WaPo: "We're passing the tipping point on impeachment"

[Miles Archer]

We’re passing the tipping point on impeachment

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/09/22/passing-tipping-point-impeachment/

By Jennifer Rubin
Opinion writer
September 22 at 10:00 AM

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has recognized that if the public is not in favor of impeachment, there will be no pressure on Senate Republicans to vote for removal, President Trump will be acquitted and he and his followers will feel vindicated. As a result, Trump and the Republicans might get the lift they need for reelection. She has not bought into the idea that the public will warm to impeachment as the proceedings unfold.

I have generally been sympathetic to her position, in large part because Democrats have been unable to communicate in concise and vivid terms the “High Crimes and Misdemeanors” at issue. Trump, through a fog of lies and obstruction, has made the Russia investigation unintelligible for most Americans. (For this reason, I favor emphasis on egregious corruption, which is easier to explain and prove.) It is politically untenable at this point to use the Mueller report as the basis for impeachment.

However, with the allegations (and virtual public confession) that Trump went to a foreign power, Ukraine, to dig up dirt on former vice president Joe Biden, his most likely opponent, and may even have extorted Ukraine using taxpayer money, the calculus may change, dramatically so.

Unlike the Mueller investigation, the collusion at issue is discrete, simple and, in all likelihood, easy to prove. Witnesses in addition to the whistleblower may include former officials who have no reason to abide by Trump’s bogus executive-immunity claims. Subpoenaed to testify, I suspect people like former director of national intelligence Daniel Coats and his deputy Sue Gordon, as well as former national security adviser John Bolton, would testify honestly. From factually specific news reports (e.g., confirming Trump asked the Ukrainian president eight times to find dirt on Biden), we know the proof and the witnesses are out there. Moreover, his henchman Rudolph W. Giuliani, acting in the capacity of Trump’s fixer, is protected by no privilege. (For one thing, he’s already talked openly about his conduct.)

[dalton99a]

1. Kick

Trump doesn’t seem to dispute the facts. Rather, he is trying to prevent concrete, glaring evidence from emerging. He apparently thinks it’s perfectly fine to lean on a foreign power to help him win an election.

Given all that, impeachment may look very different. A single article of impeachment based on an incontrovertible abuse of power would make Democrats’ job much easier. The difficultly that at-risk Republicans face in explaining to voters why they countenance such conduct begins to outweigh any downside for Democrats in pursuing impeachment, even if the eventual outcome is acquittal in the Senate.

Imagine Senate races in 2020 for Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) and others outside of deep-red America. So, Sen. Collins, you think it is perfectly fine to go to a foreign power to help sway our election outcome? Sen. Tillis, if your opponent goes to, say, China to dig up dirt on you, is that fair game?

The argument for Democrats — namely that Republicans are spineless lackeys who have violated their oaths of office — is far easier to maintain than the Republicans’ assertion that it’s nuts to remove a president who goes to a foreign power to help reelect him.

I do not expect enough Republicans will vote to remove Trump under any circumstances. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and others have proved time and again that their fear of Trump and his base outweighs any assault on our democracy no matter how devastating. These are hollow little men who find it impossible to put country above partisan loyalty and ambition. They will come up with whatever justification is necessary to avoid crossing Trump, even at the expense of allowing the most egregious “High Crime and Misdemeanor” in our history to go unpunished.

However, the political downside for Democrats will be small, and, it is always possible, the media might actually inform the public, the public might actually grasp the severity of the conduct and the Republicans on the ballot might actually pay a steep price for betraying our democracy.

The House needs to move swiftly, with singular purpose, on this discrete event. If so, doing the right thing may coincide with doing the politically smart thing.

[leftstreet]

2. DURec

[shockey80]

3. Boom!

[Dennis Donovan]

4. Kick too!

Dennis from 2014 is astonished that Dennis 2019 is kicking an opinion piece from Jennifer Rubin!

[KPN]

5. K & R ... but get ready for the naysayers based on J Rubin's political leaning.

[Miles Archer]

8. I hear you...

...that's the reason I included her byline in the OP...full disclosure.

I decided that it's the WaPo, and the content of the article most certainly is not "right-leaning," but I did include her name up front so that part of the discussion could be addressed.

