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jdmkleinOn a sad note: Coby Bryant, a legendary NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers, was killed in a helicopter crash over Calabasas, CA, today. He was 41 years old.
There have been only three presidential impeachments in the history of the United States. I have lived through all three of them and have watched two of them on TV. The first impeachment became moot when Richard Nixon resigned from office on August 9 in 1974. He was accused and probably would have been convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors, among which was the Watergate Hotel scandal. He was also accused of having taken part in destroying several minutes of audiotapes that were important to the investigation.
The impeachment of Bill Clinton was initiated on October 8, 1998, when the United States House of Representatives voted to commence impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. He was convicted of two counts of perjury, obstruction of justice when he lied about having oral sex in the oval office with a young intern, Monica Lewinski. He was acquitted by the Senate and remained in office.
The of impeachment Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, occurred on December 18, 2019, when the House of Representatives approved articles of impeachment on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate began the hearings for his trial on Monday, January 20, 2020. It is widely suspected that he will also be acquitted, but it is my constant prayer and fervent hope that this is not going to happen.
The accusations against Trump are far, far, worse than anything that was said about either Nixon or Clinton even though Nixon was thought to be involved in the Watergate coverup. Trump has been accused of trying to bribe the leaders of Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden, former VP Joe Biden's son. Joe Biden is one of the leading Democratic contenders for the Democrats to run against Trump in the upcoming election. It is also thought Trump was a part of the election hack by the Russians in the 2016 presidential election. He has also been accused of withholding foreign aid to an ally, Ukraine, to force them to investigate. The GOP, which holds the majority in a conservative Senate, is trying hard to convince their constituents that these things are not real. Evidence points to the fact that Trump did do those things.
Three things interest me about this time in our history.
1) As our world has expanded its wealth of knowledge and power, the crimes our presidents are accused of have become more serious. The differences between oral sex in the oval office and bribery are too many to mention. Those crimes are worlds apart.
2) During the first two impeachment processes, the United States did not divide itself so alarmingly along party lines as what is going on during this process. It is doubtful that the Senate is going to vote to impeach and remove Trump from office. The Senate majority leader is Mitch McConnell, who is an ardent supporter of this president. He and many others from the party have already spoken out that they will not allow Trump to be impeached. A poll taken in January before the trial began and conducted by SSRS and taken for CNN showed that 51% of voters want Trump impeached and removed from office. It was reported on December 18, 2019, that 55% percent of Americans say President Donald Trump should be impeached and removed from office, according to an Insider poll. No matter which way the trial goes, it should be what the American public wants, not what money and power-hungry elected officials wish.
3) I find it most interesting that two of the three presidents who have been involved in the impeachment process belong to the "Grand Old Party', the Republican Party. It is also interesting to me that the two republican presidents were both older, which may work to prove the point that the GOP is made of old white males. 652+
There have been only three presidential impeachments in the history of the United States. I have lived through all three of them and have watched two of them on TV. The first impeachment became moot when Richard Nixon resigned from office on August 9 in 1974. He was accused and probably would have been convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors, among which was the Watergate Hotel scandal. He was also accused of having taken part in destroying several minutes of audiotapes that were important to the investigation.
The impeachment of Bill Clinton was initiated on October 8, 1998, when the United States House of Representatives voted to commence impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. He was convicted of two counts of perjury, obstruction of justice when he lied about having oral sex in the oval office with a young intern, Monica Lewinski. He was acquitted by the Senate and remained in office.
The of impeachment Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, occurred on December 18, 2019, when the House of Representatives approved articles of impeachment on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate began the hearings for his trial on Monday, January 20, 2020. It is widely suspected that he will also be acquitted, but it is my constant prayer and fervent hope that this is not going to happen.
The accusations against Trump are far, far, worse than anything that was said about either Nixon or Clinton even though Nixon was thought to be involved in the Watergate coverup. Trump has been accused of trying to bribe the leaders of Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden, former VP Joe Biden's son. Joe Biden is one of the leading Democratic contenders for the Democrats to run against Trump in the upcoming election. It is also thought Trump was a part of the election hack by the Russians in the 2016 presidential election. He has also been accused of withholding foreign aid to an ally, Ukraine, to force them to investigate. The GOP, which holds the majority in a conservative Senate, is trying hard to convince their constituents that these things are not real. Evidence points to the fact that Trump did do those things.
Three things interest me about this time in our history.
1) As our world has expanded its wealth of knowledge and power, the crimes our presidents are accused of have become more serious. The differences between oral sex in the oval office and bribery are too many to mention. Those crimes are worlds apart.
2) During the first two impeachment processes, the United States did not divide itself so alarmingly along party lines as what is going on during this process. It is doubtful that the Senate is going to vote to impeach and remove Trump from office. The Senate majority leader is Mitch McConnell, who is an ardent supporter of this president. He and many others from the party have already spoken out that they will not allow Trump to be impeached. A poll taken in January before the trial began and conducted by SSRS and taken for CNN showed that 51% of voters want Trump impeached and removed from office. It was reported on December 18, 2019, that 55% percent of Americans say President Donald Trump should be impeached and removed from office, according to an Insider poll. No matter which way the trial goes, it should be what the American public wants, not what money and power-hungry elected officials wish.
3) I find it most interesting that two of the three presidents who have been involved in the impeachment process belong to the "Grand Old Party', the Republican Party. It is also interesting to me that the two republican presidents were both older, which may work to prove the point that the GOP is made of old white males. 652+
