Donald J Trump

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

1 hour ago, CarolAnn said:

Impeachment is pretty damn difficult. The Constitution calls for " Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors " and the bar for evidence is pretty high. Simply talking to the Russian ambassador isn't enough - someone better have recorded the conversation and it better involve poisoning Litivinenko.

 

Impeachment is only half the battle. The House of Representatives impeaches, then the Senate has to convict. Only two Presidents have been impeached and neither was convicted and removed. Nixon would have been impeached and convicted over the Smoking Gun Tape, but if that tape hadn't been found he would have probably served out his term in office despite everyone and their dog knowing that he knew and condoned the break ins, the buggings and the harassments. 

 

At this point I doubt Trump could be impeached let alone convicted - his party controls Congress for the next two years at least. It takes a hell of a lot for a party to remove their own President regardless of him being an idiot. 

 

 

Thanks for explaining that. I was wondering though if the factionalism in the party would play a part.  The more "Establishment" Republicans or even Dubya's neo-cons would want him gone and maybe would find Pence more to their liking, I presume, so maybe they really would do it, especially if the wheels were falling off in a really major way and they had nothing left to lose.  By this I mean if the economy was going bad and polls were awful so they knew they'd lose any upcoming election so they have nothing to lose. (I guess I am used to Australian politics of the last 10 years where it is fairly routine now for parties to knife their own serving prime ministers in factional battles.    )

 

Another question: would "high crimes and misdemeanours" include perjury for lying about sexual stuff if he really did molest women in the past and video evidence was produced and he had told fibs about it?  Didn't the Repubs try to indict Bill over perjury relating to Monica? Has he specifically denied sexual misconduct to any special senate committees or whatever (as opposed to just denying it in the media) that would indicate he has potentially misled congress or the senate if strong evidence emerged?

[rockhopper penguin 2,265]

Unfortunately you can't impeach for being an idiot or even incompetent (eg Warren Harding, James Buchanan). As everyone says Trump is doing what he said would and he got elected. Only at the point (if) the Democrats find a viable candidate for 2020 will the Republicans think about trying to shut him up. But support impeachment - no.

[CarolAnn 926]

22 hours ago, Davey Jones' Locker said:

Thanks for explaining that. I was wondering though if the factionalism in the party would play a part.  The more "Establishment" Republicans or even Dubya's neo-cons would want him gone and maybe would find Pence more to their liking, I presume, so maybe they really would do it, especially if the wheels were falling off in a really major way and they had nothing left to lose.  By this I mean if the economy was going bad and polls were awful so they knew they'd lose any upcoming election so they have nothing to lose. (I guess I am used to Australian politics of the last 10 years where it is fairly routine now for parties to knife their own serving prime ministers in factional battles.    )

 

Another question: would "high crimes and misdemeanours" include perjury for lying about sexual stuff if he really did molest women in the past and video evidence was produced and he had told fibs about it?  Didn't the Repubs try to indict Bill over perjury relating to Monica? Has he specifically denied sexual misconduct to any special senate committees or whatever (as opposed to just denying it in the media) that would indicate he has potentially misled congress or the senate if strong evidence emerged?

Clinton was impeached for lying to Congress, but he wasn't convicted, mostly because his party controlled the Senate and partly because only Republicans playing at religious government really  gave a damn about his sex  life. Personally, I think most of them were jealous. 

[Joey Russ 7,226]

The travel ban has failed again.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Trump's now promising to take the travel ban all the way to the Supreme Court. Since he governs by executive order it raises the serious question of who else - but him - would be appropriate to explain the policy and (therefore) withstand examination by the representative of the other side. Trump, on oath, in court having to fully explain a policy and stick to the point whilst talking would be reality television gold. Not that he'd get the irony.

[YoungWillz 21,044]

Didn't he bang on about the forgotten man and forgotten woman?

 

At the moment it looks like it's all about him. Meantime, the American people and the American Constitution appear to not only be forgotten but ignored.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Given Trump's current estrangement from the truth if he announced his own terminal illness would it make people more or less likely to pick him in a dead pool?

[CarolAnn 926]

10 hours ago, maryportfuncity said:

Given Trump's current estrangement from the truth if he announced his own terminal illness would it make people more or less likely to pick him in a dead pool?

Hope springs eternal. I'd pick him.

