Congress impeach, we've been losin' sleep
But we've made up our mind, the "president's" crazy
I said the "president's" crazy
~~ to the tune of "Papa Don't Preach" by Madonna
What is the I word?
A) Idiot
B) Ignoramus
C) Imbecile
D) All of the above
Of course, the correct answer is D) All of the above, but today I'm thinking of another word, and I guess I kind of gave it away right off the bat, didn't I?
That's right, it's that dirty, filthy, disgusting word, at least according to Individual-1: impeachment. The one he seems to think that the "courts wouldn't allow," which leads us back to the pop quiz answer. D) All of the above. Pssst. Hey, you big dummy. The courts have nothing to do with impeachment. That's in Congress's wheelhouse. Which I suspect you'll be finding out soon.
Like so many others, I've been very conflicted about impeachment. We're not going to get 67 votes in the Senate, right? Right. At least the way things are at the moment. I wish I had it in me to hope that there are enough decent Republicans in the Senate that would stand up for the rule of law, but Mitch McConnell kind of beat that out of me at a very...slow...and...steady...pace.
It would also be really bad for the country, right? Right. It is never a pleasant road to go down and it should be avoided if at all possible.
The majority in the country do not favor impeachment, right? Right. It's best to have public opinion behind you if you decide to undertake something so divisive and upsetting to our country.
More on all that in a moment. I've been right there with Speaker Pelosi the majority of the time. I feel that she's right in trying to conduct some investigations and get more information. I understand her reluctance to go down that road and I, too, wonder what the political fallout will be.
That all changed for me this week with Robert Mueller's brief statement to the country. The gist of it was that because they could not indict a sitting president, they could not make a definitive statement as to whether or not he committed a crime by obstructing justice. This is because of Department of Justice guidelines. (Not laws, mind you. Guidelines.) He alluded to other avenues to pursue such matters.
Hey! Congress! He was talking to you!
I read a couple of good opinion pieces about it, one from Dan Pfeiffer at Crooked Media, and one from Jennifer Rubin at the Washington Post. Pfeiffer lays out a plan as to how to approach this. Rubin writes that the American public hasn't read the Mueller Report, so Congress needs to spoonfeed it to us. She's not wrong. Hell, look what a political junkie I am, and I still haven't taken the time to read it yet!
The main point in both pieces is that there must be public testimony. This is crucial. Just like in the Watergate hearings, there need to be open hearings before Congress in which we hear from many of the people involved. That includes Mr. Mueller, although I know he doesn't want to do that. Sorry, sir, but your country is calling on you once again. You need to appear before Congress.
Remember James Comey's testimony in June of 2017? People all over the country watched. Bars opened early and had watch parties. I didn't move my butt from our couch for the entire testimony! That is exactly what Congress needs to do with multiple players from the Mueller investigation. We need a televised spectacle that gets everything out there and gets people talking.
Listen. The majority of us know that Individual-1 obstructed justice. His diehard supporters will never turn on him. We know that, too. But there is a whole bunch of people who are so-so on the guy, and we need to reach them. We need to put the evidence before them and make sure they hear it. That can only happen with impeachment proceedings, when Congress will have its full powers as an oversight body.
Will Individual-1 be removed from office? Doubtful. Which brings me back to my initial three points. This will probably not succeed in the Senate. However, every Republican who stands with this so-called president will be on record as voting to save his hide. We need to remember that, and we need to turn out en masse in 2020. We need to VOTE!
Yes, impeachment would be bad for the country. But I have to ask...isn't this presidency proving to be pretty fucking bad already?? Honestly, how much worse could impeachment be?
And no, as of now, the majority do not favor impeachment. But once everyone starts hearing public testimony, it sure might. In fact, I think it probably will. We've become almost inured to the daily corruption and dishonesty. It's overwhelming. But if Congress starts forcing people to talk, we'll get to hear a live, public accounting of what has gone on. That is powerful, pals. Even Individual-1 knows the power of TV, and he's D) All of the above.
It's time. Impeachment hearings need to start now. Get on the bus, Madame Speaker!
