Do all senate votes have to be public? I don't know the US system but surely there has to be a way to have a vote without revealing who voted where.
The base is one thing. But Trump is too unpredictable....especially in the last year. And it's obvious the Republican party cannot control him. I don't think they would take a chance on him again. Even so, four years is a long time in politics, so a lot can happen between now and then. Trump could die, there could be a huge crackdown on domestic terrorism, Trump could die, Trumpers could find some other clown to worship, Trump could die, etc.
Well, that's what happened when they lost the White House AND Senate control in one election.Repubs made a deal with the devil, time to pay the price i guess.
The levels of bullshit is staggering.
The fuck would McConnell be afraid of ANYONE at Fox? This dude is one of the most powerful folks in the United States. If he wanted to get in the ear of Rupert Murdoch he could.
The only thing he's concerned with, is whether his useful idiot is still useful. If Trump is a liability, then he's done. And it sounds like he's a liability.
I mean, it really is simple. Trump is now toxic. If he runs again, that fucks with any other viable conservative candidate. If he starts his own party, it splinters the conservative base. Mitch needs to get rid of Trump, so Trump will be convicted, and will no longer be able to run for office. Problem solved.
I'm willing to bet money on it. Trump is done.
Also, he lost his biggest platform and loudspeaker. I think it's hard to overestimate just how much that neutered him as a political figure.I do not believe that is happening at all.
Have you not been paying attention the last 4 years? Trump is the laziest dude alive. Starting a political party requires massive amount of momentum, staying power, will, tireless fundraising. That's not Trump.
Also look at his other grifts--Trump University. Fell apart.
"I have learned through sad experience that no one has lost money betting on the seemingly bottomless capacity of congressional R's for self-abasement and cowardice," said the former official.
As if they had spines to begin withHere's hoping their spines grow back now that he's gone.
Still doubtful.
If they convict Trump they alienate half their base. If they don't he runs again in 2024, perhaps not even as a Republican.
It's a lose lose!
The base is one thing. But Trump is too unpredictable....especially in the last year. And it's obvious the Republican party cannot control him. I don't think they would take a chance on him again. Even so, four years is a long time in politics, so a lot can happen between now and then. Trump could die, there could be a huge crackdown on domestic terrorism, Trump could die, Trumpers could find some other clown to worship, Trump could die, etc.
This whole thing reminds me of the story of Ken McElroy. In brief, he was a bully that terrorized a small town for years, stealing, raping, burning down buildings, beating, and shooting people, but for whatever reason the justice system was unable to deal with him. It all came to a head one day when 60 people surrounded his truck and shot him to hell. When the sheriff drove down and asked what happened, the people said they didn't see anything.
That's what the GoP may end up doing metaphorically with Trump. They're tired of him, and if they can just take him off the board and then go on like he never existed, that's very attractive to a certain subset of them.
Are there any rules that would prevent him from having some chosen successor while he hint to his fans that he would be directing him through some other type of official role?If they convict him, they will also bar him from being able to hold office ever again.
What you're suggesting is anathema to representative democracy.
It ain't happening folks. GOP will never again rat out their own. It damages their brand, and it pisses off their rabid constituents. This is basically what I have expected even though Mitch has put out feelers, there hasn't been much response.
The miserable complicit cowards who failed to vote for impeachement should all be banned from public office. Self-serving traitors who have no business claiming to work for the people."There were 10 House Republicans who voted for impeachment. There were probably over 150 who supported it," said Charlie Dent, a former Republican congressman and CNN contributor.
Basically this, and fuck mitch and whoever for going along with trumpism for as long as they did. The writing was on the wall in huge letters for years, and idgaf if they try to distance themselves from him now, they're all snakesEven if they convict Trump and Barr him from being president again I think Trump is really gonna start his own party and be nastier than ever. You can't really put this back inside the bottle anymore
I've said it before. When it says that Trump is acquitted for this it will become normalized that actions like that can happen
"There were 10 House Republicans who voted for impeachment. There were probably over 150 who supported it," said Charlie Dent, a former Republican congressman and CNN contributor.
"I have learned through sad experience that no one has lost money betting on the seemingly bottomless capacity of congressional R's for self-abasement and cowardice," said the former official.
Yeah, there is some legitimate 4D chess to be played here and I honestly don't know what the best moves are. Allowing Trump to continue having a presence in politics and even an unofficial leadership role in the Republican party just for strategic purposes of splitting the Right may be playing with fire.This is absolutely true. I just don't think they can do it. Republicans are fucking spineless. Just look at how they whined about death threats that Democrats get all the time.
But, there are two things that give me pause:
1. Donors are pressuring them. Removal would give those donors the easiest excuse to go back to donating. But, they probably will eventually, anyway, so...
2. Trump can't tweet. That is a huge plus for any cowardly Senators who know Trump deserves conviction, but are afraid of his reaction.
The thing is, I don't even know, myself, whether I want Trump convicted. I do - in a vacuum. No one has ever deserved it more. But, Trump's gone. It's the GOP that needs to get fucked, now. If acquitting Trump drives a wedge between them and their big donors, and maybe costs them Senate seats in 2022, then that is worth a lot.
Still, it sure would be good for the country, long-term, if history books remember Trump as the only president ever successfully convicted after impeachment.
I don't know.
Your asking a lot from earthwormsHere's hoping their spines grow back now that he's gone.
Still doubtful.
Yeah, there is some legitimate 4D chess to be played here and I honestly don't know what the best moves are. Allowing Trump to continue having a presence in politics and even an unofficial leadership role in the Republican party just for strategic purposes of splitting the Right may be playing with fire.
even with this, I would still gladly take an impeachment so that it can reduce the chance of the orange clown being president again to 0%.He's trying to turn what happened the past four years into Trump and absolve himself, and thus the GOP.
This way he can say "look, it wasn't us! It was him! Don't lump us with him!" It's all BS, but it'll somehow work on the average person.