Pelosi: Many want to impeach Trump, but we need to make a "compelling" case

[Javaman]

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/mueller-statement-russia-investigation-may-29-2019

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, speaking at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, said many of her constituents support starting impeachment proceedings against President Trump — but she wants to ensure that any case Congress makes is a "compelling" one.

Pelosi said that "nothing is off the table" but stressed the need for an "ironclad" case to convince Republican lawmakers.

"But we do want to make such a compelling case, such an ironclad case that even the Republican Senate would — at the time seems to be not an objective jury —will be convinced of the path that we have to take as a country," she said.

------------------------------

that's all there is.

[qazplm135]

1. I mean that's never going to happen

so that's a poor framing.

she should have said something like "any reasonable person looking at this would conclude that impeachment was necessary" or something like that.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

27. Never ever say never... ever.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[qazplm135]

49. that's usually one of the silliest things someone can say

there are all sorts of things one can say never too.

I'm never living forever.
I'm never walking on the sun.
I'm never surviving breathing in space without a suit.
I'm never making the NBA.
I'm never winning the lottery.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

50. Well, that's silly... you have as much chance to win the lottery as anyone else...

so long as you buy a ticket. So, how can you say you're never going to win the lottery?

And, you COULD live forever, IF reincarnation exists... and, if so, you COULD come back as an NBA basketball player.

So, you see... never say never!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[qazplm135]

59. ummmm

wow.

[montanacowboy]

2. Pathetic

I can remember back in the day when we actually had power and Nancy would NOT go after the war criminals Bush and Cheney

She told us "We must Look Forward, Not Backward" and look where the hell that advice got us

It is time for new thinking

[theaocp]

6. I honestly cannot stand the idea

of looking forward, not backward. The last time for me was Obama saying it. Enough of that shit. Look backward so we CAN get back to looking forward. Impeach the motherfucker.

[live love laugh]

16. But it's okay when Republicans say "move on"?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

28. I agree with your last line.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[live love laugh]

15. That's before we knew how scummy Republicans really were. nt

[Crunchy Frog]

20. Oh ffs! Of course we knew.

Anyone who lived through the GWB years, and was paying attention, had absolutely no excuse for not knowing.

[Trumpocalypse]

25. You mean the overwhelming victory in the 2008 election?

[Lunabell]

32. I agree

Enough is enough.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

40. Yes

[Beartracks]

52. Gotta look backward to find out where forward is going to get you. n/t

[CentralMass]

3. Nothing is going to convince this group of sycophantic republicans.

That shouldn't be a gating factor. If impeachable crimes were committed then file articles of impeachment.

[LovingA2andMI]

4. Removal DOES NOT NEED OR IS REQUIRED.....

(Sorry for screaming)....to be a part or a reason for Impeachment. That is the job of Nancy's US HOUSE. Removal is the job of Mitch McConnell's Senate -- which we all know will not happen.

So, the need for a "compelling case" is straight BS. The case is there (been there) on Impeachment. Nancy needs to DO HER JOB!

[live love laugh]

19. What do you mean the case has been there?

Pelosi and Democrats are doing their job.

Democrats took over the House majority role in February. The redacted Mueller Report was released in April. They’ve scheduled hearings for the record only to be met with unprecedented obstruction. They still don’t have the unredacted report.

How exactly should they DO HER JOB?

[grumpyduck]

5. I think she's playing for time

not wanting to rush it into the Senate and have them vote it down close to elections, which would be a victory for him.

From what I've seen so far, MHO is that she's more interested in the future of the country than in getting T out.

[LenaBaby61]

14. she's more interested in the future of the country than in getting T out.

There won't BE a country like we've known if something isn't done soon.

Yes, I get that we just can't go rushing into things. But when Nancy said she didn't want to investigate Bush/Cheney, and to look forward not backward, look at what we're looking at now:

We have a mad man installed into the Oval Office with GOP voter-suppression and ruskie HELP and he STILL has ruskie help. We have a Senate that doesn't care, is treasonous and complicit right along WITH fatso. We have russia's putin controlling our country and it's foreign policy. And I know she love her grands, but if this country keeps going on the trajectory it's going, look at what she'll be leaving them. The do have a base of wealth to fall back on (Not saying that Nancy didn't work hard to achieve all she has or doesn't deserve it), but what about the rest of us poor slobs who are fighting to just keep our heads above water. The mutherfucker along with tRumpthuglicans are STILL trying to get rid of the ACA, along with Low Bob Barr.

