Over time, I've gotten use to "Righteous Indignation" (tm) from Republicans about something that isn't even remotely true, or which is something that they themselves have already done, often repeatedly. But there are limits, and I've at last grown weary of Republicans pontificating in "Righteous Indignation" (tm) about how it is unconstitutional (!!!) to impeach a former president who is no longer in office and now a private citizen. Outraged they are! Outraged.
By the way, my reaction has nothing to do with the matter before the Senate. It's even more basic and easy than that. Just to be really, really clear -- which shouldn't be difficult because this actually is incredibly easy and basic -- Trump was already impeached by the House of Representatives, and it was done while he was still in office. Totally constitutional. As constitutional as it gets. And as basic. And easy. Just yesterday, Kevin McCarthy, the Republican minority leader, sent a tweet about this, that you couldn't impeach a private citizen. Apparently he's unaware that the House actually did vote to impeach Trump. I'm surprised he didn't know that since it was in all the newspapers. And because he was there at the time and voted on the measure. What is left in the process is not impeachment, but the trial, whether or not Trump will be convicted. Now, Republicans may want to case that it's unconstitutional to hold a trial after a person has left office and is a private citizen -- they'd lose that argument, mind you, because there's precedent where it's already happened -- but that's a totally separate matter. That's a trial -- where there are House managers prosecuting the case, defense lawyers working on behalf of the accused, witnesses, evidence and someone to preside over it all. Just as if it was a trial...which is exactly what it is. What it is not is an impeachment. That's something totally different. And it already happened. And Trump was impeached. While in office. Which is constitutional. This is really basic. This is really easy. And I don't know which Republicans in Congress don't actually grasp this, or do but want to confuse their base. But both are galling. Trump has been impeached by the House of Representatives. While he was in office. It was constitutional. And now the Senate has to have a trial to decide whether a someone should be held accountable for trying to incite a mob to insurrection and overthrow the United States government. Whether or not he is still in office or not. Because the precedent for the next president who doesn't like the results of losing an election is critical. That's really basic and really easy, too.
2 Comments
Douglas Abramson
1/27/2021 07:38:44 pm
Just for my own amusement, I sent an email to Sen. Rubio last night explaining that Trump had been impeached as president, not as a private citizen and that the only reason he wasn't tried while in office was because of foot dragging by his Senate caucus, not the House. I then pointed out that because the current situation was of their design, their insistent whining reminded me of the a guy in an old joke who killed both of his parents, then threw himself on the mercy of the court because he was an orphan...I'm not expecting a response, and not just because I live in California.
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Robert Elisberg
1/28/2021 04:24:59 pm
Yes, every once in a while one must vent for their own well-being. And it's all the better when the venting is made with spot-on accurate points.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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