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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Thu May 18, 2017, 10:47 AM May 2017

Cool your jets, liberals: The impeachment of Donald Trump is a great idea that is totally not...

THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2017 05:00 AM EDT

Cool your jets, liberals: The impeachment of Donald Trump is a great idea that is totally not happening

Trump's meeting with Russian officials would be more than enough evidence — if the GOP weren't so slavishly loyal

BOB CESCA

Don’t get your hopes up about impeaching President Donald Trump.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer during a week in which we all watched with semi-horrified delight at the increasingly speedy political suicide of Trump and his people. But no matter how much treachery he manufactures, the congressional Republicans will never, ever impeach him. Even given his latest series of unforgivable crimes, including obstruction of justice, abuse of power and flagrantly betraying our intelligence partners, the GOP doesn’t care. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell especially doesn’t care — no matter how much the Democrats scream on the floor of the Senate, he doesn’t care.

The only possible route for Trump to be ousted from the presidency is for him to voluntarily resign. Certainly, Republican leadership could ultimately coax him in that direction, as they did with Richard Nixon. But we have no indication whatsoever that Trump, unlike Nixon, really cares about what his party — whether that means McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan or the rest of the Trumpian enablers on Capitol Hill — has to say.

While there will certainly be sane Republicans who will flirt with the impeachment option, getting our hopes up only to be dashed, there won’t be nearly enough to generate a successful vote in the House. Worse, the Senate Republicans under McConnell will never vote to convict him. Ever. The requirement for two-thirds of the Senate to vote “guilty” would currently require 19 Republicans to vote with every single Democrat (plus the two independents). For the sake of reference: During the denouement of President Bill Clinton’s impeachment, the Republicans managed to whip only 45 votes to convict on one count, and 50 votes on another. Not even close.

Reality aside, Trump damn well should be impeached — immediately.

more
http://www.salon.com/2017/05/18/cool-your-jets-liberals-the-impeachment-of-donald-trump-is-a-great-idea-that-is-totally-not-happening/

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BigmanPigman

(51,430 posts)
7. When Nixon resigned he still had 35% support. I hope the GOP is too busy defending him
Fri May 19, 2017, 12:44 AM
May 2017

instead of destroying the ACA, tax reform, immigration/the wall. Or can they do all of that while defending him!

katmondoo

(6,454 posts)
3. I don't want Pence or Ryan so let the Trumper become a nothing President
Thu May 18, 2017, 11:13 AM
May 2017

and let us keep Health Care, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. The Wall is done, huge tax breaks are done. Wait for 2018 and see what happens.

progressoid

(49,824 posts)
4. Exactly. As long as they are in disarray and on the defensive, they can't do as much damage.
Thu May 18, 2017, 12:27 PM
May 2017

With Trump gone, I can see them coming together to wreak some real havoc.

Grammy23

(5,807 posts)
11. My guess is that he's pretty miserable these days.
Sat May 20, 2017, 12:11 PM
May 2017

But whether it is enough for him to grab his marbles (what's left of them) and go home is open to debate. This gig is just not working out like he thought it would. Way more work involved and not nearly enough people bowing and scraping to suit him. Somehow, he was under the impression that the job was primarily ceremonial, which explains why he likes those siging events where he gets to hold up the order and show it off. Kind of like a kindergartner who has learned to write his name.

It is anyone's guess if he will get so fed up he throws in the towel and resigns. I suppose if the heat gets too close to his ample ass, he will make a hasty retreat thinking that will save him. In the meantime, we all just watch with slack jaws wondering how he will humiliate himself and bring more shame on the USA for putting such a fool in office.

red dog 1

(27,647 posts)
6. "Republican leadership could ultimately coax" Trump to resign, "as they did with Richard Nixon"
Thu May 18, 2017, 04:38 PM
May 2017

The big difference between Watergate & what we have now is that in 1973, both houses of the 93rd Congress were controlled by the Democrats.
On February 7, 1973, the United States Senate voted 77-0 to approve a resolution to establish a Senate committee to investigate Watergate.

Fast forward to 2017.

The GOP controls both houses of Congress, and although it is "possible" that "Republican leadership could ultimately coax" Trump to resign, it's not likely, imo.

What is more likely is that after several months of Congressional investigations into Trump's ties to the Russian interference in the 2016 elections, Trump might decide to resign on his own.

 

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
10. Trump isn't our primary target, the House GOP majority is.
Fri May 19, 2017, 12:49 PM
May 2017

The point of targeting Trump is to put the House GOP in difficult circumstances, choosing between depressing their own base and alienating swing voters.

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