Back to orange fatso, he and camp are guilty of conspiracy, as they reached out to the ruskies with over 200 contacts just off the top. Fredo Jr. said he LOVED all of the dirt he thought the ruskies had ON Hillary. Manafort lied like an ostrich coat wearing rug as did other folks in the tRumputin crime syndicate which is one reason conspiracy couldn't be corroborated 'officially.' Fatso is guilty of obstruction, IS trashing out the economy, trashing out the rules of law of this country, making racism WORSE, has alienated us from our allies by turning this country into the USSA and is trying to militarize HIS DOJ against it's own citizens, and too many in our country are flat out DUMMIES and aren't the slightest bit interested in reading or understanding the Mueller Report, and they sure as HELL don't get that our country is in peril. Meanwhile, others are working and don't have time (I'd make time if my country was in peril) to read the Mueller Report. We have a mostly corporate media who also helped fatso get elected. I fear that the tops of our food chain heading Congress are (forgive me for this) old and slow and reacting too slowly to this slow, rolling ruskiethuglican coup. Mueller handed off to Congress. Mueller made Low Bob Barr look even worse if that's possible. It's crystal CLEAR. He also didn't exonerate fatso. He said if he could have said he was innocent he would have. He's done his job in MY mind, even though it was in an extremely LIMITED in scope. However, Mueller doesn' t get to just GO away into the sunset and rest up after 22 months. He will be a private citizen soon (His presser said so today), and this Congress BETTER subpoena him to fill into other gaps that we as a mostly dumb ass country just don't get.

Thank God Financial Services Maxine, for whatever it's worth has gotten it ALL along even though she's 80. Maxine Waters HAS explained everything about this orange criminals crimes et al. The REST of the Congress better do the same, because as I said "Too many in our country are flat out DUMMIES and aren't the slightest bit interested in reading or understanding the Mueller Report,or many are working and don't have time."

Maxine's 'gotten it' all along.

[Volaris]

21. If the house impeaches this fucker, and gets all of the necessary evidence for voting on it

Before it gets approved and sent to the Senate , the GOP over there will risk losing their majority if they DONT convict him .

That's the button that needs to be pushed. MAKE that fucker Yertle defend the publicly indefensible, and lets see what THAT does to his power trip.

[sprinkleeninow]

33. "...make mcCONnell

defend the publicly indefensible..."

👍

[Laura PourMeADrink]

41. Excellent point

[backscatter712]

58. Actually, I'm wondering if she's trying to bring impeachment right to the elections.

If that's Pelosi's goal, I'm with her. Forgive me for being a Machiavellian bastard.

As far as the compelling case goes, we already have one - it's called the Mueller Report. What we need to do is spend time burning through the right-wing and "balanced" propaganda and getting that compelling case to the American people. That's why the thing to do right now is to start impeachment hearings, and keep those hearings going for the next year or so.

If we rush impeachment, we already know what's going to happen. The House will vote to impeach, then the Senate Repubs will vote to acquit, and the whole damn thing will fizzle.

What you want to do is build the case in the minds of the American people (which means we have to burn through the propaganda), build the momentum, and time it so the House impeachment vote happens in late September 2020 or so, so the Senate trial has to take place in the weeks before the election. At that point, there will be so much pressure that a few Republicans will buckle, and the rage boiling through the American public will be so hot that Trump will get thrown out, the Senate will flip Democratic, and we can finally get some people with brains running the country again.

[dalton99a]

7. If there is a case, Republicans will have an epiphany

[marble falls]

8. And figure out how to take Pence down with him. Could you imagine a President Agnew???

[BeyondGeography]

9. Sure we do

[still_one]

10. Pelosi is saying call your representatives if you want impeachment. Currently the polls indicate

the public is not in favor of impeachment

[Chin music]

53. Have you called your congress people lately? You get a recording. I HIGHLY doubt

any congressperson other than a select few D's even listen. It's akin to getting a job online. Big waste of time bc nobody ever knows the results of calling, or the resumes you send in. Maybe, if you're lucky, you get an email that says 'we didn't choose you." IMHO it's a way to not have to admit that the job economy is stagnant, and jobs only go to folks already w a foot in the door, and also congress can abjectly ignore constituents. they do what they want to anyway. Protesting in the streets is by far the biggest determiner for advancement, but, that's just me.

[still_one]

55. You leave a message. They tabulate them. You can also write. I am from N. California, and I have

done all three, Leave a message, Talk to a live person, and write.

I also get a response most of the time.

If I want to talk to a live person, I usually find calling their local office in the state is usually easier to talk to a person than calling their Washington DC office.

Nancy Pelosi isn't my representative, but I was able to call her local SF office, and talk to a live person.

I understand your point though, it might not be easy to contact a live person, but from what I understand, they have people tabulating those calls.

Writing is even better

[Chin music]

56. Good points.

Ty.

[still_one]

57. but it is still frustrating Chin, and they may end up not doing what you want, even if there is a

plurality of people asking them to

[NewDayOranges]

11. Maybe Speaker Pelosi isn't really hung up on whether

Or not to I'm but when to start the proceedings...

Maybe she's trying to time the proceedings to climax with the Republican Natl Conv or to end during 9/11 or something...

[Goodheart]

12. Oh, come on... it's just naive to think Republicans would ever be convinced to do the right thing.

Madame Speaker, do the right thing regardless of what Republicans might or might not do.

[ehrnst]

22. So AOC is "naive" as well?

https://www.texastribune.org/2019/05/30/ted-cruz-and-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-agree-file-lobbying-ban-bill/

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

13. Just do it, dammit!

You could have a video of Fat Donnie telling Putin face-to-face, "Thanks for everything you're doing to help me win the presidency. Working together I'm sure I'll win. I'll be sure to take care of you and your friends once I'm in office," and the Republicans in the Senate still wouldn't vote to remove him from office. Trump has a 90% approval rating among Republicans.

