It's the House of Representatives' duty to impeach a president that has committed crimes

[Yavin4]

Fuck what the Senate does or does not do. Fuck all of that. If evidence is presented to you of a crime and you hold hearings to confirm the evidence, then you vote for impeachment.

I'm sick and tired of the excuse making and the enabling by the Democrats. Failure to hold Republicans accountable is how we got a torturer in charge of the CIA today.

[BigmanPigman]

1. Dems HAVE introduced it three times in the House.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=10652225

[Demsrule86]

16. And they shouldn't. It is foolish without enough votes in the Senate to convict

[NCTraveler]

2. This line is just ignorant.

"I'm sick and tired of the excuse making and the enabling by the Democrats."

It shows a complete lack of understanding with respect to both reality and perception.

[Demsrule86]

15. +100....the blame the Democrats crowd...

[brooklynite]

3. So, your goal is for Donald Trump to be acquitted?

...because that's what he'll claim when 2/3 of the Senate don't vote to convict him. Meanwhile, the voters who hopefully gave us the House will be wondering why we're wasting time on this instead of passing legislation on taxes, jobs, health care, education...

Your OP expresses anger; that's precisely NOT the basis on which to make this decision.

[standingtall]

5. The fatal flaw with that argument is if Democrats decide

not impeach after taking back the house and the investigations findings are announced Trump will pound his chest and declare himself exonerated and it will be even more effective politically than a failed conviction in the Senate. He will say 'look see I told the whole thing was a witch hunt from the start even the Democrats know it that's why they didn't bring impeachment charges despite controlling the house." His base will eat at that stuff up and even some swing voters will be fooled by it. Best for Democrats to force repukes in the Senate to either indict or defend a corrupt president and when they vote to defend him Democrats should be prepared to beat repukes over the head politically with their votes.

[brooklynite]

8. "and the investigations findings are announced"

THAT's the critical difference. You want an Impeachment decision NOW, before that evidence is available. Once the Mueller findings are released, the situation can be evaluated.

That said, it is entirely possible that Trump wasn't involved in any collusion, and did his speeches while Don Jr. and his minions worked in the background. If that's the case, you won't likely find support for impeachment on the grounds that he didn't deserve to win.

[standingtall]

20. I want him impeached after the investigation is concluded

It is possible that Trump had no knowledge of his campaign colluding with Russians, but not likely.

Also possible Trump gave his permission for his campaign to engage in illegal activities as long as he was shielded for knowing what those specific activities were. In any event he has obstructed justice at minimum and there is no way he hasn't of course I expect a lot more wrong doing on his part to be discovered once the investigation is complete than just obstruction of justice.

[Demsrule86]

14. And if we impeach...he could win a second term.

[standingtall]

19. And if we dont he could win a 2nd term

[Demsrule86]

23. There is no point in impeaching without removal from office which is not possible without

Republican support in the senate. Impeachment could make him sympathetic and allow for re-election. There is no downside for not impeaching him as we can rightly point out that there is no possibility of removal so it is pointless...might feel good but ultimately impeachment without conviction is a waste of time and politically risky with no reward.

[standingtall]

28. There is a downside to not impeaching under any circumstances

if we cannot get 67 votes in the Senate because of republicans. That would make us look weak and could kill the enthusiasm of our base. I'm willing to be bet if we force a vote in the Senate to indictment after the investigations findings are announce if it fails it will not hurt us at all, but instead will be politically damaging for republicans. The only justifiable reason we could possibly have for not impeaching Trump for his crimes is if we receive some kind of guarantee that he will be indicted the day after he leaves office.

[DFW]

4. Unfortunately, it's in the eye of the beholder.

To Republicans, it is exactly like Trump said: he could shoot someone in broad daylight on Fifth Avenue and not lose a vote--or, one might add today, be any nearer to an impeachment in the House.

In our present government, Democrats commit "crimes." Republicans commit "youthful indiscretions," an expression used by the very Republican House member, Henry Hyde of Illinois, who led the successful impeachment effort against Bill Clinton. Hyde used that phrase to describe, and brush off, his own marital infidelities. Trump is using his position to enrich himself and bring untold taxpayer millions in business to his own properties. This is an illegal conflict of interest--if you are a Democrat. If you are a Republican, it is "smart business sense."

Democrats tend not to worship those who have amassed wealth. If you did, good for you, but it doesn't make you a better person that the neighborhood postman. Republicans, with their inferiority complex, worship money and wealth, are jealous of those who have it, and disdain all (including themselves) who do not. The only people they disdain worse than those who do not have wealth are those who don't have wealth and don't care. That is a contentedness they will never achieve or understand, and it drives them mad with envy and rage.

[zipplewrath]

6. Actually they have one duty

To preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
If that requires impeachment, so be it.

[loyalsister]

7. Does anyone really believe there will be anything prosecutable?

Trump is surrounded by criminals who acted on his behalf.... criminals with swords they are all too happy to fall on.

[Yavin4]

11. It's not about what we believe or not believe. it's about the facts and the evidence.

If the fact and evidence point to crimes committed by Trump, then it's House's duty to impeach.

[loyalsister]

25. My point is that it is a fantasy

There is not going to be evidence to support an impeachment charge. Trump is certainly guilty by association and as a beneficiary of criminal activity. But there is no good reason to jump to the conclusion that there will be evidence to charge him.
Putting pressure on congress is unreasonable and counterproductive.

[Yavin4]

26. " There is not going to be evidence to support an impeachment charge. "

And on what basis do you know this?

[loyalsister]

27. There are layers upon layers protecting Trump

The people who carried it out are no fools and are falling on swords. I don't expect that a guy who has never truly worked would have done the heavy lifting. I don't see it happening.

[GulfCoast66]

9. Thankfully we have an experienced and tactical leader in the house

Rather than posters on DU making these decisions.

And fancy you for finding a way to find Democrats responsible for republican actions.

Study up on majority vs minority in Congress.

Just stop.

[Yavin4]

10. If Mueller reports that crimes by the President were comitted and the Dems do nothing, then yes,

They will be responsible for abetting Trump's crimes.

[Demsrule86]

13. Bullshit. The Republicans who refuse to do their job are responsible.

Stop bashing Democrats.

[Demsrule86]

12. There is no point and it is a waste of money if you can't convict in the Senate and remove the

president. And you could help him win a second term so no you are wrong.

[kentuck]

17. To play the devil's advocate.

How do we know whether or not they will convict if you don't take a vote??

[Demsrule86]

18. Come on...do you really think the GOP would convict...You can count votes.

[kentuck]

21. Not in the present reality...

But the reality may change? If Republicans get shit-canned in November and it looks like a continuing downhill slide, they may change their minds. We don't know.

I don't see the situation improving for Republicans.

[Demsrule86]

22. The thing is the GOP who will get shit-canned are the few 'moderates' left, thus those who

remain will be even more rabid, so even if they lose, I don't see them joining the Democrats and moving against Trump...the remnants will come from areas where Trump has support.

[Demsrule86]

24. No it is not...you need to have the votes in the Senate for conviction.