[gcreptile 10,970]

On 12.1.2017 at 18:35, gcreptile said:

The compiler, Christopher Steele, is now in hiding because he fears for his life:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/12/intelligence-sources-vouch-credibility-donald-trump-russia-dossier-author(at the very bottom).

The Senate wants to talk to Mr. Steele, but he fears for his safety in case of leaving London:

http://www.nbcnews.com/card/senate-intel-committee-may-interview-ex-uk-spy-christopher-steele-n739966

 

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Border wall delays: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39434413

 

So, what does anyone reckon. What's the first significant promise he will deliver on?

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

His approval ratings have slumped:  http://www.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/207416/trump-approval-rating-drops-new-low.aspx

[gcreptile 10,970]

He kept the only promise I wanted him to keep: killing TPP and TTIP.

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

On his complete backflip in policies:  http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017/04/isolationist_turned_internationalist_donald_trump.html

 

 

Pilger on Trump:

https://consortiumnews.com/2017/04/12/trump-finds-his-groove-with-warmaking/

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

Man dies peacefully after friend fibs and tells him Trump has been impeached:  https://www.salon.com/2017/04/18/dying-wish-oregon-man-was-able-to-die-peacefully-after-a-friend-said-trump-had-been-impeached/

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

You know things are bad when Australian government propagandists are trying their best to reassure people that Pence is actually a sane member of the White House before his State visit:

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-21/us-vice-president-pence-en-route-to-australia-asia-trip/8459344

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

On 10/03/2017 at 13:28, CarolAnn said:

Clinton was impeached for lying to Congress, but he wasn't convicted, mostly because his party controlled the Senate and partly because only Republicans playing at religious government really  gave a damn about his sex  life. Personally, I think most of them were jealous. 

This is interesting reading for someone like me with a very sketchy knowledge of the US Constitution:  https://www.quora.com/Under-which-conditions-can-the-USA-depose-a-president

 

My two cents' worth is that it strikes me as ridiculous that a party has no mechanism to remove/stab in the back its own president if, for instance, his public approval ratings are plummeting. If he hasn't done anything impeachable, they basically just have to sit it out until the election time, it seems.

 

Overall, on the basis of this, I'd give your Consitution a rating of "C".  Good for a first draft I suppose but definitely needs some more thought put into it.

 

They need a mechanism for the electoral college to get together in the event of a crisis and have another pick to get it right second time around!

[CarolAnn 926]

There is nothing but party loyalty holding an elector to a vote. They have the right to vote as they see fit. 

[gcreptile 10,970]

Donald Trump freely gave classified intel to Russia, which the USA received from Israel:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/world/middleeast/israel-trump-classified-intelligence-russia.html?_r=1

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

News report on the radio that there's be a formal call to impeach him - nowt on BBC yet; anyone know anything more

[Spade_Cooley 9,525]

Rep Al Green (D-TX) has made the call, don't think it holds much weight though. Trump will probably throw a plate of hot grits in his face

[Dead Wait 1,129]

http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/17/donald-trump-to-face-calls-for-impeachment-in-congress-this-afternoon-6643801/

[gcreptile 10,970]

Trump is done, may take a month or two, but it's over. Worst president ever, without doubt.

 

Sadly, Mike Pence will be slightly more effective. It would be better if a deeply damaged Trump went into the next two elections.

[Joey Russ 7,226]

1 minute ago, gcreptile said:

Trump is done, may take a month or two, but it's over. Worst president ever, without doubt.

 

Sadly, Mike Pence will be slightly more effective. It would be better if a deeply damaged Trump went into the next two elections.

Depends. If it turns out the entire Trump administration is guilty, and not just Trump, then we could have someone else not in the administration most likely be president. Only if Trump resigns will it be guaranteed that Pence becomes president.

[YoungWillz 21,044]

Well it was either impeachment or assassination.

 

Anyway, did the Americans not realise they were voting for a Russian placeman? Land of the free ruled by a dictator?

[gcreptile 10,970]

36 minutes ago, Spade_Cooley said:

Rep Al Green (D-TX) has made the call, don't think it holds much weight though. Trump will probably throw a plate of hot grits in his face

Also, Justin Amash (R-MI):

 

https://politicalwire.com/2017/05/17/first-republican-raises-impeachment-trump/