The difference between supermajority thresholds for the Republicans and Democrats is truly shocking. It's unnerving to think what today's GOP would do with 60+ votes in the Senate. An all-out electoral reform seems like the only, unlikely way out to even the odds for both parties.
If Trump did what he did during the Nixon and Watergate era, he would almost certainly been convicted (he wouldn't have resigned).
There are two lessons that I see from both of Trump's acquittals.
1. Impeachment does not work. Congress will not hold the President accountable under any circumstance. I don't think 2/3 of the Senate will vote to convict a President. A future President will ignore Congress and the counts and claim vast executive power.
2. Impeachment may be used for partisan purposes instead of for real conduct issues. Senator Lindsey Graham suggested that Vice President Kamala Harris will get impeached if the Republicans regain control of the House. I'm not sure why Harris would be impeached. I think Graham is worried that impeaching President Joe Biden will backfire, so Harris becomes the person Republicans want to impeach. Graham's reasoning suggests that the Republicans would impeach Harris because she is a Black/Asian woman.
The difference between supermajority thresholds for the Republicans and Democrats is truly shocking. It's unnerving to think what today's GOP would do with 60+ votes in the Senate. An all-out electoral reform seems like the only, unlikely way out to even the odds for both parties.
Hi Elliott,
If Trump did what he did during the Nixon and Watergate era, he would almost certainly been convicted (he wouldn't have resigned).
There are two lessons that I see from both of Trump's acquittals.
1. Impeachment does not work. Congress will not hold the President accountable under any circumstance. I don't think 2/3 of the Senate will vote to convict a President. A future President will ignore Congress and the counts and claim vast executive power.
2. Impeachment may be used for partisan purposes instead of for real conduct issues. Senator Lindsey Graham suggested that Vice President Kamala Harris will get impeached if the Republicans regain control of the House. I'm not sure why Harris would be impeached. I think Graham is worried that impeaching President Joe Biden will backfire, so Harris becomes the person Republicans want to impeach. Graham's reasoning suggests that the Republicans would impeach Harris because she is a Black/Asian woman.
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1360963559820320773
Ultimately, I'm concerned about checks and balances failing and the growing power of the Presidency.
-Elliot