I have no doubt that the anti-Trump voices on the right will return to their normal day jobs once he's out of office. For now, if they're on the same page with us, I don't refrain from posting their thoughts. If they write something that violates the T.O.S., of course I wouldn't share it here.

[Bradical79]

6. I sure hope so

It should have passed the tipping point many times now. Since November 2016, and many other incidents beyond, I've found that I've greatly overestimated the reasoning abilility of a lot of people. I'm not even going to begin to guess what it will take. He has already commited multiple crimes. Part of the problem is that some have been so cartoonishly bafoonish, it's tough to articulate. Like his altering of the weather map with a sharpie when "informing" the American people on the Hurricane. That was illegal and happened on live TV.

[beachbumbob]

7. WaPo is correct.

So many opportunities and so far all have slipped thru . To a point now, it's looking like a pointless effort.

No resolve in Washington

[StarfishSaver]

19. This isn't WaPo's opinion. It's a columnist's

[miyazaki]

9. kick.

[matt819]

10. We're passing the tipping point on our democracy

what’s next? Trump releases nuclear weapons and republicans stay silent?

The Media isn’t doing shit. Oh, sure, some op-Ed’s and a few gotcha moments in interviews, then ... crickets.

The Dems and the fascists are playing by different sets of rules in Congress. That is, DRMs are playing by the rules. The fascists are playing by no rules.

American troops are going to die for Saudi oil. I thought this American regime has been arguing that the us is oil independent.

Dear Leader is going to start a war in Iran.

Folks, the tipping point is in our rear view mirror.

[kentuck]

11. 19% were in favor of impeaching Nixon.

Opinion polls should not be allowed to drive action on such an important issue. That's why Republicans ended up with the Tea Party.

[spanone]

12. I suspect mr trump will get away with the Biden shit too.

and it will be a goddamn shame.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

13. let's not let the Mueller report be swept under the rug just yet

[Pepsidog]

15. Yes impeach the bastard on the obvious simple crimes.

[Evolve Dammit]

16. uWhat the hell does it take? Military staying at his properties; best buds with MBS, Kim, Vlad, etc

Christ, Obama couldn't wear a tan suit or like Dijon mustard... I think half of US really wants a king and to be told what to do, as long as the king makes them feel "safe."

[Hekate]

20. Apparently you are right-- tho not half, just about a third will tick all the boxes on any survey...

...designed to find out how many Americans really truly want an authoritarian government. So that would be Trump's base. Right now he's down to about 38% approval.

Those people are not reachable. As long as they get to stomp around waving their gunz, wearing their flags, and scaring the bejaysus out of other people, they are just fine with a form of government that bears no resemblance to what the Founders had in mind.

[Beartracks]

23. Cuz they think authoritarian governments only get tough on "other people."

They want to be "the good Germans."

=========

[Hekate]

24. They don't want to be the "good" anything; they want to be the Murkins...

...who get to stomp around scaring others.

"Good Germans" were those who just kept their heads down and didn't make any waves while their neighbors got rounded up and sent away in cattle cars.

[Evolve Dammit]

25. Not reachable is the reality. it's past a tipping point. They only believe Herr Drumph.

[pangaia]

17. ".. Democrats (as a group) have (always) been unable to communicate....

And they/WE are the ones with the smart reps, the good ideas and plans...

drives me nuts

[LiberalLovinLug]

18. Yup.

Pelosi, Schumer, Biden, others at the top of the chain in the party are just wanting to ride out the wave. Which was at its biggest peak earlier on. When Mueller's letter came out contradicting Barr's conclusions. That wave has now gotten lower, but new scandals keep it rising and lowering as it moves towards shore (2020)

Pelosi is hoping to ride out that wave, the calls for impeachment, until its smaller, whatever current kept it up diminishing daily in the news cycle. Until finally its small enough, and it is too close to shore to start. I can hear it now...."Too bad, maybe we should have, but its too late now, oh well. Never mind, we now have to focus on the upcoming election!" And of course we will all fall in line, because at that point, what other choice is there?

It will be the election of the cowards vs. the criminals. And I'm not convinced that American voters, or enough of them, will be impressed by either. Keeping the next election a toss-up.

[Skittles]

21. way, WAY past

[bdamomma]

22. They

the tools they can use in the Constitution, then effing use them. This is why our forefathers wrote it. If they are waiting for the election it will be too late. tRump is a criminal and a thug period. He's destroyed our country . Get the bastard out.