McCarthy loses Speaker vote 3 times…

[KLB]

Then onto questioning McConnell, because I have a strong feeling he's in bed with the CCP as well.

Who do you think will be doing that? Not the House.

 

[jamil]

I am a little disappointed they haven’t announced articles of impeachment already.

I think if this happened in the 90s a democrat POTUS could be impeached for storing classified documents obtained while vice president in his garage in boxes.

 

[blain]

Does "Government Shutdown" really have any meaning, when everyone staying at home is voted back pay after it's over?
In the private sector that would be considered an unplanned paid vacation.

 

[chipbennett]

I think if this happened in the 90s a democrat POTUS could be impeached for storing classified documents obtained while vice president in his garage in boxes.

While Biden certainly has done things that could arguably rise to the level of impeachable offense, I don't think the classified documents thing does. It is a criminal matter at this point. (Maybe if the docs had been discovered while he was still VP?)

 

[KLB]

Anything they were to try to impeach him for would just be theater.

The committee investigations have a slightly better chance of being fruitful.

 

[jamil]

While Biden certainly has done things that could arguably rise to the level of impeachable offense, I don't think the classified documents thing does. It is a criminal matter at this point. (Maybe if the docs had been discovered while he was still VP?)

As vague as it is, anything is impeachable. Look what Democrats did to Trump. In practice, it's a matter of how much political capital it costs and whether the opposition party is willing to spend it. That has historically, mostly, prevented the opposition party from frivolously impeaching presidents. All impeachments to date have been frivolous.

The point was that republicans spent a lot of political capital impeaching Clinton. They were always going to impeach him. They just had to find a reason. Just like Trump. If Clinton had been as Biden is, they would have impeached him for that. This isn't a defense of Clinton. Impeachment is to expensive. Better have a lot of public support for it if you try it.

Biden has earned it. But there isn't public support for impeaching him. I still want it though because **** joe biden.

 

[jamil]

Anything they were to try to impeach him for would just be theater.

The committee investigations have a slightly better chance of being fruitful.

Political theater doesn't work for Republicans with the general public. It only works on republican voters.

 

[Flash-hider]

Just doing it to do it to get back at the other side because they did it isn't a good use of the republican's time. Biden will be gone in 2 years one way or another. The republicans have 2 years to focus on 2024 with policy, a clear distinction from the dem's and not have a dog and pony chaos show in the presidential primaries with a bunch of wanabe's. They don't need to wander out in the mud and get bogged down. It only plays into the opposition's hands.

 

[jamil]

Just doing it to do it to get back at the other side because they did it isn't a good use of the republican's time. Biden will be gone in 2 years one way or another. The republicans have 2 years to focus on 2024 with policy, a clear distinction from the dem's and not have a dog and pony chaos show in the presidential primaries with a bunch of wanabe's. They don't need to wander out in the mud and get bogged down. It only plays into the opposition's hands.

Yes. But it would be so delicious to tell Biden that no matter what, he will always be impeached. If for no other reason that to remind democrats of the political cost of what they did. And. **** joe biden.

 

[KLB]

Yes. But it would be so delicious to tell Biden that no matter what, he will always be impeached. If for no other reason that to remind democrats of the political cost of what they did. And. **** joe biden.

That is the only reason it would be worth it.

 

[jamil]

That is the only reason it would be worth it.

I think there are other legitimate reasons to impeach Biden. The Afghanistan withdrawl. Weaponizing government against political enemies if it could be proven that Biden had a hand in it. And several others. But, there isn't enough political capital to pay for it. But, I'd support the reasoning of just political karma at this point.

 

[Flash-hider]

Yes. But it would be so delicious to tell Biden that no matter what, he will always be impeached. If for no other reason that to remind democrats of the political cost of what they did. And. **** joe biden.

Yes, I understand that. But I wouldn't do it right out of the gates and let it become the overriding narrative for anything else they want to do.

 

[blain]

"The point was that republicans spent a lot of political capital impeaching Clinton. They were always going to impeach him. They just had to find a reason..."

