52% now support impeachment and removal from office.
It is highly relevant that Nixon resigned when that number reached 58%, just 6 points away.
I now believe that conviction is MUCH more likely in the Senate, as Republicans are highly pissed off with Trump’s actions in the Middle East and may decide to use the Senate trial to conduct a “palace coup.” On the surface, they would vote to convict on the charges presented, but in reality they would be voting to rid themselves of a liability.
It is highly important that, if Trump is convicted in the Senate, that the Senate take the precautionary step of forever disqualifying him from holding any office of honor or profit under the United States. If they don’t do that, he could theoretically be reelected in 2020. By disqualifying him, they immediately end his 2020 candidacy and Republicans must select a new ticket.
Oh, and Mitch McConnell has instructed Republican Senators to prepare for an impeachment trial by Thanksgiving.
No doubt they want Trump out of the way prior to the beginning of the primary and caucus season.
Nothing in the way of removal from office now. Trump has burned his last bridges with Senate Republicans and the whole sordid story is rapidly being told by witnesses.
Trump will likely be gone by Christmas.
I will not miss him.
Not particularly fond of Pence either, but hopefully a better candidate can displace him for 2020.
While I live in rural Appalachia, politically I am far closer to the suburban whites that reject Trump.
I have two Bachelor’s and two Master’s degrees and am in a professional occupation. Most suburban whites are well educated and many are in professional occupations.
Saf, well back when I was a years long lurker, I always loved reading your judicial breakdowns - you’re by far the most informative poster on this board.
I disagree re: Trump being gone. I mean: it would be nice and I’d love for you to be right.
But I bet he’ll be running in 2020. I don’t see any compelling evidence that the GOP is going to jettison him, or that they have the stomachs, courage, and integrity to deal with the destructive storm of sewage he’ll create in the process.
I won’t include the whole post in my reply but I really appreciate you spending the time explaining how you see this is going to play out, and that Republicans are using the trial as a way of cutting Trump loose as a liability after the latest fiasco in foreign policy.
However, I am hesitant to be as optimistic as you. I see many Republicans who see their path to re-election supporting Trump. They are loyal and see many of their constituents being same-minded.
I will watch and wait as things unfold, and we’ll see how it all pans out. I do expect this to be over (one way or the other) before the first Democratic primary in Feb of 2020.
It’s amazing that Trump burned all this goodwill in a few short years until you look at his history. Then it’s only amazing it lasted as long as it did.
The biggest problem for me is that instead of taking the enormous good will of the Presidency as a asset to use after his terms are done (and for his children), he is using the office in ways to seemingly profit from in the here and now:
Even if it’s all somehow neutralized somehow (say reimbursements and no charges, etc), why even take the chance?
It is easy to destroy an organization if you have no appreciation for what makes that organization great. We are not the most powerful nation in the world because of our aircraft carriers, our economy, or our seat at the United Nations Security Council. We are the most powerful nation in the world because we try to be the good guys.
And if this president doesn’t understand their importance, if this president doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, both domestically and abroad, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office — Republican, Democrat or independent — the sooner, the better. The fate of our Republic depends upon it.
The scary thing is that a person probably could get a Master of Music with a concentration in Banjo.
But mine are in Agricultural and Business Administration.
But, every year they hold the Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax, Virginia, just 20 miles north of my new property so I can hear me plenty of them banjos.
I would like to believe that, but the swift about-face by many prominent Republicans on Trump and Syria, after he imposed sanctions for no other reason than getting his ass kicked, makes me doubt it. He really will have to shoot someone on 5th Avenue. During rush hour. In front of a news camera.
