ...and such strategy of misinformation is MUCH cheaper to implement than a traditional war.
1
Simply put: Republicans are and have been aiding and abetting a hostile, foreign nation for at least the entire Trump presidency, if not longer.
435
This is an excellent article. Thank you Ambassador Rice. I am going to print out a copy and mail it to my Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.
I am going to ask someone on her office staff to read it to her. Maybe she will wake up and remember her oath of office.
988
@John Tedder
I doubt it. Whatever integrity, morality or honesty she possessed got sold for her fifteen minutes of fame. And it took her less than five years. Best way to wake her up? Vote her out of office!
134
@John Tedder
Elise Stefanik is a congresswoman from New York. Tedra Cobb is running against her in 2020.
Stefanik voted to eliminate coverage for pre existing conditions and to get rid of the ACA.
241
@john tedder... I was thinking the very same thing.
13
Three out of the four are very depressing. The hearings did shine a light on the Foreign Service officers, civil servants and uniformed military personnel. All the more luminous in comparison with many of the long time Republicans.
40
Thank you, Ambassador Rice, for giving readers such a cogent, logical, sophisticated summation of what the impeachment inquiry has revealed. And more importantly, for laying out the sobering and scary implications for what lies ahead for all of us if Mr. Trump and congressional Republicans remain in power unchecked. VOTE! Vote them out. Vote as if our very democracy depends on it, because it does.
233
Absolutely right about the high quality of our diplomatic service, but I worry about the attractiveness of that service to young people when they see Trump and his toadies smear and disparage them on a continuing basis.
48
@Alex Kent Not if they consider the source. Trump and his toadies are, in their way, a fine barometer of what is dignified and of a high quality.
1
@Alex Kent Agree. And your point is precisely one of the points Susan Rice is making.
2
Will Hurd's impeachment decision yesterday debunked the myth that moderate, good-faithed, Republicans exist in Congress.
Vote every one of them out.
1343
@Victor
Exactly correct. Hurd is from the Flake/Collins school of pretending to be moderate, independent and fair-minded, but toeing the party line every time it really matters.
Like all of them he is probably protecting his post-office employment options.
193
@Victor We will know Hurd's motivation when we see which lobbying firm hires him after he leaves Congress.
70
@Victor
Yes, he blew that up real good. There is not even a tiny fig leaf left to hide behind.
12
Amen. Duty, Honor, Country is now Grovel, Smirk, and Lie.
Thanks, GOP.
477
@Phyliss Dalmatian:
"Grovel, Smirk, and Lie" — aren't they a K Street lobbying consultancy firm?
7
Thank you, Susan Rice. A wonderfully clear, concise, and accurate summary of the impeachment inquiry to date. I only wish it could be mainlined into each of our minds and hearts every day until we decide to act on what we now know.
328