But you don't understand. What Clinton did was an attack on Democracy and treat to our National Security!

Oh wait... those were the days before everything became "an attack on Democracy and threat to our National Security".
NEVERMIND.

 

[jamil]

Yes, I understand that. But I wouldn't do it right out of the gates and let it become the overriding narrative for anything else they want to do.

Pragmatically, no. Republicans should not impeach Biden unless they have the goods on actual high crimes. Like if they find a smoking gun on Biden having something to do with weaponizing the DOJ against politial enemies. Or especially if they can prove Biden got paid by the CCP to aid them.

But, a guy can fantasize about political karma being the meanest bitch.

 

[KLB]

I think there are other legitimate reasons to impeach Biden. The Afghanistan withdrawl. Weaponizing government against political enemies if it could be proven that Biden had a hand in it. And several others. But, there isn't enough political capital to pay for it. But, I'd support the reasoning of just political karma at this point.

If bad decisions were reason to impeach, all Presidents should have been impeached.

 

[SheepDog4Life]

Yes. But it would be so delicious to tell Biden that no matter what, he will always be impeached. If for no other reason that to remind democrats of the political cost of what they did. And. **** joe biden.

But also a double edge sword, that cuts both ways... if it's sufficient to impeach Biden, then it's sufficient to indict Trump.

And, vice versa.

If bad decisions were reason to impeach, all Presidents should have been impeached.

True, but if those charges are sufficient to indict Trump... then the same lawbreaking should be sufficient to impeach Biden.

 

[KLB]

But also a double edge sword, that cuts both ways... if it's sufficient to impeach Biden, then it's sufficient to indict Trump.

And, vice versa.


True, but if those charges are sufficient to indict Trump... then the same lawbreaking should be sufficient to impeach Biden.

Is that what we want now? Each time the House is led by the opposition we impeach the President?

 

[jamil]

If bad decisions were reason to impeach, all Presidents should have been impeached.

But also a double edge sword, that cuts both ways... if it's sufficient to impeach Biden, then it's sufficient to indict Trump.

And, vice versa.

Like I said. A guy can fantasize. It's not practical. Republicans shouldn't do it. But. Revenge would just taste good.

True, but if those charges are sufficient to indict Trump... then the same lawbreaking should be sufficient to impeach Biden.

The problem is, then both are legitimized. It's the problem with whataboutism. As soon as you say, what about what Biden did, if that's bad, it's also bad for Trump. Or visa-versa.

Bit we're really not talking about equivalents. I don't think the president can break that law, because he has the power to classify or declassify documents. The apparatus didn't seem to care about Trump having those documents until they had a reason to raid his home. They knew he had those documents.

Trump could declassify the documents he possessed as POTUS. Joe Biden, as veep, could not. Trump's documents were secured in a vault in his home. Joe Biden's were sitting in open boxes stacked up against the wall in an unsecured garage at his home. Biden clearly is in violation of the law. Trump was not. So it's not just saying Biden did it too.

 

[SheepDog4Life]

Is that what we want now? Each time the House is led by the opposition we impeach the President?

That's not what I was addressing... I was addressing the mis-handling of classified documents... if it's a sufficient crime to indict a former president (and to raid his home) then it's clear to me it's a sufficient crime to "indicit", i.e. impeach, a sitting president.

To answer your question, for me the answer is no. But I'd also say that neither of the impeachments brought by the Dems against Trump really rose to the necessary level, but rather were pre-texts. And, don't forget, if the Dems had the votes, they would have impeached W over Iraq. IMO, Dems have politically weaponized impeachments, so unilateral disarmament may not be a good idea, so maybe the answer should be "yes" until both sides agree to return to historical norms?

 

[BugI02]

Yes. But it would be so delicious to tell Biden that no matter what, he will always be impeached. If for no other reason that to remind democrats of the political cost of what they did. And. **** joe biden.

I agree. Beating them badly with their own stick (see: enacting limitations to the filibuster for judge confirmations) is likely to be the most certain way to restore the old norms. As long as only one side bears the brunt of bad behavior it will continue to be so used