Dear GOP, Some Scary Advice on How to Survive Your Impeachment Nightmare

[Formerly Once-Ler]

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/10/29/gop-advice-impeachment-nightmare-trump-229885

Charles Sykes

To: Senate Republicans

By now it should have dawned on you that there is no escape. You are going to have to render a verdict not just on Donald’s Trump’s policies, but on his personal conduct. For just the third time in U.S. history, the Senate will hold a trial on the impeachment and removal of a president.

You’ll have to vote up or down and your decision will have consequences that will linger long past this election cycle. The situation is already grim.

“It feels like a horror movie,” one senator recently told the Washington Post.

But it is all about to get worse: the evidence, the venue and the president’s conduct. There may be more smoking guns, the trial will be televised, and based on the past few weeks, Trump is likely to be more unhinged than ever.

In honor of the season, I offer you some unsolicited Halloween-themed advice to help you navigate the coming nightmare. If you take this advice, you have a chance of saving your party. Ignore it, and, well, you’ve seen what happens in those horror movies, right?

more at link

Who cares what a Never Trumper has to say? 

Am I doing that right?

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Alexander Hamilton clearly envisioned impeachment as a constitutional check on “the misconduct of public men, or, in other words, from the abuse or violation of some public trust.” He understood that impeachment proceedings were, by their nature, political, “as they relate chiefly to injuries done immediately to the society itself.” He also had no illusions about how divisive the process would be, noting that impeachment “will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community,” and that “in such cases there will always be the gravest danger that the decision will be regulated more by the comparative strength of parties, than by the real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.”

But the founders reposed their confidence in you; or rather in what they thought the Senate would be. “Where else than in the Senate could have been found a tribunal sufficiently dignified, or sufficiently independent?” What other body, asked Hamilton, would feel confident enough “to preserve, unawed and uninfluenced, the necessary impartiality,” between the accused “and the REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE, HIS ACCUSERS?” (Emphasis Hamilton’s.)

[Snarknado]

You gotta love these guys who want to "save" the GOP by removing Trump. They want us to believe that, like Nixon, the ensuing wipeout will  only mean a tiny bit of "short-term pain", then we'll get another Reagan and everything will be wonderful again.

The reality is that that tiny bit of pain will include a massive shift to socialism, inviting tens of millions more illegals to come in and enjoy full benefits, medicaid for all with elimination of private health insurance, free college, everything they want on climate change - and those are just a few highlights. 4 years of complete rule is all they'll need, and the damage will be irreversible.

That's the real choice we have - Trump with all his shortcomings or total annihilation.

[PeteS in CA]

Hopefully a good number of Rs understand it is stooooopid to follow the "advice" of people who hate them.

[Snarknado]

The other small detail they ignore is that if Trump was half as evil as they say, he wouldn't hesitate to encourage his supporters to punish the GOP by sitting out the election. Personally I'd be inclined to do that even if he left gracefully - if repubs are bent on self-destruction, so be it.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

You gotta love these guys who want to "save" the GOP by removing Trump. They want us to believe that, like Nixon, the ensuing wipeout will  only mean a tiny bit of "short-term pain", then we'll get another Reagan and everything will be wonderful again.

The reality is that that tiny bit of pain will include a massive shift to socialism, inviting tens of millions more illegals to come in and enjoy full benefits, medicaid for all with elimination of private health insurance, free college, everything they want on climate change - and those are just a few highlights. 4 years of complete rule is all they'll need, and the damage will be irreversible.

That's the real choice we have - Trump with all his shortcomings or total annihilation.

I think that Trump damages the GOP and America every day he remains President.  The GOP and the country will not heal until this festering disease is removed.  If it happens sooner then we all get better sooner.

[Axeslinger]

I think that Trump damages the GOP and America every day he remains President.  The GOP and the country will not heal until this festering disease is removed.  If it happens sooner then we all get better sooner.

Yes we know.  You’ve pretty much beat that to death with every post.  (Coming from a guy whos no fan of his either)

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Yes we know.  You’ve pretty much beat that to death with every post.  (Coming from a guy whos no fan of his either)

Then my work here is done.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I think that Trump damages the GOP and America every day he remains President.  The GOP and the country will not heal until this festering disease is removed.

