05-22-2018, 11:39 AM
(05-22-2018, 11:18 AM)hollodero Wrote: So, it's more of a norm, and norms don't mean much these days. But I do feel he'd get away with not accepting an indictment. Right now, I know you have some midterm elections coming up, making some things less "factual". Vote democrat :)
Well, I am going to a Memorial Day lunch this Sunday for the local Democratic Party where I will be meeting with the candidates in the Democratic primary for our House of Representatives seat. So that should tell you my leanings.
(05-22-2018, 11:18 AM)hollodero Wrote: So I have a question, is Trump's conduct impeachable by now in principle, should a blue congress go for it (or at which point)? And I have another question. What would happen if Trump turned against the judiciary, say doesn't accept a supreme court ruling on matters like these?
Trump's conduct, insofar as I am aware, is not impeachable at this point. I think that were this a split government and we had a Democratic Congress that they would not be out of line to censure him, but impeachment based on the current information is not warranted. Impeachment requires, or at least it should require, strong evidence of criminal wrongdoing or an objectively egregious violation of the oath of office. Right now we don't have strong evidence of either on the part of Trump himself. This is why Mueller's job is an important one and something that needs to be accepted once completed. If Mueller says the evidence isn't there, then the Democrats need to accept that. If he says it is there, then the Republicans need to accept that.
If there is a failure to act by the legislature or the judiciary if the evidence is compelling, depending upon what happens, then it could very well be a constitutional crisis. If Trump refuses to accept determinations by either, it could be a constitutional crisis. I don't think it will get to that point. I have faith in our institutions in ways many people don't. That being said, I think that the next administration and/or Congress needs to look at this period in time and strengthen those institutions. They have been weakened and their vulnerabilities laid bare. That needs to be resolved.
"A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be either great or a democracy..." - TR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
