So let me see if I get this straight. All Democrats have to do to get Trump to start cooperating with them is to hold a formal vote on an impeachment inquiry; a vote, mind you, that isn't required according to House rules and is mentioned nowhere in the Constitution. Right, all those who actually believe that, so signify by saying, "I'm insane!"
Seriously, have you met Trump? Have you been living under a rock for the last three years? There are people who are still looking to buy that bridge in Brooklyn who are more lucid than anyone who actually thinks this man will do the right thing. Nancy Pelosi would be a fool to chase this rabbit down the hole.
To reiterate, a formal vote to "start" an impeachment inquiry is not required under House rules. Trump will have more than enough opportunity to "defend" himself in the Senate, where the formal trial will take place, assuming old turtle face Mitch McConnell keeps his word and allows it to proceed. And besides, even if Pelosi were to call for a formal vote on an impeachment inquiry, there's no way in hell she would permit Republicans to subpoena their own witnesses. Ask Elijah Cummings how "fair" Trey Gowdy was during that eleven hour joke of a hearing with Hillary Clinton. Funny how the party that keeps talking about process didn't give two shits about it when they had the majority.
If I were Pelosi, I'd tell Trump where he can stick his "request." Then I'd tell Adam Schiff to start issuing subpoenas left and right to Gordon Sondland, Rick Perry, Rudy Giuliani and his two henchmen who were helping him get dirt on Joe Biden, and who, by the way, were just arrested by the Southern District of New York for, get this, campaign finance violations. If the White House continues to defy them, Democrats will consider that as "strong evidence of obstruction" when they go to file their articles of impeachment.
The fact is for the first time since they regained their majority, Pelosi and her caucus finally have the upper hand here. Did you catch the latest Fox News poll? 51 percent of the country not only supports the impeachment inquiry, but Trump's removal from office. Not to pat myself on the back, but I told you that the public would come around once Dems got serious about impeaching this president.
So now, the little dictator is holed up in his fortress losing his mind. For once, Trump can't spin his way out of one of his nightmares. Slowly but surely, the truth about him is dawning on voters, and unlike the Mueller investigation, there's no ambiguity about what he did here. The only way he can get away with it is if Democrats are stupid enough to get bogged down in endless process battles with Republicans, which I doubt Pelosi would allow. Just to be clear, there is already more than enough evidence against Trump to issue at least two articles of impeachment.
At the rate the revelations are coming, the House could wrap things up by Thanksgiving. The only question will be how many Senate Republicans will abandon the RMS Trump? Matt Lewis thinks there could be as many as twenty. Somehow I doubt the number will be that high. Even if you factor in the retirements, it's hard to see more than a half dozen voting to convict. Assuming all 47 Democrats hold rank, that would still be more than the total number of votes that went against Bill Clinton in 1999. And, unlike Clinton, who remained popular even after the trial was over, Trump's impeachment will hurt him with independents and moderates next year.
Don't believe all the Kangaroo Court nonsense coming from House Republicans. They know that Trump stepped in it big time. That's why they're not answering questions about whether his call to Ukrainian president Zelensky was appropriate. As for Senate Republicans, they're practically in the witness protection program.
I like where the Democrats are right now. They seem focused and determined. This is the best they've looked since Obama beat Romney back in 2012.
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