Pierce: It Is Time for Donald Trump to Leave the White House

[babylonsister]

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a55514/end-of-trump-presidency/

It Is Time for Donald Trump to Leave the White House
The government cannot pass any stress test with this president* in office.
By Charles P. Pierce
Jun 7, 2017


The other day, Michelle Goldberg, writing in Slate, made this excellent point: In response to the argument that ridding the country of President* Donald Trump only would worsen the political polarization in the country, perhaps to the point of actual widespread violence, Goldberg argued that, if we're making decisions of national policy based on that criterion, then we're already very far down a long, dark road that leads, inevitably, to a beer hall in Munich.

Goldberg wrote:

Already, Republicans are trying to normalize the idea that even if collusion between Trump and Russia is found, it doesn't discredit the administration. If they succeed—if any sort of collaboration between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence is found but doesn't end his presidency—it will be a betrayal of the American voting public. You think impeachment threatens America's civic fabric? Try telling the majority of American citizens that even if their hated rulers are revealed as traitors, there's nothing they can do about it.

It really is time for him to go.

snip//

But the last couple of weeks have convinced me that, as long as the current president* remains the current president*, the government of the United States would fail any stress test you sought to apply to it. His ignorance is matched only by his incompetence, which is matched only by his obvious instability. My god, he's even feuding with Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III now. I didn't think that was possible. His election was allegedly corrupted by Russian money and Russian influence, probably because his business empire is allegedly corrupted by Russian money and Russian influence. In turn, his government was allegedly corrupted by its attempt to cover up Russian money and Russian influence.

snip//

The Trump presidency is not an accident of history. Conservative politics has been moving toward something like it ever since Ronald Reagan declared that the national government was the problem. It has been enabled by a consistent trend toward civic disengagement, some of which was encouraged by ambitious men in the wake of Reagan's success. And the genuine danger going forward is that the next ambitious American authoritarian will not be a half-bright bungler dancing on strings held by god-knows-which foreign autocrat or banker. The next one might be better at it. After all, the template has been established, and the Republican Party has demonstrated a taste for authoritarianism that history says is hard to shake. The Trump political template has to be crushed to dust so that it never rises again. Until it is, it remains a cancer on the republic that's only in the most fragile remission.

It is time for all of them to go: Steve Bannon and his dreams of being the king of chaos, Reince Priebus and the other hapless throne-sniffers, the children with their many scams and their clearly unresolved Daddy issues—all of them. But, most of all, it is time for him to go. The anger of the marks whom he conned last November cannot be used to dodge the obligations that fall on politicians that know what their duty is, but still fail to do it. History demands a bit of courage every now and again.

[gordianot]

1. Trump will have to leave.

I expect his immediate replacement to be worse. Best case scenario it will take decades to repair the damage.

[janterry]

3. The only good thought

I have to offer is Obama. Obama fixed what Bush did -

It will take one administration to fix the policies (not the blight, but the policies), but it can happen...........

[Hekate]

2. Kick for Chaz Pierce

Thanks

[Moostache]

4. Mike Pence turned one of the 50 states into Indianastan...he will be WORSE than Trump.

The state of the roads and infrastructure in Indiana was SHOCKINGLY bad when I visited my parents and my hometown a year ago. The paint and reflectors that demarcate the lanes on divided highways were gone or deteriorated to the point that it felt more like driving on an unmarked road than a State Highway...and that was only the visible rot that Mike Pence had wrought on the state. The real damage goes much, much deeper sadly.

Even if we get rid of Trump, having Pence in office will be no great reward, in fact, it will be ideologically worse.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Obviously, the Republican Party must not be continually rewarded for theft of Electoral College

There are three remedies for removing Republican Pres Trump.

They all depend on the Republicons realizing just how toxic Trump is becoming for 2018 and 2020. This will be advanced by Democrats unifying the Trump and Republican brands, which is right as it should be. He is the Republican President Trump and they are Trump's Republican Party.

When Republican Pres. Trump becomes toxic enough, the three remedies are:

1) Impeachment

2) The Republican controlled Congress can declare Republican Pres. Trump unable to competently carry out his duties due to ill-health or dementia or similar excuses (which will have substantial truth).

3) By Article II, Clause 6 of the Constitution, the Congress can make a law for succession by other means and on other grounds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Two_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Clause_6:_Vacancy_and_disability

This could include assigning it to the Majority winner of the popular vote, Hillary Clinton. Very unlikely, but plant the idea in Republicon minds that it is the only way to save their brand.

[Mme. Defarge]

5. HUGE K&R!!!

[niyad]

6. and yet, there is not one single cretin in the line of succession who is worth a damn.

Here’s the presidential order of succession — just in case
BY Jason Silverstein
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Updated: Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 4:49 PM


For no specific reason, here’s a reminder of the order of succession if President Trump — and any of his immediate successors — were to somehow leave office very soon.

1. Vice President Pence

2. House Speaker Paul Ryan

3. President pro tempore of the Senate Orrin Hatch

4. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

5. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

6. Defense Secretary James Mattis

7. Attorney General Jeff Sessions

8. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke

9. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue

10. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross

11. Labor Secretary Alex Acosta

12. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price

13. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson

14. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao*

15. Energy Secretary Rick Perry

16. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos

17. Veteran Affairs Secretary David Shulkin

18. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly

*The designated order stipulates that Chao, based on her position, would be 14th in line, but she would technically not be eligible because she is not a natural born U.S. citizen.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. To get to anyone at #2 on down, multiple resignations / convictions need to be simultaneous

If Republican President Trump resigns, Pence ascends and appoints a VP. It won't be Ryan.

If Republican VP Pence resigns, tRump appoints another VP. It won't be Ryan.

Any VP appointments have to pass Congress. All Democrats need do is convince enough Republicans in one House to form a majority with them for appointing a moderate as the Rs last chance to save their brand. Both House and Senate are needed to approve a VP appointment. The ideal moderate would the winner of the Majority of the Popular Vote, Hillary Clinton, but Congress is very unlikely to turn to her.

[deurbano]

13. It's beyond discouraging. We HAVE to take the House (at least ) in the midterms.

[smirkymonkey]

15. God, how depressing!

Even if we get rid of Cheeto, this is our reality for the next four years. I wish I could go into suspended animation until 2020.

[Initech]

7. The kids have had their fun. Time to let the adults lead again.

[SonofDonald]

8. In the last paragraph...

"Throne-Sniffers"

My new name for all the deplorables in power.

That's it in a nutshell.

LOL.

[Mountain Mule]

11. K & R for Charles P. Pierce!

Tell it like it is! We need to get rid of the whole pack. Hopefully, wqe can start by some strong dem wins in the midterms if not sooner!

[beachbum bob]

12. trump will never resign so wishing it is a moot point

[gademocrat7]

14. K&R

The whole cabal must go.

[smirkymonkey]

16. K&R and Bookmarked!

He's right. What we need is courage. And not just the Democrats. Every decent person in this country needs to summon all the courage they have to get rid of this subversive influence that has infected our political process. Republicans need to put their country above their party for once. This is not a game. It could very well be a matter of life and death for many people.