Future Hope Column
By Ted Glick
Since Trump’s firing of James Comey in mid-May, the case for, the need for and the support for impeachment has become much stronger. Tom Steyer’s impeachment initiative has garnered over 2 million sign-ups so far, with a goal of 4 million. Journalist Ezra Klein recently published a thoughtful article putting forward “the case for normalizing impeachment” on Vox. A Public Policy Polling survey released in late October showed 49% of Americans support impeachment. And as early as today, a vote in the House on impeachment may be taken because of the leadership given by Texas Democrat Al Green.
The reason for all of these developments is, of course, the continuing series of duplicitous, lying, dangerous and deranged actions and tweets by the current occupant of the White House.
With Robert Mueller’s investigation of what happened in the 2016 elections yielding significant results, the metaphorical noose is, if not tightening around his neck, certainly coming into clear view for Trump, thank God. Without question, that investigation is an essential reason why support for impeachment is growing and why there is a realistic possibility, imho, that Trump could be gone from the White House before the November, 2018 elections.
But for this to happen, and for the odds to be reduced of a cornered Trump lashing out in even more destructive ways, like by trying to start a war with North Korea or Iran, for example, more is needed. There is something missing right now that was an important part of the reason why Richard Nixon was forced to resign in August of 1974.
Nixon’s resignation from office took place under different circumstances than our circumstances at present.
One difference is that Nixon was much more popular than Trump, winning his reelection campaign in 1972 by a landslide. Trump lost the popular vote.
There was one specific development that was the reason for Nixon’s demise: the Watergate burglary and all that was revealed after it about Nixon’s multi-faceted, organized, illegal campaign against the Democratic Party. For Trump, it’s a veritable multitude of one despicable thing after the other, far too many to count.
Another big difference, though, is the control of Congress in 2017 by Republicans. In 1974 it was controlled by Democrats, which meant that investigative committees set up by Congress back then were led by people serious about getting at the truth of what happened.
The apparent skill and tenacity of the Mueller investigation may mitigate that problem somewhat.
But there was something else back then that doesn’t yet exist today: a nationally-connected, grassroots impeachment movement.
Click here for the full article.
The reason for all of these developments is, of course, the continuing series of duplicitous, lying, dangerous and deranged actions and tweets by the current occupant of the White House.
With Robert Mueller’s investigation of what happened in the 2016 elections yielding significant results, the metaphorical noose is, if not tightening around his neck, certainly coming into clear view for Trump, thank God. Without question, that investigation is an essential reason why support for impeachment is growing and why there is a realistic possibility, imho, that Trump could be gone from the White House before the November, 2018 elections.
But for this to happen, and for the odds to be reduced of a cornered Trump lashing out in even more destructive ways, like by trying to start a war with North Korea or Iran, for example, more is needed. There is something missing right now that was an important part of the reason why Richard Nixon was forced to resign in August of 1974.
Nixon’s resignation from office took place under different circumstances than our circumstances at present.
One difference is that Nixon was much more popular than Trump, winning his reelection campaign in 1972 by a landslide. Trump lost the popular vote.
There was one specific development that was the reason for Nixon’s demise: the Watergate burglary and all that was revealed after it about Nixon’s multi-faceted, organized, illegal campaign against the Democratic Party. For Trump, it’s a veritable multitude of one despicable thing after the other, far too many to count.
Another big difference, though, is the control of Congress in 2017 by Republicans. In 1974 it was controlled by Democrats, which meant that investigative committees set up by Congress back then were led by people serious about getting at the truth of what happened.
The apparent skill and tenacity of the Mueller investigation may mitigate that problem somewhat.
But there was something else back then that doesn’t yet exist today: a nationally-connected, grassroots impeachment movement.
Click here for the full article.
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