With Trump's presidency imploding and Democrats eyeing up a House majority in 2026, a question is being raised about the value of another Trump impeachment.
It’s about making the record that his behavior is unacceptable and is referred to in the future. It also firmly establishes that the Dems take it seriously, will use all the structures and norms of government to the best of their power. It shows courage in the face of his barrage. It shows no obeying in advance. There is a record of who courageously opposed him and who is to blame for allowing him to stay. There is so much more winning than saying “Don’t bother.” Resist on every level in every conceivable way. It all adds up.
The record can be accomplished through congressional hearings, and I think everybody already understands that Democrats take it seriously. Impeachment as a structure and norm of government I would argue was broken when Republicans impeached Clinton. Impeachment isn't about government norms. It is about removing a president who commits high crimes, but since the Supreme Court majority gave presidents immunity for official acts, do high crimes even exist anymore? Impeachment was not intended to create historical records. It is a tool for removal. Most of these arguments I see for impeachment come down to the basic idea that it would feel good to see Trump impeached. We already know that impeachment adds up to nothing, or Trump would have never been sent back to the White House.---Jason
I think it has to do with the Obama-Biden double standard example when it comes to what Trump is allowed to get away with, given the belief that Republicans would impeach them in a hot second for the same offenses Trump has done. (House MAGAs were stopped from weaponizing the impeachment process against Biden over his son’s alleged and imagined crimes by other Republicans because the necessary votes to convict weren’t there, even among the GOP caucus.)
Plus, the fact that a growing portion of the left has adopted the position that Democrats “do something” about Trump and the GOP. However, many times it doesn’t articulate how to go about fighting them or wrests on “magic wand” solutions that don’t even account for the limited power they currently have in the Congressional minority. Thus even though impeachment wouldn’t lead to conviction, not impeaching Trump comes off to those who want Dems to fight as act of weakness, which, in a time when fighting democratic backsliding is necessary, risks feeding the vicious cycle that abets Trump/MAGA’s efforts to drag the country towards autocracy as those seeing Dems as weak (even when the solution isn’t feasible) will choose to sit out the midterms. Those potential voters would prefer Dems to use their power against Trump/GOP in a similar but strategic manner to how they believe the GOP would against any Dem under the aforementioned double standard.
Democrats need to see some action in the face of Trump’s ignoring orders by the courts, the illegal tariffs he has placed on our trading partners, the illegal acts against immigrants and those people who are here legally without due process. He is being permitted to do whatever he wants without restraint. This is making our Democrat political leaders look weak. Right now I am being inundated with requests for donations for their political campaigns. I donated what I could afford in 2024. They had 90 million dollars to use to win the election in 2024. They were unable to seal the deal, mainly because a third of the voters did not bother to vote. We want to see our Democratic leaders fight back! Otherwise there may be more than a third of the voting population staying home and not voting in 2026. Now is the time for “good trouble!” If impeachment is not the thing to do, Democrats must do something to inspire voters.
Since they don't have the votes this seems like a non-issue. Perhaps they should poll the people and find out if impeachment without conviction is what would constitute action. Taking another loss seems a bit self destructive.
If there was a possibility of conviction, definitely impeach, but without conviction, impeachment has the strength of a strongly worded letter of reprimand put in your file at work.---Jason
Total waste of time, espeially with so few Democrats willing to do anything. Don't get me wrong--we have some great people in Congress--AOC, Bernie, Jasmine Crockett and others, but too few. Sadly, we are also saddled with losers like Jeffries and Schumer. Our only hope is that we can get a majority in both House and Senate. Then, maybe, something can be done. I'm so disgusted with corporate Dems that I'm considering voting Socialist Workers Party (don't worry--I won't--probably). They at least are willing to fight for things we need.
Get impeachment started and there might be newer extremes he goes to that will be the red line so some will fall to voting against him so he can be removed. For instance, the MAGA Congress voted in committee to deport AMERICAN CITIZENS which may be a step too far for more than you think.