There is never an ironclad case for anything. There is always someone making a counter-argument -- look at global warming, which is as close to an ironclad case that science gets. 98% of climatologists say it's not only real, but taking action immediately is critical to the well-being of the planet and human race. Only two percent of scientists disagree -- nearly all of them are specialists in something other that climatology -- and nearly all of them are employed by the oil and gas industry. Using Speaker Pelosi's logic, there wouldn't be an ironclad case proving the existence of global warming.

Pursuing an impeachment creates a historical record for future generations, so they'll know the Republican Party put its own interests above their oaths to protect and defend the Constitution.

Americans want Trump impeached, or at least for the House to start an investigation into whether an impeachment is warranted. Anything else makes the Democrats look cowardly. If we're going to go down (i.e., Trump gets reelected), let's at least go down fighting!

[ehrnst]

23. Do you have a link to those polls that say most Americans want impeachment?(nt)

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

24. I think I jumped the gun -- probably wishful thinking on my part.

Right now it looks like the "don't impeach"crowd outnumbers the "impeach"group. From today's The Hill:

A majority of polled voters oppose impeaching and removing President Trump but a strong majority of Democrats are in favor of doing so, according to the latest Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll survey.

The survey found that a plurality of voters, 43 percent, favor no action against the president, including 44 percent of independents.

Thirty-seven percent support impeaching and removing the president. Sixty percent of polled Democrats say the president should be impeached and removed, but only 36 percent of independents are in favor. Twenty percent of voters say Trump should be censured by Congress.

The new poll, which was conducted after special counsel Robert Mueller’s statement on Wednesday, has several other warning signs for Democrats agitating to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump.

Sixty-eight percent of respondents said Democrats in Congress should accept Mueller’s finding that there was no criminal conspiracy and 65 percent said Democrats should accept Attorney General William Barr’s conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice.

It seems the Repuke Big Lie is working. If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.

[ehrnst]

37. Thank you for your research and admitting to a mistake.

That's rare on DU, and I appreciate it. Facts matter to me.

[Generic Other]

46. DUers once called themselves 10%ers

10% of Americans opposed the attacking Afghanistan after 9/11. Opposed Iraq. Got told to STFU.

[BlueWI]

48. THIS.

The Speaker has been led along by events on this issue the whole time, rather than affirming the importance of rule of law and our determination to uphold it.

[Baclava]

17. Bernie, Booker, Harris, Liz, Mayor Pete, Beto and others have called for immediate proceedings

The pressure on Pelosi to impeach is skyrocketing, she cant hold out much longer

DO IT!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. Yes, the pressure is building, for sure... just a matter of time now!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[triron]

18. Geesh I'm tired of this shit. I will call my rep but I doubt any good will come of it.

Nancy is stuck in the mud.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

31. Contacted all of my reps... is the minimum everyone should do

as public pressure does help... they're called "representatives" for a reason.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[BlueStater]

26. The "compelling case" is the deranged behavior the asshole displays every single miserable day.

How much taxpayer money was just wasted so they could hide a dead man's name on a ship so the unhinged toddler wouldn't throw a tantrum?

His behavior would get him fired from almost every other job on the planet. It's insane that McDonald's and Target have higher standards for who works for them than the fucking presidency does.

[sprinkleeninow]

34. Yes. 😠 n/t

[Laura PourMeADrink]

30. -1

[ehrnst]

38. -100

[greyl]

36. Give it a minute. nt

[RoadMan]

39. I think it's way past time for more black women in leadership roles

[ego_nation]

42. Republicans aren't going to care about an ironclad case.

But they will care about losing Congress. Pelosi’s case is to the voting public at large, not the GOP controlled Senate.

[mfcorey1]

43. Madam Speaker, I am so tired of hearing that we might lose in 2020. The

Blue Wave gave we democrats that boost we needed to get past the domination of the Republic party. Here we are graveling about whether or not we will win again if we start an inquiry into one of the greatest corrupters to ever wheel power in the United States Government.

So, if drumpf wins, we will still walk away with our asses in our hands, never to be trusted by our base again. If you are afraid to seek impeachment, go for censure and include the Attorney General. For God's sake, put something on the historical records of this country
or forever be known for fiddling while Rome burned. This is what I am hearing from the everyday democrats I encounter.

[Generic Other]

47. How long do keep losing

Because we refuse to fight?

[myohmy2]

44. I can understand...

...'compelling', we don't want to impeach frivolously, but

" ...such an ironclad case that even the Republican Senate would — at the time seems to be not an objective jury —will be convinced of the path that we have to take as a country," she said. "

...we should not be giving the decision to impeach to the turtle...

...either way we go Nancy, the shit's going to hit the fan...we'd be better off erroring on the side of history...

...impeach...

[spanone]

45. If the threshold is 'ironclad' it will never happen.

[Beartracks]

51. How do you make a compelling case to those who...

... have decided they will not be compelled, not even by the truth?

========

[Nevermypresident]

54. No words