General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIf Democrats win both the House and Senate, what do they do about Trump??
Will they get enough votes to impeach him in the House? Will they even vote?
Will their strategy be to let Trump remain in power, but to keep close oversight on what he is proposing?
Not thinking solely of winning or losing a political position, what should the House do if the Democrats win the House and Senate?
I think they have a constitutional duty to impeach him.
Whether or not he is convicted. If he has committed high crimes and misdemeanors, then they should follow the constitution and impeach. Our justice system would be degraded if we somehow tolerated provable crimes simply because we "think" he would not be convicted in the Senate.
kimbutgar
(21,224 posts)It will wreck his 2020 re-election big time if they run on his evil ways.
MichMary
(1,714 posts)Pretty much have to. But he will be acquitted by the Senate and will finish out as a one-term,, failed Prez.
shanny
(6,709 posts)I'd rather just hound him out of office by doing real, public investigations; saying no to everything, including nominees; forcing him to veto popular laws; take him to task for not administering laws already on the books; indict all his co-conspirators, including the slimy creatures in the cabinet--make him look like the incompetent and ignorant loser he is!
With luck, Pence will have to bail as well, the R party will implode and we can start fixing what they broke.
bearsfootball516
(6,377 posts)Impeachment without conviction would just allow him to claim victory, and also play the victim card and drive his supporters to the polls.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Donald Trump will not be claiming much of anything and the Republicans will not be able to use the criminality of their President to claim some great victory in November. That is just an illusion.
shanny
(6,709 posts)to evidence--he thinks he's smart!--and the R base is just as delusional, some Rs in Congress marginally less so...and there's the universal truth Upton Sinclair pointed out: how impossible it is for a man to understand something when his salary depends on him not understanding it.
But anyway, impeachment will not be possible at all without the House in D hands, so there will be no "victory" affecting the midterms.
perp walk out of the White House to use as a deterrent.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)I believe the Dems best, most effective tactic would simply be to stonewall his admin for two years. Allow the investigations to continue without interference or personnel changes. Make sure he doesn't implement any full-on crazy policies, trip his every word and, if time permits, make his life a miserable, living hell.
Any measures for censure or impeachment would simply be (to me) a cherry on top.
Sophia4
(3,515 posts)martial law in order to avoid future elections.
Fresh_Start
(11,330 posts)one mar a lago trip a quarter
reduce the size of his and her staff
reduce the size of their security force
reduce the size of every cabinet secretaries office
Thekaspervote
(32,809 posts)Of course Clintons up tick came at the midterms. But, we really really need to pay attention to our history!
kentuck
(111,110 posts)I have a hard time with that thinking.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)If he is not going to be removed, the War Powers Act needs a serious overhaul, among other areas involving human lives and presidential discretion.
There are areas in which the president is free to act, which are simply too dangerous in the hands of this deranged idiot - and that's wholly aside from his practical gutting of the various administrative agencies.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)My sentiments exactly.
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)Do we really want a President Pence?
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Pence is not that kind of crazy.
YessirAtsaFact
(2,064 posts)I also prefer B
shanny
(6,709 posts)it is hard to decide which is worse
treestar
(82,383 posts)At first blush I'd figure Pence was just normal Republican, like Dubya, and the fear of insane pushing the red button is less, but then you have to remember he is one of those Dominionist types who might see it as part of the End Days. Talk about a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea.
meow2u3
(24,774 posts)He knows full well Democrats won't rubber stamp far right nutcases.
trueblue2007
(17,242 posts)?fit=707%2C707
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Good to see some passion remaining.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)Trump will be offered a chance to resign or face what the Mueller Team brings to Court. They will not Impeach,that creates more Gingrich types to pop out of their hiddy holes. ABC-Fox will just go nuts promoting these types.
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)to see done...2020 we take back control and start going after some of the batshit crazy judges that have been appointed
bluestarone
(17,067 posts)from any sort of pre-emptive strikes, and also continue ALL Russia investigations! ( especially NUNES) That's the bastard I hate quite a bit!
Blecht
(3,803 posts)He needs to be removed from office as soon as possible.
They can then keep Pence from doing any of his sick religious crap for two years.
lanlady
(7,135 posts)Pronto.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)But I doubt very much that they will have the votes for impeachment. And I'm not convinced they should. The Clinton impeachment started a trend where the opposition immediately tries to think of ways to impeach without actually offenses in focus. The republicans went digging and found something they could use. I think we are worse for it, and an impeachment without incontrovertible evidence is an extension of using something that should be serious as a political ploy. I feel certain that however this unwinds, Trump will probably be too insulated to impeach.
I do have confidence that if the Dems get a majority in Congress, they will be able to prevent some damage. Other than that, I think we will have to ride it out and work our tails off this year and midterms and in 2020.
Tatiana
(14,167 posts)Make a deal with the key Republicans necessary in the Senate to guarantee convictions.
Get a Democratic President.
It is always remotely possible that if Trump gets impeached, he will resign. That is why you have to take care of Pence, too. He's tied in with Manafort and the Russians, so it should be that hard to gather the evidence.
mcar
(42,403 posts)Make him veto them.
Really block his judicial appointees.
Have actual investigations, using the subpoena power, of all the abuses.
There will not, ever, be enough votes in the Senate to remove him from office so I'm ambivalent about a promise to impeach.
Support Mueller's investigation 1000%. There will be continuing charges filed against this crime family that will keep the media going.
I truly think Dotard will resign if all that comes to pass. Then AG Schneiderman can indict him.
Dare him to veto laws that people actually want. He will. Use that as ammo in 2020.