Thanks for this analysis, Jason. I appreciated listening to you this am too explaining the pitfalls of impeachment given Senate Republicans unwillingness to vote for a conviction. Also, I don’t see making Vance the POTUS helping anything. And with limited time and energy, I can see House Ds wanting to put their energy into other things.
I wonder what becomes of impeachment as it was constitutionally intended, if high crimes and misdemeanors are thus ignored because it’s predetermined not to have any effect.
Is there any argument to be made for writing up articles of impeachment because that is what is constitutionally called for and following the process is important regardless of the known outcome?
Lots of people are anxiously awaiting the elections in 2026. My concern is, can we ever have fair elections with Trump and his administration in power.
Indict all that don't have full immunity...i e Just like what happened to Michael Cohen....the ones below Trump give his orders and do the dirty work, go to prison and will turn on him!!
Unfortunately even if and when Trump is gone, Vance has the billionaires of Project 2025 behind him. Peter Thiel, a very powerful driving force behind P2025 and all the horrible things going on, was Vance’s, boss and mentor and paid millions to get Vance in the Senate. Didn’t Vance come out of nowhere?! Thiel’s dream is for Vance to be president. Vance is the evil dictator in waiting.
And many of their “people” and MAGAs of P2025 are already in positions throughout the government. They’re handing government contracts to each other all over the place too. Some we already know about and some are less well known. This has been years of planning. We’d have to get rid of ALL of them to get rid of the cancer. You can look it all up. There’s even a timeline. They aren’t hiding what they’re doing. People didn’t pay attention like the Democrats in Congress, believe it or whatever their lame excuses is…
It’s about making the record that his behavior is unacceptable and is referred to in the future. It also firmly establishes that the Dems take it seriously, will use all the structures and norms of government to the best of their power. It shows courage in the face of his barrage. It shows no obeying in advance. There is a record of who courageously opposed him and who is to blame for allowing him to stay. There is so much more winning than saying “Don’t bother.” Resist on every level in every conceivable way. It all adds up.
The record can be accomplished through congressional hearings, and I think everybody already understands that Democrats take it seriously. Impeachment as a structure and norm of government I would argue was broken when Republicans impeached Clinton. Impeachment isn't about government norms. It is about removing a president who commits high crimes, but since the Supreme Court majority gave presidents immunity for official acts, do high crimes even exist anymore? Impeachment was not intended to create historical records. It is a tool for removal. Most of these arguments I see for impeachment come down to the basic idea that it would feel good to see Trump impeached. We already know that impeachment adds up to nothing, or Trump would have never been sent back to the White House.---Jason
I think it has to do with the Obama-Biden double standard example when it comes to what Trump is allowed to get away with, given the belief that Republicans would impeach them in a hot second for the same offenses Trump has done. (House MAGAs were stopped from weaponizing the impeachment process against Biden over his son’s alleged and imagined crimes by other Republicans because the necessary votes to convict weren’t there, even among the GOP caucus.)
Plus, the fact that a growing portion of the left has adopted the position that Democrats “do something” about Trump and the GOP. However, many times it doesn’t articulate how to go about fighting them or wrests on “magic wand” solutions that don’t even account for the limited power they currently have in the Congressional minority. Thus even though impeachment wouldn’t lead to conviction, not impeaching Trump comes off to those who want Dems to fight as act of weakness, which, in a time when fighting democratic backsliding is necessary, risks feeding the vicious cycle that abets Trump/MAGA’s efforts to drag the country towards autocracy as those seeing Dems as weak (even when the solution isn’t feasible) will choose to sit out the midterms. Those potential voters would prefer Dems to use their power against Trump/GOP in a similar but strategic manner to how they believe the GOP would against any Dem under the aforementioned double standard.
