US Elections 2020

I don't think there can be impeachment once his term is over. It's intended to get you out of office and takes place in two steps. The first step is like an indictment and the second a conviction. About a year ago with the Ukraine extortion case there was sufficient vote for the first step but not the second. Technically when the first vote passes they say you've been "impeached" and the second step removes you from power. Bill Clinton was also impeached but not removed. For some reason pundits have gotten in the habit of calling the entire process impeachment even though impeachment covers the first step and removal the second.

The part of the process that takes the longest is offering evidence. If his words prior to the storming of the capital and on twitter are sufficient, it can take place quickly.

The lasting effect of this process other than removal would be that the senate can prevent him from ever holding federal office again. Because he lost this election he hasn't reached his two term limit. If he's impeached and removed we don't have to worry about this dickhead running again in 2024.

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Originally Posted by broncofan

The difference is stark. We've seen this President has managed to make everything political. Perhaps yesterday's squad was the average force and not the beefed up force for his adversaries bc in his mind the fascists we saw yesterday were a liberating army. I exaggerate but he clearly sees them as on his side and would never choose country over self.

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The chief of capitol police has now resigned - apparently they never planned for the possibility that the protest would turn violent like this!! They even removed barricades to let them get closer to the building.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...lure-trump-mob

I assume that capitol police would not be under Trump's control as Congress is s separate arm of government.

Given that right-wing political violence is likely to continue to increase - especially if Republicans keep losing elections - the complaisant attitude of police is going to be a big problem that will need to be addressed.

Here's another contender for the dickhead of the day prize. Obviously 'very fine people' could not have done these things.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...tz-trump-riot/

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Originally Posted by filghy2

The chief of capitol police has now resigned - apparently they never planned for the possibility that the protest would turn violent like this!! They even removed barricades to let them get closer to the building.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...lure-trump-mob

I assume that capitol police would not be under Trump's control as Congress is s separate arm of government.

Given that right-wing political violence is likely to continue to increase - especially if Republicans keep losing elections - the complaisant attitude of police is going to be a big problem that will need to be addressed.

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I just looked it up and you're right about capitol police. I didn't know much about them until yesterday but probably in more normal times that's a good thing. Lots of the people who were there are well known alt-right nazis and "groypers". I have been surprised that the FBI generally has done a good job monitoring these people even under Trump. I think they will be more effective under Biden but the problem isn't going away.
With respect to the attitude of the police, yes something was off about the way they handled this. They were clearly sympathetic to the nutjobs when their role is to protect the capitol.

A half hour ago Trump released a video saying some of the right things. He lied about deploying the national guard and he's clearly saying this to avoid consequences but we'll see what happens.

I see your next post is about Gaetz. He's an up and coming dickhead of note for sure. He wore a gas mask to Congress back in March.

Also, Josh Hawley had his newest book canceled by his publisher and is throwing a hissy fit on his twitter account and Ted Cruz is sparring with AOC. What a mess.

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Originally Posted by filghy2

Here's another contender for the dickhead of the day prize. Obviously 'very fine people' could not have done these things.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...tz-trump-riot/

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Some well known alt-right nazis and groypers are among those who broadcasted themselves from Pelosi's office and elsewhere. At least I won't have to read their tweets except if their prison library has internet.

[QUOTE=broncofan;1954703
Also, Josh Hawley had his newest book canceled by his publisher and is throwing a hissy fit on his twitter account and Ted Cruz is sparring with AOC. What a mess.[/QUOTE]

A bit rich for Josh Hawley to protest "I will fight this cancel culture with everything I have" when he has been campaiging to cancel the results of the 2020 election his party did not win. The same party that has a 'cancel culture' all of its own when it comes to the Voter Regstration Act of 1965, Roe-vs- Wade, the Paris Climate Change Accords, the Iran Nuclear Deal and a raft of environmental protection laws and regulations that reach back through Obama and Clinton to the Environment Protection Act, passed by Congress and signed by Republican President Richard Nixon in 1970.

I agree that 'cancel culture' is a challenge to us all, but let's at least acknowledge that with subtle means or crude, every generation seeks to write its own history, and re-write the past.

The danger of Trump's words have been obvious all along. But if it took sedition for people to repudiate Trumpism we have gotten there. Hawley is the most obvious case of an opportunist who tried to ride this wave of right-wing populism. His timing was bad. It's important for us to remember that what happened could have been much worse and all of the people scattering right now supported him while he lit this fuse.

If we really want to make sure this doesn't get worse there can't be any instinct to let up or forget. There has to be accountability to the extent it can be lawfully achieved. That includes reminding people of the words and actions of every congressman who repeated this "big lie" about the election and tried to undermine the results of a perfectly legitimate vote.

And I am going to take some joy in the fascists who have for years spread poison and are now pictured in full view committing felonies. At the very least they will end up in prison.

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Originally Posted by Laphroaig

My ignorance of American politics is probably about to show but can he still be impeached after he's left office?

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Tip of the hat to you. I had never heard this discussed. This came up on my twitter feed and argues it should apply after a President leaves office. I don't know if there is a legal consensus either way but since impeachment has a remedy of preventing someone from holding office again it could be relevant here.

https://www.justsecurity.org/74107/the-constitutions-option-for-impeachment-after-a-president-leaves-office/

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/08/polit...esk/index.html. The man seen in viral photograph at Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk has been arrested ,and everyone of those domestic terrorists who took part in the siege of the US Capital should be arrested and prosecuted as well ,including Donald Trump and his family and Rudy Guliani for instigating and inciting the Insurrectiontists.

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley,one of the brainwashed Republicans who chosed to object to the certification of the 2020 Presidential Election,his ploy to be a Pro-Trump Hero has backfired and he shouldn't be allowed to vote on any piece of legislation anymore,and has shown his ignorance by going along with the delusional charade to overturn the results of the Presidential Election and throw out legally cast ballots. and is also one of the Republican Senators responsible for the disgusting and heinous act that took place on Wednesday January 6th. https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/08/polit...ley/index.html