There are posts meant to demoralize.  Briefers and guests--- the post in quotes above is one of them.  I offer a quick dose of truth to help shake off this attempt at sabotage and sweep away its dust:

Minneapolis, Oct 10th








Lake Charles Louisiana, Oct 11th (11.5K inside/ 13K outside)










Dallas Oct 17th (20K inside /30K outside)





Partial overflow crowd:






I now return you to regularly scheduled broadcasting.   

[Formerly Once-Ler]

There are posts meant to demoralize.  Briefers and guests--- the post in quotes above is one of them.  I offer a quick dose of truth to help shake off this attempt at sabotage and sweep away its dust:

Enjoy it while it lasts @Right_in_Virginia 

[libertybele]

Enjoy it while it lasts @Right_in_Virginia 

Just out of curiosity @Once-Ler have you ever watched one of his rallies???  They are unbelievable.  Whether you like him or not, his base remains energized and engaged.  He continues to draw record breaking crowds.  No other President seeking re-election has been able to do so.

Have you ever thought what is going to happen to this country should he not be re-elected and one of the bat crap cray leftists becomes president?  I shutter to think of a president Warren, or Biden.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Just out of curiosity @Once-Ler have you ever watched one of his rallies???  They are unbelievable.  Whether you like him or not, his base remains energized and engaged.  He continues to draw record breaking crowds.  No other President seeking re-election has been able to do so.

Have you ever thought what is going to happen to this country should he not be re-elected and one of the bat crap cray leftists becomes president?  I shutter to think of a president Warren, or Biden.

I've watched at least a dozen rallies and it's true Trump brings out a large crowd.  I still think breaking the law should be punished.  I'm concerned for the country when any President thinks his popularity make him immune to the consequences of his actions.

[Jazzhead]

I think that Trump damages the GOP and America every day he remains President.  The GOP and the country will not heal until this festering disease is removed.  If it happens sooner then we all get better sooner.

@Once-Ler,  you know how I feel about the President.   And, like you,  I seek reconciliation and healing.

But answer me this:  Isn't reconciliation and healing best achieved if the verdict on Trump is rendered by the voters?   I am less interested in defending the rights of the President than in defending the rights of the 63 million who voted for him.   How is healing achieved by employing a kangaroo court to deny the people their right and responsibility to decide for themselves?

[aligncare]

There are posts meant to demoralize.  Briefers and guests--- the post in quotes above is one of them.  I offer a quick dose of truth to help shake off this attempt at sabotage and sweep away its dust:

Minneapolis, Oct 10th








Lake Charles Louisiana, Oct 11th (11.5K inside/ 13K outside)










Dallas Oct 17th (20K inside /30K outside)





Partial overflow crowd:






I now return you to regularly scheduled broadcasting.   

In my lifetime I have never seen sooo many fans of a festering disease gathered together. WoW!

[Snarknado]

I've watched at least a dozen rallies and it's true Trump brings out a large crowd.  I still think breaking the law should be punished.  I'm concerned for the country when any President thinks his popularity make him immune to the consequences of his actions.

Clinton got away with breaking the law, along with plenty of other shady stuff. Yet the country somehow managed to survive. In his case, letting voters pass judgement wasn't an option; in Trump's case it's clearly the only reasonable option. Trump may well lose, but at least his supporters will turn out to support the party. The real, unstated goal of impeachment proponents is to prevent that outcome.

In one post you said the country can't heal until Trump is removed. What exactly is it that needs healing? Everyone I know including some pretty far-left liberals are better off than than they ever have been before. If Warren gets in with control of Congress, the vast majority of Americans will get to experience the most painful "healing" process in our history as they watch their net worth nosedive, jobs disappear and their neighborhoods overrun by illegals.


Edit> Apologies to Jazzhead who posted similar thoughts while I was composing this...

[Formerly Once-Ler]

@Once-Ler,  you know how I feel about the President.   And, like you,  I seek reconciliation and healing.

But answer me this:  Isn't reconciliation and healing best achieved if the verdict on Trump is rendered by the voters?

@Jazzhead
Absolutely and I expect it to be done that way.  I don't know anyone who at this time thinks the Senate will convict.  I might joke about it but I expect the Senate to bend over for Trump just like they bent over him for three years.  However President Trump could also end this by stepping down.

When President Trump won the nomination a lot of Republicans said they would reign in Trump's ignorance, ethical failings, and mental acuity.  They didn't.  Good men like Reince Prebius, Paul Ryan, Jeff Sessions, Jim Mattis, John Kelly, Rex Tillerson, and H.R. McMaster let Trump say and do anything.  They put their time in and quit when it became apparent that they weren't really needed.

