What if the Dems had opened up impeachment hearings immediately after the full Mueller report

[Yavin4]

was released?

My guess is that more crimes, like this Whistleblower complaint, would have been discovered in a full open hearing investigation with subpoena power.

There's a big difference between impeachment hearings and impeachment. Hearings are used to persuade lawmakers and the public. There was no huge cry for Nixon's impeachment at the start of the hearings.

The idea that impeachment hearings should not have been initiated because of McConnell is beyond stupid. It's cowardly and over cautious. The hearings are a fact finding mission. Lay out the truth before the people, and if Senate Republicans balk, then hold them accountable. If they want to defend Trump's cozy relationship with Putin, then let them live with that.

House Democrats have been derelect in their duties to not investigate Trump after the full Mueller report was released.

[StarfishSaver]

1. How exactly would opening an impeachment after the Mueller Report

have resulted in a "full open hearing investigation with subpoena power"?

Precisy what subpoena powers would they have had as a result of opening an impeachment inquiry then that they don't have now or that would have produced any testimony or documents they don't have now?

[Yavin4]

2. Without the impeachment hearings, Trump can fight the subpoenas in court

which he is doing. If the subpoenas were issued because of impeachment, the courts would have to back down.

[StarfishSaver]

5. Trump can fight the subpoenas in court whether they're part of an impeachment proceeding or not

Courts don't "back down" just because a subpoena is issued pursuant to an impeachment proceeding. That is a myth that is floating around the internet, but it's not true.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. The road not taken, which should have been.

By not immediately reacting to the Mueller Report by accepting it as providing sufficient evidence to initiate the impeachment process, we drained the vitality out of the charges of "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" implicit in Trump's dealings with a foreign power seeking to disrupt American elections. Now we have been given a rare opportunity to resurrect the seriousness of those charges when now President Donald Trump again has solicited the help of a foreign nation to secure an electoral victory over his domestic opponents.

Now is the moment. If we let this second chance to defend the Constitution pass Democrats signal weakness, and weakness is rarely rewarded at the polls.

[CrispyQ]

4. Totally agree.

We will lose 2020 if we don't impeach. We could lose the House, too. Not impeaching will feed two long standing narratives: the dems are weak, & there isn't any difference between the two parties. We had a record turnout in a midterm election because people want this administration held accountable. If the dems don't impeach, we're complicit in the hijacking of our representative government.

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. To which I totally agree also. n/t

[TheRealNorth]

6. The media was running with the William Barr spin

If you remember, most of the MSM was saying Trump was exonerated on the basis of what Barr was saying.