Democrats need to see some action in the face of Trump’s ignoring orders by the courts, the illegal tariffs he has placed on our trading partners, the illegal acts against immigrants and those people who are here legally without due process. He is being permitted to do whatever he wants without restraint. This is making our Democrat political leaders look weak. Right now I am being inundated with requests for donations for their political campaigns. I donated what I could afford in 2024. They had 90 million dollars to use to win the election in 2024. They were unable to seal the deal, mainly because a third of the voters did not bother to vote. We want to see our Democratic leaders fight back! Otherwise there may be more than a third of the voting population staying home and not voting in 2026. Now is the time for “good trouble!” If impeachment is not the thing to do, Democrats must do something to inspire voters.
Since they don't have the votes this seems like a non-issue. Perhaps they should poll the people and find out if impeachment without conviction is what would constitute action. Taking another loss seems a bit self destructive.
If there was a possibility of conviction, definitely impeach, but without conviction, impeachment has the strength of a strongly worded letter of reprimand put in your file at work.---Jason
Seems like the kind of thing that could ultimately work against the intent. I didn’t see it as good news, it was just like “deja vu all over again.”
Yes absolutely.
It may work if the scared Republicans change their affiliation to Independent or Democrat so they can vote their conscious.
He already is a lame duck.
his people are still behind him....
Total waste of time, espeially with so few Democrats willing to do anything. Don't get me wrong--we have some great people in Congress--AOC, Bernie, Jasmine Crockett and others, but too few. Sadly, we are also saddled with losers like Jeffries and Schumer. Our only hope is that we can get a majority in both House and Senate. Then, maybe, something can be done. I'm so disgusted with corporate Dems that I'm considering voting Socialist Workers Party (don't worry--I won't--probably). They at least are willing to fight for things we need.
I feel you.
Yes
Impeachment.
Either way the country won't survive to see the Democrats take the leadership but some one needs to do the right thing, despite the outcome.
Get impeachment started and there might be newer extremes he goes to that will be the red line so some will fall to voting against him so he can be removed. For instance, the MAGA Congress voted in committee to deport AMERICAN CITIZENS which may be a step too far for more than you think.
OMG Swalwell just announced the MAGA Congress just voted to allow Trump to deport US CITIZENS! That’s dictatorship!
WTH?! WHEN are people going to WAKE UP?!
Thanks for this analysis, Jason. I appreciated listening to you this am too explaining the pitfalls of impeachment given Senate Republicans unwillingness to vote for a conviction. Also, I don’t see making Vance the POTUS helping anything. And with limited time and energy, I can see House Ds wanting to put their energy into other things.
I wonder what becomes of impeachment as it was constitutionally intended, if high crimes and misdemeanors are thus ignored because it’s predetermined not to have any effect.
Is there any argument to be made for writing up articles of impeachment because that is what is constitutionally called for and following the process is important regardless of the known outcome?
YES! DO IT.
Lots of people are anxiously awaiting the elections in 2026. My concern is, can we ever have fair elections with Trump and his administration in power.
Indict all that don't have full immunity...i e Just like what happened to Michael Cohen....the ones below Trump give his orders and do the dirty work, go to prison and will turn on him!!
Can they indict the VP Vance?
Unfortunately even if and when Trump is gone, Vance has the billionaires of Project 2025 behind him. Peter Thiel, a very powerful driving force behind P2025 and all the horrible things going on, was Vance’s, boss and mentor and paid millions to get Vance in the Senate. Didn’t Vance come out of nowhere?! Thiel’s dream is for Vance to be president. Vance is the evil dictator in waiting.
And many of their “people” and MAGAs of P2025 are already in positions throughout the government. They’re handing government contracts to each other all over the place too. Some we already know about and some are less well known. This has been years of planning. We’d have to get rid of ALL of them to get rid of the cancer. You can look it all up. There’s even a timeline. They aren’t hiding what they’re doing. People didn’t pay attention like the Democrats in Congress, believe it or whatever their lame excuses is…