Impeachment process in the United States

[Joods]

For those who don't have a general understanding of how the impeachment process works here in the US, I've put together this handy little guide. This is also for anyone who thinks that the current sitting president should just be told by millions of people to "get out" or to shut up, because we all know he won't. And we all know no one will take away his Twitter account. So exactly what needs to happen for his complete removal from office? See below: 

Presidential Impeachment: The legal standard and procedure

Article I § 2 of the United States Constitution gives the House of Representatives the sole power to impeach (make formal charges against) and Article I § 3 gives the Senate the sole power to try impeachments. Article II § 4 of the Constitution provides as follows:

"The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."

Article 1 § 3 states as follows:

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

So you need two thirds of the members of Senate to agree. Quite a feat if the majority ruling party is the same as that of the current POTUS. It's going to be a lot harder to get them all to agree to impeach him. And even if you do get an impeachment there's this news: 

The senate also has the right to acquit a person from impeachment. Such was the case with both former presidents Clinton and Andrew Johnson; the only two presidents to ever have been impeached.

So yeah, 45 could technically be impeached, but then the strong possibility of nothing happening to him is high, due to the very real possibility of him getting acquitted by the senate. You cannot simply wish a corrupt president away. Nor can you have all his supporters tell him to stand down or be quiet. It just doesn't work that way. The sooner people understand this, the better off they will be.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

On the griping hand the Grim Old Party would finally have a Republican President if they took T.rump out and shot him. Don't discount that possibility.

[Aroura]

I think at this point it might actually be best to try and ride it out until his term ends, then make sure absolutely sure he is not allowed to run again due to FBI charges, or if that fails, just get to people out to vote so this does not happen again!

[Brian37]

Not sure why you posted a new thread about this. I would say that sure, not enough Americans understand how our system works.

But impeachment isn't just about criminal acts. It was a concept put in place just in case you had a nutcase manage to get power. You are talking about probability issues not the intent of the tool itself.

Nobody should be surprised in the least if we do get dirt on 45. But even without a Nixon type break in, his BEHAVIOR over his campaign, of repeatedly vilifying and scapegoating multiple groups including his own, including media, including intel, is enough to prove he is unfit.

It should not surprise anyone if someone flips on 45 to the point he will step down to save face BEFORE any impeachment happens. I didn't say it would happen. I say it should not surprise anyone if it did happen.

Of COURSE the GOP will hang on as long as possible. In the absence of of an impeachment, the longer this Russia issue drags out, and the less he gets done, and the more stupid shit he says on Twitter, the easier it will be to defeat him in 2020.

It should NOT surprise anyone if we get dirt on him. I didn't say impeachment was inevitable, that is a probability issue.

Skip 45 for a second.

The IDEA of checks on power in our ENTIRE history in the context of keeping a check on the office, the founders put that process in place, not just for crime, but ethics and ability too.

Again, nobody is saying impeachment is a given at this point. But when you have 50 FORMER republican law agents calling you dangerous, the issue is fitness at that point. We were warned and that is what the sane are saying. Now whether anything gets done, that is a separate issue. All I said is that it should NOT surprise anyone.

45 cant keep his mouth shut and that I am hoping will be his downfall. I never said it was a given.

[vorlon13]

Trump is corroding and demolishing and discrediting the Republican party every day. Why the rush to get rid of him prematurely??

Taking out Trump AND the 'pubs otta be the goal.


And it's pretty clear the Dems have no interest whatsoever in scoring 67 seats in the Senate in any regard, so impeachment and an acquittal will just be raw meat for the Trump supporters. An acquittal will be seen as an imprimatur of approval for the Trump side.

Why would anyone want to go there ?

[henryp]

The precedent of ousting a president over tweets and political spin (aka lying) isn't something anyone should want.

The correct way to get rid of Trump is to take away his majorities in 2018, and vote him out of office in 2020.

[Brian37]

The precedent of ousting a president over tweets and political spin (aka lying) isn't something anyone should want.

The correct way to get rid of Trump is to take away his majorities in 2018, and vote him out of office in 2020.

You'd be right if it were a rare thing. But we are not talking about politics as normal. 

IT IS THE REPEATED DAILY scapegoating and vilification of MULTIPLE groups and individuals. This isn't a rare thing with this guy.

You are not getting it. If other politicians see his daily carpet bombing political vilification of any dissent as a lagit way of winning an election, that CAN have long term negative effects on our western values.

You, "Politicians lie".

Me, "No kidding".

Not the point. I am talking about his TONE and rhetoric as a tactic. Again, when you have even LAW AGENTS saying your rhetoric is toxic, this is no longer politics as normal, this is dangerous and destructive.

He needs to be put in his place to send a message that his carpet bombing vilification is not acceptable. 

We have seen in past history where hyper nationalism, political scapegoating and vilification can lead, and it never ends well.

I think you are fooling yourself if you think the climate he has set is normal. It is not normal.

[LadyForCamus]

I don't see why the big deal for congress to give 45 the boot. They'd get Pence in his place, so republicans still in control but with far less controversy. Seems like a win-win for the repubs to me.

[Brian37]

The precedent of ousting a president over tweets and political spin (aka lying) isn't something anyone should want.

The correct way to get rid of Trump is to take away his majorities in 2018, and vote him out of office in 2020.

If we cant get an impeachment sure. But no, the sooner that fucker is gone through WHATEVER legal means is fine with me. 

I want him to shoot himself in the foot with his own words.

Or, Mueller gets the dirt on him and will step down on his own.

But if those things don't happen yea, I want enough damage that he'll lose the swing voters in 2020.

Anyone of those things that get him out of office is fine with me.

The correct thing is for him not to be in power.

[henryp]

The precedent of ousting a president over tweets and political spin (aka lying) isn't something anyone should want.

The correct way to get rid of Trump is to take away his majorities in 2018, and vote him out of office in 2020.

You'd be right if it were a rare thing. But we are not talking about politics as normal. 

IT IS THE REPEATED DAILY scapegoating and vilification of MULTIPLE groups and individuals. This isn't a rare thing with this guy.

You are not getting it. If other politicians see his daily carpet bombing political vilification of any dissent as a lagit way of winning an election, that CAN have long term negative effects on our western values.

You, "Politicians lie".

Me, "No kidding".

Not the point. I am talking about his TONE and rhetoric as a tactic. Again, when you have even LAW AGENTS saying your rhetoric is toxic, this is no longer politics as normal, this is dangerous and destructive.

He needs to be put in his place to send a message that his carpet bombing vilification is not acceptable. 

We have seen in past history where hyper nationalism, political scapegoating and vilification can lead, and it never ends well.

I think you are fooling yourself if you think the climate he has set is normal. It is not normal.

It hasn't been a rare thing for quite a while.  Again, the only difference is we've got Trump using it directly rather than the usual strategy of the top dog pretending to be presidential while their minions go out and sling the toxic rhetoric/vilification.  My opinion, is that the curtain has been pulled back, and we're now seeing politics as it is.

This is the environment we all created.  You could see it coming back in 2008.  Obama and his birth certificate.  At the same time, Sarah Palin was accused of pretending Trig was her baby, and it was actually Bristol's, and a big coverup.  That was a story on a leftwing website that a lot of democrats used as a news source.  And in the heat of the election, a lot of them bought it.  

Essentially, as a voters, we've made it clear we'll agree to anything we're told if it helps our candidate/party.  If people want to stop that, they have to hold their own party accountable, as those are the people you can influence.  But that comes at a cost, because the other side is going to keep doing it, and it's going to keep working.  And nobody wants to lose any ground, so death spiral it is!