When Trump didn't want to go to intelligence briefings they changed them to power point presentations with a heavy sprinkling of the President's name because he likes to hear his name, but you can't teach someone who doesn't want to learn...because Trump already knows everything.  He's smarter than his generals.  I doubt the President attends any intelligence briefings now.  He is so smart that he was the only one who recognized he could actually stand in front of a camera and beg Ukraine and China to dig up dirt on his leading political rival and it would be ok with 95% of the GOP.

I am less interested in defending the rights of the President than in defending the rights of the 63 million who voted for him.

That's a good point but I think the 65 million rats who voted for Hillary in 2016, the 2018 voters who elected a rat majority, and NeverTrump human scum like myself also have rights.  The 2018 election was a referendum on Trump.  He made it a referendum and the only issue in the election, apart for Kavanaugh maybe, was Trump and impeachment.  In fact when I think back on it every member on this forum was concerned the rats would impeach Trump if the rats won the House, unless they were hoping for it because of the GOP backlash would assure victory for Trump in 2020.

How is healing achieved by employing a kangaroo court to deny the people their right and responsibility to decide for themselves?

That's a loaded question but again impeaching the President for breaking the law is a political process that does not remove him from office.  It puts on record the duly elected rat majority House condemnation of the President's conduct.  If the GOP majority Senate votes to convict you can ask them why they would deny the people their right and responsibility to decide for themselves.  But if that happens you will probably know why.

I too am concerned about the feelings that loyal Trump fans have over this process.  They have some legitimate complaints over the fairness of the impeachment process, and I understand how some of them feel about liking the good parts of the Trump Presidency.  I watched a speech by Rudy Gulliani at a state GOP convention.  I met him and shook his hand with pride.  It is sad to see how wrong I was about him.  His criminal association with Trump doesn't diminish what a great Mayor he was.

But we elected a crook and now we have to decide if we will excuse lawbreaking because the markets are good and let Trump commit an even more bizarrely atrocious crime, or put our foot down in futile and useless gesture that won't remove Trump.  I'm putting my foot down.

[Jazzhead]

@Once-Ler,  the flaw in your argument,  I think, is that this "impeachment inquiry" is being conducted without any of the due process protections afforded to Nixon or Clinton and - by extension - the citizens who voted for them and whose choice must, IMO, be fundamentally respected.   

You may consider this to all be political theater and that you fully expect the President to escape conviction,  but that cynicism is dangerous and puts the lie to your professed goal of reconciliation and healing.   The impeachments of Nixon and Trump were serious endeavors intended to secure bipartisan support for the President's removal for crimes based on evidence presented fairly before the public, with the accused's due process rights preserved.  The current exercise is a kangaroo court designed to drive a wedge in the electorate for partisan reasons,  and you pretty much admit as much.   

As I said,  what is at stake here is the rights of the 63 million who voted for him and for which the Constitution provides the victor - fair and square - will serve a four-year term.   If you claim those who did not vote for him have rights too, then step up and demand a fair process such as provided to Nixon and Clinton.   

[Snarknado]

And let's no pretend that today's vote legitimizes the process. e.g. it give Schiff the power to cherry-pick any out-of-context fragment of testimony and release it to the public. Only an independent investigative body can provide real legitimacy. If the dems truly believe they have the goods on Trump they should be demanding one. Anything less is just window dressing to disguise their underhanded partisan witch hunt. They know it will never fly in the Senate; they just want to inflict as much political damage as they can to influence the election.

@Once-Ler,  the flaw in your argument,  I think, is that this "impeachment inquiry" is being conducted without any of the due process protections afforded to Nixon or Clinton and - by extension - the citizens who voted for them and whose choice must, IMO, be fundamentally respected.   

You may consider this to all be political theater and that you fully expect the President to escape conviction,  but that cynicism is dangerous and puts the lie to your professed goal of reconciliation and healing.   The impeachments of Nixon and Trump were serious endeavors intended to secure bipartisan support for the President's removal for crimes based on evidence presented fairly before the public, with the accused's due process rights preserved.  The current exercise is a kangaroo court designed to drive a wedge in the electorate for partisan reasons,  and you pretty much admit as much.   

As I said,  what is at stake here is the rights of the 63 million who voted for him and for which the Constitution provides the victor - fair and square - will serve a four-year term.   If you claim those who did not vote for him have rights too, then step up and demand a fair process such as provided to Nixon and Clinton.