"Never before have there been this many signs of criminality by a sitting president."
While I agree Trump has violated both norms and the law/constitution (recall the "national emergency" used to overturn Congress's budget and reallocate funds to build "the wall" - taking money from building/repairing schools at military bases), I do worry that impeachment is exactly what Trump wants. He wants to be running against the "deep state" that is trying to overturn his election. If the Republicans in the Senate do not come to their collective senses and rebel against turning their party into a cult of personality, then the impeachment will not result in a conviction. Trump will then claim he's been vindicated and exonerated - and that's all we will hear, not that Republican Senators lacked the backbone to do their duty. Did he release the transcript of the call with the Ukrainian president just to provoke the Democrats into starting impeachment hearings? The Trump campaign reportedly raised big bucks ($5M) using the impeachment hearings. Will he use them to rally his based and get them to turn out so he can again win with a minority of the popular vote? He remains deeply popular among his Republican base - so maybe he can just shoot someone in the middle of 5th Ave and still retain the support of his base, as he bragged in the election? Are we living in the Twilight Zone?
Watching the Intelligence Committe's hearing this morning. I think Trump may be dead in the water.
I'd like to agree, but he still has the Senate and there, a 2/3 majority is required to find him guilty. Then if you remember in his first 100 days, he said he'd simply use his presidential pardon to pardon himself!
Now that would an interesting case to put before his supreme court. Do they support him, which would set a precedent for future POTUSs to employ, or would they 'lock him up'?
Something I have wondered is, is this a ruse to make Pelosi go off half cocked with impeachment, as he'll be all the stronger once he wins, thus taking the 2020 in his stride with ease.
And yes, I'm studying current American politics. We're the first in the UK to be adapting to 2019 events formally.
@Sofabeast I find it interesting that our cousins in the UK are watching the development of the House impeachment process so closely. You are right about th Senate. But it will be a major loss for the president if the articles of impeachment passed the House with two-thirds of the vote counted. That would mean that a number of Republicans have crossed the line to fight against the president and his corrupt form of Republicanism.
@SofabeastAh, the wonder years of American history. I am a Baby Boomer, born at the end of the Truman administration, and lived through the turmoil. I remember hiding under my desk in grade school waiting for the bombs to fall on New York City and the weapon plants on Long Island. I remember the Nike anti-missile missiles pointed towards the sky waiting for the Soviets to attack. I also remember the building of the Interstate road system and having mail delivered twice a day. Ah, the years well before the internet and smartphones. Email me if you want some first-hand info on the wonder years.