OT but PLEASE run somebody younger than 65 in 2020!! We need a contrast with the (will be) 74 year old dotard. And Dems tend to win with a younger candidate.
mcar
(42,403 posts)As long as some don't go the impeachment or bust route and run down Dems. I do worry about that.
JI7
(89,279 posts)dalton99a
(81,636 posts)lamp_shade
(14,846 posts)Eliot Rosewater
(31,131 posts)15 or so GOP to vote yes in the Senate, and GOP are not patriots so that wont happen
Although, since Pence will give them more HATE and more DESTRUCTION of average people, maybe they will.
there aren't enough votes for impeachment, then the very same thing the GOP did to President Barack Obama....let not one bill presented by the Conservatives even have a hearing in committee or get out to a vote...thwart, thwart, thwart....
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)procon
(15,805 posts)to come before them, swear an oath, and publically answer all questions. Let him make a fool of himself on TV, let him get called out for every lie he makes, let him demonstrate his madness, stupidity and incompetence and show the world how unfit he is for office.
bluestarone
(17,067 posts)Can the chambers actually enforce a tRUMP subpoena??? Now that would be AWESOME!!!!!
TheDebbieDee
(11,119 posts)this fall - there aren't enough Senate seats up for election this fall for the Dems to take a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority!
EricMaundry
(1,619 posts)Shit. Why is this even a question?
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)He needs to go first and foremost. Then we can deal with Pence.
Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)For political reasons only?
How do we know that every Republican will vote to not convict? And if they do, is that bad for Democrats??
bearsfootball516
(6,377 posts)But if not, all it's going to do is fire up the Republican base.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Should that prevent Democrats from doing their job?
If there is credible evidence of serious crimes, would Republicans dare to support Trump under those circumstances? That would not be a political advantage by any stretch of the imagination.
This is not about a blue dress.
bearsfootball516
(6,377 posts)Overwhelming evidence of crime that means they either have to 1. Vote for Removal and if they don't, 2. Be dragged down by the giant anchor that is supporting an obvious criminal.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Your "either/or" above is exactly right. And that is the reality of whether or not to impeach.
Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)if Trump is gone. Look how it backfired on the GOP in 98 and in Wisconsin more recently with the recall. It is not worth it when he will be out in less than two years if we can't get him out then and there. We need to have a solid 20 election or we will end up with another gerrymander...it will be 20 remember...just not worth taking a chance with our future if you can't remove him.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)They lost 4 seats in the House but kept majority of 223. It was more of a status quo election.
kairos12
(12,882 posts)Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)turn up more dirt in addition to Mueller's finding's, perhaps some Republicans will join us...if not there is no point in impeaching.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)That alone will hang Trump.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Democrats would not have any investigation without some sort of "bi-partisanship". That's just who they are...
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)And when we do, point out how they acted when in power.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)They are not very good at it, unfortunately.
LuvLoogie
(7,054 posts)samnsara
(17,650 posts)like the rupugs do to get him to sign off on shit. And block every damned thing he does.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)It is that no one controls Donald Trump. He does crazy and unpredictable shit. He is dangerous. He is an arsonist sleeping in your house. Take away his matches and he will be rubbing two sticks together....
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)GOP has been stonewalling investigations.
The lesson of watergate: investigations with subpoena power lead to crimes being punished.
There's a lot of people to investigate like Nunez
SummerSnow
(12,608 posts)CrispyQ
(36,540 posts)work with their colleagues across the aisle to "heal the nation." I believe the best we can hope for is that they staunch the flow. The current party doesn't have the stomach to make sausage.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)I think it is more likely they will pay a price if they don't impeach.
This is not analogous to the Bill Clinton impeachment.
All it takes a wee bit of courage.
elocs
(22,614 posts)Anyone who "thinks" Trump would be convicted in the Senate should be immediately drug tested.
Nothing would unite and motivate Trump supporters more than his being impeached by a Democratically controlled House with no chance of conviction in the Senate.
If the Democrats were to retake the House (if they don't this discussion is moot) it would be by a narrow margin which they would stand a good chance of losing in 2 years.
If impeachment is such a good idea, then every Democrat running for the House should make that the centerpiece of their campaigns. But they won't because they want to get elected.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)If they are so blatantly criminal and serious, who would be motivated to defend them? I think the political penalty would fall on those who refused to address the crimes?
treestar
(82,383 posts)passing them for him to sign. Check on his powers. That's all they need to do.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)What if he decides to send troops to another war? It is a gamble every day that he is in office. Anyone that thinks otherwise is playing with fire.
treestar
(82,383 posts)They can vote it down.
DBoon
(22,403 posts)But make sure every other criminal in the Republican Party and serving in his administration gets the full force of the law.
Knock out his political support and let him twist in the wind as an ineffective president.
The only thing that would turn his supporters against him is his perceived weakness. We need to make this weakness obvious by removing his mechanisms for political control
Use the authoritarian personality against him, as a kind of political Akido
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Even if he colluded with the Russians to damage or destroy our democracy?
Our government is already too weak to function. Positions are going unfilled. Our country suffers, not just Donald Trump.
DBoon
(22,403 posts)I want to destroy his political support first.
This monster must never com back to life
The next time, we might not be so lucky and will get a fascist that is actually competent
Takket
(21,644 posts)And I better not hear the term impeachment is off the table from ANYONE with a D next to their name or I will make it my personal lifes mission to make sure they are never reelected.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Although many will continue to argue that it will harm Democrats if they impeach the criminal of the Republican Party.
Bayard
(22,181 posts)That's easy. High crimes and misdemeanors.